The transformative power of community and education continues to thrive at Kapiʻolani Community College thanks to a $1.5-million gift from the Kaneta Foundation to expand the Lunalilo Scholars Program. The donation will help more students access higher education and wraparound support services, with the program projected to reach more than 1,000 scholars by 2027.
“The Lunalilo Scholars Program opened doors I didn’t know was possible,” said Kapilialoha Kidder, a fourth-cohort scholar. “Beyond the scholarship, Lunalilo provided a community that helped me build confidence and lasting friendships—support that truly shaped my journey through college and beyond.”
Changing lives for 14 years
A robust philanthropic investment from the Kaneta Foundation helped to launch the program in 2012.
“When we started the program, I wasn’t as optimistic as Lester,” said Marian Kaneta. “I had my reservations at first. As I listened to that first cohort’s family stories and the hardships they’d endured, it was clear these were individuals living on the very edges of society—some just barely getting by.”
Now in its 14th year, the Lunalilo Scholars Program has grown from its first class of 22 students to about 60–90 participants each year. More than 900 scholars have completed the program, showing higher retention and graduation rates than comparable student groups.
“The Lunalilo Scholars Program is more than a financial aid scholarship,” said Lester Kaneta. “The program creates pathways to success for promising students from financially vulnerable backgrounds.”
Scholars give back
Centered on identity, community and mentorship, the program helps students transition to college through a summer bridge experience that fosters academic readiness and belonging. Scholars start as part of a cohort supported by peer mentors, and those who continue into their second year often return as mentors themselves—strengthening leadership skills and giving back to their peers.
“The Lunalilo Scholars Program reflects the best of who we are as a community,” said Chancellor Misaki Takabayashi. “Rooted in Native Hawaiian values, it gives students the guidance and sense of belonging they need to succeed in college and beyond. Through mentorship and shared experience, our scholars learn not only to achieve their goals but to lift others as they rise.”
For more information about supporting students at Kapiʻolani CC, visit uhfoundation.org.
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