At the University of Hawaiʻi, Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising event to support our ����Vlog�ٷ� students and embrace the rich diversity and expansive reach of our university system.

At the (JABSOM), where more than 90% of students are awarded some form of scholarship, donors make a great impact in their journeys in medicine. For first-year medical student Emma Pinnow, that journey started with the ʻImi Hoʻōla Post Baccalaureate Program.

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Ahead of a Giving Day appearance on Hawaiʻi News Now, JABSOM sat down with Pinnow.

Q: How did ʻImi Hoʻōla put you on a path to medicine?

I come from a family deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s public school system, so while education was always the priority, medicine was a brand-new endeavor for me. My dream was always to stay home, to be near family and learn to provide care specifically tailored to our people here in Hawaiʻi. ʻImi Hoʻōla, which means “those who seek to heal” in ʻŌ������� Hawaiʻi, was the bridge to that dream. ����’s a rigorous 12-month journey, and completing it provided me with automatic admission to JABSOM. But more than just a seat in the class, it gave me the foundational competence and the unshakeable support system I needed.

I didn’t just gain knowledge, I gained a cohort, mentors and a community that believed in my potential when I was just starting out. What truly changed the trajectory for me was the generosity of our donors. I was fully prepared to take on a massive financial burden to pursue this path, but because of their support, my experience was tuition-free. This didn’t just save money, it gave me the gift of time and focus. Instead of juggling my studies with a job, I can dedicate 100% of my energy to the rigors of medical school. It only takes one group of people to believe in you to open a door. For me, that door was ʻImi Hoʻōla. It allowed me to show my potential and has put me on a path to serve the community that raised me.

Q: What are your goals in medicine?

I’m currently a little more than halfway through my first year, and honestly, it’s been very exciting. Every week I’m exposed to a new specialty or a different organ system, and I’m making it my goal to learn as much as I can and to lean into every opportunity to the fullest extent. While I haven’t settled on a specific specialty yet, I have settled on the where and the who. No matter what field I choose, I am committed to serving the people of Hawaiʻi. This is my home, and I truly can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Being Native Hawaiian, I am especially aware of the health disparities our community faces, particularly with cardiometabolic disease. One of my primary goals in medicine is to directly address these inequities. I want to take the education we receive here at JABSOM, which emphasizes culturally-competent care, and apply it in a way that resonates with our local population. Ultimately, my goal is to bridge the gap between high-level medical science and the unique cultural needs of our islands. Giving back to the community that raised me is my way of honoring where I come from.

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����Vlog�ٷ� Foundation is calling on the ����Vlog�ٷ� ʻohana—including alumni, friends and community members—to participate in ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day on April 8, a 24-hour effort to support students and research across the 10-campus system.

Gifts of any size will directly remove financial barriers for students, expand hands-on learning and advance research addressing �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s most pressing needs, from healthcare and education to environmental stewardship.

“Philanthropy offers critical support for our students, faculty and staff, and assists ����Vlog�ٷ� in serving communities across our state,” said ����Vlog�ٷ� President Wendy Hensel. “Giving Day highlights the vital role our supporters play in expanding opportunity and sustaining the university’s mission.”

To further increase that impact, Hensel has personally created a special systemwide challenge: when 1,500 donors make a contribution to any project across the 10 campuses, her $15,000 challenge gift will be unlocked to directly benefit the fund. Donors can also take advantage of other matching gifts applied to a wide range of specific campus initiatives.

• To learn more or to make a gift, .

Critical timing

This year, ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day arrives at a critical time. As flooding affects communities across Hawaiʻi, urgent student relief is a top priority. Your involvement now helps ensure support reaches students quickly, when it can make the greatest difference.

Throughout the event, ����Vlog�ٷ� Foundation will share real-time progress, campus updates and student stories across its social media platforms with the hashtag #4����Vlog�ٷ�Giving Day.

“Giving Day is about coming together as a ����Vlog�ٷ� ʻohana to invest in the people and programs that matter most,” said Tim Dolan, ����Vlog�ٷ� Foundation CEO and VP of Advancement for ����Vlog�ٷ�. “When our community unites around a shared purpose, the collective impact of every gift—no matter the size—is amplified.”

For 48-year-old Kriss Yeow, receiving the Linka and Michael Mullikin Endowed Scholarship wasn’t just financial aid; it was the validation of a 25-year-old dream she thought might never come true.

