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During a student-led discussion on self-care and cultural exchange, participants (L to R) Kelsey Burian (far left), Shane Cayabyab (middle), and Jade Gonzalez (far right) shared insights and favorite snacks with students from Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka.
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The Bachelor of Social Work students participate in a kanji calligraphy session with Seinan Gakuin University peers. Back row (L to R): Shane Cayabyab, Shayna Selesele, Kaley Mayo, Jade Gonzalez. Front row (L to R): Kelsey Burian and a Seinan student instructor.
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On student to student interaction day, the group enjoys a scenic moment near Tokyo Tower. Back row (L to R): Skyler Martinez, Makayla Martinez, Tristin Martinez. Front: Angel Briones.
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Before beginning their community service day at Arey Kasab Primary School in Kandal Province, HPU International Professional Experience (IPE) and Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) students gather for a team cheer. Activities included teaching hygiene practices like tooth brushing, hand washing, and nail care.
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After their school visit, the group takes a cyclo tour through Phnom Penh’s bustling streets, supporting local elder drivers. Pictured is HPU faculty advisor Paul Tran.
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HPU IPE and RUPP students enjoy dinner at FRIENDS, a social enterprise supporting youth education. Afterward, the group shared dances from their respective cultures.
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Shayna Selesele (L) and Tristin Martinez (R) explore a local herbal garden in Viet Nam, learning about traditional remedies and creating their own herbal tea blends.
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During a cultural day with Da Nang University students, the HPU IPE crew visits Linh Ung Pagoda. Under the archway (L to R): Madison Gramse, Jade Gonzalez, and Shane Cayabyab.
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At the HPU IPE university day at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), the IPE crew presented on a day in the life of a student and what self-care looks like within a student’s major/faculty’s profession. Pictured (L to R): HPU Instructor of Social Work Paul Tran, USSH Professor Trang, Shayna Selesele, Madison Gramse, and USSH Professor Nguyen.
Twelve Hawaiʻi Pacific University students representing a wide range of majors spent nearly five transformative weeks this summer traveling across Japan, Cambodia, and Viet Nam as part of HPU’s International Professional Experience (IPE) program. Led by Assistant Professor of Social Work and excursion faculty advisor Paul Tran, the immersive experience bridged academic learning with real-world cultural engagement and community development initiatives, aligning closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“One of the goals for Hawaiʻi Pacific University is to be creative and provide opportunity for students to practice what they learned in the classroom, and to apply in the real world. This trip offers that experience,” said Tran, the faculty founder of the IPE program, for the HPU School of Social Work.
Their “Why”
For Shayna Selesele, a social work major, the decision to join the IPE trip was rooted in curiosity, challenge, and a desire to grow. “My motivation was to understand the logistics behind organizing an international trip, fundraising, and advocating for what we wanted to see and do. Most of all, I wanted to experience a home stay in another country because I’ve never been off island.”
Selesele described the home stay in Cambodia as “a real eye-opener.” She explained, “It wasn’t what I expected, but the families were so welcoming. It felt like a home away from home. I realized how the little things we have here are huge things for them. It really blew my mind and opened my eyes to be grateful for everything I have.”
For nursing student Madison Gramse, the IPE trip was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. “I’ve never been anywhere in Asia before,” she said. “I knew that if I traveled on my own, I’d never get this kind of immersive cultural experience. I can go as a tourist, but I’d never have the connections with local students and families that we had on this trip.”
Criminal justice major Angel Briones said the decision to apply to the IPE program was part academic, part personal. “I was really interested in learning culture through food. I’m very food-focused, and I loved trying new things. But on an academic level, I loved how this trip took a humane perspective, how we focused on giving back and traveling sustainably.”
Briones also appreciated how the program prioritized minimizing their carbon footprint while partnering with organizations making meaningful community impacts. “Whether it was working with people with disabilities or youth at risk for gang violence, it was about understanding real social issues and contributing where we could.”
Before presenting on self-care in their professions, the International Professional Experience crew gathers in front of the iconic campus fountain at Musashino University in Tokyo.
First Impressions and Expectations
For many of the students, the trip marked their first time traveling internationally, adding layers of anticipation, nerves, and excitement. “Getting on the plane was my first shock,” said Selesele. “I had this big ‘wow’ moment just realizing we were going so far away.”
Japan provided the first major cultural contrast for the group. “There was no trash anywhere, and there weren’t even trash cans,” Selesele recalled. “It was so clean. That’s the first word that comes to mind when someone asks me about Japan.”
Briones shared similar sentiments. “Japan felt in some ways very close to home, like Hawaiʻi. But there were still small cultural shocks, like the capsule hotel. I didn’t realize how small the rooms would be, or that we’d have to leave our belongings downstairs without security like you see at home.”
Gramse tried to go into the trip without rigid expectations. “I knew I’d be pushed outside my comfort zone,” she said. “I was expecting language barriers, so just speaking hello in a different language was intimidating. But I went in ready to try new things and make memories.”
When the group arrived in Cambodia and Viet Nam, their preconceived notions were challenged even further. “I had this socialized way of thinking about what I’d see in these countries,” said Selesele. But the people, the culture, and the way they lived proved me wrong in the best way possible.”
Briones agreed. “I was taught to think Cambodia and Viet Nam wouldn’t be as developed as the United States but seeing it myself showed me how wrong that was. The people were happy, living sustainably within their communities.”
