Congratulations to the fall class of 2020! We want to take this opportunity to send our congratulations to you on the completion of your degree in the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa! Your academic accomplishments are a cause for celebration, and we are extremely proud of you for putting in all of the hard work to reach this momentous occasion.

We also want to acknowledge the enormity of the changes that have happened since early this year, ranging from the switch to 100% remote instruction, to cancellation of landmark events such as convocation. Congratulations on persevering through this most difficult, and most unexpected couple of semesters.

It is a difficult time to be finishing your studies. Getting a CNS degree this year is proof that you have both an understanding of science and the ability to get through hard times. This is what our state and our country will need to get past the current crisis. Don’t worry, we know this will not happen overnight, but we have been so impressed by the fortitude of the fall class of 2020! We are eager to see the contributions you all will make to building a better future.

We know that the cancellation of commencement was a major blow to many – this treasured ceremony is truly one of our most favorite events of the year, and we are very sorry to not be able to participate in this beloved tradition with you in-person at this time. For those of you who will still be on island in the coming months, you will have the opportunity to walk in a future convocation ceremony at UH, and we look forward to celebrating your achievements with you there. For many of you, new adventures await in far-flung locations, and your time at UH is drawing to a close. In any event, we want to congratulate you on your academic accomplishments, and we look forward to staying in touch with you as a life-long member of the CNS ‘ohana!

With much aloha,

Aloysius Helminck

Dean, College of Natural Sciences

Alison Sherwood

Interim Associate Dean, College of Natural Sciences