Scholarship Gifts Make a Family's Dream Real

 

For Trinh Ho, attending LMU was a decision that helped change his life. The youngest of four sons, Ho graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. But not long ago, his family’s hopes were only dreams.

Flight and Hardship
In 1990, Ho’s family fled Communist-ruled Vietnam. “We left everything behind and came here empty-handed,” says Ho. Through a humanitarian program, they settled in Hawaii.
    Despite hardships, Ho’s father always believed in the power of education and prayer. “His dream was to see all of his sons go to college and make a life for themselves,” says Ho.

The Impact of Gifts
Attracted by LMU’s religious identity and small student-to-faculty ratio, Ho enrolled at the university. His education was made possible through loans and two LMU scholarships based on need and merit, the Robert and Lois Atherton Scholarship and the Myles P. Dempsey Scholarship.
     According to Ho, his successful college career would not have been possible without the generosity of LMU’s donors. “Receiving scholarships is the reason why I am able to attend a prestigious university like LMU,” explains Ho. “If not for the generosity of donors, advisers and faculty, I believe I would still be back at home working part-time and going to a community college. Words cannot express how blessed and appreciative I feel for the help I received.
     “For my parents, watching their youngest child graduate from a prestigious university completes their long awaited dream since leaving Vietnam,” says Ho. “But to me, this is a new beginning.”