Hawaii Student Wins Full Scholarship After Community College

A Waimānalo student who chose financial responsibility over prestige is now transferring to the University of Hawaii at Mānoa with a full-ride Presidential Scholarship and a future in medicine ahead of him.

Masen Haoa Lapinad-Sorgent turned down several out-of-state universities after graduating from Kailua High School to start at Kapiʻolani Community College instead. His goal was simple: become a physician without drowning in student loan debt before even applying to medical school.

"I didn't want to take out loans so early in my education," Lapinad-Sorgent explained. "Coming from a family that taught me a lot about sacrifice, I knew I wanted to make decisions that would help me in the long run."

That calculated gamble just became a major win. The biology student will transfer to UH Mānoa this fall as a Presidential Scholarship recipient, one of the university's most competitive awards for Hawaii residents.

The scholarship covers full-time undergraduate tuition, provides a $2,800 per semester stipend, and includes a one-time $2,500 travel grant. For Lapinad-Sorgent and his family, it means continuing his education without financial burden.

But his community college years weren't just about saving money. Through Kapiʻolani CC's Lunalilo Scholars Program, Lapinad-Sorgent found belonging and dove into student leadership and undergraduate research opportunities.

Working with professor Amanda Alimboyoguen, he studied the medicinal properties of ʻuhaloa, an Indigenous Hawaiian plant, exploring connections between traditional healing practices and modern healthcare research. His work bridged ancient wisdom with contemporary science in ways that honored his heritage.

The Ripple Effect

Lapinad-Sorgent's research earned national recognition at the 2025 SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference, where he received awards for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation in Traditional Knowledge and the Native American/Indigenous Student Research Abstract Award. His success shows other Hawaii students that starting at community college doesn't mean limiting your potential.

The awards demonstrate how community colleges can offer hands-on research experiences once thought exclusive to four-year universities. Lapinad-Sorgent's path proves that strategic financial planning and academic excellence aren't mutually exclusive.

His story also highlights the value of staying rooted in community while pursuing ambitious goals. Rather than leaving Hawaii for "better" opportunities elsewhere, he found them at home while staying connected to his culture and family.

For aspiring doctors facing similar financial pressures, Lapinad-Sorgent's journey offers a roadmap: community college can be a launchpad, not a limitation, especially when it offers research opportunities and scholarship pathways that set students up for transfer success.

Sometimes the smartest path forward isn't the most prestigious one at the start, but the one that gets you where you need to go without unnecessary obstacles.