T-George Paris Iron Workers Scholarship

I am deeply grateful for the ironworkers scholarship that made my education possible, growing up in a fishing and farming family in Nānākuli. Raised by my mother, a retired janitor and homemaker, and my father, a retired ironworker, I learned the value of hard work and community. Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to attend MIT, the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara, and the University of Hawai‘i William S. Richardson School of Law. It has allowed me to serve my community in roles like First Vice President of the National Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Kapolei-Makakilo-Hono Kai Hale Neighborhood Board Chair, and as a board member for the Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. This scholarship has empowered me to transform my education into service, and I am truly grateful for that opportunity. – Makana Paris