Grateful for the opportunity to make my goals a reality

Natalie Blum is a second-year student in the graduate botany program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She grew up in Hanapēpē on Kauaʻi and earned her bachelor’s degree in botany and UH Mānoa. Natalie is the recipient of the Winona Pi'ilani Char Scholarship, Torrey-Degener-Rock Scholarship Endowed Fund and the Harold & Elizabeth St. John Endowed Scholarship. This is an excerpt of her thank you letter to donors.

After earning my bachelor’s degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, it felt only natural to pursue my master’s here, where I can continue studying Hawaiʻi’s native plant species.

UH Mānoa has an amazing botany program that has allowed me to gain field experience through my own research. I am currently researching Hibiscus clayi, aiming to better understand its breeding system.

My ultimate career goal is to become a teacher, so I have some truly incredible educators to look up to and aspire to be like.

To my donors

First, I want to say thank you. It is not only an honor to be chosen, but this has also made an immensely positive impact on my academic journey. Research can be exciting and fun, but it can also be stressful and so complicated.

Receiving the news of “Congratulations! You have been chosen for…” was a relieving and joyous experience. Thank you for giving me that feeling. It also means a great deal to feel supported, so thank you for that as well. From the bottom of my heart, I am incredibly grateful for this funding and the opportunity to make my academic goals a reality.