Hana Ola Healthcare Careers Scholarship
To support and inspire the future healthcare workforce of Hawai’i
About the Scholarship
Nā Puʻuwai is committed to strengthening the health and well-being of our communities by investing in the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through the Hana Ola Healthcare Careers Scholarship, we support our mission to home grow practitioners who understand the unique needs and values of our island communities.
By investing in our future healthcare workers, we aim to build a stronger, healthier community—one where kamaʻāina are empowered to return home and care for their own ʻohana and neighbors. Whether you’re entering nursing, behavioral health, medical assisting, or another allied health profession, this scholarship can help you along your journey.
Scholarship Award
Scholarship awards will be determined based on available funding. Multiple recipients may be selected depending on the number of qualified applicants and funds available.
Eligibility
High school graduate
Resident of Molokaʻi
Dedication to apply training to improve the health status of rural communities
Acceptance into a postsecondary program OR training in a healthcare profession that leads to a degree or certification
*A postsecondary program or training in a healthcare profession refers to educational pathways that individuals can pursue to obtain a degree or certification in a healthcare field.
2025 Scholarship Recipients
Misty Kahale, UNLV
“Healthcare on Molokai holds a special sense of urgency because our patients are also our friends, uncles, aunties, and cousins. I deeply resonate with Nā Pu’uwai’s mission to promote, address and improve the mauli ola of our lāhui; the “breath of life” of our people. As a home-grown family physician who is aware of the unique detriments facing Molokai’s health, I will strive to see blood pressures fall within its normal limits, for glucose and A1C levels to be below one-hundred and 5.7% respectively, and to keep prolonged harmful substances out of the body systems of my ‘ohana.”
Misty’s journey toward becoming a physician is deeply rooted in her upbringing on the rural island of Molokai, where curiosity about life and a commitment to her community shaped her early education. Inspired by her experiences exploring nature and witnessing the health disparities faced by Native Hawaiians, Misty is dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare challenges in her home community. She has already begun this work through her role at Nā Puʻuwai, where she contributes to integrative, culturally grounded care.
As a future homegrown physician, Misty is committed to improving health outcomes for her ʻohana by delivering care that treats the whole person, while also tackling chronic disease and promoting long-term wellness on Molokai.
Mallory Go, Brown University
“My exposure to the health disparities of my community has motivated me to address mechanisms, such as aggregated data, that underlie and contribute to health inequities that impact adverse neonatal health outcomes. I plan to continue to work on the application of big data to reduce the burden of disease in limited resource settings, with the aim of improving maternal child health outcomes in Hawaii.”
Mallory is planning to complete a PhD in health and biomedical informatics at Brown University, with the goal of improving outcomes in limited-resource settings like Molokai and ensuring indigenous communities receive equitable and culturally informed care.
Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a rural area with limited healthcare access, Mallory is committed to tackling issues such as physician shortages, inadequate prenatal care, and the harmful effects of aggregated health data that mask the needs of specific ethnic groups. Through her research in maternal and child health, she applies data science and epidemiology to uncover the root causes of disparities and develop data-driven solutions.
Cydnie Kawohi Duquette, Oregon State University
“With all the good that Moloka’i has brought me, these braided waters, which can be best known as a hidden treasure of native preservation, have also made something much more apparent to me–something that digs at the core of native well-being: the lack of mental healthcare. An island
away, I was shot into an entirely new world. It was in this world where I was able to interact with new people, new resources, and new perspectives that began to shape a clear image of the disparities present in my Moloka’i community.”
Cydnie’s commitment to improving mental health care for Native Hawaiian communities was shaped by her upbringing on Molokaʻi and her experience leaving the island to attend Kamehameha Schools, Kapalama on Oʻahu. It was only after leaving home that she began to recognize the disparities she had once accepted as normal—particularly the lack of access to mental health services.
Driven to address these issues, Cydnie is studying Psychology on a Pre-Med track, to receive my M.D. in Psychiatry with an emphasis on child and adolescents or family care. Her long-term goal is to return to Hawaiʻi as a Native Hawaiian physician who provides culturally grounded, affordable mental health services to Molokaʻi.
Kailana McGuire-Guerrero, UH Maui
“Living in a rural community, I’ve seen families struggle with limited access to medical care, a lack of healthcare providers, and the emotional toll of chronic illness and substance abuse. These experiences have made me passionate about patient advocacy and culturally competent care. I want to be a nurse who not only treats but listens—someone who honors each patient’s background, beliefs, and values.”
Kailana was inspired to pursue nursing after witnessing firsthand the healthcare challenges faced by her rural Molokaʻi community—limited access to providers, chronic illness, and the emotional burden of inadequate care. For her, nursing is more than a career; it’s a calling rooted in compassion, connection, and cultural understanding. She is especially passionate about community health and patient education, believing that prevention and culturally competent care are key to long-term wellness.
Her goal is to return to Molokaʻi as a registered nurse and eventually become a nurse practitioner, providing comprehensive, accessible care to underserved families. Driven by personal experiences and a deep desire to serve, Kailana hopes to be a trusted advocate who listens, honors her patients’ values, and strengthens her community from within.
Past Scholarship Recipients
Mallory Go, Brown University
Mallory Go is planning to complete a PhD in epidemiology after fulfilling her Five Year Undergraduate/MPH with her master's thesis focused on the variation of outcomes and healthcare service utilization among neonates. Mallory is looking to continue her research on health disparities among API and NHPI populations. Her exposure to the health disparities of her community has motivated her to address mechanisms, such as aggregated data, that underlie and contribute to health inequities that impact adverse neonatal health outcomes.
Clara Merkel, Grand Canyon University
Clara Merkel is currently pursuing nursing in order to achieve her long term goal of returning to Molokai and contribute to her community by delivering exemplary healthcare services. As she progresses in her nursing career, she aims to build confidence and expertise that will support her transition to becoming a Nurse Practitioner. Her aspiration reflects her desire to further elevate her role in healthcare delivery and showcases her passion to advocate for her community, ensuring they receive the highest standard of care possible while contributing meaningfully to healthcare provision on Molokai.
Bobbi-Li Morris, Southeast CC
Bobbi-Li Morris was Nā Pu'uwai's first scholarship recipient where she attended Southeast Community College's Radiologic Technology distance program and graduated with an Associates of Applied Science. Bobbi's ultimate career goal is to become a certified radiologic technician on Molokai and provide the highest level of patient care through efficient imaging procedures. She believes becoming a radiologic technician will help eliminate barriers of healthcare for the community facing outer island appointments and fill the need for local providers on the island.