For much of her life, Yeow put the needs of others first, spending decades caring for her family. Her journey was also marked by geographic instability, forcing her to cycle through different educational systems across Malaysia, Christmas Island and Australia.
But after settling in Hawaiʻi nine years ago, Yeow realized it was time to take her turn.

“It felt like I was making good on the promise my grandmother always saw in me,” Yeow said. “Grandmother never stopped believing that one day I would soldier on towards a higher education. Now I hear her telling me, ‘keep going, Kriss,’ until you get that degree.”

Drawn to by its deep connection to Hawaiian culture and its welcoming, aloha-spirited environment, Yeow is now an undergraduate studying Natural Resource and Environmental Management, with a minor in botany.

Resilient non-traditional students

None of this, she said, would be possible without the generosity of donors, such as the Mullikins. Yeow’s journey is a powerful reminder of the resilience of non-traditional students, a demographic that Kapiʻolani CC is deeply committed to supporting.

“Non-traditional students bring their wisdom and real-world experience to the classroom—perspectives that high schoolers coming to college for the first time simply wouldn’t have,” said Veronica Ogata, dean of Arts and Sciences. “It creates a beautiful dynamic where both generations learn from one another.”

Read more ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day stories

Complex financial barriers are often the defining factor for non-traditional students to achieve a college degree.

“For students to continue schooling, finances have always been the number one issue,” said David Nāwaʻa Napoleon, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “Scholarships absolutely level the playing field for students. Any way we can support our students through these scholarships is what we need to be doing.”

On , your gift to the ensures students like Yeow have resources to earn their degrees.

Read more about the and more Giving Day opportunities.

After raising a family and building a decades-long career in the restaurant industry, Jerilyn “Jerry” Kanakanui decided it was finally time to pursue a lifelong dream: go to college. Getting to the classroom, though, was a daunting process.

As a mother of six who had never attended college, she remembered previous attempts where she tried to navigate the complex web of registration and financial aid, only to back out thinking, “Oh, no, it’s not for me.”

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She enrolled in Hawaiʻi Community College in 2024, and credits programs such as the and the for helping her find her footing. Today, she gives back to the campus community by serving as a TRIO peer mentor to help other students navigate their own educational journeys, while also occasionally working next door at Kahuaʻola.

Struggling with the basics

“Many kids tell me they are grateful to have a resource like Kahuaʻola,” Kanakanui said. “Some of these students struggle with the basics, so when they can pick up a free bag of rice or a journal they need for classes, it really helps them a lot.”

Chancellor Susan Kazama said that learning cannot thrive when a student is worried about food, housing or other essential needs.

“As a kauhale (community), we are committed to supporting the whole person so our students can focus on their education, their families and their futures,” Kazama said.

Restoring hope

Kahuaʻola Coordinator Randiann Tokeshi assists roughly 48 students daily with essentials. Some grab a quick meal, while others need help applying for SNAP benefits, or finding healthcare, childcare and housing.

“Basic needs are more than just providing resources to our students. It’s really about restoring hope, dignity and the opportunity for students who may be facing some of the hardest moments in their lives,” Tokeshi said. ”Every meal that is shared, every referral that is made, every conversation where a student feels seen and supported can really change the trajectory of someone’s life.”

This , gifts to the help ensure students have the backing they need to stay enrolled and continue building their futures. Your support goes even further this year: Kazama is matching up to $1,000 in total donations to Hawaiʻi CC.

Read more about the and more Giving Day opportunities.

For non-traditional students such as Shantel Nomura, navigating the path to a degree can require immense dedication. Nomura, a Nānākuli native, works full-time for the County of Maui as a secretary for the boards and commissions, while raising a family of five and pursuing a degree in business administration at the ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu.

Her journey began at ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College in 2001. She also took classes at Leeward and Windward CCs before life provided some detours. Then in 2024 she resumed her education at ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College. She has since transferred to ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, and is on pace to earn her bachelor’s degree in the fall of 2027, with plans to pursue a master’s degree.

Removing financial hurdles

For students juggling work and family, unexpected costs—such as an empty gas tank or mandatory textbook—can easily be the breaking point that forces them to drop out. This is why the Leeward CC Enrichment Fund, and others like it, exist. The fund has helped more than 70 students, including Nomura, cover everyday necessities—such as bus passes, gas and books—keeping temporary financial hurdles from turning into permanent roadblocks.

