The College of the Marshall Islands and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health signed a memorandum of understanding last week that will open opportunities for students to achieve a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work.
Theresa Kreif and Emma Reimers-Kurashige, both social workers with master’s degrees who work at the UH Thomson School, visited Majuro last week to meet with CMI officials, President Hilda Heine, and many others as part of their outreach to the RMI. The program currently has a partnership with the University of Guam, and is in the process of expanding it to Palau, Marshall Islands and other US-affiliated island colleges.
Reimers-Kurashige is the daughter of Ramsey and Colette Reimers of Majuro.
“This partnership will work to create pathways for individuals to pursue their Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa while remaining in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, through distance education,” Kreif told the Journal.
The signing of the MOU with CMI opens an opportunity for students at CMI who are attaining either AA or BA degrees through CMI to apply to the University of Hawaii program starting next school year, September 2025.
President Heine during her meeting with the two social workers representing the University of Hawaii program “warmly welcomed the initiative and shared words of thanks and encouragement.” The President pointed out that “the need for social work professionals has greatly increased in the islands.”