Title III is a federal program in the Department of Education. This program helps eligible Institutions of Higher Education to become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions.

Funds may be used for planning, faculty development, and establishing endowment funds. Administrative management and the development and improvement of academic programs are also supported. Other projects include joint use of instructional facilities, construction and maintenance, and student services. (Source: Title III website)

Title III Programs (Past & Present)

Nā Muʻo Hoʻopākela: Blossom through online education

2021-Current
The Nā Muʻo Program provides higher education to students at Kaiapuni (Hawaiian Immersion) schools and Hawaiian-based Public Charter Schools.

Activities

Ho‘omomona i Ka ‘Āina (Enriching Conditions for Success)
Development and integration of engaging, enriched online course content across the curriculum focused on NH language and culture, including online course offerings in the Hawaiian language.

Kākoʻo Haumana (Student Support)
Development and implementation of holistic support systems for online learning contexts, using Hawaiian language and cultural paradigms.

Nā Pali Hauliuli o Koʻolau: Growing Community Leaders

2021-Current
The Nā Pali Hauliuli o Koʻolau program develops community leaders through online mālama ʻāina (caring for the earth) based curriculum, campus based, hand on curriculum and activities and internships with local ʻāina (environmental) organizations.

Activities

Mamua Ke Kahua (Building the Curricular Foundation for Community Leaders)
Development of mālama ʻāina (caring for the land/sea) leadership curriculum, including internships at local aloha ʻāina (love of land) agencies and remote learning modules for ahupuaʻa (land management) across our Koʻolau (Windward Oʻahu) region.

Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke (Growing Leadership Through Supported Learning Experiences)
Development of co-curricular and student support systems for mālama ʻāina leadership, including proactive counseling, cultural activities, internships, and campus work-based learning.

E ʻOi Mau Ka Naʻauao: Increasing Knowledge Through Application

2020-Current

Activities

ʻO Ke Kahua Ma Mua, Ma Hope Ke Kūkulu (First the foundation, then the structure)
Create a foundation for students which is centered in traditional Native Hawaiian career pathways and education.

Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke (In doing one learns)
Develop systematic career education, which incorporates financial literacy training and work-based learning opportunities, including campus-based positions.

Kumuola: Caregivers of Life

2020-Current

Activities

Ke ʻAla Hele o Ka Naʻauao (The Pathway of Knowledge)
Develop a culturally relevant Human Development and Family Studies curricular pathway from the community college to the baccalaureate institution.

E ʻImi Mau i Ka Naʻauao (Student Development Action Plan)
Develop a comprehensive student development and support program to facilitate student success, retention, transfer, graduation and career exploration in the HDFS pathway.

Kawaiola: The Water of Life

2020-2023

Activity

Ke ʻAla Hele o Ka Naʻauao (The Pathway of Knowledge)
Implement a two-year pathway to the Associate of Arts in Hawaiian Studies which focuses on ʻahupuaʻa (Hawaiian land management) studies to increase the number of majors, student success, full-time status and graduation.

Mala Aʻoaʻo Kaiāulu: Growing a garden of speakers in our community

2016-2021

Activities

Ke ʻAla Hele o Ka Naʻauao (The Pathway of Knowledge)
Develop a Hawaiian language based curricular pathway, which includes both a short term certificate credential for Hawaiian language paraprofessionals and substitute teachers, as well as an associates level credential, which can lead to baccalaureate transfer.

Na Kaunoʻo Aʻoaʻo (Centers of Instruction/Learning)
Create community-based Hawaiian language centers to provide pathways to college through partnering with and leveraging current K-12 language learning centers.

ʻAʻahu Noʻeau (Armor of Wisdom)
Provide professional development for WCC instructors in order to increase WCCʻs capacity to offer Hawaiian medium instruction.

Puʻuhonua: Places of Sanctuary

2016-2021

Activities

Na Kaunoʻo – ʻĀpuakea (WCCC) ame Kanikoʻo (OS/HYCF)
Create college centers of learning for incarcerated females and incarcerated and/or at-risk students (i.e. disengaged from school, other academic risk factors, and/or history of failures) on the windward side.

Waihona Hoʻonaʻauao (Building the education)
Create college credit curriculum specific to these populations that leads toward a degree or certificate appropriate to the specific population.

Kakoʻo Haumana (Supporting students)
Develop appropriate student support strategies to promote college success for these populations.

Kahua Hoʻonaʻauao: Foundations of Knowledge Building

2015-2020

Activities

Kahua Hoʻonuiʻike (Foundation of Increasing Knowledge)
Developmental Education

Kahua Paʻa (Solid Foundation)
Hawaiian Language Based Education

Hānaiaulu: Nurturing to Feed and Grow

2014-2019

Activities

Strengthening STEM Student Success through facility renovation and curricular improvement.

Strengthening Student Success through the development of a Student Parent Center to holistically serve Student Parent needs.

Strengthening Hawaiian Studies

2012-2014

Activity

Strengthening Student Engagement through increased expanded curriculum, pedagogy, outreach, and implementation of our Hawaiian Studies A.A.

Hūlili

2010-2016

Activities

Kakoʻo Transfer Program
Increase the number of Native Hawaiian students at WCC who transfer to UHM.

Hulili Bridge Program
Increase the retention of students transferring from WCC to UHM.

Kākoʻo Koʻolau: Strengthening Institutional and Student Engagement at WCC

2010-2015

Activities

Strengthening Institutional Engagement through more relevant and accessible academic offerings and student support services.

Strengthening Student Engagement through improved access, early intervention, and innovative student support services.