Pono Program

Green River College's Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) student support program.

Green River College became an AANAPISI (Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution) in 2023 when it was awarded a federal grant from the Department of Education. From there, the Pono program was born.

Pono is a program for domestic Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students at Green River College. Our focus is removing barriers for domestic AANHPI students who are furthest from educational justice.

Pono is a support program that centers retention strategies needed for success throughout students' identity development and empowerment in community college. At the heart of the program, Pono aims to increase academic support by stabilizing students in the community as it guides its students on a clear pathway to success.

Pono provides:

Cultural Activities/Workshops
College Coaching/Mentoring
Embedded Tutoring
Employment (plus our Summer Leadership Camp)
One-on-One Scholarship Navigation
Access to our Book Loan Program
Mental Health Support
AANHPI Community Referrals/Resources
Asian Pacific Islander courses in English, Film, American Ethnic Studies (AMES), and more!

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) is home to Pono. Located in the Student Union in SU240, students are welcome to visit, meet with support staff, use our book loan program, and obtain culturally relevant support resources.