Imagine driving by $165million dollars every day and never noticing! Hard to imagine, right? I have to admit that I’d never thought of UH-Hilo and HCC in those terms until a recent extended conversation with my friend, Harvey Tajiri. In fact, Harvey explained that UHH, HCC and the ancillary activities generate more income for East Hawaii than the cruise ships and all forms of agriculture combined! With approximately 1500 employees, over 550 faculty members and two campuses situated on over 730 acres of land, the economic reach is huge. UHH and HCC, this year alone greeted 51 new faculty members and about 5400 students (plus Kona)! This means that 51 new families and tons of students have been added to our local economic base. They all need housing, they’ll buy groceries, eat at our restaurants and shop in our shops…and some buy houses! And it’s not just the economic impact that’s impressive. Watch this! HCC is ranked 16th among community colleges nationwide and even though UHH is not a research institution, they garnered more per capita research dollars than even USC and Ohio State! This accomplishment is so impressive that it prompted the Executive Director of the National Science Board to take leave in order to visit UHH to figure out how they do it. After all, most schools have entire departments dedicated such activities. I understand he’s now working pro bono on the UHH campus! I don’t know about you but I certainly didn’t realize that the Chamber Choir traveled to New York City this past Christmas recess to sing at Carnegie Hall! The Marine Science program is one of the best in the nation and when it comes to computer science, only 2 other schools can say that they out-perform UHH grads. In fact, over the past 5 years, graduates of this program scored above the 90th percentile in their national exit exam. Of course, if you want a PhD in Hawaiian language, UHH is the only place in the world to get one! And when it comes to playing with the big boys, like Cornell and Oxford, UHH ranked second in a recent model United Nations competition! Truth is, there’s virtually no part of our community untouched by our growing university. From athletic workshops to hosting the Concert Society to rounding up volunteers for turtle tagging, UHH and HCC touch us all. The real beauty about the University, especially now, is that it’s recession proof. In fact, during tough economic times, displaced workers tend to go back to school! There are really no negatives when it comes to the University. *** Ka Ua, an all volunteer non-profit organization focusing on ways to help the University move forward, is hosting Frank DeLima on Nov 15 for a night of fun, laughter and prime rib. It’s at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and I know you’ll want tickets. The number to call is 936-8081 (or call me). Trust me, I’ll never again see UHH as just a small school from which three of my daughters graduated. Nope, from now on, I’ll not only look at UHH as 6900 potential homeowners, I’ll think of it as a $165million dollar gift that makes Hilo look good every day!