“I never thought college was for me.”
It’s a sentiment shared by many high school graduates who lack the support or encouragement to see college as a real option. It’s something that Vanessa Visitacion believed too when she graduated from Waimea High in 2014, until the Waiʻaleʻale Project showed her what was possible.
A referral from ʻAhahui Kaʻahumanu on Kauaʻi led Visitacion to the Waiʻaleʻale Project at Kauaʻi Community College (KCC), marking the beginning of path forward. The program supports high school graduates and adults who may not have otherwise considered college, helping them pursue and complete their first year of higher education.
The Waiʻaleʻale Project creates a more accessible path to educational success by providing participants with financial support that covers tuition, books, and fees, along with mentoring, personalized counseling, and advising.
Program Coordinator Lahea Salazar explains, “Our motto is just come and try college. Give us a year.”
After her first year in college, Visitacion became a peer mentor. It was an experience that sparked her interest in a career centered on helping others. Attending KCC helped her realize how much she enjoyed guiding those who, like her, faced difficult circumstances but still hoped for something more.
Today, she holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Hawaiʻi.
“As I went through the social work program, I realized I wanted to improve the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians. So, I thought I was going to go into healthcare as a social worker, but instead, my path led me toward higher education,” Visitacion said from her office at KCC, where she now works as an academic counselor.
Her story underscores the persistent barriers to higher education for Native Hawaiians – and the life-changing impact of programs designed to break them down.
According to a 2023 report by the Native Hawaiian Education Council, nearly 65% of Native Hawaiians aged 25 and older cited financial need as a barrier to further education. Within the University of Hawaiʻi system, only 41% of Native Hawaiian students earn a degree within six years, compared to nearly 73% of their Asian peers.
These disparities are compounded by the practice of grouping Native Hawaiians under the broader “Asian/Pacific Islander” label, which obscures their distinct needs.
Programs like the Waiʻaleʻale Project are vital for addressing these gaps by offering culturally grounded and comprehensive support.
The Waiʻaleʻale Project began in 2010 with the support of UH Foundation Board of Trustee Jim Lally, along with Kauaʻi Community College, the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, and several individual and community donors. In a past interview with the UH Foundation, Lally explained his motivation:
“Because I was a disadvantaged kid, all I needed was a little help, just a little help and a little encouragement and it went a long, long way. That’s the same thing here. Here are all these resources, all this talent, all these amazing people. All they need is to understand that people believe in them and will give them a chance.”
A chance is not a one-time occurrence in the Waiʻaleʻale Project, which values one-on-one support.
“We use hānai aku, hānai mai,” said Salazar. “So, first we pull them up. ʻOkay, you can do this!’ We’re like their best cheerleaders and guides. And then next year, we want them to be able to help themselves and also help others.”
Visitacion is a powerful example of how far a Waiʻaleʻale Project participant can go when given the right support. Her educational journey has been shaped and sustained by the encouragement that she now hopes to emulate.
“I want to help open and introduce opportunities for Native Hawaiians to reach their educational and career goals. I want to help them navigate the complexities of higher ed and provide them with intentional advising and not just transactional advising,” said Visitacion.
“I want them to know that even if they graduate from KCC, I will still be a resource they can come to just like how Lahea was my resource I went to when I decided to go back to school to pursue a higher degree.”
While it is commonly known that college credentials open pathways into living-wage careers, studies also show a correlation to better health.
The Waiʻaleʻale Project serves individuals from Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, with Native Hawaiians making up an average of 70% of each cohort. Participation is by referral, followed by an application process. The program has grown significantly over the years from about 40 students in its first cohort to 127 in its most recent.
Among the Waiʻaleʻale Project’s older participants, Salazar recalled a 56-year-old woman who earned her associate degree and was then able to step into a managerial role.
“It helped her excel and feel better about her work — she had already been doing the job, just without the title or the pay,” Salazar said.
There are many examples where Salazar is overwhelmed with pride when thinking of those who are not only succeeding in their careers but making a difference for others, like Visitacion.
“What a gift to be a part of a young life, who graciously nurtured the seeds planted, growing up into an ʻŌiwi leader in our community,” she said.
The Waiʻaleʻale Project has inspired similar outreach efforts across the University of Hawaiʻi system. It’s a testament to what is possible when students are seen, supported, and believed in, no matter their circumstance.
