{"id":208329,"date":"2024-12-20T14:21:39","date_gmt":"2024-12-21T00:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=208329"},"modified":"2024-12-20T14:21:39","modified_gmt":"2024-12-21T00:21:39","slug":"culinary-dreams-scholarships-hawaii-cc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/12\/20\/culinary-dreams-scholarships-hawaii-cc\/","title":{"rendered":"Scholarships fuel culinary dreams at Hawai\u02bbi CC<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Acupan
From left: Acupan and Chow<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For more than 25 years, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi<\/span> (JCCIH<\/abbr>) has been a steadfast supporter of Hawaiʻi<\/span> Community College<\/a>\u2019s culinary program through its signature fundraiser, “A Taste of Hilo.”<\/p>\n

I thought I couldn\u2019t teach or lead a team, but this program has shown me what I\u2019m capable of.
—Marielle Acupan<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This event has generated more than $200,000 in scholarships and program development funds, offering students invaluable hands-on experience and a chance to shine.<\/p>\n

This year, 20 culinary students received $500 scholarships from JCCIH<\/abbr>, empowering them to pursue their dreams. Among them are Casey Chow and Marielle Acupan, whose inspiring journeys highlight the program\u2019s life-changing impact.<\/p>\n

Casey Chow: Finding the fun<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Casey Chow\u2019s third try at college has proved to be the charm. After two previous attempts\u2014one in pre-med and the other in information technology\u2014he found himself working at Domino\u2019s Pizza, where he fell in love with the fast-paced nature of food service. An injury sidelined him, but also inspired a new beginning at Hawaiʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

“I didn\u2019t realize how fun cooking could be,” Chow said. “The instructors here are amazing; they encourage questions and foster growth.”<\/p>\n

Receiving a JCCIH<\/abbr> scholarship has been transformative.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m paying for this semester out of pocket,” he said. “The scholarship monies mean a lot. It\u2019s the extra breathing room I need. This program is life-changing for myself and my family.”<\/p>\n

Marielle Acupan: Turning passion into purpose<\/h2>\n

\"Marielle<\/p>\n

Marielle Acupan initially felt pressured to pursue nursing, however, her love for cooking, nurtured through family holidays and online inspiration from chefs in the Philippines to Gordon Ramsay, guided her toward culinary arts.<\/p>\n

Overcoming self-doubt, she enrolled at Hawaiʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr>, where she found a supportive network and honed her skills.<\/p>\n

“The friends I made keep me going,” she said. “I thought I couldn\u2019t teach or lead a team, but this program has shown me what I\u2019m capable of.”<\/p>\n

The scholarship is a big help as Acupan eyes graduation in spring 2025.<\/p>\n

“When I started college, I was worried about the financial burden on my parents,” she said. “This scholarship lightened that load and reminded me that others believe in me too.”<\/p>\n

Read more at Hawaiʻi<\/span> CC<\/abbr><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Culinary students Casey Chow and Marielle Acupan have received scholarships from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaiʻi<\/span>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[184,61,660,71],"class_list":["post-208329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-culinary","tag-hawaii-community-college","tag-student-recognition","tag-uh-community-colleges","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t