As a full-time working mother, Sophia Kaʻawa-Aweau wears many hats. Now she can add honors graduate to the list.
Kaʻawa-Aweau graduated from Windward Community College last month. She is now pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work at the University of Hawaiʻi.
She plans to earn her Master's Degree in the future.
Her success is hard-earned. She shared her personal journey through her education in her commencement speech.
“For the majority of my life, I was in and out of prison,” she said in her speech. “Domestic violence, crime and trauma had me on a total path of destruction.”
A video of her speech has brought on a slew of support and praise online.
When she was incarcerated at the Women's Community Correctional Center, Kaʻawa-Aweau received a grant through the Pūʻā Foundation, allowing her to take courses at WCC.
With the foundation's support, she earned an Academic Subject Certificate in Psycho-Social Developmental Studies.
As soon as she left prison, she enrolled full-time at WCC.
There, the TRiO Student Support Services — a program for first-generation, low-income college students — helped her balance life as a mother and student.
“This last semester, I was in six courses and working full-time,” Kaʻawa-Aweau said. “No matter how hard it got, my determination helped me get through.”
Her long-term goal is to help women and children who have experienced adversity.
She currently works as a house-mother for the Pūʻā Foundation, where she encourages women to change their lives through formal education.
“Social work has always been my passion because I grew up in the system,” Kaʻawa-Aweau said.
She hopes that her lived experience, paired with her college degree, will help her connect with people who need her help the most.
She also wants people to know that they can get an education at any time.
“It's never too late to go back to school,” she said. “Whatever it is that you set your dreams on, you can accomplish.”
Her full commencement speech is available here.
This interview aired on The Conversation on June 22, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. This interview was adapted for the web by Emily Tom.
