A Local Hawaiian Studies Program Went Online And Its Popularity Soared On The Mainland … The Windward Community College program’s success was largely due to Native Hawaiians eager for more connection with their homeland.
When the pandemic grounded most air travel last year, Bay Area resident Joby Kekapu Tom, who usually comes to Oahu to visit family once or twice a year and had not flown back since 2019, was missing home.
So Tom, a Native Hawaiian who wanted to improve her knowledge of the language, jumped at the opportunity to enroll in an online Hawaiian Studies program via Windward Community College starting in October.
“It was the Hawaiian-ness of it all. It made me feel that much more connected,” said Tom, a compliance officer for a financial institution in San Francisco. “If it wasn’t for COVID, I actually wouldn’t be enrolled in this program because I flew so much (for work).”
