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  • UHWO Associate Director, Creative Media Sharla Hanaoka working with students in the UH West Oʻahu Creative Media lab.

West O‘ahu – The Roy and Hilda Takeyama Foundation has made a $1 million commitment to support and advance the mission and priorities of the Academy for Creative Media that is housed at the UH West Oʻahu campus.  Their gift will support Academy for Creative Media students with tuition, books, fees, travel, the purchase of computer hardware and software, student internships and special student scholarships that may be established.  It will also be used to outfit the anticipated Academy for Creative Media building with state-of-the-art equipment.  In recognition of this gift, two classroom laboratory spaces will be named after Roy and Hilda Takeyama.

UH President David Lassner said, “As state funding has failed to keep pace with educational needs, and tuition has reached levels that can no longer sustain major increases, it is vital that we develop our philanthropic capacity.” Lassner continued, “Roy Takeyama has already given so much to the University as secretary to the Board of Regents, as a regent and chair of the board, and in helping found the Emeritus Regents.” He concluded, “This generous gift in the name of Roy and Hilda Takeyama to support one of our most innovative new programs, the Academy for Creative Media at UH West O‘ahu, is an incredible additional testament to Royʻs commitment to Hawaiʻi’s university and his belief in what we do every day for the people and future of Hawaiʻi.”

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Roy and Hilda Takeyama Foundation in supporting UH West Oʻahu’s creative media program,” said UH West Oʻahu Chancellor, Rockne Freitas. “Students from across the state will have incredible new opportunities to study and learn from talented faculty using the latest digital communication tools here at UH West Oʻahu. This generous gift allows UH West Oʻahu to make even greater strides in fostering a truly student-centered University culture.”

Founder and Director of the Academy for Creative Media System, Chris Lee added, “All of us are thrilled and honored by the continuing vision and generosity of Roy and Hilda Takeyama who were crucial donors in establishing our first program at UH Mānoa.” Lee continued, “With this gift we will be able to enhance the creative media programs at UH West Oʻahu and build the campus into a hub for creative media students across the islands via articulated academic pathways from all of the community colleges.”

Roy Takeyama has a long, impressive history of distinguished service, leadership, governance, and active connection with the University of Hawai‘i.  In addition, he is a highly respected attorney-of-law and president of Roy Y. Takeyama, A Law Corporation, and president of RYT, Inc. consultant on real estate matters.  Takeyama actively served the University of Hawai‘i for nearly three decades and is a former deputy state attorney general and influential member of the community in the State of Hawai‘i.

From 1968 to 1980, Takeyama served as Secretary of the UH Board of Regents, Secretary of the University of Hawai‘i, and Special Assistant to the UH President.  From 1987 to 1995, he served on the UH Board of Regents, as a member (1987-1992), as vice chair (1992-1994), and as chair of the Board (1994-95).

During his tenure as member, vice chair, and chair of the UH Board of Regents, Takeyama played a key role in a number of significant University achievements.  As a member of the committee on physical facilities and planning, he convinced the state governor and legislators to appropriate funds to develop faculty housing in Mānoa Valley and a faculty housing assistance program to subsidize rental costs for faculty.  Using his prior knowledge as the state deputy attorney assigned to the Land Use Commission under then-Governor John A. Burns and as a private attorney on Hawai‘i land and development matters, Takeyama’s breakthrough achievement was unprecedented by any previous regent or UH executive. In a related action, Takeyama also played a key role in obtaining the necessary permits to allow Tokai University to build its campus in Honolulu, long before Hawaii Tokai International College (HTIC) became a close neighbor of UH West O‘ahu.

Other ways in which UH advanced during Takeyama’s term as a regent include the establishment of forty new academic programs, greater attention to a student-centered institution, substantial increases in research grants, lower student-faculty ratio of 11-1, and  implementation of the Regents and Presidential Scholarships.  Capital improvement soared during Roy Takeyama’s tenure on the Board of Regents.  It was also under his term as a regent that the concept of the University of Hawai‘i acting as a System was introduced. 

UH Foundation President Donna Vuchinich concluded, “Takeyama’s remarkable leadership and accomplishments continue to benefit the faculty, staff, and students at all campuses of the University of Hawai‘i today.  As a leader and philanthropist, his legacy of giving back will live on for years to come. We are most grateful.”

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The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is to unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations www.uhfoundation.org.

Established in 1976, the University of Hawaiʻi - West O‘ahu offers quality education, small classes and personalized attention with academic programs that emphasize the exploration of interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies.  UH West O‘ahu serves approximately 2,700 students at its brand new, state-of-the-art campus that opened in the City of Kapolei in 2012. For more information, visit www.uhwo.hawaii.edu, call (808) 689-2800 or toll-free (866) 299-8656.  Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

UH West Oʻahu’s Creative Media program is offered in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi System’s Academy for Creative Media that identifies and coordinates the media studies efforts of all University of Hawaiʻi campuses.  Taking full advantage of the system-wide approach, UH West Oʻahu’s program enables each student to develop a unique skill set at the community colleges and then transfer seamlessly to UH West Oʻahu for continued scholarship and professional development.

UH West Oʻahu’s Creative Media concentration prepares students for in-demand careers in transmedia production, graphic design, digital video production, mobile and platform game design, web interface design, iOS Apps, and other digital media outlets. 

Interested students may elect to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with a concentration in Creative Media or a Bachelor of Applied Science with a concentration in Creative Media at UH West O‘ahu after completing recommended associate’s degree coursework.  Students who complete or are currently completing 60 credits of 100/200 level coursework in digital media at the following UH Community Colleges are eligible for transfer admission to UH West Oʻahu.

  • Hawaiʻi Community College Hilo and Palamanui campuses
  • Honolulu Community College
  • Kapiʻolani Community College
  • Kauaʻi Community College
  • Leeward Community College Pearl City and Waiʻanae campuses
  • Maui College
  • Windward Community College

For more information, visit UH West Oʻahu Creative Media and Academy for Creative Media.