HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Gilbert and Aileen Charitable Trust gave a $1 million award to fund nursing students with full scholarships at the University of Hawaii Maui College.
The $1 million award is an addition to the $2 million award that Kam Scholars Program, a program honoring Aileen Chuck’s father, Edwin Kam, blessed UHMC with in 2024.
These awards allow nursing students enrolled in UHMC’s Practical Nurse and Associate in Science Registered Nurses programs to pursue their nursing careers, providing them with tools and resources needed to excel at their best.
Despite Maui’s nursing shortage, the Chuck charity will also help fund UHMC’s ASN graduates by covering tuition, books and fees while they pursue their BSN at other campuses.
“My heart always sunk whenever I’d hear someone say, ‘I want to go to nursing school, but I can’t afford it,’” said Ron Purdy, trustee for the foundation. “We hope this gift helps change that story for more Maui students.”
The Gilbert and Aileen Chuck foundation strives to invest in education for the future benefit of the next generation.
Purdy said that an investment in a nurse is an investment in an individual, their family and the Maui community for many years to come.
This will ensure that the legacy of Gilbert and Aileen Chuck is fulfilled.
“Their generosity doesn’t just provide financial support – it opens doors, changes lives and strengthens the future of healthcare on Maui,” said UH Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana.
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The Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust intends to maintain their support for UHMC nursing students for the next 10 years, with efforts of preventing further nurse shortage on the island.