Axel was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and is from the islands of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia. He earned an MA in Pacific Islands Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and a BA from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Apart from his studies, Axel is an active contributor to various organizations serving Pacific Islander communities. He has served as Team Leader and Project Manager at Pacific Students Media, and he currently serves on the CAPAL Board of Directors, APIA Scholars Advisory Committee, and The Fourth Branch-Micronesia. Axel’s goal is to support students in his home island of Yap, as well as Pacific Islanders more broadly who are on their journeys of completing higher education. Axel currently serves as Program Manager for the Islands of Opportunity Alliance (IOA)-Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP).
PROFILE
Position: Program Manager, Islands of Opportunity Alliance (IOA) – Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
Organization: University of Hawai’i at Hilo
Contact: axeldefngin@gmail.com
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/axeljd/
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Culture
- Education
- History
- Indigenous Values
LANGUAGE
- English
- Yapese (proper)