BUILD EXITO
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In late June, five students from the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) returned from Portland, Oregon, where they had attended an orientation for new scholars in the BUILD EXITO Program at Portland State University (PSU).
BUILD EXITO is an undergraduate research-...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — For the past five years, the American Samoa Community College has been a partner in BUILD EXITO, an undergraduate research-training program that supports students on their pathway to become scientific researchers and aims to increase the diversity of the biomedical...
Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Three American Samoa Community College (ASCC) students returned recently from a week-long orientation in Portland, Oregon for BUILD EXITO, a program designed to support undergraduate students interested in pursuing research careers in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical...

![ASCC BUILD EXITO career mentors Derek Helsham (far left) and Tala Ropeti-Leo (far right) joined the five ASCC students selected as BUILD EXITO scholars at the program’s orientation for new participants at Portland State University in late June this year. Tala was a Samoa News intern when she was in high school. BUILD EXITO supports students intending to become researchers in the biomedical fields. [courtesy photo] ASCC BUILD EXITO career mentors Derek Helsham (far left) and Tala Ropeti-Leo (far right) joined the five ASCC students](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ascc_build_exito_2019.jpg?itok=7wyhrbVO)

![Three ASCC students and their faculty mentors attended the orientation in Portland, Oregon for BUILD EXITO, a program to promote careers for students interested in the field of research, particularly medical research. Standing are ASCC-ACNR faculity member Pauline McFall, current ASCC students Sherlean Amato, Chloe Tuaua, and Darius Shimasaki-Vaofanua, and ASCC faculty member Derek Helsham. In the foreground are Yean Ji Jung and Motutama Sipelii, two former ASCC students currently attending Portland State University as researchers. [Courtesy Photo] ASCC-ACNR faculity member Pauline McFall, current ASCC students Sherlean Amato, Chloe Tuaua, and Darius Shimasaki-Vaofanua, and ASCC faculty member Derek Helsham.](https://www.samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/ascc_build_exito_summer_2018.jpg?itok=n30bAeFU)