Louise Pagotto is a can-do woman.

"There are a lot of terrific ideas on campus. I like to help make them happen," she said. As the interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, she has worked to create faculty workshops in professional development and establish learning communities that encourage student engagement.

She credits her peers for these successes, saying, "I've enjoyed being able to play a role. I'm not the one person who makes it happen. Administration is about removing barriers."

A Canadian native, Pagotto's journey to Hawai'i began in Papua New Guinea, where she worked as a volunteer shortly after graduating from a Canadian university with a B.A. in English. It was there that she fell in love with the Pacific.

After five years, she returned to Montreal, where she earned her Master's degree in linguistics and proceeded to earn her doctorate in the same subject at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, where she wrote her dissertation on the Marshallese language.

Pagotto returns home to Montreal every year—a trip that she times to coincide with the International Jazz Festival held in the city—but has been living in Hawai'i continuously since 1980. In 1989, she found a position at KCC teaching introductory English, linguistics and tutor training courses.

For Pagotto, working with students is the most satisfying part of being an educator. "It's the primary pleasure, opening windows on the world for students to look at, to look at the world in a different way," she admitted.

Though she no longer teaches regularly, Pagotto returns to the classroom three to four times a semester as a guest lecturer. She especially loves linguistics classes.

"Language is something everybody uses. We don't stop to think how it happens or how it changes," said Pagotto, "But language is fascinating. It's a class about something everyone can contribute to."

Pagotto credits her background as a linguist for her work ethic. While working at schools in Papua New Guinea, she was often asked to perform tasks that she was not necessarily trained to do, such as coaching basketball, drawing the lines on a baseball field, or teaching science. It was there, Pagotto said, that she learned that if a person really tries, he or she can accomplish anything.

In her classroom, she offered students a "money back guarantee," the premise of which was that she would refund students their tuition if they did not at some point in their studies experience a "wow" moment. She has not yet had to return a student's money.

Keith Kashiwada, Coordinator of Student Engagement, said, "I've had the pleasure of getting to work with Louise when she was an instructor. In working together, I've always found her to be very fair, very open to and supportive of ideas. She is by far one of the hardest working people on campus."

Since Pagotto began working at KCC 20 years ago, she has witnessed an increase in the numbers of students, faculty and staff, as well as numerous advances in technology. The Internet has allows for online classes and supplementary materials, creating new ways for educators to create relationships with students.

Pagotto embraces her transition from faculty member to administrator.

"Faculty, administration, students and support staff all have a role to play in successful learning. We all want to make sure that learning happens successfully and positively," she said.

Asked about what she is proudest of accomplishing on campus, Pagotto replied, "Collaborative relationships are what support the institution. I'm happy with the way I've been able to work with others to accomplish those goals."

Her friendship with others on campus is evident in her "mooseum," an antlered collection of moose collectibles that inhabits her shelves and wall space. The collection began when Pagotto posted a moose picture on her office door, formerly in Kalia.

When the poster was stolen, Pagotto posted a message chastising the thief. Her note did not yield the return of her poster, but it did result in an influx of moose-related gifts from others on campus.

She now has a good-sized collection of moose paraphernalia. When Pagotto is out of town, a Bullwinkle doll sits at her desk as her proxy, his signature white gloves visible at his side. Most days, however, it is Pagotto herself in that chair, ready to greet any visitor.

"I'm proud of having an open door where people can come and ask questions. I appreciate that they trust me with their worries. I like to give support to see dreams come true," she said.

She works closely with those on campus, and in turn, they support her. When two of her cats passed away, Moriso Teraoka of auxiliary services planted an Australian cabbage palm in the pets' memory outside 'Ilima; the plant was blessed by Hawaiian studies professor Kawika Napoleon.

Pagotto's current projects include working on a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which will be used to strengthen KCC. The school is also focused on meeting the state's economic needs, helping students to graduate with skill sets that will help Hawai'i move forward, with particular encouragement toward programs such as nursing, hospitality and education.

To students, Pagotto advises, "Save 10 percent of everything you earn. Floss once a day. And do your best. Use your time in higher education to learn and grow. It can be the best time of your life. Find your passion, find what inspires you and do that."