Become a Partner

When I started the Pacific Islander Student Alliance (PISA) in 2007, it was an act of reimagining. I wanted to create a new path forward for Pacific Islander students—one that challenged the limited perceptions, deficit narratives, and isolation many of us experienced during our college journeys. That vision was shaped directly by my own story: where I struggled, where I flourished, and where I saw those same shared challenges reflected back in our community.

What began as a student-led response has grown into a multi-state, multi-campus movement. Today, PISA supports thousands of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students each year through leadership development, culturally grounded programming, and signature convenings like PISACON— the first student-founded, multi-state Pacific Islander higher education conference in the nation. These programs exist because students deserve to see themselves reflected in leadership, curriculum, and opportunity, not as an afterthought, but as a priority and solution for our world needs.

As we move into the new year, our impact is expanding—but so is the responsibility. The students we serve are often first-generation, low-income, and navigating systems that were not built with them in mind. Your partnership directly fuels access: covering travel and registration, sustaining leadership pipelines, strengthening campus and community connections, and ensuring that Pacific Islander students don’t just arrive at college—but thrive and lead.

Partnering with PISA is more than sponsorship. It is an investment in talent, leadership, and community capacity. It is a commitment to long-term impact, to culturally sustaining work, and to a future where Pacific Islander students are equipped to shape institutions, industries, and communities for generations to come.

We invite you to stand with us.

— Makerusa ‘mak’ Porotesano
Founder, Pacific Islander Student Alliance