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How did you first come to work with HPU? Love of teaching brings
Navy veteran back to campus
>> New post: Dean of Military Campus Programs at Hawaii Pacific University. He takes office Friday. Robert Cyboron
>> Replaces: George Moyer, who is retiring after 10 years at HPU.
>> Background: 25-year Navy veteran, retiring in the rank of captain. He worked at HPU as coordinator for the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base from 1997 to 1999, and rejoined the university in January as the academic liaison for the Military Campus Programs.
>> The program: Serves approximately 2,500 students at military campuses at Pearl Harbor, Camp Smith Marine Corps Base, Fort Shafter, Hickam Air Force Base, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, Schofield Barracks and Tripler Army Medical Center.
When I retired from the military I ended up going to the University of Hawaii for a master's in library and information studies. I responded to an ad to be HPU's coordinator for the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. I did that for three years. Then I did defense work for three years. And then returned to HPU as academic liaison for the Military Campus Programs. I teach graduate courses for the Naval War College through its distance learning program. I really enjoyed that and wanted to get back into the education field. The liaison position was offered by HPU.
Why does the university have on-base programs?
HPU, along with other educational institutions in Hawaii, provide a means for military personnel to further their educations to support the jobs they have in the military, to give them better leadership and management skills, as well as to prepare them to eventually go on into the civilian realm. The military isn't a soldier's whole life.
Are there a lot of competing educational offerings on base?
I wouldn't call them competing, I would call them cooperative. The schools don't compete in degree programs with each other, they all have different offerings. HPU concentrates on business administration and computer science, along with our general education core. The other universities have their specialties.
What sorts of courses are offered on base by HPU?
In addition to business administration and computer science, on Hickam we are focusing on justice administration, as well as diplomacy and military studies; and at Tripler Army Hospital we have a bachelor's of social work. Both graduate and undergraduate courses are offered on base.
Is there any down side to having all these support services offered on base?
They get an HPU diploma regardless of whether they are taking it on the base or at HPU. But the military don't just necessarily take classes on base. They come to our Windward and downtown campuses as well. Nursing courses on campus, for example, are very popular with military spouses.
What kinds of changes have you seen in the educational interests of soldiers in the years you've been involved?
I'm not sure I've seen a change in interests. There is a significant interest in business administration and computer science, but those have been staples all along.
As the memory of Vietnam faded, a lot of folks went into the military as a route to higher education. Has the prospect of combat made that less common?
Maybe not less common, but sometimes it's more difficult for the military person to be available to take a traditional course in a classroom. We pride ourselves on having schedules that are flexible enough to accommodate military requirements.
Inside Hawaii Inc. is a conversation with a member of the Hawaii business community who has changed jobs, been elected to a board or been recognized for accomplishments. Send questions and comments to business@starbulletin.com.
