VNR: Oli ceremony marks start of tenure for UH Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos

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***SUGGESTED VOSOT SCRIPT BELOW***

WHAT: A traditional oli ceremony welcomed Vassilis L. Syrmos as the new chancellor of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Members of the campus community chanted Welina Mānoa to greet and formally welcome him into the role.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 1, 2026

WHERE: Hawaiʻi Hall, UH Mānoa campus

WHY: To officially welcome Chancellor Syrmos on his first day leading UH Mānoa following his unanimous approval by the UH Board of Regents on June 4. The ceremony honors his transition into the role of chancellor, where he oversees academic, research, student success and administrative operations for the university's flagship campus.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

• Syrmos said he plans to spend his first 100 days listening and learning from students, faculty and staff across every school, college and unit.
• His priorities include strengthening student success; supporting faculty, staff and students; and advancing UH Mānoa's research and innovation enterprise.
• He has emphasized UH Mānoa's role as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning, focused on place-based solutions rooted in Hawaiʻi's values and community.
• Syrmos joined UH Mānoa more than 35 years ago as a faculty member in the College of Engineering.
• He has served in multiple senior leadership roles, including interim provost of UH Mānoa beginning in July 2025.
• Prior to that, Syrmos spent 12 years as vice president for research and innovation for the UH System. He also served eight years as associate vice chancellor for research at UH Mānoa.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHANCELLOR SYRMOS:

VIDEO: https://go.hawaii.edu/iud

BROLL: 1:15

Video of UH Mānoa campus community welcoming Chancellor Syrmos with a traditional oli ceremony

SOUNDBITES:

Vassilis L. Syrmos, UH Mānoa Chancellor

(:15)

"A lot of staff, faculty and students that live and work here every day, and I want to understand their views. I want to understand their aspirations. And I want to understand how I can be part of fulfilling their dreams going forward."

(:13)

"It is an extreme honor for being the head of the chancellor of Mānoa at this time, something that I would never had even imagined when I first came as a young assistant professor in 1991."

(:11)

"It is the pinnacle of the journey both professionally and personally. My family, my kids grew up here. The state has been my home for 35 years."

VO/SOT SCRIPT

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"5 seconds of oli"

VO:

A traditional oli called "Welina (Veh-leena) Mānoa" opened a new chapter at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa today.

The campus community gathered to welcome new Chancellor Vassilis (Vuh-SILL-iss) Syrmos (SEER-mohs).

Syrmos will lead UH's flagship campus after more than 35 years with the university.

As chancellor, he says his focus will be on student success; supporting faculty, staff and students; and strengthening research and innovation.

He also plans to spend his first 100 days across campus visiting with every college, school and unit.

SOT:

Vassilis L. Syrmos, UH Mānoa Chancellor

"A lot of staff, faculty and students that live and work here every day, and I want to understand their views. I want to understand their aspirations. And I want to understand how I can be part of fulfilling their dreams going forward."

VO:

Syrmos most recently served as UH Mānoa's interim provost and previously led UH's research and innovation efforts for over a decade.