History and Giving

International travel at Punahou began shortly after World War II when the School launched its first student exchange opportunities, which led to long-standing relationships, such as a partnership of over 50 years with Keio University’s Affiliated Schools and more than 25 years with Tamagawa Academy. Punahou’s global impact has included the Student Global Leadership Institute which engaged with more than 25 schools across the U.S. and around the world.

In the early 1990s, Mr. Ramler was asked by Punahou President Rod McPhee to shape the vision and implementation for an international center. With a generous gift from Jim ’43 and Bob ’41 Wo, the Wo International Center was built in 1993. It houses the 150-seat Luke Lecture Hall, honoring a major gift by K. J. Luke and his family. Today, the Center also includes the Luke Center for Chinese Studies, the Siegfried Ramler Conference Room, three classrooms, and office space for Wo International Center program administration as well as for the Advancement Department.

When Sig Ramler retired in 1996, Bob Torrey and Hope Staab became co-directors of the Wo International Center. When Mr. Torrey retired, Ms. Staab became the Director in 1998 and built a program that has enjoyed national and international recognition.

For more than 30 years, the Wo International Center has worked to integrate global education as a core part of the Punahou student experience. Our vision for Punahou students is that they will become global citizens equipped with the skills, attitudes, and knowledge required to flourish and to lead within an interdependent global society.

In addition to the Wo and Luke families, transformative donors have included:

and more than 25 endowed funds and other donors dedicated to global education.