I wanted to extend a big mahalo to team UH-Hilo Conference Center! We had such positive feedback from our participants about the value and usefulness of the forum last week with questions already being posed about the next one. It definitely could not have been the success that it was without you folks behind the scenes supporting us. Everything went so smoothly and what small hiccups there might have been were taken care of immediately by this professional staff throughout the process. Thank you for helping to make this such a successful event.
The privilege of collaborating with the dynamic organizers, students and dignitaries involved in the PAES Summit was beyond memorable! It was transformative, inspiring and heart-warming to participate in this global educational event.
Reflecting on the UH Hilo Conference Center’s role in planning the Summit, always brings me back to the thrust of our work which is embedded in the execution of the details. Organizing the myriad of complex components, and collaborating to bring the event to its successful conclusion, is the hallmark of our work.
As with most of the events we coordinate, our passion for education, cultural exchange, and the unrivaled discovery process, consistently bridges any logistical obstacles inherent in the implementation process. A sense of community and trust readily forms as we work together to achieve the collective vision, goals and mission of the event.
Navigation Lessons - ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center
Our roles, as organizers and service providers, quickly morph into something more! Partnerships, collaborations and lasting bonds of friendship are the gifts we receive from providing support, guidance and mentorship.
Over the past few months, the opportunity to collaborate with staff of the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, Hawai‘i Space Grant Consortium and the Thirty Meter Telescope, gave us tremendous pause to reflect on the stellar opportunities we, (at the Conference Center), have to work with great minds, noted faculty, extraordinary resources, students and visiting international schools and dignitaries. The experience instills a palpable sense of pride, honor and privilege about the work produced by our award-winning UH Hilo Conference Center!
Sunset on Mauna Kea
This global collaboration, with participation from Japan, China, India, Canada and Hawai‘i, has stunning, long lasting outcomes that reach far into the future. The “international ripple effect”, and the lessons learned about working collaborative on shared goals, is a model for the future. Different languages, experiences, backgrounds, environments and perceptions all blended together for the greater good… for the learning process, for education, for science and for the future! It was exciting to see everyone give 100% to the program and to see the student’s passion for active learning.
They, (we), are truly ready to move forward and anticipate the next Summit with great excitement!
Judith Fox-Goldstein, Administrative Director
Mary Ann Tsuchiyama, Assistant Director
Five pharmacy students and their faculty sponsor from Matsuyama University in Japan visited UH Hilo from Feb. 23 to March 8 and were treated to an overview the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy. UH Hilo has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Matsuyama, and the program was part of the Hawaiian EDventure program, sponsored by the UH Hilo Conference Center . . .
. . . The students were able to enjoy many aspects of Hawaiian life through the Hawaiian EDventure program, such as tours of Rainbow Falls, King Kamehameha Statue, Naha Stone, Coconut Island and Liliuokalani Park. The tours fit in the concept of the EDventure Program, said the Conference Center’s Sharay Uemura.
“Adding the educational component isour specialty and is what makes us entirely different from the standard tour companies,” Uemura said. “We believe that in order to receive the most benefit from what our island has to offer, the educational component is necessary. Although our programs may visit a lot of the same locations as a regular tour company, the educational component is deeply intertwined. It has not been challenging to incorporate education because our island is so enriched with science and culture that it overflows with education.”
To both of you – many, many kudos for organizing this year’s symposium! The venue was exceptional, the food was over-the-top excellent, the agenda well constructed (and I know how much time this took Jim-san) and the participants represented an excellent cross section of exactly the right blend of folks that we need encouraging, supporting and exploiting the JUSTSAP opportunities. Very well done my good friends.
I’d like to express my sincere appreciation for all the hard work and dedication by UH Hilo’s ohana for another beautiful and memorable commencement exercise. I think that President McClain, Regents Dahilig and Hapai, and keynote speaker Connie Lau were impressed with the aloha and joy we share with the students and their accomplishments that day.
I’d especially like to recognize Judith Fox-Goldstein and the staff of the Conference Center for their many months of work to coordinate this event. It takes months and a lot of hours to make sure every detail is planned and taken care of.
With so much involvement by so many, UH Hilo’s commencement exercise went very well.
Please know that everyone appreciates the memorable ceremony and your efforts. Mahalo to all for your kokua!
Rose Tseng
Chancellor
University of Hawaii at Hilo
200 W. Kawili St.
Hilo, HI 96720
Ph: (808) 974-7444
Fx: (808) 933-3304
Thank you so much for all your work and putting together a valuable workshop. I’m much excited about some new ideas I got from the workshop and hope to create some interesting, educational and enriching programs for the community and the visitors.
Do keep me posted on any progresses. Would love to help and work towards our goals as much as I can in my capacity. It was great meeting you all.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend the group marketing workshop on Tuesday, 1/22/08. I was very excited to be included on the invitation list and felt my presence was representative not only of the East Hawai`i Cultural Center as its Executive Director but also as a homegrown member of our local community. I was pleased to see many familiar faces that I’ve known, some friends of decades as well as many recent acquaintances. I am unable to attend the 2nd part of the workshop today as I am feeling under the weather…but am at the Center now checking in and getting materials to work from home. I do look forward to future workshops, meetings and talk story sessions on developing a pono branding message in positioning Hilo as a Culture,Arts and Heritage destination.
“JUSTSAP is an international association of distinguished scientists, educators, government officials and business leaders pursuing multinational ventures in space exploration, has been holding its annual symposium in Hawai`i since 1990.
Many of our meetings have been held on the Big Island and the reception, ambiance and professionalism is always outstanding.
Hawaii’s resident scientific and technological expertise, mild climate, and long-standing ties with nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region make the Big Island an ideal venue in which to stage this prestigious science and technology conference.
Working in collaboration with the UH Hilo Conference Center’s - one stop shop - has provided us with the most outstanding logistical support, hospitality and creative meeting management. We are always assured of an exceptional experience!”
Jim Crisafulli
Director, Office of Aerospace Development
DBEDT/State of Hawaii
Site: Waikoloa Marriott (2x), Hapuna Prince (1x), Hawaii Naniloa Hotel (1x)
Additional organizers from JAPAN (JAXA) which is the equivalent to NASA
Thank you thank you thank you for all your support, help, hard work, cheerful attitude, pleasant ways, and above all for your professionalism as we dealt with the many challenges of this conference.
During the course of the conference, people praised me for what a great job I was doing but without your team behind the scenes, the conference would have been a disaster. The kudos go to all of you, and the other members of your staff whose emails I don’t have at hand.
Mahalo for your wonderful organization and your continual presence. The conference would not have been possible without you,
Terri
Terrilani J. Chong
IMUA NSF Hawaii EPSCoR Project Administrator
200 West Kawili Street, PB10-2
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Just getting back to reality. Judith and staff thank you for all of your hard work, attention to detail, simple acts of kindness and your friendship.
It was one of the few conferences I actually enjoyed because I knew you and your fine group of women were always one step ahead of the game.
I am missing my extended Hawaii family and hope you are all well. What a great group!!!
I have some great shots of ALL of us and will get them in the mail, eventually. Judith, I have a picture of you and I and I must say we look like Movie Stars!!!!
Love, Peace and Happiness
Stacie M. Cain
Assistant Director, RMS
Plant Protection and Quarantine
301-734-5451 (Phone)
301-734-8434 (Fax)
