Business scholarship means opportunity and growth

Kai Lin is a UH Mānoa sophomore working toward a BBA in accounting and management information systems. He is the recipient of the Clifford and Blanche Hee Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Thomas and Michael Hee. This is an excerpt from his thank-you letter to donors, with his responses to follow-up questions.

Seeking an abundance of knowledge

I was introduced to accounting in my sophomore year at Kaiser High School with Beginning Accounting and then registered for Advanced in my junior year. I appreciate this type of work and recognize the significance of learning such topics. It allows businesses to operate, making positive economic progress and contribute to society.

My educational and career goals are to become a CPA and someday a senior-level consultant to help local businesses. Studying at UH Mānoa will aid me because I’ll gain an abundance of knowledge to address and support the issue of local companies struggling for longevity. By aiming to get a BBA in accounting and MIS, and later a master's in accounting, I can take courses aligning with my career objective.

The aspect of accounting that most appeals to me is using knowledge in the subject to help other people prosper financially. Everyone is affected by accounting, whether they pay taxes, work for a company, or aspire to start their own businesses. In this field of work, I may choose several different career pathways or service lines of significant benefit to others, such as with public accounting through advising, tax requirements, auditing and consulting, or through private accounting and working directly for a company.

Opportunity even amid pandemic challenges

My first year was overshadowed by the ongoing pandemic hampering many operations around the state and at UH Mānoa. Despite these events, I had numerous opportunities to bring myself closer to my career in business. All the classes were online, which initially made it more challenging to meet new students and form connections with my professors, as we didn't see each other in person. However, over time I became adjusted to this online setting. Also, I joined the Accounting Club, which introduced me to new students and to make friends with similar interests.

This second year has been similar, as all of my classes are still online, and I also have gotten further involved in the Accounting Club, being the club's secretary for the school year.

Thank you for being the donor of this scholarship providing me with the opportunity to continue my education journey and work toward my career goals. Your endowment has allowed me to focus primarily on my studies and involvement in clubs without having to worry about my parents being financially burdened or getting an additional job to help pay for my education. I am excited to continue taking classes and begin applying to internships so I can make strides in becoming an accountant who can help individuals and businesses excel and thrive.