The Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust has awarded an additional $1 million to the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College to expand scholarships for nursing students—helping more Maui residents pursue careers in healthcare amid a critical nursing shortage.
Trustee Ron Purdy said, “The Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust believes that when you invest in a nurse, you’re investing in an individual, their family and the Maui community for years to come.”
The new pledge builds on the trust’s initial $2 million gift that established the Kam Scholars Program, which honors Aileen Chuck’s late father, Edwin T. Kam (1904–1993), a physician who practiced in Windward Oʻahu.
Helping local families
For local families like the Gabuats, the trust’s impact is already being felt. Phoebe Gabuat earned an associate degree in nursing from UH Maui College in 1991 and a bachelor of science in nursing from UH Hilo in 2012. She remembers the financial strain she faced while earning her nursing degrees.
“I juggled multiple part-time jobs and stretched every dollar, always wondering if I could afford to continue,” she said.
Now, her son, Aaron Gabuat, is a Kam Scholar.
“When he got the scholarship, I could see he was much calmer and lighter,” she said. “He really worked hard to earn it, and we’re proud of him.”
Opening doors to opportunity
“In addition to funding education, this new grant is opening doors to opportunity, stability and service,” said Purdy. “My heart always sunk whenever I’d hear someone say, ‘I want to go to nursing school, but I can’t afford it.’ We hope this gift helps change that story for more Maui students.”
Together, the funds provide full academic scholarships for UH Maui College’s Practical Nurse and associate in science registered nurse programs, and will eventually support students in the anticipated bachelor of science in nursing program. Until then, the scholarship also assists UH Maui College graduates in earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing at other campuses by covering tuition, books, fees and essential expenses.
‘We are deeply grateful to the Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Charitable Trust and their trustees for their unwavering commitment to our students and our program,’ said UH Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana. ‘Their generosity doesn’t just provide financial support—it opens doors, changes lives and strengthens the future of healthcare on Maui.’
