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In Chinese mythology, Dragon’s Gate sits atop a cascading waterfall that cascades down a legendary mountain. Many carp would swim up against the river’s strong current, in hopes of turning into a powerful dragon upon crossing the gate. However, very few are capable of making the leap. The ability for a carp to make the leap from the river through the gate is a symbol of courage and perseverance.
For Donovan Ching’s family, it is also a symbol of his success and accomplishments in life.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, the self-made businessman was an embodiment of the Dragon’s Gate tale. Ching, a graduate of Roosevelt High School, joined the United States Coast Guard before continuing his education at City College of San Francisco. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at San Francisco State University. His interest in the shipping industry led him to start Pacific Transportation Lines, Inc., a minority-owned full-service logistics shipping company in Hawaiʻi.
He was known to others as a hardworking, self-made man who truly valued education, supported the arts and music, and wanted to give back to the Hawaiʻi community. In fact, he saw giving back as an investment, not a cost. To honor this idea and Ching’s passion for education and philanthropy, The Donovan K. I. Ching Foundation was established.
Toward the end of his life, Ching was diagnosed with cancer, and was thinking about how to continue supporting education after his death. After discussing the idea with a friend who encouraged him to support the medical school, the foundation set up the Donovan K. I. Ching Memorial Scholarship to further honor his memory.
The four-year scholarship is awarded to first-year medical students who are residents of Hawaiʻi and have financial need. Preference is made for graduates from a Hawaiʻi public high school and/or graduates from the University of Hawaiʻi and/or students with disadvantaged backgrounds. Scholarship recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their medical degree in order to remain eligible for the scholarship in subsequent years.
In 2021, scholarships were awarded to three students in the Class of 2025. This was the inaugural cohort. The second cohort is composed of three other students from the Class of 2026.