UH students celebrate with scholarship donors at annual event

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Link to video (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/zyF

Close to 300 scholarship donors and their student recipients came together on April 22 to meet and connect at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Scholarship Celebration, which returned to the Stan Sheriff Center. The annual event presents an opportunity for students to personally express their gratitude to the people invested in their college education. It also gives donors the chance to hear firsthand about the impact their giving has on the students' education, lives and futures.

Tiare Sabellano-Tsutsui, a UH Mānoa graduate student in social work and recipient of the Diane Roehm Social Work Scholarship, was a featured speaker. The Mānana, Oʻahu native juggled three jobs before embarking on a journey to higher education, and expressed heartfelt aloha.

"Hawaiʻi is expensive! So I never dreamt about going to college because I thought it was too expensive to afford. So I am just so so grateful that I have the opportunity now from our generous donors in the community," Sabellano-Tsutsui said.

Crowds also heard from UH alumnus Walter Dods, Jr., the chairman of FOR UH • FOR HAWAIʻI, UH Foundation's historic $1 billion comprehensive campaign. The Hawaiʻi philanthropist became visibly moved as he emphasized the profound impact scholarships have on students.

"It has been a powerful year for giving back, and we're grateful we're able to bring students and their donors together to celebrate the generosity that makes their academic journeys possible," said Tim Dolan, vice president of advancement and chief executive officer of UH Foundation. "Every gift, each scholarship, makes a very real impact on the lives of students and their families."

Last year, the UH Foundation distributed $17 million in student aid to 4,894 students statewide, including $11.3 million to 2,524 students at UH Mānoa.

The first permanently endowed scholarship was created at the UH Foundation in 1976 to benefit students attending UH. Since then, providing access to higher education through private gifts has become a tradition. Today, the foundation manages more than 2,200 student aid accounts.

FOR UH • FOR HAWAIʻI, The Campaign for the University of Hawaiʻi, is focused on raising $1 billion to support UH priorities on all 10 campuses across the state, including student success; research that matters; kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi; sustainability, resilience and conservation; innovation and entrepreneurship; building Hawaiʻi's workforce; and engaging our community. Learn more at uhfoundation.org/4UH4HI

The University of Hawai'i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawai'i System. The mission of the UH Foundation is to unite donors' passions with UH's aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawai'i and our future generations. Visit us at uhfoundation.org.

VIDEO BROLL: (1 minute, 38 seconds)

0:00-0:56 - Scholarship celebration

0:56-1:10 - UH Mānoa student Tiare Sabellano-Tsutsui

1:10-1:26 - Hawaiʻi philanthropist Walter Dods, Jr.

1:26-1:32 - UH President David Lassner

1:32-1:38 - UH Foundation CEO Tim Dolan

SOUNDBITES:

Tiare Sabellano-Tsutsui/Scholarship recipient, UH Mānoa

(Pronunciation: Tee-ah-ray Sub-uh-la-noh Suit-suey)

(17 seconds)

"Hawaiʻi is expensive! So I never dreamt about going to college because I thought it was too expensive to afford. So I am just so so grateful that I have the opportunity now from our generous donors in the community."

(12 seconds)

"I have butterflies. I'm so excited to meet leaders in the community, I really look up to them. That's the path I want to take. I wanna be able to give to the next generation in a meaningful way."

Karla Zarate-Ramirez/Vice President for Development, UH Foundation (pronunciation: Zah-rah-tay)

(19 seconds)

"This is what the University of Hawaiʻi really brings to our state. It's an opportunity for our community to support our students directly with scholarships, tuition, all the things to help them succeed and receive their degrees and have really healthy, prosperous lives."