University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu

The University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu (UHWO) is a public college in Kapolei, Hawaii.

[21] The idea for opening a second UH campus on Oʻahu formed in the mid-1960s over concern that the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa could not accommodate everyone.

[22] In 1966 the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents approved a plan calling for the opening of such a campus.

[23] In 1970, UH executive Richard Kosaki was appointed chancellor for the proposed school known as West Oʻahu College.

[24] Kosaki proposed a new campus to serve the growing population in Leeward Oʻahu, where college attendance lagged other areas on the island.

[27] It opened in January 1976 enrolling 75 students at Mililani, Campbell and Pearl City high schools.

[28] It moved later that year to a Newtown Square office building in ʻAiea, Hawaiʻi,[29] offering day and evening classes.

[30] The institution gained WASC accreditation in February 1981 and moved adjacent to Leeward Community College in Pearl City.

[31] It began outreach programs in 1981 and 1983 sending faculty to Kauaʻi and Maui to teach classes on weekends.

[36][37] UHWO offers degree programs and concentrations that emphasize liberal arts and practical applications, including creative media, cybersecurity, facilities management, and sustainable community food systems.