"Kapi'olani Community College has long been a major feeder of students to UH Manoa, and we know from looking at their subsequent successes that those students who get their start at Kapi'olani CC do quite well once they transfer to UH Manoa,"Kapi'olani CC Interim Chancellor Leon Richards stated in a news release. "It is especially meaningful that the signing of this agreement during the UH Centennial year gives us an opportunity to toast the future of the university as well as celebrate its past and the long-standing relationship between Kapi'olani CC and UH Manoa."

The Ka'ie'ie Program is a dual-enrollment, dual-admission program for students pursuing their first four-year undergraduate degree who are accepted at UH Manoa but choose to begin their studies at Kapi'olani CC.

The program offers two paths for students: 1) they can apply and be accepted to UH Manoa but declare Kapi'olani CC their home institution and take their courses at Kapi'olani CC, or 2) they can begin at Kapi'olani CC and apply through the program to UH Manoa after earning 24 credits and maintaining a 2.0 GPA at Kapi'olani CC. Once accepted to UH Manoa, these students can choose to continue taking classes at Kapi'olani CC, still indicating the campus as their home institution.

"This agreement is designed to encourage Kapi'olani students to identify themselves early as Manoa-bound," said UH Manoa Interim Chancellor Denise Konan. "By providing qualified Kapi'olani CC students access to UH Manoa advising, student services, and campus life, we will lower transactions costs and help them to be more engaged and prepared within their academic majors. I hope that this will become a model for similar agreements with other UH community colleges in the future."

Students admitted under the Ka'ie'ie Program will be eligible to apply for scholarships and grants offered to UH Manoa students upon transfer to UH Manoa, and will be afforded the same privileges afforded to all first-year transfer students. Upon paying students fees, Ka'ie'ie Program students will have access to all activities and services covered by student fees at both campuses and will be issued a special ID card that will grant full access to libraries, campus culture events and sporting events at both campuses.