{"id":220196,"date":"2025-08-13T13:01:26","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T23:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=220196"},"modified":"2025-08-13T13:01:26","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T23:01:26","slug":"nursing-scholarships-uh-maui-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/13\/nursing-scholarships-uh-maui-college\/","title":{"rendered":"Gift of healing: $1M expands nursing scholarships at UH<\/abbr> Maui College"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Nursing students now have more support from the Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust has awarded an additional $1 million to the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Maui College to expand scholarships for nursing students\u2014helping more Maui residents pursue careers in healthcare amid a critical nursing shortage.<\/p>\n

Trustee Ron Purdy said, “The Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust believes that when you invest in a nurse, you\u2019re investing in an individual, their family and the Maui community for years to come.”<\/p>\n

The new pledge builds on the trust\u2019s initial $2 million gift<\/a> that established the Kam Scholars Program, which honors Aileen Chuck\u2019s late father, Edwin T. Kam (1904–1993), a physician who practiced in Windward Oʻahu<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Helping local families<\/h2>\n

For local families like the Gabuats, the trust\u2019s impact is already being felt. Phoebe Gabuat earned an associate degree in nursing from UH<\/abbr> Maui College in 1991 and a bachelor of science in nursing from UH<\/abbr> Hilo in 2012. She remembers the financial strain she faced while earning her nursing degrees.<\/p>\n

“I juggled multiple part-time jobs and stretched every dollar, always wondering if I could afford to continue,” she said.<\/p>\n

Now, her son, Aaron Gabuat, is a Kam Scholar.<\/p>\n

“When he got the scholarship, I could see he was much calmer and lighter,” she said. “He really worked hard to earn it, and we\u2019re proud of him.”<\/p>\n

Opening doors to opportunity<\/h2>\n
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Chancellor Lui Hokoana believes donors’ generosity will strengthen healthcare’s future on Maui.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“In addition to funding education, this new grant is opening doors to opportunity, stability and service,” said Purdy. “My heart always sunk whenever I\u2019d hear someone say, ‘I want to go to nursing school, but I can\u2019t afford it.’ We hope this gift helps change that story for more Maui students.”<\/p>\n

Together, the funds provide full academic scholarships for UH<\/abbr> Maui College\u2019s Practical Nurse and associate in science registered nurse programs, and will eventually support students in the anticipated bachelor of science in nursing program. Until then, the scholarship also assists UH<\/abbr> Maui College graduates in earning a bachelor\u2019s degree in nursing at other campuses by covering tuition, books, fees and essential expenses.<\/p>\n

‘We are deeply grateful to the Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust and their trustees for their unwavering commitment to our students and our program,’ said UH<\/abbr> Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana. ‘Their generosity doesn\u2019t just provide financial support\u2014it opens doors, changes lives and strengthens the future of healthcare on Maui.’<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scholarships empower aspiring nurses, ease financial strain and brighten Maui\u2019s healthcare future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[189,71,60],"class_list":["post-220196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-nursing","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-maui-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t