This year’s 58 annual Lū’au at Pacific University will be the last for Nā Haumāna O Hawai‘i (NHOH) Advisor Edna K. Doar Gehring, who will retire at the end of the 2017-18 school year after 35 professional years with the University.
Gehring, also known as “Aunty Edna” graduated from Pacific’s undergrad in 1970, and began working at the University in 1983 as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Advisor of NHOH. In 2014, Gehring was appointed to her most current position of Director of Hawaii Outreach and Programming.
Throughout the years, Gehring has worked to promote community and a sense of belonging within NHOH, constantly reinforcing the NHOH philosophy of the “four C’s” to students and club members.
“It’s about taking what you learn and applying it,” Gehring said. “You can talk about working in teams, but until you actually experience it, you won’t be able to apply communication, collaboration, coordination and courtesy, in the real world.”
Gehring, who has been an integral part in all of the Lu’au shows during her career as a Boxer, said one of her proudest moments at Pacific was watching her daughter, Christie, dance in the Lu’au and graduate from Pacific.
At this year’s Lu’au, which has the theme of “Na Hali’a Aloha” or “Good Times Together,” Gehring and her service will be honored with a new alumni dance.
This year’s Lu’au will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Stoller Center on the Forest Grove campus.
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