Siobhán Ní Dhonacha, a faculty specialist in the UH Mānoa Honors Program, received the Pokela Outstanding Academic Advisor of the Year Award. She is among other award recipients, including Regents’ Medals and Presidential Citations, who were honored during the 2023 UH Mānoa Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2023 at Kennedy Theatre.

Having earned a PhD in Educational Foundations and a Certificate in Online Learning and Teaching (COLT) from the College of Education (COE), Ní Dhonacha advises, teaches, mentors, edits journals, and engages with curriculum and program development and recruitment. She was previously an academic advisor in the COE’s Office of Student Academic Services (OSAS).

“I am very honored that colleagues thought of me for this very meaningful award,” Ní Dhonacha said. “I like to think that we can form circles of concretized care, a hui based on culturally situated epistemology, positive action, and equitable educational advocacy here at our beloved institution for all students and for each other. I hope this award reflects that most of all.”

Ní Dhonacha’s research and focus areas include student-centered advising and teaching, ethics of care, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, active commitment to a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, and collaboration with colleagues nationally and internationally.

She currently serves on the UH Mānoa Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center Design Team. She has also served on the Mānoa Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Policy and Planning as well as chaired the Council of Academic Advisors and the Excellence in Academic Advising Institutional Commitment Committee.

“I am always so grateful for my COE education, mentors, hui, and community who were catalysts for such truly life-changing knowledge acquisition and place-based praxis in my life.”