Hands-On Learning and Lasting Impressions
The itinerary included visits to social enterprises, nonprofits, cultural heritage sites, and educational organizations that address issues ranging from poverty alleviation and disability inclusion to anti-human trafficking initiatives.
Briones’ favorite day was visiting Blue Dragon in Viet Nam, an organization that supports victims of human trafficking. “From a criminal justice perspective, it was powerful. One of my goals is to become an FBI agent focused on human trafficking. Learning that Viet Nam only passed laws recognizing sexual abuse against males in the last 10 years was shocking. It showed me that what we view as issues in the United States are global issues, and education needs to spread.”
Gramse recalled visiting a pre-training school in Viet Nam for young children with intellectual disabilities, ADHD, and those on the autism spectrum. “The goal is to teach them as much as possible so they can go into traditional schools. But if they can’t pass the tests, their education stops there, and they have to pick a trade,” she said. “Coming from the U.S., where I’ve had additional assistance my whole life, it was challenging to see that some students just don’t get that opportunity.”
The students said that the home stays and student-to-student interaction days stood out as the most meaningful experiences of the trip. “Meeting local students, exchanging Instagrams, and staying in touch even now is something I’ll never forget,” said Briones. “Those one-on-one days were something you could never experience as a tourist.”
Selesele added, “There were so many emotional moments, like when we had to say goodbye to students in Cambodia. We had formed such attachments in such a short time.”
Trying new foods was also part of the cultural immersion. Briones sampled live squid, horse meat, and ants. “Horse meat isn’t something I’d eat all the time because it felt like eating a pet,” he admitted. “But it was part of the cultural experience, and it was good. In Cambodia, the ants didn’t really have a taste; it was more visual. The food in Cambodia was outstanding, flavors I’ve never tasted before.”
Challenges and Shifts in Perspective
The trip aligned with multiple UN SDGs, including Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, and Goal 10: Reduced Inequities. By visiting organizations like Friends International in Cambodia and Blue Dragon in Viet Nam, students witnessed grassroots approaches to addressing poverty, education access, and human trafficking prevention.
Seeing how these organizations operate in their communities showed me that solutions aren’t about imposing what we think is best,” Briones reflected. “It’s about listening to what the community actually needs.”
The students said the trip challenged their assumptions about what qualifies as a “global issue.”
“For me, it was seeing the living situations in Cambodia and Viet Nam,” Selesele said. “We might see it as an issue, but for them, it’s everyday life and they’re happy. One family we visited didn’t want to move to the city even if they had the opportunity. It really opened my eyes.”
Briones recounted a conversation with Tran on the bus after a long day. “Paul always made us reflect. He asked us how we could improve the lives of the home stay communities. Being there, I realized they were living sustainably and happily. There wasn’t anything we needed to fix.”
Access to healthcare was another eye-opener for Gramse. “In some communities, if people can’t afford healthcare, even in emergencies, they just don’t get it,” she said. “In the U.S., we’re kind of spoiled in that sense. That was a big shock for me.”
Back in Honolulu, the students are already thinking about how to apply their IPE experiences in their academic, professional, and personal lives.
Selesele plans to integrate what she learned into her practicum at Fernhurst YWCA, a halfway house for indigenous women. “I want to share what I learned about gratitude and global awareness with my peers and the women I’ll work with. And I know Paul will ask what I did over the summer, and I’ll probably take up the whole class talking about it!”
Briones said he plans to continue building connections with the students they met abroad and educating others about global issues. “It’s not just about saying, ‘I went to Japan and tried this food.’ It’s about educating people on the real issues these countries face.”
From a criminal justice perspective, he also said the trip taught him humility in international community work. “You can’t go in with your own ideas about what’s wrong. You have to listen and help with what they actually need.”
Gramse plans to carry her experiences into her future nursing career. “Language barriers don’t mean that you can’t connect with people. Just saying hello in someone’s native language can build rapport. I hope to carry that lesson with me when working with patients from different backgrounds.”
Tran hopes all students who participate in the IPE return with a renewed sense of purpose.
HPU International Professional Experience program and Royal University of Phnom Penh students explore a temple during a hike in Kandal Province, Cambodia, taking in the beauty of the Khmer architecture.
"The long-term goal of the IPE trip for HPU students was that the experiences they gained—from academic collaboration with five different universities, volunteering in community services, learning about various NGOs, nonprofit organizations, and social enterprise businesses, building an international network—would inspire them to reach across disciplines and take actions to collaborate with each other, and those they met on the trip, to contribute to local and global solutions, in addressing the world’s challenges in a sustainable way," Tran explained.
As the students continue their studies, they carry with them not only memories of capsule hotels, bustling markets, and unfamiliar dishes but also a profound sense of gratitude, humility, and responsibility to apply what they learned to their communities, near and far.
“It’s life-changing,” said Selesele. “And I know I’m going to do it again someday.”
The following Hawaiʻi Pacific University students, representing various majors, participated in the Universityʻs 2025 International Professional Experience program, traveling to Japan, Cambodia, and Viet Nam.
- Elana-Ann Barbadillo, Cinematic Multimedia Arts
- Angel Briones, Criminal Justice
- Kelsey Burian, Social Work
- Shane Cayabyab, Social Work
- Jade Gonzalez, Social Work
- Madison Gramse, Nursing
- Shigeki Iwatsuki, International Relations
- Makayla Maritnez, Criminal Justice
- Skyler Martinez, Public Health
- Tristin Martinez, Pre Med, Biology
- Kaley Mayo, Social Work
- Shayna Selesele, Social Work
