Aloha to the Cornhusker State: Trio of Hawaiian Students Find Opportunity, Community, and Freedom in Nebraska

Born in the Federated States of Micronesia, and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, Akikin Pungupung grew up a world away from Nebraska. After his family moved to the state of Washington, he joined the U.S. Army as a wheeled vehicles mechanic at Fort Lewis, Washington. It was love (his wife’s family is from Kearney, Nebraska) that first led him to the Cornhusker State in 2022.

While his bride drew him to Kearney, other aspects of the community motivated Pungupung to make the move and have helped him feel at home in Nebraska. Kearney’s peaceful pace of life was particularly attractive to him. “It’s rural compared to Washington, and that’s what really made me want to come. I’m tired of too many people and the traffic all the time, and we’ve never been in traffic since the move. It’s a nice change of environment. I think it feels more open—you feel more free out here,” he explained.

Another benefit he found in the community was how welcoming and helpful it is for veterans. When Pungupung enrolled at Central Community College (CCC) in Kearney, the school’s Veterans & Military Resource Center gave him tremendous support. Initially, Pungupung didn’t know what benefits he was eligible for. “The coordinator in Kearney—Shawn Patsios​—​called me in, sat me down, and gave me a checklist of what I would need to do to see my credit rolled over from the military,” said Pungupung. Through the center, he received assistance setting up a financial plan, filing for FAFSA, and ensuring eligibility for the GI Bill.

Pungupung’s firsthand experience with the Veterans & Military Resource Center at CCC motivated him to join its team. He has worked there for a year and a half, connecting veterans to resources and ensuring they get the support they need to succeed. CCC takes pride in being the top-ranked, two-year college for veterans according to Military Times. This is due to many factors, including their career services tailored to military students, participation in VA work study programs, mentorship programs, mental health counseling, and VA benefits workshops.

In general, Pungupung has been highly impressed by the quality of services offered to veterans in Nebraska. “I know that if you’re not doing well in school or something, they’re willing to reach out and ask if you need help—even the people in the community. If I ever have any problems, I know that the VA reaches out, and I can also reach out to them, because they are very understanding,” said Pungupung.

The welcome and support he’s received has inspired Pungupung to encourage others to experience Nebraska—its culture, education, and community. “A person like me, from Hawaii, I never thought about school,” he explained. “The people at CCC have motivated me and taught me. They’ve shown me that I can reach my goals in life. The people at CCC are here to help you. Whenever I need to see an advisor, their doors are always open, and I’ll be in their office trying to plan out my future.”

Pungupung’s excitement convinced two of his cousins, Aaron Mull and Joakim Jones, to move directly from Hawaii to Nebraska to attend CCC this year. Jones was working in Hawaii at a job he wasn’t enjoying, and unsure what change he should make. Pungupung reached out to his cousins and told them about the program at CCC. “He started telling me about the welding school, and how it was fun. That’s when I started thinking about going to school.” said Jones.

The Kearney community has made the transition from out-of-state smooth for Pungupung, Mull, and Jones. “The downtown is like what we see in Western movies. When we first came here, we would hang out downtown just taking pictures and enjoying it. And they built a new park, Yanney Heritage Park, with an observatory. That is pretty cool!” said Pungupung.

All three students are on track to complete their degrees in 2026. “I’m hoping I can find a company here that has good benefits and good pay. I’ll take the job here. I like it here,” said Mull. “Nebraska is cool. Everybody’s been nice to me out here.”