UH Hilo chosen for nationwide initiative to improve rural higher education

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo has been selected to join a new national initiative focused on improving college success and economic mobility for students in rural communities, university officials announced Monday.

UH Hilo is one of 17 public universities nationwide chosen for the inaugural Rural Student Success Network, a program led by Ithaka S+R in partnership with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

The campus is the only institution from Hawaiʻi — and the only school in the Pacific region — included in the cohort.

The announcement comes just days after UH Hilo celebrated its Spring 2026 commencement with 589 students graduating, including 506 earning bachelor’s degrees.

Nearly 200 graduates were first-generation college students, and the graduating class ranged in age from 19 to 79.

The Rural Student Success Network is supported through a two-year grant from the ECMC Foundation’s Rural Impact Initiative and includes institutions from 12 states. The program is designed to help rural-serving universities improve student retention, degree completion and workforce readiness.

UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin said in a press release that the initiative reflects the university’s commitment to expanding opportunities for students across Hawaiʻi Island and beyond.

“Every graduate who crossed our stage this month is proof that rural-serving institutions change lives,” Irwin said. “This Network gives us a powerful new chance to learn alongside peer institutions and make sure more of our students get the milestone the Class of 2026 just had.”

Over the next 18 months, participating universities will collaborate on strategies to support community college transfer students, reconnect adult learners with higher education, and better align academic programs with local workforce needs.

UH Hilo officials said the campus plans to focus on transfer pathways and workforce development, particularly in industries critical to Hawaiʻi Island, including healthcare, education, agriculture and sustainability.

The university also will receive a $15,000 sub-grant and customized research comparing its academic programs with regional labor market demand.

Irwin said the effort is intended to strengthen connections between UH community colleges, returning adult learners and employers seeking skilled workers in the region.

“This is about strengthening the bridge between a student starting at a UH Community College and one walking across the UH Hilo stage with a bachelor’s degree,” Irwin said. “It’s about making sure the degree we offer is the one our island’s employers are actually hiring for.”