Paubox Kahikina Scholarship Recipient Gabbie Nakamatsu: 2025 update

 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

Scholarship recipient Gabbie Nakamatsu attends Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley to study Biology and Neuroscience as well as minoring in Japanese Studies and Biotechnology. Here is a word from Gabbie: 

“While I definitely miss home, I’m grateful to have a community of other students from Hawaiʻi here at Santa Clara with me. I have become involved with Ka Manaʻo O Hawaiʻi, our Hawaiʻi club. We are currently prepping for our annual lūʻau! The theme for this year is Mōhala I Ka Wai Ka Maka O Ka Pua, meaning “Unfolded by the water are the faces of the flowers”. Being able to continue to dance hula and enjoy Hawaiian food even while away from home has helped me to battle the inevitable homesickness.

I have also become heavily involved with Rho Psi Eta, a pre-health sorority that was founded in 2007. It is fairly new at Santa Clara, as our chapter was founded in 2020. I have taken on the role of community service chair, and have loved the opportunity to get involved with the greater San Jose area. Through this role, I have worked in the on-campus garden, a senior citizensʻ living facility, a nearby homeless shelter, and so much more. The opportunity to help out in this community has helped me to feel more comfortable away from home.

Aside from these, I am of course, busy with school. I am overloaded with credits because of my double major and double minor…but Iʻve loved every moment. I am hoping to become a lab TA for general chemistry and pursue some research in biology or neuroscience next year. As part of the Honors program here at SCU, we are required to take a class titled “Honors 20: Difficult Dialogues” which is strucutred around a controversial yet meaninful topic, and is all seminar based. I have been looking at global health and social determinants of public health in mine, which has been truly insightful.

Outside of school, Iʻve been able to explore the beautiful nature in the surrounding area. Through Hawaiʻi club, I was able to see Yosemite National Park and Bear Valley Ski Resort, neither of which I had seen prior to coming to college. Both were absolutely breathtaking, and I know that without Hawaiʻi club I would not have been able to make it out there!

I have also been skiing twice now, which has been SO much fun! I loved Bear Valley and Lake Tahoe, and would love to be able to make it out there more often. Very different climate from at home!

All in all, I am loving my time here and I am so endlessly grateful to Hoala and Paubox for supporting me in my academic career. Paubox’s Kahikina STEM scholarship is helping me to be able to pursue my education, for which I am forever thankful. This scholarship specifically aims to help students of Native Hawaiian descent who are pursuing a career in the STEM field, which is something I could have only dreamed for myself just a few years ago. I am humbled and honored to be able to represent Hawai’i and the community that raised me. Excited to see what the next year brings!”

Watch: Paubox Kahikina Scholarship 2025