Read more ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day stories

“Raising a family while working a full-time job and going back to school is not easy,” Nomura said. “The scariest thing about going back to school was thinking that I would be too old to learn again. But once school started, it just felt right. Without scholarships and a good support system from the counselors and staff, I wouldn’t be able to see my dream come to fruition.”

Supporting student success

For Carlos Peñaloza, current chancellor of Leeward CC and interim chancellor of ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu, this financial support is an indispensable part of how the college serves its diverse student body.

“Donor support helps ensure our students have the resources they need to grow and thrive in a rapidly changing world,” Peñaloza said. “Gifts to the Leeward CC Enrichment Fund give campus officials the flexibility to respond quickly to students’ needs—supporting emergency assistance, experiential learning opportunities, campus activities, and the technology and materials that enhance learning. They help us create opportunities that support student success across our campus communities.”

Your Giving Day support is essential to keeping this lifeline strong for Leeward CC’s student body, which includes many first-generation and non-traditional learners. To make a gift, please visit the .

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The genesis of the Susan C. Hirano Cancer CARE Community began not in Kakaʻako, but during a visit to a breast cancer specialist in Texas. There, Susan and Peter Hirano first heard about Naoto Ueno, who would soon become director of the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center.

After Ueno relocated to Hawaiʻi, the Hiranos connected with him, and Susan shared her vision: a supportive space where cancer patients, families and caregivers could access information, education and emotional support.

Read more ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day stories

Diagnosed with stage-four metastatic breast cancer in October 2021, Susan immersed herself in research, exploring clinical trials and consulting with specialists at leading institutions.

“She had an intense and fierce determination to live,” Peter said. “So, in addition to researching the science of the disease, she explored other ways to supplement her medical treatments, from reiki massages and naturopathic treatments to acupuncture, meditation and diet.”

Empowering patients, building community

Susan brought that same determination to her medical appointments, encouraging patients to actively participate in their care. That philosophy became the foundation of the Cancer CARE Community—CARE representing Community, Awareness, Research and Emotional Well-Being.

Her vision became reality on April 5, 2025, when the ����Vlog�ٷ� Cancer Center launched the program.

“I remember that she wasn’t feeling very well that morning,” Peter recalled. “But she told me, ‘Just get me there, and the people will lift me up.’”

During the inaugural workshop, Susan spoke for 25 minutes, emphasizing the importance of self-advocacy and asking questions. The event culminated in an emotional surprise: the program was officially named in her honor.

“She was blown away,” Peter said. “She had no idea that the team was going to name the program the ‘Susan C. Hirano Cancer CARE Community.’ I am so proud of the legacy she has built.”

Less than two weeks later, on April 18, 2025, Susan passed away peacefully at home.

Sustaining the legacy on Giving Day

Today, the program continues her legacy, offering quarterly workshops that provide holistic support for patients, survivors and caregivers. More than 550 people have attended events so far, with many returning regularly.

“The event was ‘empowering’ to learn about the true value of empowerment––how to find peace with our situation, our thoughts and our choice,” commented one attendee in an evaluation survey.

More ����Vlog�ٷ� News stories about Susan C. Hirano and her legacy

Community support is vital to help the CARE Community reach more cancer patients, families and caregivers across Hawaiʻi.

As the community comes together for ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day, Peter wants potential donors to know that their contributions aren’t just abstract numbers.

Every gift, no matter the size, helps ensure the Susan C. Hirano Cancer CARE Community can continue providing trusted resources, connection and support for those facing cancer across Hawaiʻi—just as Susan envisioned.

about the Cancer CARE Community, make a gift and explore other Giving Day opportunities.

Chelstine “Kauʻi” Tavares, a University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu sophomore, and Norinna-Lynne Ili, a part-time student and full-time secretary, used to go hungry. Ili was accustomed to surviving busy days on “nothing but cough drops and free coffee.”

Both initially hesitated to ask for support. However, today they rely on the campus’ , to stock up on necessities on food distribution days, or from the Pueo Pantry. The growing need in the campus community is evident. About halfway through the current academic year (August 2025 to February 2026), the campus had distributed 7,915 pounds of food to 900 students.

“Having access to the pantry and the clothing closet means everything to me and my family,” said Ili. “With our rent going up, our budget is already stretched thin. So, it really makes a difference and it helps relieve a lot of stress.”

