No major university can grow and excel without a healthy mix of public and private funds. Private contributions leverage public funds and maximize taxpayer dollars. Through partnering with philanthropic investors, our university can sustain excellence and enhance the student experience, making our campuses learning destinations of choice.
Many of the donors who give major gifts to the University of Hawaiʻi do so to support a program, school, or area of study that they believe in. Without exception, their gift has a major impact on our students, faculty and campus community as a whole.
Recent Impact Stories
Her schooling was thrown into disarray, but despite feelings of vulnerability, Rebekah remains thankful for distance learning and continued studies.
When this COVID-19 crisis began, I really tried to keep it all together, not knowing how bad the situation would turn out.
My greatest concern is that we won’t have enough money to pay rent or get kicked out on the streets. I have always wanted to be in a career where I can help others. I am currently trying to become a high school counselor. I want to be able to change students’ lives and hopefully make them realize that if I can reach my dreams, so can they.
When she lost her job as a part-time entertainer in Kauaʻi's visitor industry, Tia didn't know how she would cover her rent, utility bills, and necessities for schooling. UH emergency relief allows her to continue her education in pursuit of opening her own dance studio.
Shubert was furloughed from his job as a barista at the airport. The first-year IT student wasn't sure how he would pay his bills, but the UH Emergency Student Relief Fund is a "major help, and couldn't have come at a better time," helping him stay connected to his classes and stay on track for graduation in a year.
Learning support from Kauaʻi Community College's Waiʻaleʻale Program helps Leticia stay focused on schoolwork now that classes are conducted online. Financial support from you helps her stick to her goal of being the first college graduate in her family.
Kevin had been doing his assigments in the computer lab at Leeward CC, but with campus life altered, he must work from home on a used laptop with an unreliable battery. Your gift means he can purchase headphones and a new battery for the laptop as he gets ready to transfer to Kapiʻolani CC in the fall semester.
Single parenting isn't easy, but your support helps Chilliam maintain her home life while she pursues her dream of helping others as a mental health counselor. She says, "I want to give back to my community."
Chelsea was laid off from her job working with autistic children as a registered behavior technician. The human services student at Honolulu Community College ran into Hawaiʻi’s overwhelmed unemployment insurance system, but UH emergency relief was a blessing. "It's been a rough ride," she says, "but I'm taking this journey as a learning experience."
