Faces of
Philanthropy Spring 2008
Quarterly News from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Defining the rest of their lives OUR MISSION We help people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every island community.
Most college-bound students and their parents in Hawai‘i know too well the financial hardships of obtaining a higher education. According to a recent study, while children from families making over $90,000 have a one in two chance of graduating from college by age 24, that number plummets to one in seventeen for children from families making less than $35,000. Although our society is built on the belief that people have a chance to better themselves and their families, that has become more difficult to accomplish because of a widening gap of educational opportunities. As the state’s second largest private provider for post-secondary scholarships, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation continues to help keep this belief alive for the thousands of applicants each year. Thanks to the generosity of the Foundation’s donors, students of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to embark on a journey that will help define the rest of their lives. The road to college for current Loyola Marymount University freshman Samantha Stribling was not easy. Back home in Hawai‘i last year, she was faced with having to decide to move across the country with her family or stay back to finish her senior year in high school. By choosing home, Stribling was forced to overcome her fear of loneliness and pulled through many tough challenges alone. “This experience has allowed me to grow independent in a way that I’m not sure I could have otherwise,” said Stribling. Her personal obstacles have given her motivation to do well in her studies. She is currently majoring in
psychology and hopes to make a career out of helping others. Stribling’s scholarship award from the Kaneta Foundation made it easier for her to focus more on her education and less on her financial state. “It allowed me to experience this university, a goal I’ve had since my aunt started dressing me in college-affiliated shirts when I was four. Without the scholarship, Loyola would not have been feasible for me. I value my education more highly now that I am working to pay for it, but I am not able to take all the credit. I cannot even express the gratitude I feel to those who made the scholarship a reality.” For John Laimana, college was an opportunity to redefine the next chapter in his life. After owning a small business for two decades, Laimana, a loving husband, father of seven and grandfather decided that he needed a change. Going back to school turned out to be a family affair when one of his daughters signed up the entire family to take a Hawaiian language class — including Laimana’s mother. He has been in school ever since. As a non-traditional student, he did not let his age or busy schedule stop him from pursuing a lifelong dream. “At my age I’m not looking for another career opportunity, but I got to do that thing I really like to do,” said Laimana. Laimana received a total of five scholarships in four years from funds of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Haskins Hawai‘i. He always wanted to research Hawaiian history and learn Hawaiian language and is currently finishing up his degree in Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. But he isn’t stopping there. He plans to apply for the master’s program in the fall. “It has just opened so many doors for me and my family.”
For more information on connecting with a cause that you care about, please contact HCF’s Philanthropic Services Department at (808) 566-5560 (toll-free at 1-888-731-3863) or e-mail clientservices@hcf-hawaii.org
www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org