ALUMNI STORIES
FROM IPA TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY When Kate Uesugi ’15 graduated magna cum laude from George Washington University with a degree in business administration and a minor in sustainability, she was ready to see the world — and eager to make a difference. Now she’s working in Myanmar as a project manager with the World Wildlife Fund. “I never thought I’d be doing something like this, but I really couldn’t have found a better job,” she says. Uesugi credits her success to IPA, especially the IB program, which she says gave her the academic skills and global perspective to thrive in college and pursue an international career. The school’s focus on values, giving back, and community also shaped her path, she says. What’s next for this IPA alum? Uesugi says she hopes to continue working in her field after her one-year fellowship ends in August. “I would love to continue work with a nongovernmental agency, and keep traveling,” she says.
"I never thought I’d be doing something like this, but I really couldn’t have found a better job." Kate Uesugi
FACULTY STORIES
THINKING BEYOND GRADUATION “The most rewarding part of my job is actually seeing the results,” says Andrew Marchetto-Ryan, College, Career and Life Readiness Counselor and Dean of Students at IPA. Marchetto-Ryan had already tried several careers — including working at bank and being a police officer — when he decided to go back to school for a master’s degree in education. “I was looking for another way to make a difference,” he says. After teaching at schools on the mainland and Oahu, he was excited to work at IPA because of its small class sizes, focus on academics, and emphasis on values. “It was the right fit for me,” he says.
"I was looking for another way to make a difference." Andrew Marchetto-Ryan
At IPA, Marchetto-Ryan has coached basketball, advised the National Honor Society, and led school service trips to communities as nearby as Makaha and as far away as Tanzania. Now, after years in the classroom, he’s excited to be working an administrative role, helping students discover what they want to pursue after graduation and figure out how college can help them reach their goals. “It’s not just about getting them through high school,” Marchetto-Ryan says. “It’s about helping them be successful after we send them out in the world.” 5
