PhD in LTEC Alumna

Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka

“The biggest highlight of my career was winning the title of Territorial Teacher of the Year in 2021. This was a goal of mine ever since I started teaching, and it was even more phenomenal to carry on the legacy that my mother started as teacher of the year ten years before me.”

Hometown

American Sāmoa (born in Oceanside, California, but moved to American Sāmoa when I was very young and have lived here ever since)

Departments

Curriculum Studies; School of Teacher Education - Elementary; Learning Design and Technology

Related Degrees

  • BEd, Elementary Education
  • MEd, Curriculum Studies: PACMED
  • PhD, Learning Design & Technology

COEAA Spotlight on Sabrina K. Suluai-Mahuka (credit: Lori Kwee)

Early Influences

Ever since I could remember, my mom has been a teacher, and to this day, she is still a teacher and absolutely refuses to retire. When I was very young, I watched my parents work hard and dedicate their time to taking extra shifts and night classes, all while raising us kids. The more education they received, the better our daily lives improved. Because of that, my parents always made sure that my siblings and I prioritized our studies, and we grew up with the expectation to be at the top of our classes.

Career Path

In 2011, I began teaching English at Faʻasao Marist High School, a private catholic school. It was there that I found my love for teaching, and I worked there until 2015. After that, I began teaching at my alma mater, Samoana High School, where I taught English to upperclassmen until 2022. I also worked for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa as a lecturer for the PACMED program in the College of Education.

This year is the first year that I have stepped out of the classroom since I started my own business, Suluai-Mahuka Consulting, in which I serve as a full-time educational consultant. Right now, I believe I am the only educational consultant in American Sāmoa. With this, I’ve been recruited to work on a few local projects that focus on various areas, such as STEAM education and childcare development.

Career Highlight

The biggest highlight of my career was winning the title of Territorial Teacher of the Year in 2021. This was a goal of mine ever since I started teaching, and it was even more phenomenal as I was able to carry on the legacy that my mother started (also a teacher of the year).

Fun Facts

I started a nonprofit organization called Finafinau, which started with seven members, and now we have expanded to 150 current members at the high school level.

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