Your Associated Students of the University of Hawai’i - West O’ahu (ASUHWO) also known as Student Government announces the special elections results.
Thank you for your participation in the ASUHWO election voting process.
RESULTS ARE IN:
Candidates for Vice President (select one)
Candidate for Business Administration Senator
Candidate for Creative Media Senator
Candidate for Humanities Senator
Candidate for Math, Health, and Sciences Senator
Candidate for Senior Class Senator
Thank you for your participation in the ASUHWO election voting process.
RESULTS ARE IN:
Candidates for Vice President (select one)
- Jared McCann (20 votes)
- Jonathan Stremel (7 votes)
Candidate for Business Administration Senator
- Troy Bunce (24 votes)
Candidate for Creative Media Senator
- Mikaela Briones (24 votes)
Candidate for Humanities Senator
- Tanya Pio (24 votes)
Candidate for Math, Health, and Sciences Senator
- Lindsey Millerd (25 votes)
Candidate for Senior Class Senator
- Christopher Crocco (26 votes)
ASUHWO is holding a special elections to fill vacant positions. Review the candidates below.
Candidates for Vice President (select one):
- Jared McCann
- Jonathan Stremel
Candidate for Creative Media Senator: Mikaela Briones
Candidate for Humanities Senator: Tanya Pio
Candidate for Math, Health and Sciences Senator: Lindsey Millerd
Candidate for Senior Class Senator: Christopher Crocco
Voting begins Tuesday, January 24, 2023 to Friday, January 27, 2023 8:00 PM.
All fee-paying students will receive a message via UH Email to vote.
Candidates for Vice President
Vice President Candidate: Jared McCann
Aloha, my name is Jared (Kā'eo), and I am a fourth-year transfer student currently majoring in Information Security and Assurance as well as Cybersecurity: Cyber Operations. I grew up in Ahuimanu, spent three years in the Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago, and currently reside in Makakilo. One thing that is interesting about me is I play 8 different instruments, and it is my goal to be able to play 20 by the time I am 30. Along with playing music, I enjoy hiking, surfing, going out with friends, and playing video games. Currently I work at West Oahu's IT help desk. Being at the help desk I've been able to increase my involvement at school and learn a lot about our campus. I love our small community, but I think we lack engagement. Being a commuter campus and dealing with the effects of the pandemic exacerbates this issue even more. If elected to Vice President, I would want to find ways to increase overall campus engagement and help students feel more a part of the community. I also want to find ways to increase student programs. To do this I will try to be an engaging student leader by reaching out to students to build relationships and to hear what issues they see on campus. I also know that I don't know everything, so I will try and make our student government a place that is open to thoughts and ideas and that doesn't feel separated from other students. Setting the foundation for a strong campus community for future generations is what I hope to be able to achieve and I hope that you all will support me in this goal.
Vice President Candidate: Jonathan Stremel

Aloha kakou! My name is Jon Stremel and I am in my final year at UH West Oahu as a Film, Media, and Pop Culture major. I am originally from North Hollywood, CA and I have lived on Oahu for 7 years. I am a retired US Navy veteran who loves filmmaking and has published two books. As a single dad, we enjoy volunteering at the Waianae Boat Harbor houseless community on the weekends, playing video games, making silly videos together, and fostering other kids. The flexibility of class schedules that UHWO offers is perfect for someone like me and I love that I can pursue my education while spending quality time with my kids.
As a student government Vice President, I would like to help promulgate resources to students (especially those in marginalized communities) to help them have the best educational experience possible. Everyone's college path is different and no one's personal background is the same. UH West Oahu's student, alumni, and faculty diversity is one of our biggest strengths! I look forward to serving on our student government body to be a voice for our Pueo community and to be an ally for all students to rely on.
Candidate for Business Administration Senator: Troy Bunce

I am Troy Bunce originally from Colorado. At the age of 19, I joined the Army as a combat medic. After 10 years of service, I was medically retired. I am married with 4 children, 19-year-old twins, a 12-year-old daughter, and an eight-year-old son. After I retired from the army I was a professional dog musher where I bred, trained, and raced sled dogs. I have competed in and completed a few 300 to 700 mile races across Alaska. And had to call it quits when my body could no longer handle the subzero temperatures. I have a strong faith in God and He guides me on His path for me. My family was called here to the island of Oahu in January 2022. We moved here with 5 suitcases and 2 children in tow. Coming to the island has truly opened so many doors for my family and I. While attending University of Hawaii West Oahu, I am pursuing a bachelor's in Accounting with the goal of becoming a staff accountant for one of the top hotels on Oahu. I love the outdoors and exploring this amazing state.
Candidate for Creative Media Senator: Mikaela Briones

