MEDIA RELEASE

Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz delivers the keynote address at the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s spring commencement, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, May 12 at the Edith Kanakaole Stadium.

Students have petitioned for a total of 727 degrees and/or certificates from the colleges of Arts and Sciences (464), Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management (29), Business and Economics (38), Ka Haka Ula O Keelikolani College of Hawaiian Language (40), and Pharmacy (88), while 32 others are candidates for various post graduate honors and another 36 for the Teacher Education Program certificate.

Schatz, who was raised in Hawaii and attended Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., was inaugurated as the state’s 11th Lieutenant Governor on Dec. 6, 2010.

During his first year in office, Schatz played a leading role in preparing for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in which 21 delegations met to discuss the future of Asia-Pacific economies.

He has also launched the Hawaii Fair Share Initiative, which seeks more private and public investment in Hawaii. Following the 2011 Pacific tsunami, Schatz helped lead local recovery efforts, including providing $8 million in aid to disaster victims in Japan.

He is currently tasked by Gov. Neil Abercrombie with helping lead the state’s clean energy efforts and Asia-Pacific relations.

Anthony Holzman-Escareno, an English major with a minor in philosophy, represents the Class of 2012 as its student speaker.

Holzman-Escareno, who has maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.95, has earned a number of academic honors, including the Dean’s List for the College of Arts and Sciences, Droste English Scholarship, and has been published in the academic journal Hohonu.

His campus and community activities include more than three years with the student newspaper Ke Kalahea, where he has served as editor-in-chief and sports editor since Fall 2011.

Holzman-Escareno’s achievements are all the more remarkable given that he entered college with a troubled past and no high school diploma or GED. He passed the compass test to gain admission to Hawaii Community College, and later transferred to UH Hilo, which he described as a place where dreams can be conceived and realized.

“I dropped out of high school in the ninth grade, was locked up in juvenile detention for robbery at the age of 17 and was a product of homelessness and the streets for four-and-a-half years,” Holzman-Escareno said. “Yet here I am graduating from UH Hilo with honors on the way to attending law school in the fall.”

Holzman-Escareno says the caps and gowns his fellow graduates will don are a testament to their determination and will to succeed.

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The University of Hawaii System announces its spring 2012 commencement schedule:

FRIDAY, MAY 4

* UH Manoa College of Education Department of Educational Technology
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Wist Hall 234, UH Mānoa campus, or at the Diamond Head Amphitheatre in Second Life (SL) Island http://tinyurl.com/DHAmphitheatre
Speaker: Dr. Ana Donaldson, President, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
Candidates: 24
The UH Manoa College of Education Department of Educational Technology hosts its second virtual graduation ceremony at the COE Second Life (SL) Island.

* UH Manoa College of Education Convocation
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Andrews Outdoor Amphitheater, UH Manoa campus
Candidates: 200

THURSDAY, MAY 10

* UH Manoa School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene Recognition Ceremony
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Hawaii Theatre

FRIDAY, MAY 11

* Leeward Community College
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Tuthill Courtyard, Leeward CC campus
Website: http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/studentlife/page/commencement

* Honolulu Community College
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Waikiki Shell
Speaker: Al Carganilla, Principal, Farrington High School
Student Speakers: Ryan Adverderada and DonDee Reames
Candidates: 626
Website: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/graduation/

* University of Hawaii Center, Maui
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Elleair Rainbow Ballroom, Maui Beach Hotel
Speaker: John A.H. Tomoso, Executive Director, Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Inc.
Candidates: 97

* UH Manoa Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Kennedy Theatre, UH Manoa campus
Candidates: 30 undergraduate and 7 graduate

* Kapiolani Community College
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: The Great Lawn, Kapiolani CC campus
Speaker: Sheldon Tawata, Kapiolani CC counselor
Student Speaker: Helen Marie Hites
Candidates: 1,380
Website: http://kapiolani.hawaii.edu/object/io_1263000719343.html

* Kauai Community College
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Performing Arts Center, Kauai CC campus

* Hawaii Community College
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Edith Kanakaole Multi-Purpose Stadium
Speaker: Lui Hokoana, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, University of Hawaii System
Student Speaker: Koran Munafo
Candidates: 445
Website: http://hawaii.hawaii.edu/graduation/

SATURDAY, MAY 12

* University of Hawaii at Hilo
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Edith Kanakaole Multi-Purpose Stadium
Speaker: The Honorable Brian Schatz, Lieutenant Governor, State of Hawaii
Student Speaker: Anthony Holzman-Escareno, Candidate for a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in philosophy
Candidates: 727
Website: http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/academics/graduation/

* University of Hawaii at Manoa – Baccalaureate Degrees
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Stan Sheriff Center, UH Manoa campus
Speakers: UH Manoa alumni Dr. Claire Asam, Trustee of the Queen Liliuokalani Trust and Dr. J. Kuhio Asam, Executive Director of Lunalilo Home & Trust, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Hawaii Foundation
Student Speaker: Jenna Robinson, BA in History and Ethnic Studies candidate
Candidates: 1,400
Website: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/commencement/

* Windward Community College
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Paliku Theatre, Windward CC campus
Student Speakers: Dominick Shortall and Abraleen Keliinui
Candidates: 195
Website: http://www.windward.hawaii.edu/Commencement/2012/

* University of Hawaii at Manoa – Advanced Degrees
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Stan Sheriff Center, UH Mānoa campus
Speaker: Anton Krucky, Co-founder and President/CEO of Tissue Genesis, Inc.
Candidates: 800
Webcast: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/commencement/

* University of Hawaii Maui College, Molokai
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Molokai Education Center

* University of Hawaii Center, West Hawaii
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Hilton Waikoloa Village, Monarchy Ballroom
Candidates: 95

* University of Hawaii–West Oahu
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Neal S. Blaisdell Center Concert Hall
Student Speaker: Cheryl Ann Natividad
Candidates: 155
Website: http://westoahu.hawaii.edu/commencement

SUNDAY, MAY 13

* UH Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine Convocation Ceremony
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Kennedy Theatre, UH Manoa campus
Speaker: Marc Nivet, EdD, Chief Diversity Officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
Student Speaker: Daniel Sugai, Class President
Candidates: 64
Website: http://blog.hawaii.edu/uhmednow/2012/04/14/convocation-2012-ceremony-speaker-location-set/

* UH Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Andrews Amphitheater, UH Mānoa campus
Speaker: The Honorable David Ezra, U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii
Faculty Speaker: Mari Matsuda, Professor of Law
Student Speaker: Brent Kakesako (representing full-time students); Erin Kalapodes (representing part-time students); Moana Numanga and Elmira Hadzhieva (representing LLM students)
Candidates: 101 JD, 12 LLM

* University of Hawaii Maui College
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Castle Theatre
Speaker: The Honorable Brian Schatz, Lieutenant Governor, State of Hawaii
Student Speakers: Michelle Kawelau Wright, valedictorian

MONDAY, MAY 14

* UH Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Kennedy Theatre, UH Mānoa campus
Candidates: 25 cadets; 7 posthumous degrees to be handed out to family members of the Varsity Victory Volunteers