PACE LEADERS

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JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF STUDENT LEADERS!

Open to all majors on all 10 UH System campuses
Thousands in scholarships available

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The PACE Leaders program provides students with a unique educational opportunity to practice and gain entrepreneurial and leadership skills, while enriching the educational experience of their peers. PACE Leaders are students from various majors who work together to ​shape and design programs, activities, and events to grow a network of entrepreneurial-minded students throughout the UH System. No experience in entrepreneurship or business is required.

There are many tangible and intangible benefits to being a PACE Leader. Leaders develop transferable skills such as:

  • verbal and written communication

  • collaboration and team building

  • project management

  • event coordination

  • strategic planning

  • budgeting

  • marketing

Thanks to our generous donors, leaders are eligible for scholarships and awards, which range from $500 to $6,000. PACE Leaders also receive special leadership development and networking opportunities including invitations to startup community events and conferences.

LEADERSHIP ROLES

All incoming and current UH System students are welcome to apply to be a PACE Leader.

PACE Leaders are an indispensable extension of the PACE team and will be asked to promote the Center and its programs, and coordinate various programs, events and activities that engage students from all disciplines of study. There are many leadership opportunities available depending on interest. Peruse the list of programs and roles below for which PACE is seeking student leaders. Leaders may be expected to contribute up to 10 hours per week, depending on their assigned roles. Applicants must be able to clearly articulate their passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Applications are peer-reviewed by current student leaders and accepted on a rolling basis.

All of the PACE Leaders positions are currently filled, except for the Maker program. If you have particular interest in joining the Maker team, please apply at the link.

  • PACE Leaders must be enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program in any of the 10 campuses within the University of Hawai‘i System, including community colleges and neighbor island campuses.
  • Students must be in good academic standing.
  • Leaders must be able to communicate in a timely manner and attend team meetings and events as determined by the team and leadership.
  • Leaders who reside on neighbor island campuses must be able to connect via Zoom for meetings.
  • Leaders must be able to convey enthusiasm and pride for PACE, and participate in activities that market and promote PACE to the UH community and beyond. These activities may include informational tabling, classroom presentations, speeches, tours, digital content development, high school visits, and representing PACE as a student ambassador when called upon.
  • Leaders must be able to assist in the coordination of various programs, events and activities. Time commitments will vary depending on the activity. Leaders may select programs that align with their areas of interest.
  • Leaders must follow PACE on social media.
    Email: pace.shidler.hawaii.edu/connect
    Instagram: instagram.com/pacehawaii
    Facebook: facebook.com/pacehawaii
    Twitter: twitter.com/pacehawaii
    YouTube: youtube.com/@pacehawaii
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/pacehawaii
  • Leaders should possess personal attributes that include good, moral character, and strong public speaking and writing skills.
  • Continuation in the program each semester requires a favorable performance evaluation and maintaining a positive image befitting a PACE Leader. Any conduct or behavior deemed inappropriate as a PACE Leader is grounds for immediate termination of leadership role and scholarship/award, and disqualification from future PACE leadership positions and scholarships/awards. Students must apply to the PACE Leaders program annually.

Preference may be given to:

  • Hawai‘i residents
  • RISE residents
  • Students who declare need, based on household income
  • Students who have entrepreneurial aspirations or enjoy creating solutions in teams

Term: Summer 2023 to Summer 2024

DIRECTORS

A director will be assigned to each student-led program. This person will be responsible for overseeing and managing one program for the entire academic year, creating a positive and inclusive culture, and guiding their team of associates to make thoughtful decisions that meet the evolving needs of UH students.

Directors develop leadership capacity within themselves and their peers as they onboard and lead a team of associates. Directors are responsible for ensuring that their team executes impactful programming, which includes everything from concept to clean-up. Directors learn strategic planning, management, accountability, and delegation skills necessary to carry out their responsibilities.

Directors across all of the student-led programs meet regularly with each other and work together with PACE staff to ensure that the programs align with the Center’s goals.

  • Makerspace Directors: This role has the additional unique responsibility of managing the makerspaces in RISE. This person is responsible for learning and teaching others how to use tools safely, and encouraging all UH students to build their first prototype at RISE. Makerspace directors coordinate schedules to ensure room access; manage a supplies budget; inventory small tools; coordinate workshops; and provide safety training.

ASSOCIATES

Associates are vital to PACE. Associates report to the Director of the program, and contribute to key efforts including concept development, marketing and promotion, and event planning. Associates have the opportunity to learn specific skill sets attributed to being a collaborative and effective team member. Associates are selected by the director with input from PACE.

