On March 15, students made their final presentations for this program. The theme of the presentation, given by Dr. Don Bysouth, was the comparison of before and after COVID. The final presentations were conducted on Zoom, connecting 15 students at Hilo with professors who were located in Japan and the US mainland at the time. The students were divided into 5 groups and had been working diligently on their final presentations. Some groups focused on how tourism and the environment in Hawaii changed over the period of the pandemic, emphasizing that fewer tourists actually improved the environment in Hawaii. Another group presented how COVID-19 affected student life in Hilo. They showcased the data they collected from interviews with UH Hilo students, highlighting the various challenges and adjustments students had to make due to the pandemic. Their presentation shed light on the emotional, academic, and social impacts of COVID-19 on the student community at UH Hilo.

 

During the presentations, students were asked tough questions by Dr. Bysouth, Dr. Ikeda, and Todd Shumway, the Director of Global Exchange at UH Hilo. The students responded with logical and insightful answers.