By: Suah Cho
Students in the Journalism Program’s Photojournalism class at the School of Communication and Information capped off their semester with a unique opportunity: an exclusive meet-and-greet with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi at Honolulu Hale.
Guided by veteran photojournalist Dennis Oda, the fall course emphasized the art of storytelling through feature photography, teaching students not only technical skills but also how to immerse themselves in the scene to produce compelling news images.
For their final session, Oda arranged this event to give students an authentic news coverage experience by simulating a political press conference.
“This class is designed where I give the students actual assignments that they may get at a real newspaper.” explained Oda, who has over 40 years of experience covering stories at Honolulu Star-Bulletin and Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “That’s why I scheduled the meeting with the mayor. I know the students would be thrilled to meet and photograph him.”
The experience began with a brief visit to a City Council session, where students observed a ceremony honoring retiring council member Calvin Say. Afterwards, the group joined the mayor and his team in his office for a Q&A and photo session.
“I have a lot of appreciation for young journalists,” said Mayor Blangiardi, reflecting on his own career in journalism before transitioning to politics.
Now stepping into his second term as Honolulu’s mayor—a role he described as “a challenge, responsibility, and privilege of a lifetime”—Mayor Blangiardi thoughtfully answered students’ questions. From city policies addressing immigration and health to critical local challenges like housing and homelessness, the discussion offered students insight into the intricacies of public administration.
As a former media executive, he also stressed the crucial role student reporters play in shaping the future of journalism in Hawai’i.
The mayor’s team highlighted the challenges faced by public officials in fulfilling their roles as civic leaders, as shrinking local news organizations struggle to cover stories in full depth. They expressed hope that reporters would maintain transparency and ask insightful, tough questions.
“There is a societal responsibility here,” said Scott Humber, director of communications at the Office of the Mayor, as he emphasized the importance of ethical newsgathering and quality reporting to students. “You’ve got to fight that uphill battle.”
Students expressed how much they enjoyed the opportunity. Katie Ha, a student in Oda’s class who was born and raised on Oahu, described it as a mind-boggling experience to listen to and photograph someone whose opinions she had only heard on TV, now speaking in person.
Ending the semester, Oda expressed his hope that students will carry their cameras everywhere and use them in a variety of conditions. He said that the more they practice with their cameras, the better they will understand which settings to use, learning how to adjust to the different environments they encounter.
“And I tell them to enjoy the experience,” he added. “Have some fun and your pictures will look better.”
