Hawai‘i Hilo Women’s Volleyball senior to serve as student speaker in upcoming commencement

Graduating Hawai’i Hilo Women’s Volleyball senior Imani Lee will serve as the student speaker in this weekend’s University of Hawai’i at Hilo Spring Commencement.

Lee is the second student-athlete to serve as commencement student speaker in the past two years, following former Men’s Soccer student-athlete David Mayser in spring 2024.

Lee, from Hacienda Heights, California, was a four-year member of the Vulcans Volleyball team and will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Political Science, along with earning a Pre-Law subject certificate, according to news release from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. Lee served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in fall 2025 before studying abroad this spring in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Lee plans to pursue a master’s degree in Public Administration abroad while continuing her volleyball career to eventually work in foreign service.

Commencement will take place on May 16 at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium, where more than 550 UH Hilo students will earn degrees, subject certificates and post-graduate credentials, including 57 Vulcan student-athletes.

The keynote address will be given by Dr. Michele Ebersole, a professor of Education at UH Hilo who has dedicated more than two decades to preparing future teachers and strengthening educator development across Hawai’i Island.

More information is available at hilo.hawaii.edu/commencement. The ceremony is set to begin at 9 a.m. and will be livestreamed on the University of Hawai’i at Hilo YouTube channel.