{"id":234294,"date":"2026-05-14T13:13:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T23:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=234294"},"modified":"2026-05-14T13:25:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T23:25:25","slug":"kapiolani-transfer-manoa-presidential-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/05\/14\/kapiolani-transfer-manoa-presidential-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"Kapi\u02bbolani CC<\/abbr> student transfers to UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa with Presidential Scholarship support"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Masen
Lapinad-Sorgent received awards at the 2025 SACNAS<\/abbr> Conference.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From overcoming financial barriers to conducting undergraduate STEM<\/abbr> research, Kapiʻolani<\/span> Community College<\/a> student Masen Haoa Lapinad-Sorgent is preparing for his next chapter at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa with a clear goal in mind: becoming a physician.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot\"
Masen Haoa Lapinad-Sorgent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The biological sciences student will transfer to UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa this fall to pursue a bachelor\u2019s degree in biology after two years at Kapiʻolani<\/span> CC<\/abbr>. He was recently named a recipient of the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Presidential Scholarship<\/a>, one of the university\u2019s most competitive awards for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> residents.<\/p>\n

The scholarship is typically awarded each year to undergraduate juniors, including students transferring from a UH<\/abbr> community college, and recognizes a record of sustained progress in academic courses and evidence of superior academic achievement or creative endeavor. It includes full-time undergraduate tuition, a $2,800 semester based stipend, and a one-time travel grant of $2,500.<\/p>\n

Best pathway<\/h2>\n

Originally from Waim\u0101nalo and a graduate of Kailua High School, Lapinad-Sorgent said financial realities heavily influenced his educational decisions from the start.<\/p>\n

\"Holding
Lapinad-Sorgent and Cheyenne Kaui<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“I always knew I wanted to start at community college and then transfer for my baccalaureate degree,” he said. “For me, it was about finding the best pathway that would prepare me academically while also being financially responsible.”<\/p>\n

Although he was accepted to several out-of-state institutions, Lapinad-Sorgent said that taking on significant student loan debt early in his educational journey was not the right choice for him or his family.<\/p>\n

“I didn\u2019t want to take out loans so early in my education,” Lapinad-Sorgent said. “Coming from a family that taught me a lot about sacrifice, I knew I wanted to make decisions that would help me in the long run, especially with medical school ahead.”<\/p>\n

He said the support he received through Kapiʻolani<\/span> CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Lunalilo Scholars Program<\/a> helped make college financially possible and created a strong sense of community and belonging. The experience encouraged him to become more involved on campus, and in student congress.<\/p>\n

National recognition<\/h2>\n

Alongside his leadership work, Lapinad-Sorgent pursued undergraduate research in the college\u2019s STEM<\/abbr> programs. Working with math and science professor Amanda Alimboyoguen, he studied the medicinal properties of the Indigenous ʻuhaloa<\/span> plant and its connections to Hawaiian healing practices and modern healthcare research.<\/p>\n

His research later earned national recognition at the 2025 Society for Advancement of Chicanos\/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS<\/abbr>) NDiSTEM<\/abbr> Conference<\/a>, where he received awards for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation in Traditional Knowledge and the Native American\/Indigenous Student Research Abstract Award in Traditional Knowledge.<\/p>\n

As he prepares to continue his education at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, Lapinad-Sorgent said receiving the Presidential Scholarship represents more than academic achievement.<\/p>\n

“It means a lot for my family too,” he said. “Being able to continue my education without that financial burden is something we\u2019re all grateful for.”<\/p>\n

By Lisa Yamamoto<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Masen Haoa Lapinad-Sorgent is preparing for his next chapter at the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa with the clear goal of becoming a physician.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":234292,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[63,1533,894,572,313,71,9],"class_list":["post-234294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-kapiolani-community-college","tag-lunalilo-scholars","tag-regents-and-presidential-scholars","tag-scholarship","tag-stem","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-manoa","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