The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will hold its 84th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 15th beginning at 10 a.m in the Taeaoafua Gymnasium at Kananafou.
The keynote speaker for the Commencement is an alumnus and former employee of ASCC, Daniel Elisara Helsham who is currently the Director of the Department of Agriculture.
Helsham is a 2006 graduate of Fa’asao Marist High School and earned his Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from ASCC in 2008. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Chaminade University in Honolulu in 2011, and later completed a Master of Science in Agricultural Communications from Texas Tech University in 2022, combining his background in communication with his dedication to agriculture, education and community resilience.
Before being appointed director of Agriculture in, Helsham spent over a decade as a media specialist with the Agriculture, Community, and Natural Resources Division of ASCC (a/k/a the Land Grant Program). In that role, he supported the Land Grant mission by communicating research in accessible ways, strengthening extension and community outreach, and promoting programs that serve farmers, families, and youth.
A proud son of American Samoa, Helsham traces his roots to the villages of Leone, Iliili, Fitiuta in Manu’a, communities that continue to shape his commitment to service and building a stronger future for American Samoa.
His Christian faith serves as a foundation for his life and work.
He is the son of Aigamaua Paul Helsham and the late Dr. Irene Adeline Faleta’i Tafao-Helsham, an ASCC administrator whose own legacy of leadership and services continues to guide his work. He is married to Katrina Helsham, and they have a son, Titus, while anticipating the arrival of their second child this September.
