UH Recognizes KCC Professor and Business Student

Faculty at Kaua‘i Community College were among individuals recognized by the University of Hawai‘i for their innovation and commitment to educating students and work in research.

Fifteen UH faculty members from across the state have been awarded the Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching. Of the 15 instructors, one was from KCC: Terrence Bruns, assistant professor of biological sciences.

“I believe that one learns by doing,” Bruns said. “As an educator you need to be passionate about your subject matter. It is more than just listing and memorizing a bunch of facts. It is important to try and light the spark for the love of learning. You need to provide opportunities and make learning a personal endeavor.”

The Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching recognizes faculty who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values beneficial to students.

“Our extraordinary, innovative, caring University of Hawai‘i faculty are second to none,” said UH President David Lassner. “Especially in these challenging times, their dedication and commitment elevates and inspires our students even as their scholarship and engagement helps address pressing global issues and improve lives across our islands.”

Kaua‘i Community College student and taro farmer, Sierra-Lynn Harada-Stone, won the Masaki and Momoe Kunimoto Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Vocational Education. 

Harada-Stone, a business student, is known for her teamwork and leadership skills engaged her peers in group projects. In fall 2019, her class operated a pop-up coffee shop named HI Joe!

Harada-Stone led her operations team in class, worked her shift, promoted HI Joe!, and sold its apparel while working as Hanalei Farmers Market’s manager. In spring 2021, she became the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge director, as Kauaʻi CC students partnered with Kurdistan, Iraq students, to develop a business concept addressing a United Nations Sustainability Goal. Harada-Stone has been an active member of the Business and Young Entrepreneurs Club that performs campus and community projects.

Last year, Harada-Stone assumed the role and responsibilities as owner of SBH Taro Farms, a third-generation business, after her grandfather died. She has enabled students enrolled in her class to use her business to develop a marketing campaign project.