Scholarship winners thanked donors during Friday’s Scholarship Celebration.
About a hundred UH West Oʻahu students receiving scholarships through the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation were honored and given a chance to meet with donors who funded their awards at a luncheon Friday.
“You don’t realize how your generosity touches lives,” said UH West Oʻahu junior Pearlena Stone, addressing the crowd of donors, students, and others. “You have made our dreams become a reality.”
Stone, who graduated from Waiʻanae High School in 1991 and has two sons, detailed her non-traditional student journey and explained the two scholarships she’s received this year has helped in multiple ways – she has more time to work on assignments and join clubs and organizations that help further her college experience, while also allowing her sons to attend college at schools on the mainland.
“This scholarship goes way beyond just providing an opportunity to stay in school,” said Stone in her heartfelt remarks.
Pearlena Stone
The luncheon marked UH West Oʻahu’s second annual scholarship celebration and drew a number of dignitaries, including UH Board of Regents Chair Dr. Lee Putnam, Regent Michael McEnerny, Hawaiʻi State Sen. Mike Gabbard and Rep. Sharon Har, City Councilwoman Kymberly Marcos Pine, former UHWO Interim Chancellor Doris Ching, and UH System Vice President Don Straney.
Speakers thanked the donors and reminded scholarship winners to give back after they leave school and enjoy success.
Among the donors present were Gene and Susan Armacost, who established the Joshua Hagi Armacost Scholarship last year in honor of one of their sons. Gene Armacost is an alumnus of UH West Oʻahu when it was known as West Oʻahu College and held classes at the Newtown Square office building in ʻAiea.
Armacost still remembers the college’s faculty and that his graduating class was about 40 people. His family valued education and he has made a point of contributing what he can to the UH Foundation and a small college in Maryland that his family has ties to.
He said when he and his wife talked about funding a scholarship, he said it should benefit UH West Oʻahu. “I graduated from here,” said Armacost.
The event was held for the first time last September and called attention to the more than $150,000 of scholarship money awarded to UH West Oʻahu students in the prior year. Donors also attended the lunch and were thanked for their support of scholarships or programs supporting UH West Oʻahu.
UH West Oʻahu Chancellor Maenette Benham also addressed the luncheon held on campus, as did Malia Peters, director of scholarship development for the UH Foundation, the primary fundraising organization for the UH System. In the 2017-2018 year UH West Oʻahu students received more than $220,000 in scholarship awards.
The foundation manages more than 1,650 scholarship accounts and last year distributed more than $20 million in aid to students at the UH System’s 10 campuses. The following scholarship awards were made through the UH Foundation:
University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu Scholarship Recipients
University of Hawai‘i Regents Scholarship
Emma Lake, Amber O’Leary, Cayla-Arielle Paulo
University of Hawai‘i Presidential Scholarship
Jacqueline Kapu, Regina Ponce
University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu Chancellor’s Scholarship
Jamie Alabanza, Gellyn Flores, Lusia Mauga, Chloe Rodriguez, Leiana Marie Alejado, Brandie Kasaoka, Lei‘ala Okuda, Leanne Aira Villanueva, Kainani Bolton, Kaitlin Kau, Dallas Pollard-Brownell, Mylia Briggs, Korie Maeno, Christian Roa
James & Abigail Campbell Foundation Scholarship
Naturalee Puou
Dr. Susan Chandler & Dr. David Chandler Scholarship
Monica Aiwohi-Makekau, Rainbow Ulii
First Year Achievement Scholarship
Sage Seno
15 to Finish Bookstore Scholarship (UH System)
Learianne Bernardo
Henry & Dorothy Castle Early Childhood Scholarship
Jamie Chvosta, Shantel Stevens
Margaret Choy Au Endowed Scholarship Fund
Cia Monique Dela Cruz
Delta Construction Scholarship
Tyson Arasato
Student Services Award
Shayna Olarti
Walter Francis & Mary Dillingham Frear Scholarship
Rosemarie Baluyot, Ciara Mariel Batulan, Chelsea Briggs, Tyra Rapozo
Fun Factory Scholarship
Mylia Briggs
William H. & Maud A. Greenwell Memorial Scholarship Fund
Juanita Thompson
Hawai‘i Veterans Scholarship
Brittany Ballesteros Plan, Tehani Luamanuvae, Brian Taheny, Jeno Tolentino
Charles R. Hemenway Scholarship
Celynna Capenia, Ku‘ulei Foster, Dream Weaver, Trent Sakuma, Leycie Yoneda, Kristian Rose Monis-Cummings, Aurelia Hart, Lisha Zhu
Joshua Hagi Armacost Scholarship
Pearlena Stone
Maggie & Dan Inouye Hawai‘i Education Foundation Scholarship
Michelle Banks
Colonel Harold Jensen & Mrs. Lill Jensen Scholarship
Pearlena Stone
Elama Kanahele Scholarship
Shantel Stevens
Herbert H. Lee Scholarship Fund for University of Hawai‘i Financial Aid Services
Janet Bambao, Mikayla Klug
University of Hawai‘i Scholarship Endowment
Tirah Brings
Tsukasa & Akiko Matsui Endowed Scholarship
Sheila Ka‘oiwi Kurosu
Osher Re-entry Scholarship
Tiana Amina, Darryl Johnson, Ali Kaina, Florelei Mica Baris, Desiree Moreno, Kiana Redd, Makayla Valencia
Pacific Links Hawai‘i Scholarship
Cia Monique Dela Cruz, Brian Taheny
Pacific Transfer Endowed Scholarship
Tehani Luamanuvae, Jessica Manapul, Sheryl Mendoza
Victor & Peggy Brandstrom Pavel Scholars
Christian Moratin
Que Andrada Scholarship
David Batulayan, Kaydence Eugenio-Baybayan
Que Andrada – Ho‘okela Scholarship
Algreg Bumanglag, Jillian Panganiban, Archana-Gayle Sotelo Delos Reyes
Risk Management Industry Scholarship
Jayna Agao, Naleipua‘ena Akau, Florelei Mica Baris, Jadine Cabana, Brandi Carvalho, Rashae Cole, Patrick Gallardo, Nathan Hansen, Cody Howland, Hector Jacobo, Kelsey Kaneshiro, Alexandra Kaohi, Christopher Kwon, Justin Laurin, Kayla Manuel, Bianca Marshall, Halford Shewn Moleta, Johnathan Newburn, Alan Ochoa, Dylan Orian, Stephen Pagano, Chloe Sylva, Darrett Tanno, Revelyn Taylan, Erina Yatsu
Henry & Soonhe Sung Scholarship
Natalie Kauluwehi
University of Hawai‘i Scholarship Endowment Antone & Edene Vidinha Scholarship
Sharee Alpeche, Elvie Rose Bisarra, Jeishabel Galano
Wo Family Foundation Scholarship
Dani Kaohe David
Senator Francis A. Wong / Berger Scholarship
Corina Putnam, Michelle Zheng