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From left to right: Lauren Fukuda, Director of Philanthropy for the Hawaiʻi Land Trust, Emma Stanley and Megan Ciluffo Sharks United Co-Presidents, and Makani Walker, the Maunawila Steward and Educator.
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Beyond the Cap Spring 2025 event participants.
This spring, Hawai‘i Pacific University students gathered on the grounds of the Maunawila Heiau Complex in Hau‘ula for the semester’s Beyond the Cap event, an initiative that blends cultural education with environmental stewardship.
Organized by Sharks United, the Student Government Association (SGA), and Sharks Legacy, in collaboration with the Hawai‘i Land Trust, the service project highlighted the importance of mālama ‘āina—caring for the land—and reinforced HPU’s core values of aloha, pono, and kuleana.
More than 40 students participated in this meaningful workday, guided by Makani Walker, Maunawila Steward and Educator. Together, they engaged in land restoration efforts, building mounds for planting native Hawaiian species, including several varieties of sweet potatoes. Students mulched the area to prevent invasive species from overtaking these native plants, a hands-on lesson in ecological balance and cultural preservation.
For Emma Stanley, senior and co-president of Sharks United, the event represented a call to action for all HPU students. “I feel like as students at HPU, it’s not enough for us to just attend HPU and get to be on O‘ahu, in town, and on the island in general, and not give back—we need to be community members if we’re here. I think these are really good ways to do that, because it is fun, engaging, and I think you get to make a lot of community connections.”
Stanley and her co-president Megan Ciluffo, both graduating this semester, shared that this final Beyond the Cap held special significance. “It feels incredibly meaningful to plan this final event for our graduating class—our peers, our friends, our community—as we prepare to take the next step in our journeys,” they said. “Throughout the year, it has been a privilege to plan events that brought HPU students together in service, reflection, and connection.”
Serving the Island They Call Home
Sharks United first connected with the Hawai‘i Land Trust in October 2024, recognizing a shared mission focused on cultural preservation, habitat restoration, and place-based education. Beyond the Cap, they emphasized, is more than a service event. It’s a space to deepen one’s understanding of the land and to forge lasting relationships with the local community.
“Whether it’s through participating in beach clean-ups, volunteering at local community farm work days, or immersing themselves in the cultural education of Hawai‘i, our goal has always been to create opportunities for engagement and growth,” Stanley and Ciluffo said.
Student participants echoed this sense of purpose. “There’s a lot about knowing about the ‘āina, the people, the community, and giving back to that as well. You’re learning along the way, so I think it’s super important and there is a lot of rich history and culture about it that you learn to appreciate more of the mission of HPU,” shared senior Michele Buban.
For others, such as senior Yasmine Zubia, Beyond the Cap was a way to express gratitude. “I’ve been here for five years so I learned to love the island. I wanted to give back and this gives me the ability to build understanding for different things—the land, the culture, the different people—because at the end of the day, this is beautiful nature, you should try to restore it, and that’s what it should be.”
“I think it is important, especially for the island, to give back in a place you’re visiting and professionally, by being part of a community and networking with people helps,” said junior Ziomara Ramos.
The Power of Connecting History and Culture
Understanding the value of giving back to the community they’ve called home, whether for one year or five years, was not the only lesson that students took away from the Beyond the Cap event.
Freshman Kristen Koniares shared that she “learned from Makani that the native Hawaiians planted a lot of invasive fruit trees during the colonization of Hawai‘i as the trees would spread and droop down, covering and protecting their sacred spaces like this one.”
Her classmate, freshman Amiira Barton, explained further, saying, “Being here has given us the opportunity to work with our direct community, to give back to the island we live on, as well as the opportunity to learn more about the history here, so it was a great experience.”
For Sharks United, the impact of Beyond the Cap cannot be measured in numbers alone. “We believe the success of our event is measured by the depth of understanding the participants walk away with,” said Stanley and Ciluffo.
Beyond the Cap’s Spring 2025 event served as a meaningful close to the academic year, with students honoring their connection to the land, to each other, and to the values that define the HPU community. As this semester’s graduates take their next steps, the spirit of service and aloha will continue to ripple through the HPU ‘ohana for years to come.
