A visit by a leader in community service in Hawaii could lead to partnerships with Fresno Pacific University.
University leaders welcomed Partners in Development at a morning reception April 13 in BC Lounge on the main campus. Among the approximately 20 guests were Jan Dill, founder and president of Partners in Development Foundation in Hawaii; his wife, Judy; Richard Kriegbaum, Ph.D., FPU president; and Stephen Varvis, Ph.D., provost/senior vice president.
PIDF (pidf.org) was founded in 1997 and serves native Hawaiian children and families through 11 initiatives focusing on early childhood education, foster children, homeless families, education, a safe house, natural farming, caregiver mentoring and voter education. Another of the foundation’s priorities is to preserve the Hawaiian language and culture.
Growing up in the 1950-60s Hawaiians were marginalized and stereotyped on their own islands and suffered high rates of poverty and crime. “I grew up not wanting to be Hawaiian,” Jan Dill said. Today PIDF has 3,000 employees and is among the largest corporate social work organizations in the state. The foundation is coming to the mainland with a program in New Orleans and has been invited to New York City.
Jan Dill presented a translation of the Bible (Baibala) for the university and seminary libraries. “We hope the visit will be a catalyst for an ongoing relationship that could include research projects, internships and recruitment of students from Hawaii,” said Andrea McAleenan, associate professor of business and director of regional campus business programs, who organized the visit.
From left: Varvis; Jan Dill; Kriegbaum; Valerie Rempel, Ph.D., associate dean, Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary; Kevin Enns-Rempel, M.A., director, Hiebert Library