2016 ASUHWO Student Government General Elections

Represent. Stand up. Voice out.

Candidates Overview

The following current UHWO students are running for this year's elections:​
  • Isaiah Baclaan, President candidate
  • Kai Meheula, President candidate
  • Haylie Culp, Vice President candidate
  • Angelo McDuffie, Vice President candidate
  • Lehua Gould, Secretary candidate
  • Elizabeth Gustafson, Treasurer candidate
  • Shermila Sioson, Distance Learning Senator candidate
  • Rashad Hicks, Business Administration Senator candidate
  • Lydia Haff, Education Senator candidate
  • Christielove Espinosa, Sophomore Class Senator candidate
  • Michael Mancha, Sophomore Class Senator candidate

MEET THE CANDIDATES

President Candidate:
​Isaiah Baclaan

Major: PUBA/Health Care Administration & SSCI/Psychology
Class Standing: Senior
Hobbies and Interests: Service Learning, Reading, Cooking, and Guitar Playing.

As a part of student government for the past two years, as the Social Sciences Senator, I have worked to bring initiatives to the campus that benefit the students. Programs like the ASUHWO Lending Library, Care Packages for Finals, and Care Folders for Welcome Week were a few of the initiatives I started as a senator. I’m also proud to say that I have served in the PUEO Leadership Program for the past 3 years as a mentor to incoming freshman and been involved in multiple Fall Fest & West Fest planning Committees. I am running for President of student government because I believe I have the capabilities to lead and serve my fellow students, as well as face the responsibilities demanded of the position. If elected I promise to work with the students, faculty, and staff to ensure the best for our university. Thank you.

President Candidate:
​Kai Meheula

Major: Pre-Nursing
Class Standing: Sophomore
Hobbies and Interests: Sustainability, random acts of kindness, riding motorcycle, paddling and education.

I am currently and Intern for Service Learning Community Engagement. I am also part of HOSA and will be representing UH West Oahu in their National competition in Nashville in June.  My reason for running would be to help lead students into individual excellence.  If I get into office I will be an advocate of Health and Humanity.   I am of Hawaiian decent and I would like to add some Hawaiian culture to ASUHWO.   My main goal will be to get everyone to participate in all UH West Oahu has to offer.   

Vice President Candidate: 
Haylie Culp

Duel Major: Education Secondary Social Studies Concentration, Political Science
Class Standing: Senior
Hobbies and Interests:  I love community service; being involved on campus and in the community are huge passions of mine! I love history, government and ALA Aloha Girls State. You might be interested too! Check out the website for more info: alaALOHAgirlsstate.org

This year I have served as your Education Division Senator, voicing your concerns, leading discussions, and forming partnerships with organizations in our community. While we have not yet achieved all our goals, I am happy to announce we have a much needed strategic plan to continue to advocate on our Ed. Students behalf! This experience has prepared me for the opportunity to represent our student body. If elected as the ASUHWO Vice-President I will continue to work toward promoting student advocacy on campus. I look forward to representing our student body and advocating for the services and programs we all deserve. While you are working hard for your education, let me work hard for you! ​
No picture  provided.

Vice President Candidate:
Angelo McDuffie

Major: Business Administration
Class Standing: Junior

No BIO provided.

Secretary Candidate:
​Lehua Gould

​           Major: Accounting and Hawaiian Pacific Studies
Class Standing: Junior 
 
Beginning in my sophomore year at UHWO, I’ve worked primarily as a writing tutor in our UHWO Noʻeau Center. As tutors, we are responsible for promoting independent learning and pushing for transformational change within students. Our ultimate goal as a center is to work towards the betterment of our UHWO student body and student retention rate; these are also my reasons for running for office. Personally, being a tutor has been my most rewarding leadership position. As tutoring has been a great way for me to redefine my leadership skills, I am now confident in pursuing greater aspirations such as joining ASUHWO. If elected as Secretary, my goals while in office are similar to my goals as a tutor; to promote transformational change within our university, to work towards encouraging and bettering our UHWO student body, and to work, not as a superior to my peers, but as a friend who will listen to the concerns of other students, relay the message to my team members, and work together to form solutions.

Treasurer Candidate:
Elizabeth Gustafson

Major: Education Secondary Social Studies Concentration
Class Standing: Senior
 Hobbies include playing sports, hiking, amateur photography and sunning at the beach.

​I am a former Girl Scout and Venture Crew Scout. Additionally,  I know the types of skills needed to plan and put on major events, and how to work with financials in order to make sure funds are handled appropriately. Furthermore I am a huge people person and love meeting new people.
 
