Attn: We Are Oceania (WAO), 720 North King St., Honolulu HI 96817ajojoscholars@gmail.com (808) 430-2017
Travis Biza
Homeland: Pohnpei, FSM / Roseville, California High School: South County High School College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Major: Exploratory Business Pursuing: BBA Expected Graduation: 2029
Biography
Travis Biza, a proud Pohnpeian, was born in Roseville, California, but considers many places his home as a result of being a military child who lived across Utah, Guam, and Virginia. Though every move required him to restart and adapt to new environments, Travis chose to stay optimistic. In 2025 he graduated from South County High School in Lorton, Virginia and moved with his family to Hawai’i where he now attends the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Prior to his spring semester in person, Travis completed his fall semester online while living in Pohnpei, Micronesia. Comforts in Virginia such as air conditioning all throughout the house and daily bowls of cereal, were not part of his daily life in Pohnpei. This difference opened his eyes and gave him a greater appreciation for the opportunities available to him within the U.S.
Soon after moving to Hawai’i, he interned with the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai’i (MLPC-HI), a clinical project of the William S. Richardson School of Law where he shadowed direct legal services at the Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services health center (KKV) and supported community policy engagement through performance coordination for the 2026 Celebrate Micronesia Festival (CMF).
As of now, Travis is a sophomore at UH Mānoa majoring in business, with hopes of attending law school to become a corporate lawyer. Ultimately, Travis plans to use his law career to bolster legal frameworks that crisscross climate change related regulations and increased import activity within the Micronesian region, making a difference for the transnational communities he calls home.
Inspiration
I first heard of Dr. Joakim Peter when my cousin showed me his book Coconut Ratz and Kung Fu Cowboys. I’ve continued to learn about him through YouTube videos, discovering the type of person he was and the values he stood for. Dr. Peter was not only very knowledgeable in both his culture and Western education, but also an advocate of change and equality for Micronesians. He consistently encouraged Micronesian youth to pursue higher education and take up vital leadership roles within the community.
I used to believe it was too late for someone like me to accomplish something meaningful. I felt I lacked the accolades or experience of those around me to do something great. However, Dr. Peter’s story on how his severe asthma kept him from being as athletic as others, leading him to put all his efforts into his academic excellence, deeply resonated with me. Seeing my own circumstances in his struggles, I saw the mistake in my mindset. Where he saw an opportunity to adjust, I mistakenly thought my circumstances meant it was too late to start up my business idea or become a leader. His story has strengthened my resolve to overcome these obstacles. Dr. Joakim Peter is a reminder to us Micronesians that limitations don’t determine our success and it is never too late to begin, as long as you have the courage and determination to start and make a difference. I hope in my lifetime I can grow to inspire other Micronesians like he inspired me.
Community Service
During my internship at the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai’i (MLPC-HI) I shadowed attorneys and a medical-legal assistant at the Kōkua Kalihi Valley health center (KKV). This opportunity allowed me to observe confidential client meetings, improve on note taking, and manage client files.
Leadership Experience
In the spring of 2026, I was given the opportunity to act as the lead intern for Main-Stage Coordination at the 2026 Celebrate Micronesia Festival. I directed the event logistics and managed a team of volunteers to ensure seamless transitions for our performers. I also oversaw the live stage for more than 200 performers, delivering a smooth experience for over 3,000 attendees. Behind the scenes, I served as the primary communicator for the performers, collecting information before the event: group sizes, audio tracks, and equipment needs. I also created the final lineup and the run of show, adjusting them in real time to ensure the festival ran flawlessly.
Legacy Project
Moving all the way from Virginia to Hawai’i was a massive change. Growing up I was one of the only Micronesians within my community, so I wasn’t closely connected with my culture or language. However, coming here to continue my education has opened a door for me to meet many more Micronesians through the Micronesian Connections Association (MCA). This club has not only helped me make more connections with my community, but it encourages me to grow my knowledge in my culture and heritage. Through these connections, I’ve seen a problem. Many Micronesians aren’t pursuing higher education. It saddens me as I know everyone has different circumstances that can hold them back from attending college, and I’ve seen first hand that there are Micronesians who believe they aren’t capable of succeeding or finding a future through college. For my legacy project, I want to encourage and push the younger generation of Micronesians to attend college whether at Kapiolani Community College (KCC) or universities like UH Mānoa, Chaminade, or HPU. My goal is to build the Micronesian student clubs and networks within the college community so the young generation of Micronesians feel they belong in this environment.
