Recent Alumni Return to Campus to Share College Insights with Academy Students

For many juniors and seniors at Punahou, the journey to college can feel daunting. That’s where the annual College Previews event, held Dec. 23, comes in. Organized by the Parent Faculty Association (PFA), College Counseling Department and Alumni Relations Office, the event connects current students with recent alumni who have walked the same halls and now attend colleges across the country.

This year’s event featured nearly 100 alumni from the Classes of 2021 to 2024. After a panel discussion in the Chapel, students headed to the PE Pavilion, where one-on-one conversations with alumni gave them firsthand insights into college life. “Current students get to hear about college from someone who was in their shoes, which resonates more than hearing it from an adult,” said Director of College Counseling Ryan Scudder.

For many students, the event also provides exposure to colleges they might not have had the chance to visit in person. “Not every student can travel across the country to visit a campus,” Scudder said. “This event brings these opportunities to them in a unique way.”

During the panel discussion and interactive session that followed, students asked questions only peers could answer: What is campus life really like? How did you choose your major? How did Punahou prepare you for the transition? Hearing real stories and advice from alumni helps demystify the college process.

“For seniors, it can help solidify their choice of college,” Scudder said. “For juniors, it opens their eyes to new possibilities and shows them they already have a built-in network. It reassures families that their students will find the best fit for themselves.”

The event is made possible through strong collaboration. “Each department brings unique perspectives and strengths that work synergistically to create a more comprehensive and enriching college event for students and parents,” said Frances Hayashi, PFA event chair.

Athena He ’24, who attended the College Previews event as a student herself, shared how Punahou prepared her for the transition to college. “I was more than prepared because Punahou life is so similar to college life,” He said. “Punahou’s rigorous classes and a variety of extracurriculars helped me manage academics and extracurriculars in college.”

Looking back on her own experience attending College Previews, He recalled the impact of hearing from enthusiastic and reassuring speakers. “I especially resonated with speakers who talked about the fun parts of college, spoke with enthusiasm, and reassured us that college wasn’t so daunting after all,” she said. “These parts of the event helped me feel more confident about the intimidating college admissions process.”

Now, as an alumna, He values the opportunity to give back. “I think sharing my college experience helped students feel more confident or excited about their choices,” she said. “I tried to reassure them that they could handle college if they’ve handled a Punahou education. I mainly just shared with them what I would have wanted to hear when I was a student.”

This year’s College Previews event was paired with Mingle and Jingle, Punahou’s signature young alumni gathering. Held during the winter holidays when many alumni return home to Hawai‘i, Mingle and Jingle is a reunion and a chance for alumni to reconnect with classmates and their alma mater.

“These events are the first young alumni opportunities to engage after our students leave for college,” said Patti Horii ’84 Oshiro, alumni programs officer. “After experiencing their first months away at college, Punahou welcomes them home as alumni to share their new insights with current juniors and seniors in a firsthand conversation about their college campuses. Then we throw a welcome-back party with shave ice and poke bowls to reconnect them with Punahou and their classmates as young alumni now. We’ve begun inviting the senior class too, so they know what to expect in the upcoming year after graduation.”

The College Previews event is part of a larger effort to strengthen and formalize connections between current students and alumni. “This is the starting point for students to see the strength of our alumni network,” Scudder said. “It’s a point of intersection where current students can engage with alumni and see how they’ll be immersed in the network after graduation.”

While current students benefit from College Previews, once they graduate, Ka ‘Ohana Punahou, the School’s online alumni network, serves as a valuable resource for making connections beyond Punahou. It allows graduates to search for fellow alumni by college or location, making it easier to find connections and seek advice without needing to request contact information through the School.

“That alumni network really gets highlighted when they’re trying to make their final decision in senior year,” Scudder said. “Hearing from peers shows them they have a built-in network across the country, so they can hit the ground running wherever they decide to go to college.”