According to Vince Fabian, he has seen an influx of biology majors in recent years. He wanted to provide them with the exposure to the environmental and marine aspects of biology that he felt he didn’t have when he first came to the university.

The concept of the club, MO’NA, was born through a casual conversation that Fabian had with a couple of his friends.

MO’NA is an acronym for Marine Opportunities/Nature Association.

“We really wanted the name to be related to the Chamorro language,” said Vince Fabian, a UOG senior majoring in biology. Fabian is the founder and president of MO’NA.

The name came from the Chamorro’s circular perception of time.

“This view has a profound respect for the things that have happened and for the things that will happen,” Fabian said. “We wanted to incorporate that aspect to the organization as moving forward with the knowledge of those who came first.”

Natasha Hagans, a UOG senior majoring in biology, is the vice president of MO’NA.

“That’s why we want to take that knowledge from the past so that we can use it to create solutions for the future,” Hagans said.

This Fall 2019, MO’NA established itself as an official University of Guam student organization.

“It’s a safe space for people who want to go into the marine field but are a little scared because they don’t know much about it or haven’t had much exposure to it,” Fabian said. “For MO’NA, we wanted it to be a gateway into all these different aspects and we also wanted it to be interdisciplinary.”

Hagans added: “We wanted it to be open to everyone and give everyone an opportunity to join because they love the ocean. It’s something that’s different and I think it’s really important to bring all the different majors together.”

The openness of the club brought in Raina Patague, a UOG freshman in the pre-nursing program.

According to Patague, she was drawn to the club after she saw how her interests for outdoor activities and the ocean aligned with what the club had in store for future activities and events.  

The Future of MO’NA

In MO’NA’s efforts to tackle issues regarding marine conservation, they plan to offer opportunities that include coral weeding, tree planting to counter sedimentation, cleanups, and coral bleaching monitoring.

“The thing with the ocean is that it’s very connected to everything—the land, the air, the atmosphere, and most especially to the people and the resources,” Fabian said. “You can do a lot of things to help it.”

Hagans said: “If more people see that there’s an effort by the students to actually clean the beaches, then more people would become aware that they shouldn’t throw their trash wherever. Hopefully, that makes a bigger impact on the island.”

As a new organization, they want to foster ideas pertaining to marine research, marine politics, and emergency preparedness. In the future, they hope to provide opportunities that will enhance the skillsets of their members.

“One of our ultimate goals is to get people comfortable in the water,” Hagans said.

In order to further their reach within the confines of the university to the local community, they want to ensure that the organization is culturally aware. “I’m Filipino, but I grew up here and I’m trying my best to learn the culture and the traditions,” Fabian said.

Hagans said: “Living on Guam, you have to be mindful of the cultural practice that goes on. As a scientist, you want to be mindful of what you’re doing so that you don’t step over boundaries.”

According to Patague, the new club looks promising. “I can’t want to see where this club goes,” Patague said.

For more information on how to join MO’NA and its current and upcoming events or activities, visit their Instagram page: @uog_mona