On May 10, students from Skyline College’s Fale Marama Pacific Islander Club were invited to participate in CSM Mana’s special Pasefika Graduation Ceremony. The ceremony celebrates the achievements of the College of San Mateo’s Pacific Islander students who were part of the graduating class of 2025. This year, the ceremony’s theme was “The Power of We: A Tribute to the Village That Carries Us”. Although the Fale Marama Pacific Islander club members from Skyline College are not part of the larger Mana learning community’s program at CSM, the invitation was extended to them from Dr. Finausina Tovo (program coordinator & Director of Mana), Dr. Wesley Hingano & Melissa Aliu Manuofetoa.
Among the four Skyline College students who got to walk the stage at CSM were:
-Vairea Tupana Samn (former Outreach Ambassador & Financial Aid Student Assistant)
-Aratita Taramawara (Outreach Ambassador & UCC Fellowship Scholar)
-Tavita Tuiasosopo (President of the Fale Marama Pacific Islander Student Club)
-Joshua Yanga (Outreach Ambassador & ASSC Senator)
Fale Marama Pacific Islander Club’s lead Advisor, Walter Manuofetoa (from SPWD), was also highly instrumental in collaborating with CSM Mana to make the day special for SMCCD’s Pacific Islander students. He worked closely with Allen Ocampo (Equity Institute) and Dr. Newin Orante to ensure the invited Skyline College students felt supported throughout their participation in the ceremony.
The four Skyline College students were congratulated with special messages by Dr. Manuel Perez, President of CSM, as well as Alex Guriba (VPSS of CSM). Walking across the stage, each of them was given a special Polynesian stole that reads “FALE MARAMA”, the name chosen to hopefully represent a one-day thriving Pacific Islander learning community at Skyline College. The stole was a testament to their hard work that helped lay the foundation for future Pacific Islander students from the Northern Peninsula at Skyline College.
Vairea Tupana Samn was chosen out of 25 students to be the one of two Student Speakers for the event. One of the highlights in her speech was a hopeful message to Skyline College’s Administration to continue to support Polynesian and Pacific Islander students on campus.
After her speech she shared data with peers from CSM: “with San Francisco’s recent opening of a Pacific Islander Cultural Heritage District that is close in proximity to Skyline College, not to mention the huge Samoan population in Daly City, the huge Tongan populations in South San Francisco and San Bruno, in addition to our 11 Polynesian churches in those four cities alone, I hope that Skyline College recognizes the large P.I. population around them soon, I hope that a learning community can support students from our culture, the way our brothers and sisters are so lovingly embraced at CSM.”
All four Fale Marama graduates will also participate in Skyline College’s Commencement Ceremony on May 23, 2025.
Article and Photos by Ryan Samn
