UH Hilo Marks International Women's Day With Campus Celebration, 200 Students

More than 200 students filled the lānai fronting Mookini Library on March 6 for a four-hour International Women's Day celebration that wove together lei making, dance, student-led scholarship and self-care under this year's theme: "Give to Gain."

Ellen Meiser, an assistant professor of sociology and the event's lead organizer, said the programming was designed with a clear purpose. "The goal was to hold an event that celebrated women and their achievements across history, promoted self-care and health, and inspired the UH ʻohana," she said.

Seven campus and student organizations co-hosted the event: the Campus Center, Women's Center, LGBTQ+ Center, Recreation and Wellness Center, Global Exchange, Hiloverse RISO (Registered Independent Student Organizations), and faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences. The breadth of that coalition was visible in the programming. Students cycled through the Confidence Café, the Self-Care & Affirmation Station, and the Lei Stand, while informational booths drew steady foot traffic across the afternoon.

A student teach-in anchored the educational component of the day, with Gender and Women's Studies and History students presenting to their peers. A dance workshop and food and culture presentations rounded out the schedule.

"This was done through a bunch of fun activities: lei making, a small student teach-in by gender and women studies and history students, a dance workshop, food and culture presentations, and informational tabling," Meiser said. "It went really well."

Meiser reported that "well over 200 students attended throughout the four hours of festivities," alongside faculty, staff and community partners. This year's theme, "Give to Gain," kept everyone focused on the importance of supporting one another, with the overall mood described as one of celebration and connection while honoring the impact of women everywhere.

The event marked UH Hilo's contribution to International Women's Day, which is observed globally on March 8. By holding the celebration on March 6, the university brought the observance onto campus before the weekend, drawing one of the larger voluntary student gatherings the Mookini Library lānai has hosted in recent memory.