HPU WELCOMES HAWAI'I MEDIA TO CAMPUS TO HIGHLIGHT HEALTH SCIENCES PROGRAMS AND ENROLLMENT BOOM

HPU welcomed Hawai’i news media to campus December 2, 2022, at the newly constructed Center for Graduate Health Sciences at Waterfront Plaza to feature its Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, announce two health sciences programs, and highlight an enrollment boom. 

DPT Program Director and Professor Tricia Catalino, D.Sc., announced that HPU welcomed nearly 100 students in its inaugural fall 2022 class. The cohort represents a diverse group of students from 16 states and all geographic regions in the U.S. 

“HPU is increasing its graduate program enrollments, especially in high community need areas like health sciences, clinical psychology, and nursing,” said HPU Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer Walsh, Ph.D. “This is one of our strategic academic priorities. We opened the Center for Graduate Health Sciences space just this summer. It is the home to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the forthcoming Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant and Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs.”

HPU’s DPT program is the first and only program in the state of Hawai’i and is led by Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Director and Professor Tricia Catalino, D.Sc. A need for physical therapists in Hawai’i was a key reason why HPU developed the program as a 24-month curriculum that uses a hybrid format.

Walsh announced two new health sciences programs at HPU:

• Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program has an anticipated January 2024 start date and will be led by Tracey Recigno, OTD, OTR.
• Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant (PA) program has an anticipated January 2025 start date and is led by Program Director Leocadia Conlon, Ph.D. 

 

HPU President John Gotanda, J.D., announced that the University saw an enrollment boom from fall 2021 to fall 2022. HPU’s total enrollment increased by 6.3% from the last academic year, and graduate enrollment increased by 22% year-over-year. The University has nearly 6,000 students, from all 50 states and over 60 countries. 

“HPU is a global campus, and our study body is one of the most culturally diverse in the U.S.,” said Gotanda. “Our undergraduate and graduate enrollment has increased year-over-year, which is really bucking a nationwide trend in downward undergraduate and graduate enrollment in higher education. In fact, HPU has seen year-over-year increases in overall enrollment for four straight years!

"HPU is proud to demonstrate our commitment to our community and the people of Hawai’i through the Guaranteed Scholarship and Admission Program (GSAP). We have seen a 30% increase in submitted applications by Hawai’i residents this fall, which we believe is correlated to our GSAP.

The GSAP deadline has been extended to January 15, 2023, and all Hawai’i high school seniors are eligible to apply if they are graduating in 2023 from an accredited Hawai’i high school. GSAP students will receive a minimum $10,000 scholarship that is renewable for three additional years. 

To learn more about the DPT program click here. To learn more about the OTD program click here.