My name is Elisa Ongosia I am from American Sāmoa, with of Tongan and Sāmoan ancestry. As a full time employee at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, I work at the Office of Residential Life as a Residence Director., and serve as the advisor for the Fealofani O Sāmoa (FOS) student organization. Currently looking at my options to get involved in different ways on campus since coming out of the COVID period, and closing chapters with different initiatives I’e been involved in. I am interested in research related to Pacific Island students in Higher Education Being admitted into the PhD program at the College of Education at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa will provide me with the tools and knowledge to contribute to the study of Pacific Islanders in Higher Education and the efforts to provide adequate student support for Sāmoan students and the entire Pacific Islander student body. I envision a future where the majority, if not all Pacific Islander faculty and staff, can enact and strengthen the collaboration on groundwork to initiatives and advocacy of Pacific Islanders at this institution. In addition to promoting institutional direction towards strategies and policies to support the increase in student enrollment, success, and increased graduation rates of Pacific Islander students in higher education institutions.

COE Affiliation

Educational Administration