Scholarships awarded to top students at recognition program

Eighteen student pharmacists were honored at the May 1 DKICP Awards Night program by receiving one of the following eleven scholarships that have been generously endowed to the college.

CVS Health Foundation Pharmacy Scholarship – Established in 2009, the CVS Health Foundation Pharmacy Scholarship honors students in good academic standing that have demonstrated an interest in pursuing a career in a retail setting. This year’s recipients are Tyler Godinet and Yukino Sugihara.

Molokai Drugs, Inc. Scholarship – Molokai Drugs opened in Kaunakakai in 1935 and is Hawaii’s oldest family‐owned independent pharmacy. In 2018, then CEO David Mikami and President Kimberly Mikami Svetin President of Molokai Drugs, established this scholarship hoping to encourage and support DKICP student pharmacists as they begin their journey in the pharmacy profession. This year’s recipients are Alyssa Kam and Christine Kaela Ramos.

Grace Mizuko Miyawaki Pharmacy Scholarship – Grace Mizuko Miyawaki was a hospital pharmacist who retired as the Director of the Inpatient Pharmacy Department at Kuakini Medical Center. She established the Grace Mizuko Miyawaki Endowed Scholarship in Pharmacy in 2009 in memory of her parents, Jitsuo and Sawa Doi Miyawaki. This year’s recipient is Logan Acebo.

Haga Family Endowed Scholarship – Michi Haga‐Miller established the Haga Family Endowed Scholarship in 2009 in memory of her father Tokushichi Haga, who was an iisei (first-generation Japanese immigrant) who came from Fukushima, Japan, to work on a sugar plantation in Hawaii. This year’s recipients are Gellie Ann Dagupion and Brookelynn Mandaloniz.

Albertsons Safeway Community Pharmacy Scholarship – Established in 2010, the Albertsons Safeway Community Pharmacy Scholarship is awarded to a student with high academic achievement, who has demonstrated an interest in pursuing a career in community pharmacy. This year’s recipient is Marvin Rositzki.

Elwin & Valerie Goo Endowed Excellence Scholarship – Elwin and Valerie Goo are longtime supporters of the DKICP who established this scholarship in 2011. Elwin retired in 2008 as the Chief of Inpatient Pharmacy at Tripler Army Medical Center. This year’s recipient is James Santoki.

Mr. Nagakatsu Kumao Otsuka and Dr. Raymond Masashi Otsuka Memorial Scholarship – Dr. Anthony Otsuka, who retired from the DKICP Pharmaceutical Sciences department in 2015, established the Mr. Nagakatsu Kumao Otsuka and Dr. Raymond Masashi Otsuka Memorial Scholarship to honor his father and grandfather. This year’s recipients are Logan Jones and Charlotte Powell.

Hawaii Independent Pharmacies, Inc. Endowed Excellence Scholarship – This group was established in 1987 to unite all independent pharmacies across the state of Hawaii to engage and participate in group purchasing of merchandise generally sold in drugstores and other related activities. Upon the dissolution of the organization in 2011, the members voted to allocate its remaining assets to the establishment of the Hawaii Independent Pharmacies, Inc. Endowed Excellence Scholarship DKICP. This year’s recipients are Elyssa Ball, Raelynn Kiyuna and Kara Yama.

Edwin and Georgiana Kam Endowed Excellence Scholarship – Edwin and Georgiana Kam were born and raised on Oahu. Georgiana purchased and managed City Pharmacy from 1980 for nearly 30 years until she sold the business to Longs/CVS in 2008. The Kams established this scholarship in 2012 to encourage students with an entrepreneurial spirit and passion to pursue their particular area of interest in innovative pharmacy practice. This year’s recipient is Taylor Eleola.

John M. and Mimi F. Pezzuto Excellence Scholarship – Longtime supporters of DKICP, Dr. Hany Guirguis and Adele Etinas, who were co‐owners of Mina Pharmacy, established the John M. and Mimi F. Pezzuto Excellence Scholarship in 2015 to recognize DKICP’s founding Dean and his wife for their contributions to the creation of our college. This year’s recipients are Cierra Fujimoto and Krystle Imamura.

Ron and Alice Taniguchi Endowed Scholarship in Pharmacy – Dr. Ronald Taniguchi and his wife Alice Taniguchi endowed this scholarship in 2013 to support third- and fourth-year student pharmacists at DKICP that are high school graduates or residents from the neighbor islands of Kaua’i, Moloka’i and Lana’i. Dr. Taniguchi capped a 40-year pharmacy career as a faculty member at DKICP, retiring in 2011. This year’s recipient is Kallen Kobayashi.