VIDEO: History major Laakea Yoshida’s grad speech
Ka’u kid heads to Oxford University for Masters in Philosophy
Video by David Corrigan
A spirited student speech is given at Saturday’s UH-Hilo graduation ceremony by La`akea Yoshida.
The university provided this acedemic bio on Yoshida for the media:
La`akea Yoshida, a history major focusing on European history, with a minor in anthropology, is student speaker. Yoshida, who has maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.8, has earned numerous academic honors including the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Scholarship, the CAS Dean’s List, the first ever UH Hilo Ambassador Grant, the Vulcan Leadership Award for Outstanding Scholar, the UH Hilo History Department’s Outstanding Student Writing Award, Kamehameha Schools’ Na Ho`okama a Pauahi Scholarship, and Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities.
Yoshida is president of the UH Hilo Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, (Alpha Beta Omicron) The National History Honor Society, and was part of a five-member team that competed in March at the Society’s regional conference at UH Manoa. Yoshida’s paper, “Bloodline Accession and Gifted Power: Nero Claudius Drusus and the Struggle to Define Heir ship in Rome During the Reign of Tiberius,” was voted Best Undergraduate Paper. It was the second time Yoshida captured that award after first winning it in 2008.
Yoshida is scheduled to enter Oxford University in October, where he was admitted earlier this year as a Master of Philosophy candidate in Roman and Greek history. He is believed to be the first History major from UH Hilo ever admitted to the prestigious United Kingdom institution.
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facebook comments:
Aloha,
Thank you for posting this video. Is there anyway that I could get a copy of the Commencement videos? I was worried that I would never see this…
La’akea Yoshida
I would like copies of the raw video if possible. Will it cost something? I would just like to have video of the commencement
As a mother, I would also love to have a video of the commencement.
LA’A'AKEA is the MAN! awesome!
“Mahalo” to you for giving us the opportunity to view the videos of UHH graduation speakers…It was a beautiful day and a beautiful moving ceremony…
La’akea Yoshida”s great grandmother will be able to view him and hear his speech as well as other friends and relatives on the mainland because of your videos. on the internet…
If one is able to purchase a video of the ceremony that would be wonderful…I am sure other families would very interested also…Again thank you so much…
You will not remember me but I remember you when you were a preschooler.
CONGRATULATIONS on your graduation and acceptance at Oxford.
I was very PROUD AND PLEASED to see and hear your speech. It says it all.
Laakea’s Grandmother just viewed this video, along with her friends at her retirement home in Dyersburg, TN. EVERYONE was soooooo excited for her and she was in tears!
What a handsome young man… what an awesome speaker…what an exciting life ahead of him! Congratulations Laakea and family!
Kiyo…I am so proud of you! You stuck it out and I know that the future for you will bring forth glorious and everlasting moments. Great speech and you looked good! BTW…glad you look like me…since I’m older LOL
Mahalo for this video. Wish I could have heard this live!