Inaugural Dr. Aluli Scholarship at JABSOM

Photo courtesy of Jordan Vedelli.

As the newest class of aspiring doctors kick off the beginning of medical school at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawaii, one student in particular will carry with him the legacy of Molokai’s Dr. Emmet Aluli. Jordan Vedelli is the inaugural recipient of the full tuition scholarship in honor of Aluli.

Vedelli grew up in Waimea on Hawaii Island, before boarding at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama and then heading to Stanford for undergrad. Now, he’s poised to study his community’s health needs, and contribute to the future of medicine in Hawaii.

“Dr. Aluli was a graduate of our medical school’s very first class,” explained Matthew Campbell, director of communications at JABSOM. “He was a pioneer in Native Hawaiian and rural health.”

Aluli passed away in November of 2022 after almost five decades of serving Molokai’s medical needs with the Molokai Family Health Center, and by co-founding Na Pu’uwai. Aluli likewise was well known for his passionate defense of Native Hawaiian culture, which included occupying the island of Kaho’olawe in protest of military bombing.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that Dr. Aluli shaped the Hawaii we live in today, and the void he leaves on Molokai is palpable,” said Campbell. “While he can never be replaced, the full-tuition Kauka Noa Emmett Auwae Aluli Memorial Scholarship, generously provided by the Alaka’aina Foundation and Hawaii Pacific Foundation, will help keep his legacy alive.”

“One thing I really appreciate about [Aluli] was his dedication towards culturally comprehensive healthcare and culturally competent healthcare,” said Vedelli.

Growing up in a rural community revealed to Vedelli the need for greater healthcare access, but also the connection between community, land and culture with healthcare – an intersectional approach uniquely inspired by the work of Aluli.

“He was the one who really focused on the connection between ‘aina and Native Hawaiian health, and how our connection with our community and the land and our culture really influences our health,” said Vedelli. “Looking to the future, and how I would like to practice medicine, I would really like to take that portion of his story with me.”