HILO, Hawai'i – Seventy two University of Hawai'i at Hilo Vulcans student-athletes completed academic work toward earning a bachelor's degree during the 2025-26 school year.
Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony was held in December at the UH Hilo Vulcan Gym while the Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony was held this past weekend at the Edith Kanaka'ole Multi-Purpose Stadium at the Ho'olulu Complex.
Vulcans Volleyball senior Imani Lee served as the student speaker at this past weekend's ceremony — in addition to singing The Star-Spangled Banner — delivering a message of growth, resiliency and intentional living while urging her fellow graduates to embrace failure as part of their journeys.
"I'm not worried that this group of extraordinary graduates won't be successful. I'm worried that we will forget to fail every once in a while," Lee said. "Failure is not something to fear, but it is part of becoming who we are meant to be. So do not fear failure, but instead be terrified of regret.
"This diploma reflects hours of grinding. It reflects a Hilo culture that uplifts the community and it reflects generations of sacrifice because none of us got into these chairs alone. When someone asks you how you got here, tell them the truth: I believed in myself, I worked for it and I never forgot the sacrifices that paved the way. This diploma can only ever be a dream for some, but today, it becomes our reality."
Lee was the second student-athlete to serve as UH Hilo Commencement student speaker in as many years, following former Men's Soccer student-athlete David Mayser in spring 2024.
Keynote address was given by Dr. Michele Ebersole, a professor of Education at UH Hilo who has dedicated more than two decades in preparing future teachers and strengthening educator development across Hawai'i Island.
"I invite you to think of life as a wave and how to move through the world. Like waves, your journey will rise and fall but always remain connected to the people and places that carried you. Welcome the unknown. The unknown can feel scary and unpredictable, but it can also lead to new possibilities that you may never have imagined. On my wall hangs a reminder given to me as a child: the biggest mistake is to fear that you'll make one," Ebersole said.
"So move forward like a wave — powerful and fluid. Stay grounded in where you come from and guided by intention. Take risks, be resilient and live with aloha. And wherever you go, remember Hilo is now part of how you see the world."
FALL 2025 GRADUATES
- Takato Awai (Men's Soccer): Bachelor of Business Administration
- Aboubacar Cisse (Men's Soccer): B.A. Communication
- Shudai Ito (Men's Soccer): Bachelor of Business Administration
- Teani Arakawa (Women's Soccer): Bachelor of Business Administration
- Briana Kubli (Women's Soccer): B.A. Psychology
- Isabella Hadaller (Women's Volleyball): B.A. Communication + B.A. Psychology
- Jayda Favela (Softball): B.A. Sociology
SPRING 2026 GRADUATES
Men's Soccer
Women's Soccer
Women's Cross Country
Women's Volleyball
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Men's Golf
Women's Golf
Baseball
Softball
Men's Tennis
Women's Tennis
* Already earned a previous bachelor's degree
