Alumni of the University of Hawaii Regents and Presidential Scholars program recently were honored at a 30th-anniversary reunion.

“The reunion was the first formal reunion organized by alumni and supported by UH and UH Foundation,” said Amy Agbayani, emeritus assistant vice chancellor for Student Equity, Excellence & Diversity. “For many it was the first time to reconnect after decades.”

Many in attendance at the John A. Burns School of Medicine shared personal stories of how the program made an impact on their lives. Today alumni serve as doctors, professors, lawyers, pilots and in other fields in Hawaii and around the world.

One of them, Dr. Cedric Lorenzo, entered the John A. Burns School of Medicine in 2000 after graduating from UH Manoa. Lorenzo serves as medical director for minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at The Queen’s Medical Center and UH Department of Surgery.

His advice for 2017 scholars was that they “enjoy the journey you are on and do not be afraid to venture into other areas and explore. Take a gap year if you must, but take all opportunities to see what else the world has to offer and truly find what your passion is.”

The Regents and Presidential Scholars program was begun under former UH President Albert J. Simone, the Board of Regents, Gladys Brandt and Kenneth Kato — establishing scholarships in 1986 for outstanding student achievement. Regents Scholars receive a full tuition for four years of undergraduate study. Presidential Scholars receive full tuition for two years of undergraduate study.

“With a team of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs administrators, faculty and staff, we developed a program that was, indeed, nurturing of the scholars,” said Doris Ching, UH acting director for The Academy for Creative Media and emeritus vice president for Student Affairs. “It was a privilege to implement and develop the Regents and Presidential Scholars (RAPS) program,” she said.

Maribel Apuya, another alumna, was a student at Manoa from 1998 to 2003. She initially planned to go to law school, but wanted to give herself time to explore before doing so. She moved to New York to attend a performing arts school, then realized that arts was where she belonged. The actress, screenwriter, producer and director recently produced and directed the short documentary “The Sakada Series,” which premiered at the Filipino Film Festival at the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art last month.

“Take some time to find out your soul’s purpose, and have fun doing it,” she advised new program scholars. “We all have our gifts — mediums, so to speak — to share with the world and make a difference. I really believe that when one finds that, that is the beginning of living a fulfilling life.”

Agbayani said the goal of the program is to nurture and keep “the best and the brightest” at UH and the state.

“We knew we had selected accomplished scholars, and we are so pleased that these scholars became professionals serving Hawaii in varied occupations,” Agbayani said. “It is inspiring to know that we were part of their personal lives and that UH funded a program that continues to support our community.”