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Congratulations Dr. Govella!

Thank you so much for being a great teacher and mentor! I am grateful for the opportunity to have enrolled in 687 when the MAIA program first started. I have learned so much from you and find your courses very engaging and extremely thought-provoking. My experience in your courses greatly impacted my decision to apply for the MAIA program. Thank you so much for all that you have done and for taking the extra time to have individual meetings with us, students. Also, I really appreciate the letter of recs you have written for me. And finally, I wish you a great summer and congratulations again!

Best wishes,
Vivian

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So excited to hear about the award you received --I cannot think of a better recipient. I so enjoyed taking your class last semester and hope to learn more from you and your work!

Brandt

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Thank you Dr. Govella!

Great course and I especially enjoyed the structure of the course, I found it equally demanding and welcoming. Congratulations! Thanks again, hope to take another course in the future.

Jake

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Dr. Govella,

Thank you for everything you’ve done from reminding me to submit things like my current event on the forum to the very insightful articles you assigned for the weekly readings you pushed me to examine other lenses when examining IR and have opened my mind to new ways to look at state interaction I am truly grateful for the effort you put in to this class and the use of breakout room to help the long lectures go by faster! Congrats on your award it is well deserved.

Jacob

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Thank you so much for your patience and understanding this semester. I am very grateful I was able to take your class and have you as a professor. Your class has expanded my understanding of Asia and the concepts I would not have encountered in Sociology. I really appreciated your kind and thought-proving way of teaching an online course. Congratulations on your well-deserved award and I hope you have an amazing (and restful) summer!

Mahalo,
Carly

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Dear Dr. Govella,

I'm very grateful that I've had the chance to take your classes during my first year in grad school. Every single class has been challenging and exciting. Thank you for all your hard work and congratulations on your award!

Sarah Sweeney

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I cannot think of a better person to receive this award! You are considerate and accommodating to all of us students, especially with the transition to Zoom university. Your knowledge is endless, and it is so inspiring to see your passion as a professor. Every class I have taken with you has been thought-provoking and an absolute joy! I am very grateful to have had you as a professor, and I hope to keep in touch in the future.

Sincerely,
Nat

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Thank you Professor Govella! I originally came into your class last fall as a political science student interested in Asia and Japan. It had been about 3 years since I last took an IR class, yet I felt the course allowed me to bridge my knowledge in political theory while also learning about regions I was unfamiliar with in past studies. I felt challenged in this class not only with my thinking and perspective, but also with my writing and analysis of books and articles. I wish I took one of your undergrad classes before, but I am glad I had the chance to take IR last fall. This award is well-deserved, especially with all you do for students. Your guidance has been extremely valuable and has inspired me to reorient my own path in Asian Studies.

I hope you have a great rest of the semester and summer!

Kacie Manabe

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Through the two courses of your class, I have learned so much and truly enjoyed both you and your style of teaching. It has definitely influenced my thoughts on various aspects. Every one of us appreciates all the effort you put into making online classes enlightening and engaging! I'm really grateful for taking your courses! You're the best!
Congratulations on your award!!

Talkeetna

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Dear Dr. Govella,

I thoroughly enjoy this course and truly appreciate the attention you give toward student development. Your recent achievement is well deserved. Thank you for all you have done for our class, and for me personally.

Mahalo,
Jeff

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Dear Dr. Govella,

Thank you so much for helping me, especially at times when I struggle with my assignments. You always give me insightful feedback to make me a more thoughtful student. I will continue to work hard and write well so that I can make you proud. Once again, congratulations on winning the Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award! You're the best!

Best,
Owen

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Dear Dr. Govella,

Thank you for your hard work, and congratulations on the award!

Robert H. Kajiwara

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Dear Dr. Govella,

It was an absolute pleasure to be your student. Your well-planned course structure and compassion towards your students created a comfortable and engaging environment conducive to learning. The various means of instruction you implemented in your class also maximized our virtual learning experience. Thank you for all you do and congratulations on your award!

Rich Naseer

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Dear Dr. Govella,

Thanks so much for being a great teacher this very challenging semester. The work was both challenging and doable and I was constantly amazed at the skill with which you deployed Laulima and Zoom to handle classes! Thank you for making this sem so great. Congratulations on your
Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award - you deserve it!

Katherine

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Dr. Govella,

It's clear that you put more time and effort into your courses than any other professor I've known. The content is always relevant and the class sessions are engaging. We're all better off because of it. Thank you for what you do and congratulations on earning the Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching! I can't wait to learn from you again this fall!

Respectfully,
Sterling

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Congratulations on your fantastic achievement. You deserve it! I'm glad that I was able to work with you for so long, and I know that I'll be able to apply all the skills I've gained through your courses and mentorship as I enter the workforce. I know that we will bump into each other again in the future, but please keep in touch. I hope you get a restful and relaxing summer (time to read your favorite novels, as I will also try to do). Finally, thank you for always writing me LORs. I appreciate it.
-Jeremiah :D

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Dear Dr. Govella,

Thank you so much for everything that you've done for me this semester. Though my first semester as a graduate student has been a wild ride, it really helped to know that there were wonderful and passionate professors such as yourself supporting me through the weeks and months. I appreciate that even as an extremely busy person, you always make time for each of your students. Once again, congratulations on this well deserved award and thank you for everything!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Lee

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Dear Dr. Govella,

It has been an absolute honor to be your student, mentee and assistant over the last year. The guidance I received from you was just a taste of the commitment you have to your students' success. Your ability to curate a lively discussion and classroom environment despite the challenges we have faced during this year is unmatched. Congratulations on your
Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award! It is well deserved.

All my best,
Hannah Cole

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Thank you so much for everything you've taught me! Taking ASAN 689 last fall was one of the classes that really helped me learn about new parts of Asia and feel like I was having an insightful, scholarly discussion with others. It's honestly one of the best structured classes I've attended while at UHM! Congratulations on your 2021 Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award!!

Thank you again,
Kimery

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Dear Dr. Govella,

This being my first semester in the MAIA program, I felt very overwhelmed in the beginning. The space for open discussion in your class and the time you set aside for your students has helped me tremendously, as I'm sure it has helped many others, as well. Congratulations on your 2021 Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award, Dr. Govella!

Mahalo nui loa,

Tasha

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Dear Dr. Govella,

Thank you for everything you have taught me this past year! I was very nervous about graduate school, especially as someone without having an IR background. But being able to work with you has really made an impact on my life. Thank you for always being able to meet and creating a nice virtual classroom community for us! Congratulations on your
Presidential Citation for Meritorious Teaching Award. You definitely deserve it!

Best wishes,
Carol