Notable Alumni of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa stands as a prominent public land-grant research university in Honolulu, Hawaii. As the flagship campus of the University of Hawaiʻi system, it plays a pivotal role in the state's higher education landscape. With a rich history and a diverse range of academic programs, UH Mānoa has produced a multitude of accomplished alumni who have made significant contributions across various fields. This article aims to highlight some of the most notable graduates and former students of this esteemed institution.
Historical Context and Academic Strengths
Founded in 1907 as the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts of the Territory of Hawaiʻi, the institution has evolved into a comprehensive research university. The bill, introduced by Maui Senator William J. Huelani Coelho, was signed into law by Governor George Carter, officially establishing the college. The early shaping of the college was strongly influenced by Cornell University.
UH Mānoa offers over 200-degree programs across 17 colleges and schools. It holds accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission and is governed by the Hawaii State Legislature and a semi-autonomous board of regents. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very high research activity". It is also a land-grant university that participates in sea-grant, space-grant, and sun-grant research consortia, making it one of only three universities in the country to participate in all four.
Consistently ranked among the top universities globally for earth and environmental sciences, UH at Manoa boasts strong academic niches. Some of these include oceanography, volcanology, Pacific Islands studies, Asian studies, Pacific and Asian regional public health, tropical agriculture, and tropical medicine. The university is known for making groundbreaking discoveries in genetics, cancer research, oceanography, and Pacific Island studies. Along with that, the university holds grants for land, sea, space, and sun research and is one of a few institutions that have all options.
Prominent Alumni in Politics and Public Service
Several UH Mānoa alumni have distinguished themselves in the realm of politics and public service, both at the state and national levels.
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Daniel Ken Inouye: An American attorney, soldier, and politician, Inouye served as a United States senator from Hawaii from 1963 until his death in 2012. A Medal of Honor recipient, Inouye began his political career in territorial government and also served as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate from 2010 until his death.
Daniel Kahikina Akaka: An American educator and politician who served as a United States Senator from Hawaii from 1990 to 2013. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
Mazie Keiko Hirono: An American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Hawaii since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Hirono previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2013.
Neil Abercrombie: An American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
David Yutaka Ige: An American politician and engineer who served as the eighth governor of Hawaii from 2014 to 2022. A Democrat, he served in the Hawaii State Senate from 1994 to 2014 and the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1985 to 1994.
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Patsy Mink: She served in the United States House of Representatives for 24 years as a member of the Democratic Party, initially from 1965 to 1977, and again from 1990 until her death in 2002. She was the first woman of color and the first Asian-American woman elected to Congress and is known for her work on legislation advancing women's rights and education.
Mark Takai: An American politician from the state of Hawaii who served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Hawaii's 1st congressional district, from 2015 to 2016. He served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1994 to 2014.
James R. "Duke" Aiona Jr.: An American politician and jurist who served as the eleventh lieutenant governor of Hawaii under Linda Lingle from 2002 to 2010.
Kirk William Caldwell: An American politician who served as the mayor of Honolulu, Hawaii, from 2013 to 2021.
Ladda Tammy Duckworth: An American politician and retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel serving as the junior United States senator from Illinois since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented Illinois's 8th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017.
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Peter Martin Christian Souissa: A Micronesian politician who served as the 8th President of the Federated States of Micronesia, from 2015 to 2019.
Kaiali'i "Kai" Kahele: Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, he was elected as a trustee to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with fellow board members electing him as chair.
Leland Yin Yee: An American former politician who served as a member of the California State Senate for District 8, which covered parts of San Francisco and the Peninsula.
Hilda Cathy Heine: A Marshallese educator and politician. She has served as the president of the Marshall Islands since 2024, having previously served from 2016 to 2020. Heine was the first woman to lead any sovereign country in Micronesia and the first person from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate.
Accomplished Alumni in Arts, Entertainment, and Media
UH Mānoa has also nurtured talent in the arts, entertainment, and media industries.
Bette Midler: An American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Kennedy Center Honor, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and a British Academy Film Award.
Georgia Bright Engel: An American actress. She is best known for having played Georgette Franklin Baxter in the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1972 to 1977, Pat MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005, and Mamie Sue on Hot in Cleveland from 2012 to 2015.
Michael Alan Weiner (Michael Savage): An American author, political commentator, activist, and former radio host. Savage is best known as the host of The Savage Nation, a nationally syndicated talk show.
Janet Mock: An American writer, television producer, and transgender rights activist. Her debut book, the memoir Redefining Realness, became a New York Times bestseller.
Notable Alumni in Science, Technology, and Academia
UH Mānoa has produced numerous alumni who have made significant contributions to science, technology, and academia.
Robert Duane Ballard: An American retired Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is noted for his work in underwater archaeology (maritime archaeology and archaeology of shipwrecks) and marine geology. He is best known by the general public for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989, and the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in 1998.
Abbas Malekzadeh Milani: An Iranian-American historian, educator, and author. Milani is a visiting professor of political science and the Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of the Iranian Studies program at Stanford University.
Maya Kasandra Soetoro-Ng: An Indonesian-born American academic, who is a faculty specialist at the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, based in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Formerly a high school history teacher, Soetoro-Ng is the maternal half-sister of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States.
Alumni in Athletics
Philip T. Handy: An American basketball coach who is the head coach for Mist BC of the Unrivaled basketball league. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.
Christian Karl Hermoso Standhardinger: A Filipino-German professional basketball player who last played for the Terrafirma Dyip of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Sammis Daniel Reyes Martel: A Chilean professional football tight end. He was the first player from Chile to play in the NFL. He played college basketball at Hawaii, Palm Beach State, Tulane, and Loyola-New Orleans.
Tajon Akira Jacobs: A Japanese basketball player for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors of the Big West Conference. He was a member of the Japanese men's basketball team at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Dino Sean Babers: An American football coach who played football at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Brent Munger Brennan: An American college football coach who is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona.
June Sheldon Jones III: An American football coach and former player who was most recently the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Sea Dragons.
Other Notable Alumni
Barack Obama Sr.: Father of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Ann Dunham: Mother of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Thomas Trace Beatie: An American public speaker, author, and advocate of transgender rights and sexuality issues, with a focus on transgender fertility and reproductive rights.
Michael Reeves: A Filipino-American YouTuber and Twitch streamer who produces “comedy-tech” YouTube videos. He is a member of OfflineTV, an online social entertainment group of content creators.
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