Aloha! I’m Mikaela Briones or Mika for short, I grew up on the west side of Oahu. I am currently a junior in Creative Media and enjoy designing graphics. I am an intern for Communications and have fun with the work I do which include photography, graphic design, and animation. I am also The Hoot’s Editor in Chief in which I’m working hard to bring back to life. I’ve been Creative Media Senator the first year at UHWO but had to step back for a while and would love to get back to it. UHWO is an awesome university and can definitely see that there can be improvements in student culture, specifically incoming students. I’d love to bring back a whole culture to the student body as well as our Creative Media students to the best of my ability. Overall, this would be a great opportunity to serve on this council again, thank you!
Candidate for Humanities Senator: Tanya Pio
Year in college: Sophomore
Major: HSPT & PUBA
Hometown: Mulivai-Safata
Interesting fact about yourself: I have gone to 16 different schools in my lifetime
Hobbies: Learning about my culture, and jam session.
Interests: Music and Mindful Conversation.
Involvements in organizations: I have worked with kids since I was 4 yrs. old. Prior to schooling I worked as a site director with the YMCA-Kalihi.
Volunteer experiences: I created a homework help in my village in Samoa when I lived there for a year.
What do you love about UHWO? I love the sense of aloha, and growth we give.
What are areas UHWO can improve? Student Involvement, and I feel we could innovate some of the things we have in place to make it better and more effective.
What are goals you would like to accomplish as a student leader in student government? I want to improve the art of decision making through the relationship we build with our little UHWO community. I want to also see what we have in place to promote higher education to our Hawai'i kids, and see how we can build if not innovate it in a way so that kids know that if this is what they want, it is an option for them. Any other piece of information that you would like your fellow UHWO students to know about you: I may not know much, but what I do know is that I am a haumana of this institution. Before I am any type of leader, I am haumana. Let's go get these DUB's mate!! Cheeee
Major: HSPT & PUBA
Hometown: Mulivai-Safata
Interesting fact about yourself: I have gone to 16 different schools in my lifetime
Hobbies: Learning about my culture, and jam session.
Interests: Music and Mindful Conversation.
Involvements in organizations: I have worked with kids since I was 4 yrs. old. Prior to schooling I worked as a site director with the YMCA-Kalihi.
Volunteer experiences: I created a homework help in my village in Samoa when I lived there for a year.
What do you love about UHWO? I love the sense of aloha, and growth we give.
What are areas UHWO can improve? Student Involvement, and I feel we could innovate some of the things we have in place to make it better and more effective.
What are goals you would like to accomplish as a student leader in student government? I want to improve the art of decision making through the relationship we build with our little UHWO community. I want to also see what we have in place to promote higher education to our Hawai'i kids, and see how we can build if not innovate it in a way so that kids know that if this is what they want, it is an option for them. Any other piece of information that you would like your fellow UHWO students to know about you: I may not know much, but what I do know is that I am a haumana of this institution. Before I am any type of leader, I am haumana. Let's go get these DUB's mate!! Cheeee
Candidate for Math, Health and Sciences Senator: Lindsey Millerd

