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HPU President John Gotanda (second from right) with HPU Dean of the College of Professional Studies Mani Sehgal (far left) with HPU mascots Sharky and Fynn.
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HPU faculty, staff, and students checked in attendees at the registration tables.
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A great selection of food and beverages were offered at the event.
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A variety of local vendors were at the 60th anniversary event.
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HPU School of Nursing students at the event.
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HPU faculty and staff celebrated at the event.
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HPU students at the event in front of Aloha Tower.
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A variety of artisans were at the event.
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Hawai'i State Senator Karl Rhoads (left) attended the event. He is pictured with HPU President John Gotanda.
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Hawai'i Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto attended the event (seen right), pictured with HPU President John Gotanda.
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HPU Campus Activity Board (CAB) members at the event.
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Hundreds of attendees gathered at Aloha Tower Marketplace near the harbor, getting ready for the show.
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Jeffrey Rich welcomed HPU President John Gotanda to the stage to cut the cake.
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Senator Rhoads and Representative Iwamoto joined HPU President John Gotanda on stage for the cake cutting.
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The band 8RO8 took the stage and got the party started.
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Attendees watched 8RO8 perform a set of fan favorites.
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HPU's International Vocal Ensemble performed at the event.
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The performances ended with a dazzling dance routine by student dance group Step Up Warriors.
On September 20, HPU marked its 60th anniversary with a festive celebration at Aloha Tower Marketplace, the University’s main campus hub. A variety of food trucks and local vendors lined the long promenade to the Tower, and the stage was set against the Honolulu harbor.
Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green, M.D., delivered a pre-recorded congratulatory message to the audience, remarking that, “over the past six decades, HPU has grown into a thriving and innovative university recognized for its hands-on learning, global reach, and deep commitment to our community. Happy 60th anniversary, HPU! Here’s to another 60 years of purpose-driven education.”
The HPU 60th anniversary cake.
Hawai‘i State Senator Karl Rhoads and Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto stepped on stage with HPU President John Gotanda to cut the cake, and the celebration lifted off, quite literally, with a giveaway for a Blue Hawaiian Helicopters ride for two (won by a lucky student), hosted by HPU alumnus, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters President and CEO Quentin Koch, with HPU Vice President for Marketing and Communications Jeffrey Rich. Then the Hawai‘i-based band 8RO8 hit the stage to a roar, while HPU faculty, staff, students, alumni, families, and neighbors filled the marketplace as the sun dipped behind the tower.
8RO8 commanded the stage with fan favorites before HPU’s International Vocal Ensemble performed. The student dance group Step Up Warriors closed the festivities with a dazzling routine as the night settled over the harbor and guests strolled back along the promenade beneath a waning crescent moon.
HPU alumnus Leo Johnson was in attendance for the 60th celebration, visiting from his home in Thailand. A proud member of Hawaii Pacific’s early graduating classes, Johnson was the very first HPU graduate to earn the summa cum laude honors in 1975. He was active in student government and held several key positions on the student council and soon became a valuable member of the alumni association. “I got some great jobs, worked in Sauda Arabia, and worked for NASA on the Apollo program,” remarked Johnson, while at the celebratory event. “My bachelor’s degree really worked out and opened a lot of doors for me.”
HPU’s story began in 1965, when Hawaii Pacific College was founded by four community leaders who recognized the need for a private university in a young state. Johnson had attended Hawaii Pacific College when he graduated in 1975, and by 1990, the College became Hawai‘i Pacific University.
Two years later, Hawaii Loa College merged into HPU, making it the largest private university in Hawai‘i. Over the decades, HPU has grown into a downtown campus stretching from Fort Street Mall and Waterfront Plaza to Aloha Tower Marketplace.
Today, HPU continues to expand its reach and impact. Enrollment has climbed nearly 51% in the past six years, with graduate programs seeing almost a 400% increase and now comprising more than 40% of the student body. HPU has also deepened its role as a research hub, from the Oceanic Institute merger in 2014 to the opening of the Sea Turtle Care Center at the Makapuʻu Campus. In fall 2025, HPU unveiled the 20,000-square-foot Downtown Science Laboratories on Fort Street Mall, completing the University’s master plan for a centralized urban campus anchored by Aloha Tower Marketplace. The four-floor building houses teaching and a research lab space, including five teaching labs for general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, microbiology, and environmental sciences, as well as specialized research labs.
HPU’s footprint also grew to the ninth island in February 2025 with the launch of its Las Vegas facility, the first of its kind for a Hawai‘i-based university, housing its hybrid graduate health science programs. In May 2024, HPU partnered with Beacon Education to offer an innovative online MBA that was designed and optimized for Chinese working professionals and delivered in Mandarin. HPU offices serve all major military bases on Oahu, and the University has seen a steady growth among active-duty and retired military service members and their families; more than 30% of HPU students are military-affiliated.
From its roots in the 1960s to today’s vibrant downtown presence, HPU has been shaped by its community, its students, and its global perspective. Congratulations, HPU. Here’s to another 60 years of academic excellence!
All photos by Michael Matsushita.
