Maui CC will award bachelor degrees

Maui Community College graduates Ryan and Krissy Garcia and Sunny Cabello will make institutional history at the college's commencement ceremony today.

Cabello and the Garcias, who are husband and wife, will be the first students to receive a four-year degree from Maui Community College and the first recipients of the college's Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Business and Information Technology.

"Our Maui CC Commencement this Sunday will be historic. It will be the first time that a community college in Hawaii has ever graduated students with bachelor's degrees," Maui Community College Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto said in a news release.

Since 1993, bachelor's and master's degrees from University of Hawaii campuses at Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu have been offered to Maui County residents through the University of Hawaii Center on the Maui CC campus. This is the first time that a bachelor's degree will be granted by a community college.

The degree is a business degree, emphasizing small- to medium-sized business management.

With their degrees, the Garcias plan to expand their computer repair service. Cabello will pursue a master's degree in educational technology through the University of Hawaii Center at Maui CC. She also plans to develop an online community for golfers that will provide a forum for Maui golf enthusiasts to chat with each other and even reserve tee times at golf courses.

The graduates presented their business plans, which served as their final project, to a group of administrators, advisory board members and community members.