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Why Scholarships Really Matter

December 29, 2015
  • Charlinda Ioane

For many students like Charlinda, college would be an impossible dream without privately funded scholarships. In her thank you letter, she shares why.

Why scholarships matter

College never really seemed something that would be possible for me just because I grew up seeing my parents’ struggle both working two jobs and raising three girls.

My parents have been divorced since the summer before I started kindergarten and my mom moved to Kapolei where I would begin my school career, while my dad continued to live in Waimanalo. Through joint custody I was able to still see both parents, but due to visitation during the week with my dad in Waimanalo and having school in Kapolei, 4:30am alarms became a norm for me early in life. This obviously didn’t just take a toll on my sisters and me, but on our parents as well.

Growing up I didn’t understand the whole concept of college and the opportunities it would bring. All I knew was that it cost A LOT of money, money we did not have. My mom always stressed for us to work hard in school, “So that one day we could do what we want to do instead of what we have to do.”

That was our motto growing up, nothing would come easy, but with a little hard work and even more determination we could do anything as long as we fought for it.

In high school I was a three-sport athlete (volleyball, basketball and being a thrower on the track and field team). After completing my freshman year I received my first letter of interest from West Point for track and field. Not understanding what a letter of interest was at the time, I quickly learned that this was my opportunity to make it through college without having to be another financial burden to my family.

I would collect 27 more letters of interest over my high school years, but no school really caught my interest since I hadn’t received my letter from UH yet, and moving away from my family was not an option I wanted to consider.

In January 2012 my family and I found out that the University of Hawai‘i had just hired a new throws coach. My mom told me to take a chance and just send her an email and express my interest in the program. I guess you can guess how that email turned out!

The first week of February I was on my official visit, and February 14th 2012, I got the call that the coaches were interested in offering me a scholarship. It really was a brainless decision, as no other university could offer me the chance to go to school, play a collegiate sport as a Division One Athlete and still be able to be there to watch my niece and nephew grow up.

I am now in my senior year as a student-athlete enrolled in the Shidler College of Business working towards a degree in marketing. When I complete my degree, I will be the first in my family to complete college.

Over the past three years I have been able to attend the university that my papa and grandma have followed through countless games on TV.

I am grateful for the donations you continue to make to the university year after year to give students like me the chance we all pray of getting. I am forever indebted to you.

All this would have not been possible without your financial support.

Me ka Mahalo nui,

Charlinda Ioane


If you would like to learn how you can support UH students and programs like this, please contact us at 808 376-7800 or send us a message.