CEO | Community Development
Cooperative Extension & Outreach | Community Development
CEO | Community Development
Community development involves working with people, places and various interests and
roles. The processes involved in community development work embraces the idea of action
research through community empowerment leading to improving quality of life, managing
change and promoting vibrant communities.
A useful reference to describe the role of community development work is to provide a conceptual understanding of community development and the work of community development practitioners. Two key roles include serving as facilitators to a range of community conversations about information and knowledge levels on key island issues (process expertise) and to help community residents, government and non-government organizations address how to deal with those issues (content expertise).
Events and Dates
Pacific STEP-UP
Biomedical and behavioral research experience for high schoolers
Pacific STEP-UP — or the Pacific Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential — is designed for high school students from disadvantaged or under-represented backgrounds who are interested in and want to gain hands-on experience in biomedical and behavioral research.
The program is facilitated by the Community Development Office under the University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach service as a component of the national STEP-UP program of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Benefits
BENEFITS
- Stipend
- Mentorship
- Academic counseling
- Research projects
- Career exploration
- Eligibility to travel to Washington, D.C., to present research at the NIDDK High School STEP-UP Summer Research Symposium
Eligibility
- High school juniors or seniors at the time of application
- U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents of a U.S.-affiliated territory
- One of the following:
- Come from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group
- Be disadvantaged as defined by geographical location and/or annual family income
- Be diagnosed with a disability that limits one or more major life activities
Join Pacific STEP-UP!
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are accepted from Oct. 15 to Feb.15 every year. Students may apply at http://stepup.niddk.nih.gov.
Contact Us
CONTACT US:
communitywf@triton.uog.edu
PROJECT TEAM:
Anita B. Enriquez, DBA
President, University of Guam
Pacific STEP-UP Collaborator
Kristina Sayama, MPA, CM
Extension Agent II, University of Guam
Pacific STEP-UP Coordinator
George Hui, Ph.D.
Research Professor, University of Hawai’i Manoa JABSOM
Pacific STEP-UP Principal Investigator
This program is supported by the National Institutes of Health under grant No. 2R25DK078386-16.
Last updated: January 2024
I Hale'ta STEM Scholars Program
Islands of Opportunity Alliance - Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (IOA-LSAMP)
The University of Guam I Hale’ta STEM Scholars Program is a learning community that serves as an organized environment for underrepresented minority students -- in particular Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders -- to achieve academic success in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). I Hale’ta translated from CHamoru means “our roots.”
Become an I Hale'ta Scholar!
Are you a full-time Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander student at UOG majoring in a STEM field? Are you looking to engage in rigorous scientific research grounded in indigenous knowledge and cultural practices? The I Hale'ta STEM Scholar Program is for you!
You will experience and benefit from:
- Cultural immersion
- Community building
- Volunteer opportunities
- Place-based learning
- Faculty-guided research and summer internships
- Academic support
- Professional development
- STEM skills development
- Peer mentoring and tutoring
- Graduate school exploration
Eligibility:
- Enrolled full time at the University of Guam
- Underrepresented minority
- Majoring in a STEM discipline
Stipend: $250 to $1,000 per semester, depending on involvement as either a member, tutor, mentor, or researcher
Eligibility for Stipend:
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- Full-time STEM major
Scholars will:
- Attend the orientation session at the beginning of each semester
- Participate in twice monthly UOG I Hale’ta STEM Scholars meetings
- Volunteer 16 hours per semester toward supporting IOA-LSAMP (e.g. tabling events, community service, environmental stewardship, K-12 outreach, etc.)
- Interact with the 9 distinct language-speaking communities across the IOA and the broader Pacific region
- Prepare for internship experiences in STEM
- Present research at the annual IOA student symposium and other undergraduate student conferences
- Participate in community engagement through Indigenous STEM-related events.
Deadline to Apply: Applications for the Fanuchånan (Spring) 2023 semester are due by 5 p.m. CHST on Jan. 31. Priority will be given to completed applications submitted by Jan. 26.
About the Islands of Opportunity Alliance
UOG I Hale’-ta STEM Scholars Program is an integral part of the Islands of Opportunity Alliance (IOA), a network of 11 campuses across Oceania supported by the NSF-funded Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program.
The IOA aims to prepare and diversify the STEM workforce in Oceania by providing culturally relevant education and research experiences, rooted in indigenous languages and cultures. I Hale’ta students from UOG and other students across the IOA will interact through various programs, including an ethnographic study on how Pacific Islander worldviews are incorporated into STEM learning.As part of the IOA, UOG’s campus coordinator communicates with alliance campus coordinators to foster continuity of student progression through the pipeline from community colleges to four-year universities.