More than food

Kumu Ola also provides essential hygiene/menstrual products, loaner laptops/Wi-Fi hotspots, and free attire through the Pueo Closet.

Tavares, who now works as a student assistant for Kumu Ola, has empathy for distressed students.

Read more ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day stories

“Many students initially feel a sense of shame when admitting they need help,” Tavares said. “But over time, they realize this food is for them, and they open up about their struggles. Seeing their gratitude when they realize they can feed their families is amazing.”

Helping students succeed

Kumu Ola addresses rising student food insecurity and financial instability, while also supporting the development and sustainment of a campus-wide basic needs support system so no member of the ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu campus community has to choose between opportunity and stability.

“Drawing from my own experience as a student, there is tremendous satisfaction in helping our students remain on campus and achieve success,” said Kumu Ola Chair Loea Akiona. “We believe no student should have to choose between their education and their well-being.”

Donor support for the this ensures these resources remain available, allowing our community to thrive. .

When the Lahaina wildfires devastated West Maui, Michael Young, apprenticeship and trades coordinator at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, not only lost his home but also saw the urgent community need for basic rebuilding skills.

“I grew up in Lahaina and saw how many homes were lost or badly damaged,” Young said. “People wanted to know if there were programs that taught carpentry, framing, roofing, painting—anything that would help them start restoring their homes.”

From that need, the Hale ����貹ʻ�� program—meaning “small shelter”—emerged. The hands-on initiative, based at ����Vlog�ٷ� Maui College, builds 8-by-10-foot portable sheds that are small enough to be delivered to landowners without construction permits.

Real relief

These sheds, which double as teaching tools for participants, provide essential storage and, for some, temporary shelter. To date, 58 sheds have been delivered, with 220 households still on a waiting list.

“This is a way for people to feel safe and regain a sense of stability,” said Moani Whittle-Wagner, an academic support specialist who named the project. “Drivers are often greeted with hugs and tears. They’re small structures, but the relief is real.”

An helps ensure Lahaina residents and displaced families have the skills and materials they need to regain a sense of stability. To make a gift, click .

Providing hope

The program offers more than just physical relief; it provides hope for long-term recovery. Lahaina resident Gene Castillo, whose family lost multiple homes, found both skills and a forward focus in the program, recalling the evacuation with his then-pregnant wife and young daughter.

Read more ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day stories

“Without her,” he said gesturing toward his now two-year-old daughter Zanel, “I think we would have been lost. She gave us something to look forward to.”

Hale ����貹ʻ�� is also rebuilding lives by offering pathways into the trades, bringing together credit courses, union apprenticeships and free community classes. A pre-apprenticeship program with the Carpenters Union reports a 100% placement rate, providing displaced residents with career opportunities.

“These sheds are more than wood and nails,” said Whittle-Wagner. “They’re hope in a time of loss.”

Read more about and more Giving Day opportunities.

As the prepares for the 2026 season under head coach Reed Sunahara, the “Hilo faithful” have a critical role to play.

Coming off a strong 20-9 season where the team made the conference tournament but missed the NCAA tournament by a single game, the players are hungry for more. Sunahara’s goals for the upcoming season are clear: win the PacWest and secure a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Rally for the volleyball Vulcans

To take that next step, the program is turning to . Gifts will be immediately invested into the student-athlete experience, providing the essential tools necessary to advance player development.

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on or before ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day and help the Vulcans dominate the court in 2026.

This year, the team’s primary goal is to raise funds to support:

• Essential upgrades: Purchasing new practice equipment, gear and uniforms to keep the squad competitive.
• Expanded travel: Funding critical travel opportunities, including upcoming matches on Maui and Oʻahu.
• International experience: Supporting a potential trip to compete with a Japanese team.

“Hilo is already known as a great volleyball community with the best fans in the PacWest,” Sunahara said. “There are so many friends and supporters who want to see this team succeed, and every donation helps grow this program.”

Support makes a difference

Player Kamaluhia “Malu” Garcia’s 2025 volleyball season was one for the books, earning PacWest Newcomer of the Year and AVCA All-America honors, alongside a first-team all-conference selection with teammate Isabella Freeman. But behind the accolades is a story of community support.

“You can feel the difference when an entire town is behind you,” Garcia said. “The support we receive allows us to focus purely on getting better every day in the gym. That environment was a huge reason why I was able to find my rhythm so quickly last season.”

Learn more about ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day 2026.