  • Makerspace Associates: These associates have the unique opportunity to help run the makerspaces in RISE, train students on how to use tools safely, and execute programming that will encourage all UH students to build their first prototype at RISE.

NOTE

The Calvin Shindo Student Venture Fund is an existing student-led program with different defined roles. See the venture fund page for more information.

CALVIN SHINDO STUDENT VENTURE FUND

The Calvin Shindo Student Venture Fund is an existing student-run venture capital fund for early-stage University of Hawai‘i-affiliated companies. Learn more here.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP LIVE

Entrepreneurship Live is an on-going speaker series that invites founders and company executives to discuss their entrepreneurial journey with University of Hawai’i students. Each event features individuals who educate and inspire students by sharing their real-world challenges and triumphs, and range of emotional experiences in forging a startup. Each talk is followed by Q&A and a networking session. The PACE Leaders’ responsibilities in this program include brainstorming, coordinating speakers, marketing, arranging logistics for the event, executing the event, encouraging mingling during the networking session, and collecting feedback for continuous improvement.

MAKER PROGRAM

PACE will launch a new program to coincide with the opening of two makerspaces in RISE. The goal of the Maker Program is to help students learn how to safely use the various equipment and tools so that they may create their first prototype at RISE. The PACE Leaders in the Maker Program will be responsible for providing learning opportunities for their peers through regularly scheduled make-and-take workshops that familiarize participants with specialized tools while creating something useful. In addition to coordinating workshops, the Leaders will responsible for lab monitoring, providing access to tools, coordinating safety training, coordinating advanced prototype training, managing the supplies budget, managing the inventory of small tools, encouraging development of STEM skills, and encouraging collaboration among students.

PACE AMBASSADORS

The PACE Ambassadors Program is a student-led initiative to grow a network of entrepreneurial-minded students throughout the UH System. Students in this program are the “faces” of the Center. Ambassadors must be able to convey enthusiasm and pride for PACE, and participate in activities that market and promote PACE to the UH community and beyond. Ambassadors are responsible for creating an inviting atmosphere at RISE and facilitating networking between those who are looking to collaborate on a project. Ambassador activities may include informational tabling, classroom presentations, speeches, tours, open house, digital content development, high school visits, outreach programs, and representing PACE as a student ambassador when called upon. Ambassadors also host regularly-scheduled interactive events that help their peers make meaningful connections that can lead to potential startups, business partnerships and interdisciplinary teams.

KALO GRANTS

The goal of the Kalo Grants program is to provide UH students with the opportunity to pitch for seed funding of up to $1,000 and then develop a proof of concept with the monies. PACE Leaders in this highly-engaging program will be responsible for managing the entire program which includes marketing, reviewing applications, coordinating live pitch events, coaching, distributing funds, and monitoring the recipients’ progress.

LEVEL UP WORKSHOPS

PACE plans to hold monthly Level Up workshops in RISE to provide students with the opportunity to gain skills, learn about a variety of topics, and expand their networks. Workshop topics may include entrepreneurial mindset (4Cs), design thinking, public speaking, product design, managing a team, startup legal issues, corporate formation, branding/marketing, web basics, sustainability, financial literacy, social impact investing, etc. The PACE Leaders in this program will be responsible for executing impactful and timely workshops that meet the evolving needs of their peers. The Leaders’ responsibilities include brainstorming, coordinating speakers, marketing, arranging logistics for the event, executing the workshop, and collecting feedback for continuous improvement.

Dates are subject to change.

January 22: Priority application deadline for fall 2023
January 22–February 3: Application review period
February 6: Interview/no interview notification sent by PACE staff
February 7–28: Interview period
March 15 POSTPONED: Selection notification with scholarship offer sent by PACE staff
March 15–30 POSTPONED: Applicant confirms program commitment and submits required documentation
Summer 2023: Orientation and team planning sessions
Summer 2023: Funds are deposited into student’s UH Banner account

PACE Leader term ends Summer 2024.

Mahalo to PACE alum Traven Watase and the Scholar’s App team for partnering with us on the PACE Leaders program.

PACE LEADER OF THE MONTH

PACE recognizes these students for their outstanding service, having gone above and beyond their expected responsibilities.

Kai Garcia

September 2023

Computer Science

Hokumaile Serna

August 2023

Fashion Design

Sabrina Weaver

April 2023

Marketing

Asia Nunez

March 2023
Entrepreneurship and International Business

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University of Hawaiʻi
An Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Institution.
© 2020 Shidler College of Business. All rights reserved.
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uhm logo@2x
University of Hawaiʻi
An Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Institution.
© 2020 Shidler College of Business. All rights reserved.
Website by Blue Logic Labs
2404 Maile Way, Room E-402, Honolulu, HI 96822
Intranet • Credits