The UH Mānoa 2011 Scholarship Celebration brought more than 400 donors and students together to enjoy a special evening at the Stan Sheriff Center. Together with UH and UH Foundation leadership, they celebrated the impact scholarships make on the lives of so many promising students.
During the program, Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw recounted the moving story of Dr. Volt Tom who graduated from UH Mānoa in 1937 with a BA in Arts & Sciences. He was active in R.O.T.C. and became an Army Reserve Officer. With his heart set on serving others, he completed most of his pre-med courses at UH and then received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota.
In 1942, he was called to active duty. He served in the medical Corps on Guadalcanal and died there on May 29, 1943 at the age of 27. He was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit Legionnaire and is buried at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.
In 2007, his brother and sister established an award to be given in Dr. Volt H. Tom's name to a graduating medical student who has shown the most commitment to Geriatric Medicine during his or her years at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). This year Mee Lin Tom and Tenny Hoon Tom's generous gift was placed in an endowed account ensuring that their brother's story will continue to inspire others for many years to come.
This is just one of the memorable stories shared that evening. Varsity Victory Volunteers Endowed Scholarship recipient Shantal Guirao spoke about her journey from Kauai to UH Manoa, and the tremendous impact scholarship support is making in helping her fulfill her nursing aspirations. Melissa Ruan, another scholarship recipient shared the importance of education to her family, and expressed her gratitude to the donors who are making her education possible.
In 2009-2010 UHF raised nearly $9 million to support student aid and distributed more than $9.6 million to students system-wide.
