A $2 million donation from the Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Foundation will create a scholarship program for nursing students at the University of Hawaii Maui College, according to a news release.

There’s a critical shortage of nurses in Hawaii, with nearly 150 open positions for licensed practical nurses and registered nurses on Maui in 2022, according to a report from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. 

The Kam Scholars Program will provide full scholarships for nursing students starting this fall at Maui College, and the program will last for the next 10 years. The merit-based scholarships will provide first- and second-year nursing students with funds for tuition, books, fees and other costs. 

“Our current … students are experiencing multiple financial stressors, which create barriers to their learning,” said Mary Farmer, Allied Health Department chair, in the news release. “The Kam Scholars Program will make a tremendous impact on helping our students thrive in nursing school and beyond.”

The Kam Scholars Program is named for Aileen Chuck’s father, Dr. Edwin T. Kam, who died in 1993. He was born on Kauai in 1904 and trained as a physician in China and at the University of Pennsylvania. He had a medical practice in Windward Oahu. Aileen Chuck died in June 2023, seven years after her husband died. 

Ron Purdy, a trustee for the Gilbert and Aileen Chuck Foundation, said the foundation believes investing in a nurse is an investment in an individual, their family and the Maui community. 

“We hope that the scholarships make the students’ enrollment a little easier and provide a feeling of accomplishment for their hard work in pursuing their careers,” Purdy said. “We are pleased to make a difference in the future for these aspiring students and that Maui’s health will be better for their hard work at the college pursuing their career."