When Jennifer Wong-Ala defended her doctoral dissertation at Oregon State University, she glanced at her Zoom screen and saw a familiar name: L. Kaneta. In that moment, the newly minted PhD thought about the incredible journey that brought her here – from her humble beginnings in Waimānalo, where college felt like a distant dream, to earning a doctorate.
“I never imagined I’d earn a PhD,” Wong-Ala said. “When I learned I had been selected for the first-ever Lunalilo Scholars cohort at Kapiʻolani Community College, I cried. That moment changed everything for me. The program gave me a foundation, a sense of belonging and the confidence to keep going.
More than a decade later, that same sense of transformation echoes through the experiences of Kapilialoha Kidder, Jamilyn Moriguchi and Sydney Burgher – all former Lunalilo Scholars who now help others find their footing in college. Each carries a story of perseverance: balancing work and family, navigating the uncertainties of being college students and discovering confidence through community. Their participation inspired their family to also reimagine their lives, including Kidder’s father who returned to Kapiolani CC after 20 years and became a Lunalilo Scholar.
