Paubox Kahikina Scholarship Recipient Luana Sproat: 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 Luana Sproat is a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Psychology on the pre-med track. Here is a word from Luana:

"Aloha! My name is Luana Sproat and I'm excited to share with you a reflection of the school year and the new updates that will be coming in the next. I am attending the University of Texas at Austin studying Psychology and following along the pre-med track.

Transferring from a small college in San Antonio to a big campus like UT Austin was no small feat. Leaving behind familiar friends, places, and teachers left me feeling alone in my new environment. Austin is a young city, full of life and I was excited to experience all that it had to offer. However, when the school year started, I found myself overwhelmed with the pressure of adjusting to a new campus, keeping up with rigorous coursework, and trying to find a sense of belonging in an unfamiliar environment. Thankfully I had a couple close friends who had transferred with me and through our struggles we were able to uplift each other. We encouraged each other to join organizations and clubs on campus, and what followed was a total change in scenery.

Throughout this past school year, I joined three organizations. Forever Texas(FTX), to meet social needs, Alpha Phi Sigma Pre Health Fraternity(APS), to aid in pursuing my academic path, and Texas Creative Union Project(TCUP) to serve as a creative outlet. FTX helped me to make friends and to find community within the campus. I participated in social, service, and sisterhoods events that brought about some of my most treasured friendships. APS brought opportunities to shadow doctors, to serve the community, and to participate in seminars that were conducted by various individuals within the medical community. Lastly, TCUP served as my creative outlet where I could make crochet, jewelry, and key chains. In addition to the art community I was able to be a part of, I also had the opportunity to sell in artist markets around the campus.

It was my involvement in these clubs that helped me adjust and feel comfortable in this new campus. From there I was cruising along through the school year. Yes, classes were difficult, and many times I would find myself swamped with the amount of classwork and club work I had to do. The constant prioritizing of classes, clubs, and personal health is exhausting and my time management skills were truly put to the test this year and through much trial and error I was finally able to get a balanced routine down. And that concludes the highlights of my second year!

Now on to my next big thing! I have decided to take a year and a half long academic leave to pursue a church mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I will be serving in the Salt Lake City Temple Square area. This opportunity is something I've prayerfully considered, and I'm excited to grow spiritually and serve others. I come back December 2026 and will be continuing school in the following semester(Spring 2027).

Overall, my time at UT Austin has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. I'm truly grateful to Hoala and Paubox for their support throughout my academic journey. Receiving the Paubox Kahikina STEM Scholarship has not only made it possible for me to pursue higher education, but it has also affirmed my path as a Native Hawaiian student in the STEM field; a dream I once thought was out of reach. This scholarship empowers students like me to push forward, and I feel deeply honored to represent Hawai'i and the community that shaped me. I'm excited for what the next chapter holds and ready to continue this journey with purpose and gratitude. I look forward to updating y'all soon!"

Read: Paubox Kahikina Scholarship 2025 Updates | Luana Sproat