Aloha! I’m Lindsey Millerd. I’m from Waipahu and am currently in my fourth year of college. I transferred around a bit, on a continuous journey of trying new things and refining my interests. I started off studying environmental engineering in California, but after my freshman year I returned home and went to Leeward CC. I recently finished my A.S. in sustainable agriculture there, and I just started at West Oahu this school year. I’m now majoring in Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and Healing, and should have another year or so here at UHWO.
My passions mainly lie within nature, health, and art. Some of my nature-related interests are camping and going to the beach. At home I like maintaining my balcony garden and vermicompost supply. Health relates to a lot of the agricultural concepts I’ve learned and I like to think of the two as one. I worked on a couple of farms and grew to value local and organic food. In the future I hope to work towards making those more accessible for everyone to prevent diet-related illnesses. I did an online program to get my holistic nutrition certification and now I’m continuing to learn about health through a cultural lens. I’m not much of a chef, but I like sharing simple healthy recipes on social media to show people that healthy eating doesn’t need to be daunting. In the more creative realm, I like fashion (especially thrifting), sewing, and embroidery. I also play the bassoon and recently got back into it, playing in the UHWO university band.
In the past I’ve held leadership positions in organizations like SkillsUSA and the Academy of Engineering. I also volunteered within those groups and continue to volunteer at events like beach clean-ups. I currently work as a writer and editor for Ka Manao, LCC’s student publication, and enjoy using journalism to highlight issues I care about.
I love that UHWO is a very down-to-earth environment with such kind and supportive staff. I appreciate that the school has unique programs like the major I’m pursuing, and that it’s grounded in Hawaiian culture. I think the school could improve its social opportunities. COVID really made things difficult, but I think we are ready to get back into having more frequent in-person activities.
Some personal goals of mine would be to advocate for health and sustainability projects to support our students and community. I entered the UHWO Sustainability Pitch and Present Student Competition this semester and shared the idea of creating community garden plots on our campus and would love to continue pushing for the development of this idea. Our current student organic garden is an awesome space that I’d like to help advertise more too. Some other goals include establishing a campus food pantry and making feminine hygiene products more accessible. I’d also be interested in planning volunteer events that can double as social activities, like clean-ups with parties afterwards. Thank you and I hope you will consider voting for me!
My passions mainly lie within nature, health, and art. Some of my nature-related interests are camping and going to the beach. At home I like maintaining my balcony garden and vermicompost supply. Health relates to a lot of the agricultural concepts I’ve learned and I like to think of the two as one. I worked on a couple of farms and grew to value local and organic food. In the future I hope to work towards making those more accessible for everyone to prevent diet-related illnesses. I did an online program to get my holistic nutrition certification and now I’m continuing to learn about health through a cultural lens. I’m not much of a chef, but I like sharing simple healthy recipes on social media to show people that healthy eating doesn’t need to be daunting. In the more creative realm, I like fashion (especially thrifting), sewing, and embroidery. I also play the bassoon and recently got back into it, playing in the UHWO university band.
In the past I’ve held leadership positions in organizations like SkillsUSA and the Academy of Engineering. I also volunteered within those groups and continue to volunteer at events like beach clean-ups. I currently work as a writer and editor for Ka Manao, LCC’s student publication, and enjoy using journalism to highlight issues I care about.
I love that UHWO is a very down-to-earth environment with such kind and supportive staff. I appreciate that the school has unique programs like the major I’m pursuing, and that it’s grounded in Hawaiian culture. I think the school could improve its social opportunities. COVID really made things difficult, but I think we are ready to get back into having more frequent in-person activities.
Some personal goals of mine would be to advocate for health and sustainability projects to support our students and community. I entered the UHWO Sustainability Pitch and Present Student Competition this semester and shared the idea of creating community garden plots on our campus and would love to continue pushing for the development of this idea. Our current student organic garden is an awesome space that I’d like to help advertise more too. Some other goals include establishing a campus food pantry and making feminine hygiene products more accessible. I’d also be interested in planning volunteer events that can double as social activities, like clean-ups with parties afterwards. Thank you and I hope you will consider voting for me!
Candidate for Senior Class Senator: Christopher Crocco

Hello, My name is Christopher Crocco.
I am a senior at UHWO. I am Majoring in Information Security Assurance and will be graduating in May of 2023. I was born and raised in a small village in Illinois. I joined the US Army after high school and after 4 years I transitioned out in 2018. I moved to Hawaii to attend UH and have been living here ever since.
Some interesting facts about me are that I have traveled to 9 different countries along with 49 States. Alaska, here I come! I am a world traveler, and I love discovering new cultures and experiences. My hobbies include media studies/analyses (TV-shows, movies), story telling, playing board games, cooking, and exploring new places. I have been involved in organizations such as my high school student government where I was the Student Body Secretary for two years. I was also apart of the chess and AV clubs in High school.
I love the diverse and welcoming atmosphere at UHWO! I think that UHWO excels on its access to resources for students along with its support from faculty and staff.
As a student leader in student government, I would like to work to create a more unified and engaged student body. I would also work to create a stronger sense of community by improving student services and creating more opportunities for students to get involved and interact with each other.
Lastly, I am an advocate for student rights and interests. I believe in order to achieve our goals, we need to work together to achieve them. My goal is to use my leadership skills to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential.
I am a senior at UHWO. I am Majoring in Information Security Assurance and will be graduating in May of 2023. I was born and raised in a small village in Illinois. I joined the US Army after high school and after 4 years I transitioned out in 2018. I moved to Hawaii to attend UH and have been living here ever since.
Some interesting facts about me are that I have traveled to 9 different countries along with 49 States. Alaska, here I come! I am a world traveler, and I love discovering new cultures and experiences. My hobbies include media studies/analyses (TV-shows, movies), story telling, playing board games, cooking, and exploring new places. I have been involved in organizations such as my high school student government where I was the Student Body Secretary for two years. I was also apart of the chess and AV clubs in High school.
I love the diverse and welcoming atmosphere at UHWO! I think that UHWO excels on its access to resources for students along with its support from faculty and staff.
As a student leader in student government, I would like to work to create a more unified and engaged student body. I would also work to create a stronger sense of community by improving student services and creating more opportunities for students to get involved and interact with each other.
Lastly, I am an advocate for student rights and interests. I believe in order to achieve our goals, we need to work together to achieve them. My goal is to use my leadership skills to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential.