Maui Community College handed out four-year bachelor’s degrees Sunday....not to be confused with degrees from University of Hawaii Center on Maui.
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THE FIRST
DEGREES KAHULUI – For the first time in its history, which dates back to 1931 when it opened as Maui Vocational School, Maui Community College handed out four-year bachelor’s degrees Sunday. Kahului residents Ryan and Krissy Garcia, a married couple, and Sunny Cabello, also of Kahului, were the first students to be awarded MCC’s bachelor of applied science in applied business and information technology. The college’s commencement ceremonies were held Sunday at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. MCC Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto called the students’ graduation "historic," not only for MCC but for the entire state. The degree program, developed by MCC and offered for the first time in 2003, combines business education and information technology. The MCC four-year program should not be confused with degrees offered by the University of Hawaii Center on Maui. Since 1993, Maui County residents have been offered the chance to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, UH-Hilo and UH-West Oahu through the university’s outreach program here. On Friday, the 2007 graduates of the UH center held their own commencement at the Baldwin High School Auditorium. Cabello chose MCC’s four-year degree program because it afforded students one-on-one interaction with instructors in classes on campus, instead of over the Internet or on television. "It just didn’t have the complications of technology," said Cabello, 28. "I wanted to be able to see my teachers, ask questions and have that kind of interaction. . . . I learn better if I read it in front of me, and I see it." The Garcias, who met and married while pursuing associate degrees at MCC, said they liked the idea that they didn’t have to move away from home to further their education. "It was here on Maui, and we have our family so we could do it right here," Krissy Garcia said. Sakamoto applauded the Garcias and Cabello for their accomplishment. "We’re extremely proud of our graduates who bravely completed a brand new program," he said. It wasn’t easy. Cabello, the wife of Alex Cabello, gave birth to their first-born son, Anson, during her first year of studies. "The teachers were really understanding, and they were very supportive," she said, noting that she was allowed to complete some of the coursework at home. Ryan Garcia, 26, and Krissy Garcia, 27, juggled studies and jobs (each sometimes having two or three) while they cared for their daughter, Liana, now 4. Their second child, another girl, is expected in two months. Ryan Garcia said he and his wife put a lot of things on hold while they were studying, foregoing leisure time to keep pace with assignments from professors. "Staying up until 2 or 3 a.m. was normal for us to be studying," he said. It would have been impossible to complete his studies if he had not had the support of his wife and Cabello, he added. Both encouraged him and participated in the same study groups. For Cabello, the program provided a solid understanding of what it takes to be a leader and manager of a business. "It helped me to appreciate being an employee when you see it from the manager’s point of view," she said. Krissy Garcia said it wasn’t one lesson, but a combination of all classes that has helped her to prepare for what’s next. "I take away something from each of the classes," she said. MCC officials noted that the bachelor’s in applied business and information technology is unique within the UH system because it is a business degree, emphasizing small- to medium-sized business management, with a strong information technology component. It covers the two areas of high interest and demand among Maui County residents surveyed countywide in 2002. Krissy Garcia said the program has "lots of kinks to work out," but she would recommend it nonetheless to interested students. "You just gotta keep going and stick with it," she said. "Persevere. Be open-minded," Ryan Garcia added. "I would say go for it," Cabello said. "They have good teachers, a lot of supportive staff, and you’ll get where you need to go." With their new degrees in hand, the Garcias plan to expand their computer-repair service to all of Maui County. Krissy Garcia says she’s going to take a break from school to care for her baby, but she is encouraging her husband to pursue a master’s degree. Cabello has been accepted to graduate school at UH-Manoa. She will seek a master’s degree in educational technology through the University of Hawaii Center at MCC. She hopes to eventually get a job that helps others further their education or obtain the required training for a position in the technology field. For more information about the Maui Community College’s applied business and information technology degree program, visit: www.maui.hawaii.edu/abit.
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Claudine San
Nicolas can be reached at
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reprinted courtesy Maui News 5/14/07
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