Rep. Karen Awana, Chair of the International Affairs Committee, accompanied a group of visiting college students from China to the Office of Lt. Governor Brian Schatz today. The students were interested in LG Schatz's political career and how he got to rise to such an important position at a young age.
The LG explained how he served in the House of Representatives like Rep.Awana, and that he left the House to run for higher office in 2006. Candidly, he shared the difficulties of convincing voters of his competence and experience because of his age. He was able to gain their confidence in part by demonstrating that he, like them, was a father and was responsible for a young family. And he, like them, had retired parents who faced the challenges and issues related to aging.
The students were also accompanied by Dr. Shu He (far right in the first photo above), Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Communications at the Peking University in Beijing. Dr. Shu He is a visiting scholar at the University of Hawaii this year, from July 2012 to July 2013.
