My name is Sasha Tanaka and I’m a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years and am the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree primarily because I wanted to do something that helped my community. After graduating high school in 2004, I obtained my CNA certification which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18. I was very ambitious and focused on my future goals. However in 2007, my career goals were quickly placed on hold after learned that I was going to me a mom. Although I wasn't a teen, I was very young and not prepared for parenthood. I was forced to make many sacrifices including leaving my CNA job and for a job that paid more. School was no longer a priority, my daughter was. I began working in the hospitality industry and grew as an individual. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. I yearned to return to healthcare because it was something I was so passionate about. I knew that there would be a time that I would return. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. What could have steered anyone in another direction other than nursing, COVID-19 did the opposite for me. It provided me with reassurance that nursing is what I needed to do. Hawaii is in need of healthcare staff who are rooted to the islands. Many nursing students move to the states after college for higher wages, limiting our state of healthcare support. That will not be my reality, I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained a high GPA. Returning to school has also given me the reward of setting an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket. However being that the Nursing program is very rigorous, I won’t be able to work as much. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My ambitions to work in healthcare stems from not only wanting to fulfill my lifelong dream, but also wanting to care for my community in some capacity. From a young age, I was always interested in the medical field. Visits to the doctors office as a child always kept me curious and as I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body and how our body’s function. During my junior year of high school (2002), I began volunteering at Maui Memorial Medical Center’s Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment from a young age. I was able to learn so much during my volunteer experience and it gave me the confirmation that nursing was what I wanted to pursue. After graduating high school in 2004, I obtained my Nurse Aide certification which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings starting with long-term care. Shortly after my long-term experience, I was offered a job at the unit I once volunteered for working in a Pediatrics and Telemetry setting at Maui Memorial Medical Center. However, in 2007 my career ambitions were placed on hold after learning that I was going to be a mom. That meant I had to put my goals on hold. As a young, new mom I had to make the tough decision to leave my CNA job and find a job that paid more. I began working in the hospitality industry and grew as an individual. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies because many healthcare providers move to other states for better pay and a lower cost of living. Being rooted to Hawaii, having the privilege to care for the community that raised me will not only provide me self-fulfillment, but also great honor. So my intention is to stay in Hawaii regardless of the cost of living and pay and until I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to receive training on cardiac critical care so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures. I believe that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. Despite my busy schedule, I have been able to prioritize my schooling, maintaining a high GPA. Returning to school has been expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However, with how rigorous the nursing program is, I won't be able to work as much. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. I’d be lying if I said that the lack of income for 2 years does not keep me up at night. However, I firmly believe that my degree will provide a great advantage for our family’s future. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. It will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age and gained interest in the science of the human body. There were also times where I had to care for family members which added to the curiosity. During my junior year of high school (2002), I began volunteering at Maui Memorial Medical Center, assisting the Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment from a young age. Following High School graduation in 2004, I began my college journey and was able to complete a CNA certification course. My CNA certification allowed me to work in in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18. As I gained exposure to different healthcare settings, my passion grew for wanting to serve my community more. In 2007, my career aspirations were quickly placed on hold after learning that I was going to become a mom. That also meant leaving my then CNA job for a job that paid more. I began working in the hospitality industry and grew as an individual, working in multiple management positions. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it never provided me the self-fulfillment that healthcare did. After thirteen years in the hospitality industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. What could have steered anyone in another direction other than nursing, COVID-19 did the opposite for me. It provided me with reassurance that nursing is what I needed to do. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii and COVID-19 helped us to see that. The greatest need is healthcare staff rooted to the islands, because many nursing students move to the states after college for higher wages and a lower cost of living. That will not be my reality. I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in cardiac critical care because our cardiac program at our Maui hospital continues to improve and I would love to be a part of that. I believe that the more knowledge and skills I gain, the bigger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained a high GPA. I feel that I have returned to school with a more disciplined mindset and a greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have been able to be an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put their heart and dedication into it. Because of how rigorous the nursing program is, I won’t be able to work as much. My husband will become the sole provider of our family of five. I’d be lying if I said that the lack of income for two years doesn’t worry me. However, I believe that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household and will allow me to focus better on my studies. It will also help me afford the tools to be successful. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Sasha Tanaka and I’m a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall 2024. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years and also the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. After graduating high school in 2004, I obtained my CNA certification which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings such as at a long-term care home and at our main Maui hospital while at the age of 18. My ambitions were quickly placed on hold in 2007 after learning I was going to be a mom which meant leaving my CNA job that I enjoyed for a job that paid more. I began working in the hospitality industry and evolved as an individual. I was promoted to multiple management roles in both Guest Experience and Human Resources but the jobs I held never provided me the fulfillment that the medical field did. I always felt that my energy was being utilized for something I wasn't quite passionate about. So after thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finally accomplish my nursing degree. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. Although a scary time, COVID-19 provided me with reassurance that nursing is what I needed to do because my primary motive for going into healthcare was to be able to care for my community. Hawaii is in need of healthcare staff rooted to the islands and I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care for cardiac patients by taking training courses so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I've been able to set an example for my kids, that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put their heart and dedication into it. When I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider for our family of five. Knowing that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years keeps me up at night, but I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. It will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support because many move to the states for better pay and the lower cost of living. Being rooted here, having the privilege to care for the people of my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. So my intention is to stay regardless of the cost of living and pay and will retire here. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the larger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have shown my kids that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put their heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. It will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to gain self-fulfillment in caring for my community. But most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age and as I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body. During my junior year of high school (2002), I had the opportunity to volunteer at Maui Memorial Medical Center's Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment at a young age. From that point on I was hooked. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support. Primarily because many healthcare workers move to the states for better pay and a lower cost of living. Being rooted here, I feel that this island has raised me into the person I have become so I feel it is my duty to serve my community and intend to do so until I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. Another reason for returning to school was to be able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. I believe that my degree will not only provide me self-empowerment, it will give my kids the empowerment in wanting to be a better version of themselves. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to gain self-fulfillment in caring for my community. But most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age and as I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body. During my junior year of high school (2002), I had the opportunity to volunteer at Maui Memorial Medical Center's Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment at a young age. From that point on I was hooked. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support. Primarily because many healthcare workers move to the states for better pay and a lower cost of living. Being rooted here, I feel that this island has raised me into the person I have become so I feel it is my duty to serve my community and intend to do so until I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. Another reason for returning to school was to be able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. I believe that my degree will not only provide me self-empowerment, it will give my kids the empowerment in wanting to be a better version of themselves. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to gain self-fulfillment in caring for my community. But most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age and as I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body. During my junior year of high school (2002), I had the opportunity to volunteer at Maui Memorial Medical Center's Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment at a young age. From that point on I was hooked. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support. Primarily because many healthcare workers move to the states for better pay and a lower cost of living. Being rooted here, I feel that this island has raised me into the person I have become so I feel it is my duty to serve my community and intend to do so until I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. Another reason for returning to school was to be able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. I believe that my degree will not only provide me self-empowerment, it will give my kids the empowerment in wanting to be better version of themselves. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to gain self-fulfillment in caring for my community. But most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age and as I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body. During my junior year of high school (2002), I had the opportunity to volunteer at Maui Memorial Medical Center's Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment at a young age. From that point on I was hooked. After graduating high school in 2004, I received my CNA certification which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings. But when I learned that I was going to be a mom, I had to make the tough decision to put my career goals on hold and find a job that paid more. I worked in the hospitality industry for 13 years but always felt that it wasn't what my heart desired. So in 2019 I made the decision to return to school to finally accomplish my dream. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. What could have steered anyone in another direction other than nursing, COVID-19 did the opposite for me. It provided me with reassurance that nursing is what I needed to do. Hawaii is in need of healthcare staff who are rooted to the islands and I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I have been able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I have been able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides and thrive in the critical setting. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka and I’m a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age. During my junior year of high school (2002), I volunteering at Maui Memorial Medical Center, assisting the Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment from a young age. From that point forward I was hooked. After graduating high school in 2004, I was able to complete the CNA certification course which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18. However, my lifelong dreams were put on hold when I learned that I was going to be a mom. I had to make the tough decision to leave my CNA job and found a job in the hospitality industry that paid more. I grew as an individual in the hospitality industry and although I enjoyed it, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. In 2022, I was hired as a Hospital Aide in the ICU at our Maui hospital. Working in the ICU has provided me the opportunity of hands-on experience in caring for patients with critical health needs. Besides performing bedside care and assisting nurses with daily tasks, this job has also helped me establish a unique skill set in communicating with patients and family members compassionately and with confidence during challenging times. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU as a registered nurse. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have been able to be an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My great-grandfather Lelo, was a well-known midwife and herbal medicine distributor on Maui. I always believed that my passion for healthcare comes from my Lelo. He took care of the Maui community through herbal remedies and brought many into the world. I never had the opportunity to meet my Lelo but my mom states that he was a man of many traditional Filipino values some of which we still practice in my household. Filipinos make up a large percentage of the population here in Hawaii. Our culture and values are very similar to the Hawaiian people. Family always comes first, our food brings us joy, we are very hospitable, and enjoy sharing our culture with others. Because of our high population, having an understanding of Filipino culture is very helpful in a healthcare setting. I'm able to relate with my patients and it the patients become more comfortable with our care. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the program is. Because I won't be able to financially provide for my family, my husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience this lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

From a young age I had a passion for wanting to care for my loved ones. As I got older, I gained an interest in the science of the human body which added to the curiosity in possibly wanted to go into medicine after high school. During my junior year of high school (2002), I realized that nursing is what I wanted to get into, so I began volunteering at Maui Memorial Medical Center, assisting the Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment from a young age. After graduating high school in 2004, I was able to complete the CNA certification course which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18. My first healthcare job as a CNA was at Maui's long-term nursing home called Hale Makua. I also had the opportunity to work in a hospital setting at Maui Memorial Medical Center and also worked in home health for a year. But due to a life changing event ( becoming a mom), I was forced to leave my healthcare job for the hospitality industry because it paid more. However, in 2019 I decided it was time to return to school to accomplish the career my heart truly desired. which was focusing on my community. Here in Hawaii, there is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies because many have moved to the states for more pay and a cheaper cost of living. Being rooted here, having the privilege to care for the people of my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. My intention is to be one of the few that will stay in Hawaii regardless until I retire. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center. I currently work in the ICU as an aide and enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize school, receiving mostly A’s for the courses I've completed. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and as a bonus, I have been able to be an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However, once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

Aloha, my name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a non-traditional student returning to school, after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree primarily because I wanted to do something that would positively impact my community. And most importantly, I wanted to have the skillset to be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. After graduating high school in 2004, I immediately began my college journey and was able to complete the CNA certification course at the age of 18. After receiving my certification, began working at a long-term nursing home called Hale Makua. Although the work was hard at Hale Makua, I believe that is where I was able to develop most of my CNA skills because of how hard the work was. After working at Hale Makua, I was hired at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I had the opportunity to work on the Pediatrics and Telemetry floor. I really enjoyed the hospital environment therefore I knew that following graduation, I wanted to work in a hospital setting. However, in 2007 I had to put my career aspirations on hold because I learned that I was going to be a mom. That also meant that I had to make the tough decision to leave my CNA job that I truly enjoyed for a job that paid more. I began working in the hospitality industry and enjoyed it. The hospitality industry allowed me to grew as an individual without the need to go to school for it. I was had the opportunity to work in multiple management positions including Guest Experience and Human Resources. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it wasn’t what my heart desired. I always felt an uneasiness, like my focus was in the wrong direction. So after thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school to finish what I had started. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. What could have steered any pre-nursing student in another direction other than nursing, COVID-19 did the opposite for me. Instead of being fearful, the pandemic provided me confirmation that nursing is where I needed to be. I felt even more empowered in to get my nursing degree because I wanted be a part of my community overcome the tragedy. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides and feel that I thrive in the critical setting. There is always something to learn in the ICU and the care we provide continues to advance. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. The cardiology program at Maui Memorial Medical Center continues to advance and I would love to be a part of the continued evolvement. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the larger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have been able to be the example for my kids, showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put their heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family of five. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night, but I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. It will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I need.