IOA Members:
- American Samoa Community College
- Chaminade University
- College of Micronesia
- College of the Marshall Islands
- Guam Community College
- Hawaii Pacific University
- Northern Marianas College
- Palau Community College
- University of Guam
- University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
- University of Hawai’i at Hilo
For more information, contact:
Kristina Sayama
Extension Agent II, Community Development
IOA-LSAMP Campus Coordinator
Tel: (671) 735-2054
Office: ALS 228B
Email: kristina@triton.uog.edu
Program email: communitywf@triton.uog.edu
This project is supported by National Science Foundation grant #HRD-1826864 until August 2024.
COFA Cost-Benefit Analysis & Impact Methodologies Project
The COFA Cost-Benefit Analysis & Impact Methodologies project seeks to strengthen Guam's data collection regarding Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants to Guam for its reconciliation report to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The project team will be working with the Government of Guam agencies to develop uniform reporting guidelines and cost estimations across the public health, safety, and education agencies that deliver services to COFA migrants.
- Phase 1: Establish a cost-benefit analysis to determine the economic contributions of FAS migrants
- Phase 2: Develop statistical methodology to determine the costs incurred for providing services to migrants from COFA
Background on COFA
Under the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-239; P.L. 99-658), migrants from the Freely Associated States (the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau) are authorized unrestricted immigration into the United States and its territories and possessions to lawfully engage in occupations and establish residence as non-immigrant aliens.
The "Compact Impact" costs incurred as a migrant destination for FAS citizens are reimbursable to Guam through the U.S. Department of the Interior; however, Guam's 2004 request for $200 million in debt relief was declined by the U.S. Government Accountability Office due to weaknesses identified in its reconciliation report.
Contact Us
Tel: (671) 735-2051
Email: cofa.cba-im@triton.uog.edu
COFA CBA-IM Project Team
- Peter Barcinas, M.S., Principal Investigator
- Kristina Sayama, MPA, CM, Co-Principal Investigator
- Bruce San Nicolas, Project Coordinator
- Christopher Monk, Data Specialist
This project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior to the Guam Bureau of Statistics & Plans. The University of Guam is carrying out the project as a sub-awardee.
Households across the island may be selected to participate in the Household Income & Expenditures Survey (HIES) taking place in 2023. Being conducted by the University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach service for the Guam Bureau of Statistics & Plans, the survey is federally funded and collects household income and spending data to show changes in the cost of living over time.
Conducted every five years, with this year’s survey being a continuation of the 2019 survey, HIES is one of the most reliable economic tools and is critical for updating the Consumer Price Index, measuring inflation, and determining the Gross Domestic Product for Guam. These key economic indicators are referenced by policymakers and decisionmakers in both the public and private sectors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I participate in the survey?
Your participation is important as a representation of the cost of living in the broader community. The data compiled will be used by policymakers and decisionmakers for possible adjustments in:
- Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rates
- Income eligibility levels for food stamps and other government assistance programs
- Wages and benefits as well as wage policies
- Social program services
- Government funding to support education, affordable housing and health services, transportation services, job training, and more
- Tax rates to account for inflation
How will I know if my household is selected?
The survey team will be working with the village mayors to get in touch with the randomly pre-selected households. If your household has been randomly pre-selected, an enumerator will call you to arrange your survey either on the phone or in person.
To assist the efficiency of the surveying effort, residents are encouraged to call (671) 735-2062/72 or click the link below to see if their household has been randomly pre-selected and to arrange a survey time.
Can I participate in the survey if my house is not selected?
To ensure the survey results are representative of Guam's entire population, households have been randomly pre-selected and will be contacted to ask if they would like to participate.
If you would like to opt in as an alternate for the survey in the event selected households cannot be reached, please call (671) 735-2062/72.
Do I have to participate?
Is there any incentive for participating?
What does participation involve?
- Completing a survey of approximately one hour on a tablet either at your household or at your village mayor's office
- Recording your household expenditures for two weeks
- Free gas and groceries! Each household that completes the survey in entirety will receive up to $55 in gas and/or grocery certificates as incentive.
Will information I provide be confidential?
Guam law requires confidentiality. Survey results are compiled and do not identify individuals or households.
How do I identify a HIES survey worker?
All survey workers will be wearing yellow safety vests with a UOG logo and carrying an official HIES picture ID. They will also have HIES signage visible on their vehicles.
For more information:
HIES Team
UOG Cooperative Extension & Outreach - Community Development
(671) 735-2062
uoghies@triton.uog.edu
Project Coordinator:
Raetilmwai Benjamin
Office Hours: 
Office Location: Expertise
This survey is funded by a grant from the Technical Assistance Program of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, to the Guam Bureau of Statistics & Plans. The Cooperative Extension & Outreach service at the University of Guam is a sub-awardee of the grant.
Barcinas R. Peter
Office Hours: Office Location: Expertise