“I remember the fear of hearing the emergency sirens and evacuation notices blaring throughout the house on all of our phones,” she says. “We could see  Central Maui from our home in Kula, and there was fire in multiple locations.”

In the following days, there was an outpouring of support to address various needs that changed from day to day: food, water, clothing, cots, and monetary donations. “The things that were needed on day one was not the same as what was needed on day seven or eight,” she recalls. And as part of the leadership cabinet at the university, she was also keenly aware that the upcoming school year would start in less than two weeks.

“UH Mānoa came forward to try to fill a gap that we were uniquely inclined to be able to fill, and that was to support students impacted by the fires,” she says.

To start, then UH System President David Lassner announced that UH, through the generosity of an anonymous donor, would offer tuition scholarships to the entire Lahainaluna High School Class of 2024. UH Mānoa also stepped forward to support the cost of attendance for more than 60 undergraduate and graduate students who were already enrolled at the time of the fires. UH Mānoa expanded its promise shortly after by committing to support all class of 2024 high school seniors impacted by the fires.

“In the initial days of us making this announcement and flying to Maui to tell families about our commitment, they didn’t get it at first. It seemed too good to be true,” she remembers. “The families would say, ‘Wait, what’s the gimmick? What’s the catch?’ and I told them this is what we do. This is our mission. We transform lives through higher education. I started tearing up talking to them about the phenomenal gift they were about to receive.”

Mānoa’s commitment has provided support for more than 200 students, including 10 who have received their degrees, and 51 incoming freshmen for the upcoming 2025 fall semester. The university estimates that they are investing about $700,000 - $800,000 in these students each semester. 

The Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success also created a dedicated position to support the unprecedented increase in Maui students. Jillian Strong has been the department’s Maui Case Management Coordinator since January. She was also born and raised in Kīhei.

“It’s interesting to see them navigate both the complexities of being a first-year college student while they are also experiencing a very life-altering event,” Jillian says. 

She adds, “Before this opportunity, a lot of our students didn’t see college as an option. It wasn’t in their plan. A lot of them were just going into the workforce immediately or helping with the family business. But now that these opportunities arise, they’re saying, ‘What else can I do? What can I get a degree in and elevate what I was hoping to do?’”

One of the things that makes this commitment so unique is that the sole requirement was that the student was impacted by the fires. “The reason we’re supporting them is we just want them to get back on their feet,” Kapā would tell donors. “We want families to be able to stay in Hawaiʻi and rebuild their lives.” From the beginning, the goal has been to help these students complete their degree so they can give back to Maui and support the revitalization of Lahaina and Kula.

“What we do today will be an example of what can happen in the future,” she continues. “This can be a model, and my hope is that in the long run, we can see the successes that have come out of this program and use that to pay it forward for the day when something else happens.”

For now, Kapā recognizes how much this program is making a difference. “I hope that this helps folks be able to afford living in Hawai‘i long term, and I hope this education will enable them to secure careers that wouldn’t have been possible or as lucrative without a higher education degree. It’s not just the students that we’re supporting. Their entire family benefits, and it’s changing a whole community.”

Read more about some of the students who have been supported by UH Mānoa from University of Hawai‘i News:

• “Amidst Maui Tragedy, Freshman Embarks on College Career” – January 10, 2024
• “UH Mānoa Program Helps Student Who Survived Lahaina Wildfire Graduate” – March 5, 2024
• “Lahainaluna Grad Reflects on Scholarship, Resilience After Fires” – April 16, 2025

To learn more about how you can support Maui students, visit www.uhfoundation.org/give/giving-opportunity/help-maui.