Here in Hawai'i, there is a tremendous lack of healthcare resources. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies because many move to the states after receiving their RN degree for more pay and a cheaper cost of living. Being rooted here, having the privilege to care for the people of my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. My desire of becoming a nurse began when I was just a young girl primarily because I wanted the opportunity to care for my community and most of all, care for my close loved ones. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. I've found that I thrive in the ICU setting and I've really enjoyed the challenges of understanding my patients needs from a critical standpoint. With the help of nurses and intensivists, I have also been able to gain additional knowledge of the physiological aspects of patients and ways to treat them. I believe this has provided me an advantage as I enter my first year in the nursing program this fall. Eventually, I would also like to take additional training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. Our Maui Hospital continues to evolve in our cardiac program and I would love to be a part of it. I also will be working towards achieving my CCRN certification to better understand my role as a critical care RN. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the larger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have shown my kids that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put their heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. It will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree primarily because I wanted the opportunity to care for my community and most importantly, my loved ones. My college journey began in 2004 and during that time, I was able to receive my CNA certification. At the age of 18, I had the opportunity to work in multiple healthcare settings such as long-term care, at our local hospital and home health. In 2007, my dreams came to a screeching halt because I learned that I was going to be a mom. However, I made the commitment to myself that I would return to school when the time was right to complete my nursing degree. After thirteen years of being away from college, I made the bold decision to return to school to finish what I had started. After being in remission for 14 years, my moms breast cancer returned. Only this time the form of cancer was progressive and had spread to both breasts. She was required to undergo a double mastectomy procedure to remove the cancer and fortunately wasn’t required to undergo chemotherapy. Witnessing everything my mom went through both physically and emotionally was very hard for me. My mom enjoys her independence and when she couldn’t do simple tasks for herself, it really affected her. My sister and I became her sounding board, and did all we could to keep her spirits high. Just being present for her everyday helped her to avoid spiraling into a depression. At the time I had been completing my prerequisites for the nursing program. Going through this with mom made me want to learn more about cancer. Achieving my nursing degree will not only provide me with a better understanding of the disease, it will also teach me techniques on how to care for people who are diagnosed with cancer. Having an understanding will allow me to become an advocate and teach others about the signs of breast cancer and also educate those who may go through it or have a loved one going through it. Although my desire isn’t to go into Oncology after graduating, there will be moments that I will work with patients battling cancer while working in a hospital setting. Personally, being able to do that for my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. My mother is of Filipino descent. My grandfather's family came to Hawaii from Ilocos Norte, Philippines to work in the plantation fields. Overtime, my family became more established and resided in Lahaina Maui. My great-grandparents (who were called Lelo and Lela) lived on Prison Street in Lahaina where they raised my grandfather and his siblings. Lelo, was a well-known midwife and herbal medicine distributor, Lela was a homemaker. I’ve always believed that my passion for healthcare comes from my Lelo. Lelo took care of the Maui community and brought many into the world. I never had the opportunity to meet my Lelo but my mom always shared that he was a man of many values. His values stemmed from how he was raised with traditional Filipino culture. He raised his family to stick together and by doing so he often held many family gatherings at his house so that the family could just spend time together. Filipinos make up a large percentage of the population here in Hawaii. Our culture and values are very similar to the Hawaiian people. We always put our family first, our food will always bring joy, we are very hospitable, and enjoy sharing our culture with others. Because of our high population, having an understanding of Filipino culture and its different language dialects is very helpful in a healthcare setting. It helps us to relate and communicate with our patients more effectively but most importantly helps our patients to be more comfortable with our care. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the program is. Because I won't be able to financially provide for my family, my husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience this lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. There are two primary motives for my success. Being a mom, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained high grades. My first motive of success is to be able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. So far, my returning to school has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. My next motive of success is being able to care for the community that raised me. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my loved ones. I believe it will give me the ultimate honor and self-fulfillment. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support because many move to the states after receiving their RN degree for more pay and the cheaper cost of living. Being rooted here, my intention is to be one of the few that will stay regardless of the “Price of Paradise.” I am committed to my community until the day I retire. In a nutshell, success is beyond being financially successful which I believe is what many people immediately allude to. I believe that success is what provides you genuine heartfelt satisfaction. It’s what makes you happy and proud of yourself. And when you achieve success, your loved ones surround you with love and pride for your accomplishment. It's something that you can look back on and say, “Wow, I did that.” After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the ICU provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge and certifications I obtain with my license, the larger asset I will become for my community. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. After attending the nursing program orientation I learned that the average cost per semester would be around $5,000. This includes tuition, supplies needed and testing software costs required for the program. The financial relief that this scholarship would provide would help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need. It will also remove additional costs that my husband would have to financially cover. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I have been able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. I believe that college is the foundation to help you be successful in your future career. It provides you the tools and skills beyond what on-the-job training can do. Being a nursing student, I was required to take a few courses that at the time didn’t make sense to me on why I was required to take them. However, being that I’ve worked in a healthcare setting for two years now, it has become apparent why those courses were important for me to take. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support because many move to the states after receiving their RN degree for more pay and the cheaper cost of living. Being rooted here, having the privilege to care for the people of my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. So my intention is to stay regardless of the cost of living and pay and will retire here. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the larger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have shown my kids that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put their heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. It will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka and I’m a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. After graduating high school in 2004, I obtained my CNA certification which allowed me to work in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18. In 2007 I learned that I was going to be a mom. That meant I had to put my goals on hold. As a young, new mom I had to make the tough decision to leave my CNA job and find a job that paid more. I began working in the hospitality industry and grew as an individual. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. What could have steered anyone in another direction other than nursing, COVID-19 did the opposite for me. It provided me with reassurance that nursing is what I needed to do. Hawaii is in need of healthcare staff who are rooted to the islands. Many nursing students move to the states after college for higher wages, limiting our state of healthcare support. That will not be my reality, I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. In 2022, I was hired as a Hospital Aide in the ICU at our Maui Hospital. Working in the ICU has provided me the opportunity of hands-on experience in caring for patients with critical health needs. Besides performing bedside care and assisting nurses with daily tasks, this job has also helped me establish a unique skill set in communicating with patients and family members compassionately and with confidence during challenging times. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses. I feel that I have returned to school with a more matured disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have been able to be an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put heart and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. Being a mother of three, stating that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained good grades. I have been able to lead my kids by example by showing them that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. It has shown them that achieving their dreams first requires courage. Having the courage to step out of your comfort zone to learn something that interests you can be hard for some, but in the end it will benefit you as an individual. Not only have I become a leader in my kids eyes, I have set the tone for some of my peers that age should never discourage you if you are wanting to achieve your goals. Before returning to school, I worked in the hospitality industry. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school to finish what I had started. Many of my peers thought I was crazy for starting something new at my age and with a young family. I was even called “Selfish” by a long-time friend who didn’t agree with my decision. But because of the achievements I’ve made and how much happier I’ve become, many have had a change of heart. Some have even desired to return to school and I believe that if I didn’t lead them by example, they may have never considered returning to school. A leader, to me, is someone who can be an example for others and one who can empower them to be a better version of themselves. A great achievement of mine is becoming a leader for my kids and my peers. Returning to school has motivated my kids to do better in school and it has also encouraged some of my peers to want to accomplish their dreams. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. After graduating high school in 2004, I immediately started my college journey and was able to complete the CNA certification course. After receiving my certification, I worked in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18 such as long-term nursing at Hale Makua, at Maui Memorial Medical Center and also home health. I really enjoyed what I was doing and I learned so much about the healthcare industry. Unfortunately, in 2007 I had to put my lifelong dreams on hold because I learned that I was going to be a mom. As a young, new mom I had to make the tough decision to leave my CNA job for a job that paid more. I began working in the hospitality industry and grew as an individual. I was promoted and worked in multiple management positions including Guest Experience and Human Resources. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. When my mom was diagnosed in 2008, we were fortunate that it was in the early stages. She was able to remove the cancer with a minor surgery and radiation therapy. However after 14 years of remission, the cancer returned. Only this time the form of cancer was progressive and had spread to both breasts. She was required to undergo a double mastectomy procedure to remove the cancer and fortunately wasn’t required to undergo chemotherapy. Because of how extensive the surgery and recovery was, my mom needed my sister and I more than ever. Being that my sister and I are both moms, we had to plan out our schedule to ensure our mom was well supported and our own family was taken care of. My mom required frequent trips to Oahu which meant I had to stay overnight ensuring she had everything she needed while hospitalized. During her recovery period, my sister and I would rotate caring for her. We helped to bathe her because she could not reach her arms past her shoulders and was in a great deal of pain. We also assisted her with incision care and any household tasks that she couldn’t do on her own. Witnessing everything my mom went through both physically and emotionally was very hard for me. My mom enjoys her independence and when she couldn’t do simple tasks for herself, it really affected her emotionally. My sister and I became her sounding board, and did all we could to keep her spirits high. Just being present for her everyday helped her to avoid spiraling into a depression. At the time I had been completing my prerequisites for the nursing program. Going through this with mom made me want to learn more about the disease. I also became more self-aware of what I could do to personally protect myself because the type of cancer she had was hereditary and could potentially be passed down to my sister and I. Achieving my nursing degree will not only provide me with a better understanding of the disease, it will also teach me techniques on how to care for people who are diagnosed with cancer. Having an understanding will allow me to become an advocate and teach others about the signs of breast cancer and also educate those who may go through it or have a loved one going through it. Although my desire isn’t to go into Oncology after graduating, there will be moments that I will work with patients battling cancer while working in a hospital setting. Personally, being able to do that for my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center where I currently work as an aide. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. Additionally, I would like to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses, with the exception of one B. I feel that I have returned to school with a more disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have been able to be an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will become the sole provider of our family of five. I’d be lying if I said that the lack of income for two years doesn’t worry me. However, I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. After graduating high school in 2004, I immediately started my college journey and was able to complete the CNA certification course. After receiving my certification, I worked in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18 such as a long-term nursing home called Hale Makua, at Maui Memorial Medical Center and I also did home health for a year. However, in 2007 my career aspirations were put on hold after learning that I was going to be a mom. As a young, new mom I had to make the tough decision to leave my CNA job and find a job that paid more. I started working in the hospitality industry and grew as an individual. I was promoted and worked in multiple management positions including Guest Experience and Human Resources. Although I enjoyed my career in Hospitality, it truly wasn’t what my heart desired. After thirteen years in the industry, I made the decision to return to school in 2019 to finish what I had started. Following my decision to return to school, the pandemic began. What could have steered any pre-nursing student in another direction other than nursing, COVID-19 did the opposite for me. It provided me with reassurance that nursing is where I was destined to be. In my heart I believe that my focus and energy should be geared towards caring for my community. Hawaii is in need of healthcare providers who are rooted to the islands. Many nursing students move to the states after college because of higher wages, limiting our state of healthcare support. That will not be my reality, I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. As a wife, a mother of three, and an active competitive hula dancer, saying that my life is “Busy” is an understatement. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize schooling and have maintained A’s for most of my courses, with the exception of one B. I feel that I have returned to school with a more disciplined mindset and greater determination to earn my degree. As a bonus, I have been able to be an example for my kids, in that they can achieve anything they dream of as long as they put effort and dedication into it. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the program is. Because I won't be able to financially provide for my family, my husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience this lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need. Thank you for your consideration, Sasha Tanaka

