The Paubox Kahikina Scholarship helps Native Hawaiian students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and Tech in general. Its purpose is to offer financial support and create a strong network for these students. The scholarship makes education more affordable and connects students with professionals, giving them valuable opportunities to learn and grow in their chosen STEM or Tech fields. This scholarship is about more than just money; it's about building a community and empowering Native Hawaiian students to succeed in STEM or Tech careers.
See also: The big ideas behind the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship
As a recent University Laboratory School in Manoa graduate and finished her first year of studying Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Here's a word from Cashel. Here is a word from Cashel:
“Hello! My name is Cashel Akana and I am taking a moment to stop and reflect on my first year of college. It flew by, that’s for sure. I’m really looking forward to next year already, but first I want to take a step back and appreciate the good and bad moments.
To begin, I had to adjust to college life — specifically, out of state college life. I had to get used to sharing my space with a roommate and not seeing my family. And because of the high-speed academics, I found adjusting to the new environment even harder. When I wasn’t awkwardly trying to make friends or stumbling my way through maze of the library, I spent hours in my room crunching numbers and balancing chemical formulas. But it wasn’t all that bad. I discovered the university’s craft center where I was able to do ceramics to give my brain a break. I decorated my dorm walls and still got to watch my favorite youtuber with my dad through facetime. I got comfortable with my new environment and new routine.
After acclimating to college life in my first quarter, I was rewarded with some sweet, sweet family time and a holiday trip to Japan. While I stuffed my face full of good food and tried my best to be the biggest shopaholic of the year, I really just enjoyed being with my family. Even though we weren’t at home, I still got to sneak out at night to eat a second dinner with my dad, took silly pictures with my mom, and played arcade games with my brother. It was awesome. Plus, I got to practice the Japanese that I’d been learning in college. When I returned to school, my happiness bar maxed out and my suitcase heavier, I buckled up for another quarter.
Though I had already gotten used to the college routine, I still had a lot of new experiences in my winter quarter. I experienced my first snow day in over a decade, and I also experienced my first difficult class of college. I found myself really struggling in my Communication class: Argument and Critical Discourse. The irony of my struggling was that I had no issue speaking in other classes when it was a byproduct of some other assignment, but when speaking was the assignment, I found it nearly impossible. My first big speech assignment ended with a panic attack in the bathroom and then me skipping the rest of the day’s classes. I tried my hardest to prepare for the next speech and just focused on pushing through the quarter. I met with the professor, rehearsed in front of my roommate, and just practiced like crazy. My second assignment went by much smoother! I felt a lot better about it and I even ended the course with a good grade.
After a quick Spring Break, I finished off my last term of the year. It wasn’t difficult, and looking back, I probably could’ve taken another class. Instead of stressing about academics, I got to have a really relaxed last term. I went to my University’s annual Ho’ike, went to a fashion show, enjoyed the spring flowers, and played volleyball at the gym. After moving out of my dorm and saying bye to my roommate(who I will be rooming with next year), I met up with my family in Seattle and we got to spend a week visiting my grandma. I had a great time, but was still happy when it was time to go home to Kaneohe and see my cat.
Currently, I’m working two jobs to save up over the summer, doing two online classes to knock out some requirements, and finding time to hang out with my friends. I’m enjoying my break, but I’m also excited to go back to school in the fall. Go Beavs!”
Read more: Paubox Kahikina Scholarship 2025 | Cashel Akana