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Hawaii Hall from Quad

As the chief academic officer of the campus, the Provost is responsible for ensuring the success of UH Mānoa students, faculty, and staff across education, research, scholarship, service, and outreach.

Reflecting on a remarkable year

Aloha mai kākou

As 2024 draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the passion and dedication of the UH Mānoa ʻohana. To our students, mahalo for your hard work and persistence. You are the heart of our mission, and one day soon, you will join a proud network of alumni making a difference in Hawaiʻi and well beyond.

I was fortunate this year to meet many of our alumni in Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and, of course, here in Hawaiʻi. Their achievements continue to inspire, reflecting the transformative power of a UH Mānoa education. Their stories reminded me that what we do matters so much—not just on campus, but around the world.

These successes are made possible by the hard work and dedication of our incredible community of faculty and staff. Whether teaching, conducting research, or supporting students and facilities, you are the foundation of UH Mānoa’s excellence. Mahalo for your commitment to our mission.

This year, UH Mānoa reached new heights. We welcomed 20,028 students—the largest class since 2013, including a record 3,123 first-time freshmen—and secured a record $464.9 million in extramural funding. These milestones demonstrate the growing recognition of UH Mānoa as one of the nation’s premier institutions of higher education, with impact far beyond our shores.

I am especially proud of our ongoing commitment to supporting students affected by the 2023 Maui Wildfires. UH Mānoa is dedicated to doing everything we can to ensure they complete their degrees and contribute to Maui’s revitalization and future.

Finally, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to David Lassner for his exceptional leadership and service as UH President for the past decade. As we bid him aloha, we look forward to welcoming incoming President Wendy Hensel this January, as she prepares to lead us into an exciting new chapter.

I wish you all a joyful and restful holiday season. Congratulations to our December graduates, and mahalo for being part of our UH Mānoa story.

Me ke aloha pumehana,

Michael Bruno
UH Mānoa Provost

Initiatives

The Office of the Provost serves as the home for innovative initiatives that cross the boundaries of education, research, student affairs, and outreach. Current initiatives include the following.

Dr. Frankie Zhu and zero-g researchers

NSF ADVANCE Catalyst

With the aim of increasing the number of underrepresented, wāhine faculty in STEM, UH Mānoa is beginning an ADVANCE Catalyst project funded by the National Science Foundation to undertake data collection and self-assessment to identify systemic gender inequities so that these can be addressed. Learn more!

Smiling students walking near Richardson School of Law – Strategic Investment Initiative 2024

Mānoa Strategic Investment Initiative recipients announced

Eleven impressive projects have been awarded $2.3 million through the highly competitive 4th round of the Mānoa Strategic Investment Initiative competition. This grant opportunity is funded by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship.

Health Sciences Initiative

Health Sciences Steering Committee

The Health Sciences Initiative is designed to identify opportunities to leverage and build on our strengths in health sciences research, education, and extension for the state and beyond. The steering committee is composed of campus and external colleagues with vested interests in our success in this area. Learn more.

Office of the Provost - Highlights and Current Initiatives

Newsletter – Highlights Initiatives

We are pleased to share with you the monthly newsletter of the Office of the Provost. Our goal through this effort is to amplify and share good news, professional development opportunities, and campus-wide initiatives. We invite you to subscribe to remain informed of initiatives and highlights.

WASC Senior College and University Commission: Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation. Becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning. Transformational Student Success. Academic Innovation & engaged learning.

UH Mānoa Receives 10-Year Reaffirmation!

UH Mānoa has been reaffirmed for a full 10 years of accreditation, the longest period possible. From the hard work of the steering committee to the tremendous campus-wide participation in the visit, the review team was impressed by the high-level of engagement. Learn more on the WASC Reaffirmation website.

Teacher helping two students

Learning Assistant Program

A Learning Assistant (LA) is an undergraduate student who facilitates discussion and engagement by working with students in small groups during class to encourage active participation. LAs support an increasing number of lower division courses, particularly challenging courses with low success rates. Learn more!

C-Maiki - the Institute

C-MĀIKI

The Center for MICROBIOME Analysis through Island Knowledge & Investigation (C-MĀIKI) performs cutting-edge microbiome research by leveraging the ecology, geography and cultures of Hawaiʻi to better understand and model microbiome dynamics.

View of Waiamea Bay from the Pupukea hillside

Institute for Sustainability & Resilience

ISR provides a campus-wide focus for instructional, research and outreach programs relating to sustainability and resilience Hawaiʻi, as lessons from our islands can help provide global solutions.

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