Travis Biza
Homeland: Pohnpei, FSM / Roseville, California
High School: South County High School
College: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Major: Exploratory Business
Pursuing: BBA
Expected Graduation: 2029
Biography
Travis Biza, a proud Pohnpeian, was born in Roseville, California, but considers many places his home as a result of being a military child who lived across Utah, Guam, and Virginia. Though every move required him to restart and adapt to new environments, Travis chose to stay optimistic. In 2025 he graduated from South County High School in Lorton, Virginia and moved with his family to Hawai’i where he now attends the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Prior to his spring semester in person, Travis completed his fall semester online while living in Pohnpei, Micronesia. Comforts in Virginia such as air conditioning all throughout the house and daily bowls of cereal, were not part of his daily life in Pohnpei. This difference opened his eyes and gave him a greater appreciation for the opportunities available to him within the U.S.
Soon after moving to Hawai’i, he interned with the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai’i (MLPC-HI), a clinical project of the William S. Richardson School of Law
where he shadowed direct legal services at the Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services health center (KKV) and supported community policy engagement through
performance coordination for the 2026 Celebrate Micronesia Festival (CMF).
As of now, Travis is a sophomore at UH Mānoa majoring in business, with hopes of attending law school to become a corporate lawyer. Ultimately, Travis plans to use his law
career to bolster legal frameworks that crisscross climate change related regulations and increased import activity within the Micronesian region, making a difference for the transnational communities he calls home.
Inspiration
I first heard of Dr. Joakim Peter when my cousin showed me his book Coconut Ratz and Kung Fu Cowboys. I’ve continued to learn about him through YouTube videos, discovering the type of person he was and the values he stood for. Dr. Peter was not only very knowledgeable in both his culture and Western education, but also an advocate of change and equality for Micronesians. He consistently encouraged Micronesian youth to pursue higher education and take up vital leadership roles within the community.
I used to believe it was too late for someone like me to accomplish something meaningful. I felt I lacked the accolades or experience of those around me to do something great.
However, Dr. Peter’s story on how his severe asthma kept him from being as athletic as others, leading him to put all his efforts into his academic excellence, deeply resonated with me. Seeing my own circumstances in his struggles, I saw the mistake in my mindset. Where he saw an opportunity to adjust, I mistakenly thought my circumstances meant it was too late to start up my business idea or become a leader. His story has strengthened my resolve to overcome these obstacles. Dr. Joakim Peter is a reminder to us Micronesians that limitations don’t determine our success and it is never too late to begin, as long as you have the courage and determination to start and make a difference. I hope in my lifetime I can grow to inspire other Micronesians like he inspired me.
Community Service
During my internship at the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai’i (MLPC-HI) I shadowed attorneys and a medical-legal assistant at the Kōkua Kalihi Valley health center (KKV). This opportunity allowed me to observe confidential client meetings, improve on note taking, and manage client files.
Leadership Experience
In the spring of 2026, I was given the opportunity to act as the lead intern for Main-Stage Coordination at the 2026 Celebrate Micronesia Festival. I directed the event logistics and managed a team of volunteers to ensure seamless transitions for our performers. I also oversaw the live stage for more than 200 performers, delivering a smooth experience for over 3,000 attendees. Behind the scenes, I served as the primary communicator for the performers, collecting information before the event: group sizes, audio tracks, and equipment needs. I also created the final lineup and the run of show, adjusting them in real time to ensure the festival ran flawlessly.
Legacy Project
Moving all the way from Virginia to Hawai’i was a massive change. Growing up I was one of the only Micronesians within my community, so I wasn’t closely connected with my culture or language. However, coming here to continue my education has opened a door for me to meet many more Micronesians through the Micronesian Connections Association (MCA). This club has not only helped me make more connections with my community, but it encourages me to grow my knowledge in my culture and heritage. Through these connections, I’ve seen a problem. Many Micronesians aren’t pursuing higher education. It saddens me as I know everyone has different circumstances that
can hold them back from attending college, and I’ve seen first hand that there are Micronesians who believe they aren’t capable of succeeding or finding a future through college. For my legacy project, I want to encourage and push the younger generation of Micronesians to attend college whether at Kapiolani Community College (KCC) or universities like UH Mānoa, Chaminade, or HPU. My goal is to build the Micronesian student clubs and networks within the college community so the young generation of Micronesians feel they belong in this environment.
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