Currently I am the Humanities Division Senator, and have created stress coping mechanisms for individuals during final exams last semester, where we passed out positive remarks written or drawn by fellow students. Being that I have been on ASUHWO for going on two semesters, I have an understanding of the in’s and out’s and what is needed in order to be a successful treasures. If elected as the ASUHWO Treasure, I will make it my mission to make sure the our finances are handled appropriately so that your student fees are used to best benefit you, the student.

Sophomore Senator Candidate: Christielove Espinosa

Major: Elementary Education
Class Standing: Freshman
Hobbies/Interest: Hawaii Politics, Homeless Outreach,            Fostering Animals, Softball,Service Learning

     I believe that making a change in the world starts with ourselves. We must be the change we want to see in the world and from our change we are able to affect our families, then our communities, and then our world. I volunteered in a lot of different programs such as the humane society, new hope food bank, service learning, and coaching little league. I've gained very good leadership skills from being on and captain of high school sports. I also am very active in the community with clean ups and working with Michael Hayes, Melissa Saul of PIKO project, Rep. Andria Tupola, and Rep. Feki Poʻuha. If elected into office I plan to Organize out reach work with our students to better our college as well as communities. Outreach work includes in changing policies students may have a disagreement with and creating policies to better accommodate student needs. Servicing ASUHWO for 2015-2016 school year has taught me a lot about our campus resources and utilizing all that is available to students, my goal is to help the student body and campus as a whole.

Sophomore Senator Candidate:
Michael Mancha

Major: Public Administration (General Public Administration)
Class Standing: Freshmen 
Hobbies: Playing Tenor Saxophone with UHWO's Community Band, helping the band at James Campbell High School, and going to the gym

In the past, I was a section leader in the JCHS Marching and Symphonic band.  My responsibilities were to take care of my section and make sure that they stayed on top of their instrument work, as well as their school work.  I was also tasked with helping to plan and run events such as concerts, public events, and charities.  My reasons for running are that I am very interested in student government and this position would be great for transitioning over to local government.  I am also very fond of how much is coordinated for the students at UHWO (such as events, parties, and informational fairs) and would very much like to take part in helping to coordinate said events.  If elected I will make sure to coordinate well with the rest of the student government, as well as represent my class in a dignified and professional manner.  

Distance Learning Senator Candidate:
Shermila Sioson

Major: Business Administration (General)
Class Standing: Senior
Hobbies and interest(s): spending time with family, Zumba, playing volleyball and video games, shopping, and singing.

As President of the Distance Learners Connect Club on Maui, I have organized various events for distance learners to meet with each other and build a community and support group. I have also served as the Vice President of the Phi Theta Kappa Maui Chapter and received the Regent’s Award in Hospitality and Tourism from UH Maui College. As a student assistant for the Hui Hookipa Hospitality Club, I managed and reached out to industry leaders for students to be exposed to different workforce opportunities and to network. If elected, I want to create opportunities for DL students to be exposed to the real-world industries in addition to just textbooks and sitting in front of a computer. I want to represent the distance learners and address their concerns to make their studies a more enjoyable part of their journey. ​

Business Administration Senator Candidate:
​Rashad Hicks

Major: BUSA: Concentration in Accounting
Class Standing: Junior
Hobbies: I enjoy filmmaking and writing. I'm President of the Pueo Film Club on campus and we create short films together. Outside of school I train in Taekwondo and hope to compete later this year.

I have been a Pueo leader for 2 years and currently a Program Team Member. I also founded and run the Pueo Film Club on campus. The reason I am running is because I know many of our business students feel limited by our few course offerings. This year as the Business Administration Senator, I intend to run as an advocate of students needs, and ask our university to acknowledge the needs of our students. While many courses are offered online, many of our students are requesting in person courses be offered to meet the many diverse learning needs of our students.  If elected as your senator this year, I will make it my mission to have your requests heard!
No picture provided.

Education Senator Candidate:
Lydia Haff

Major: Secondary Education and English
Class Standing: Sophomore

As an active leader of the Education Club here on campus and of the HSTA's perspective and new teacher network (Hawaii Young Professional Educators), I am dedicated to ensuring that UHWO’s future educators are excited, motivated, and adequately prepared to enter the classroom and excel as teachers. As education senator, I will work with both the university and the educator community in order to address student concerns and better our program!


​VOTE in the ASUHWO General Elections

Online @ MYUH.HAWAII.EDU (ASUHWO Tab)
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From Mon, April 8th 5:00am to Mon, April 14th 11:59pm