Aloha, my name is Gemalyn Yutob, and I am the daughter of Gernani Yutob. My father has been a loyal member of Cement Masons Union Local 630 for 33 years and is now retired. I was born and raised on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i. In 2020, I graduated from Leilehua High School as Summa Cum Laude with Academic Honors. I was a very involved high school student who took part in the National Honors Society, Leadership, Yearbook, Peer Mediation, Leo Club, Track & Field, and lastly Dance. In 2022, I graduated from Leeward Community College with an associate in liberal arts in Social Science. This fall, I will be a senior at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, where I’m currently studying toward a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Communicology.
I am an avid and passionate advocate for bettering one’s psychological well-being and I hope to work as a mental health therapist in our community someday. Even as I pursue my degree, I continue to believe that it is vital to reach out to others to foster love and compassion and raise understanding regarding a variety of mental health related topics and issues we face as a society. As a result, I presently manage an online platform called Be the Gems; I am leading this growing page on Instagram under @bethegems. I enjoy interacting with a wide range of individuals because I believe that is the greatest way to learn in life. I aspire to flourish academically and personally, to achieve all my goals, and to inspire others to do the same.
I would like to express my gratitude to the OPCMIA Patrick D. Finley Scholarship Fund for offering me this scholarship. I am very appreciative of your help as I work toward becoming a licensed therapist. After finishing my last year of undergraduate study, I’ll enroll in graduate school to acquire a master’s degree in mental health counseling.