I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age. Visits to the doctors office as a child always kept me curious. As I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body and began taking care of family members which added to the curiosity. During my junior year of high school (2002), I realized that nursing is what I wanted to get into after high school. So I began volunteering at Maui Memorial Medical Center, assisting the Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment from a young age. After graduating high school in 2004, I immediately started my college journey and was able to complete the CNA certification course. After receiving my certification, I worked in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18 such as long-term nursing at Hale Makua, at Maui Memorial Medical Center and also home health. But due to a life changing event ( becoming a mom) I was forced to leave the healthcare industry to find a job that paid more. Fast forward, in my adulthood, my desire to work in healthcare stems not only from wanting to fulfill my lifelong dream, but also from wanting to serve my community. I feel in my heart that my energy and focus should be to care for my community because living here in Hawaii, the focus tends to be less on the community and more on tourism. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support. One of the reasons is, many students move to the mainland after receiving their nursing degree because of better pay resulting in lack of staffing in our healthcare system. Another is due to COVID-19, and many having fear of entering the healthcare world because of it. That will not be my reality, I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. My ultimate goal is to care for my community. I am rooted here, this state has raised me into the person I have become so I feel it is my duty to serve my community. After receiving my degree, my hopes are to work in the critical care unit at Maui Memorial Medical Center. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides from personal trauma, heart conditions, critical renal disease, and other critical care needs that the island needs. My plan is to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community. Thank you for your consideration, Sasha Tanaka

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support because many move to the states after receiving their RN degree for more pay and the cheaper cost of living. Being rooted here, having the privilege to care for the people of my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. So my intention is to be one of the few that will stay regardless of the cost of living and pay and will retire here. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center. I currently work in the ICU as an aide and enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. As a mom and a current full-time worker, balancing life and school has been challenging. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize my schooling. One of the things I’ve done is set up a weekly checklist with tasks for me to complete including school work. By using a checklist, I’ve been able to prioritize my time and focus on my studies without getting overwhelmed. I also would not be successful with balancing school, career, and family if I didn’t have a supportive husband. Not only is he my biggest cheerleader, he has also taken on more household responsibilities when I need to focus on my studies. Although overwhelming at times, he has never made me feel like my schooling is a burden. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support because many move to the states after receiving their RN degree for more pay and the cheaper cost of living. Being rooted here, having the privilege to care for the people of my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. So my intention is to be one of the few that will stay regardless of the cost of living and pay and will retire here. After receiving my degree, my goal is to work in the ICU at Maui Memorial Medical Center. I currently work in the ICU as an aide and enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides such as trauma, heart conditions, and critical disease. As a mom and a current full-time worker, balancing life and school has been challenging. Regardless, I have been able to prioritize my schooling. One of the things I’ve done is set up a weekly checklist with tasks for me to complete including school work. By using a checklist, I’ve been able to prioritize my time and focus on my studies without getting overwhelmed. I also would not be successful with balancing school, career, and family if I didn’t have a supportive husband. Not only is he my biggest cheerleader, he has also taken on more household responsibilities when I need to focus on my studies. Although overwhelming at times, he has never made me feel like my schooling is a burden. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. My husband will therefore become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience a lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Sasha Tanaka. I am a current UH Maui College student, entering my first year of the nursing program this fall. I am a returning student after being away from college for about 13 years. I am also a mom of three and will be the first person in my family to achieve a college degree. I’ve always had a strong desire to accomplish my nursing degree. My primary reason for wanting to go into nursing was to be able to care for my local community. And most importantly, be able to care for my close loved ones if ever needed. My ultimate goal is to become an ICU nurse after receiving my nursing degree. My interest in understanding breast cancer grew when my mom was diagnosed in 2008. Fortunately during that time, it was in the early stages so she was able to remove the cancer with a minor surgery and radiation therapy. However after 14 years of remission, the cancer returned, only this time the form of cancer was progressive and had spread to both breasts. She was required to undergo a double mastectomy procedure to remove the cancer and fortunately wasn’t required to undergo chemotherapy following the procedure. Witnessing everything my mom went through both physically and emotionally inspired me to want to learn more about it so I could do more to help. I also gained more interest in knowing what I could do to personally protect myself given that the type of cancer she had was hereditary and could potentially be passed down to my sister and I. Achieving my nursing degree will not only provide me with a better understanding of the disease, it will also teach me techniques on how to care for people who are diagnosed with cancer. Gaining an understanding will also allow me to become an advocate and teach others about the signs of breast cancer and also educate those who may go through it or have a loved one going through it on how to cope and move forward with treating it. Although my desire isn’t to go into Oncology after graduating, there will be moments that I will work with patients battling cancer while working in a hospital setting. Personally, being able to do that for my community will give me great self-fulfillment and honor. Returning to school has been quite expensive but I’ve managed to pay my tuition out of pocket thus far. However once I begin the nursing program in August, I won’t be able to work as much because of how rigorous the nursing program is. Because I won't be able to financially provide for my family of five and my husband will become the sole provider of our family. The fact that our family will experience this lack of income for 2 years definitely keeps me up at night. But I know that the end result will be a great advantage for our family. Which is why this scholarship would mean the world to me. This scholarship will help to alleviate the financial stress of affording college while maintaining a household. The financial relief will help me to remain focused on my studies, without the worry of how I’m going to pay for my classes and the tools I’ll need. Thank you for your consideration, Sasha Tanaka

I was inspired to become a nurse from a young age. Visits to the doctors office as a child always kept me curious. As I got older, I gained interest in the science of the human body and began taking care of family members which added to the curiosity. During my junior year of high school (2002), I realized that nursing is what I wanted to get into after high school. So I began volunteering at Maui Memorial Medical Center, assisting the Pediatric unit where I was exposed to the healthcare environment from a young age. After graduating high school in 2004, I immediately started my college journey and was able to complete the CNA certification course. After receiving my certification, I worked in multiple healthcare settings at the age of 18 such as long-term nursing at Hale Makua Senior Living Center, at Maui Memorial Medical Center and I also worked in home health for a year. But due to a life changing event ( becoming a mom) I was forced to leave the healthcare industry to find a job that paid more. Fast forward, in my adulthood, my desire to work in healthcare stems not only from wanting to fulfill my lifelong dream, but also from wanting to serve my community. I feel in my heart that my energy and focus should be to care for my community because living here in Hawaii, the focus tends to be less on the community and more on tourism. There is a tremendous lack in healthcare resources here in Hawaii. Many healthcare providers struggle to fill vacancies that are critical for healthcare support. One of the reasons is, many students move to the mainland after receiving their nursing degree because of better pay resulting in lack of staffing in our healthcare system. Another is due to COVID-19, and many having fear of entering the healthcare world because of it. That will not be my reality, I intend on caring for my community until the day I retire. My ultimate goal is to care for my community. I am rooted here in Hawaii. This community has molded me into the person I have become so I feel it is my duty to take care of my community. After receiving my degree, my hopes are to work in the critical care unit at Maui Memorial Medical Center. I truly enjoy the diversity of care that the unit provides from personal trauma, heart related procedures, critical renal disease, and other critical care needs that the island requires. My plan is to gain more experience in critical care by taking training courses on heart procedures so I am able to care for those who have undergone extensive heart procedures and surgeries. I feel that the more knowledge I gain with my license, the bigger asset I will become for my community.