



Gene Awakuni joined University of Hawai'i as chief executive of the West O'ahu campus in March 2005. He previously served as vice provost for student affairs at Stanford University, where he had joint oversight for a division of 650 staff members. Awakuni also served as Vice President of Student Services at Columbia University, overseeing eight major departments, including dining, health, business and financial services; university bookstores; residence halls; the registrar’s office and student information systems with a budget of $50 million and transactions totaling $500 million.
He also served as vice president for student affairs and university advancement at Cal Poly Pomona, assistant vice chancellor for student academic services at University of California, Santa Barbara and director of the Counseling and Psychological Services Center at University of California, Irvine.
Awakuni earned his doctorate in counseling and consulting psychology at Harvard University. He received a master’s in clinical social work and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
A counseling psychologist, Awakuni has taught courses relating to the interaction of psychology and ethnicity and recently co-authored a book entitled Resistance to Multiculturalism: Issues and Interventions. He served as president of the national association Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education. While at U.C. Irvine, he won a teaching award called My Last Lecture.
Gene I. Awakuni - Chancellor
Chancellor Awakuni Featured in Hawaii Business Magazine
The March 2007 issue of Hawai‘i Business magazine featured the publication’s yearly recognition of, “25 People for the Next 25 Years.” The article recognizes twenty five people of all ages, backgrounds and disciplines who are striving to positively influence Hawaii’s future for the next twenty five years.
Gene Awakuni, Chancellor of University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu, was recognized for his dedication to the field of higher education and for his unwavering commitment to making the dream of a long-awaited UH West O‘ahu campus in Kapolei a reality.
Fall 2009
A new campus of the University of Hawai`i – West O`ahu will open its doors in Kapolei. The new campus will be a hub for student and community life.
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