About the Program

Princeton Pono Pathways is an independent, student-led summer program that offers Princeton undergraduates an immersive learning experience grounded in Indigenous partnership, cultural education, and service. The program focuses on land-based learning and sustained engagement with Native Hawaiian communities, introducing students to contemporary challenges and community-led responses related to sovereignty, environmental justice, and cultural preservation.

Program Structure

The program follows a three-phase structure:

Spring (Preparation)

Students participate in academic preparation including Hawaiian history and cultural context courses taught by Kale Kanaeholo, a Ph.D. candidate in History at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Sessions include readings on Indigenous justice theory and cultural orientation to ensure informed and respectful participation during the summer.

Summer (Immersion)

Over 11 weeks on Oʻahu, students engage in full-time internships, ʻāina-based volunteer work, and cultural education. They live together in shared housing and take part in structured weekly programming that balances individual focus with collective learning.

Fall (Reflection)

In the fall, students contribute to a public-facing blog and program newsletter, reflecting on their summer experiences and helping expand Indigenous Studies dialogue within the Princeton community.

Internships

Each student is placed in a full-time internship with a local partner organization. Students spend four days per week (Monday through Thursday) working on issues such as Indigenous policy, legal advocacy, cultural revitalization, environmental restoration, and economic equity.
Each year, a list of internship partners is released in advance. Students may indicate preferred sites, but placements are made based on alignment and availability and cannot be guaranteed.

2025 Internship Sites:

  • Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA)
  • Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission (HCRC)
  • Kupu Hawaiʻi
  • Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice

Friday Activities: Volunteering & Presentations

Fridays are dedicated to community service and educational presentations. Students participate in environmental restoration projects, volunteer with local organizations, and attend guest lectures from community leaders, scholars, and activists.
Activities include land restoration at Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, watershed conservation with Hui o Koʻolaupoko, marine restoration with Mālama Maunalua, and presentations by experts in Hawaiian history, Indigenous rights, and environmental justice.
Partner organizations include Mālama Maunalua, Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, Hui o Koʻolaupoko, and Family Promise of Hawaiʻi.

Saturday Activities: Cultural Field Trips

Saturdays are reserved for cultural and historical field trips that provide deeper immersion into Hawaiian culture, history, and sacred sites. These experiences include visits to museums, historical sites, sacred heiau, botanical gardens, and cultural celebrations.
Activities include guided tours of the Bishop Museum, visits to ʻIolani Palace, exploration of sacred heiau sites, participation in cultural festivals like Kamehameha Day and Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea, and visits to traditional Hawaiian sites across Oʻahu.
These experiences are designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Native Hawaiian knowledge systems, histories, and ongoing cultural practices.

Housing & Transportation

Housing arrangements vary by year, but the program’s goal is to secure shared living space for all participants. Students live together throughout the summer, creating a built-in support network and fostering ongoing group reflection.
Outside of internships, students participate in nearly all program activities as a group. This cohort model promotes accountability, peer learning, and shared responsibility.
A reliable and affordable group rental car arrangement is coordinated in advance to ensure all students have access to internship sites and community events across Oʻahu. Food is cooked by the students in a manner similar to the on-campus co-op style.