YOUR Gift. YOUR Legacy: From across the continent, Reginald Reinhardt makes a difference for haumāna

When Reginald “Regie” Reinhardt reflects on the importance of giving back and doing what is pono, he stresses education as the ultimate key to success.

“Education redeems us; it can open doors and change lives,” Reinhardt says. “I chose to give to the Pauahi Foundation to perpetuate the legacy of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop in furthering the education of the Hawaiian people. I also felt it was my kuleana to honor my mother and sister — mana wāhine o Hawai‘i — with a scholarship on behalf of each. Being Hawaiian and guided by the Aloha Spirit, this is the legacy that I wanted to carry on.”

An integral aspect of Reinhardt’s legacy revolves around ‘ohana and his deep love and respect for his mother and sister, who passed away in 2023 and 2016, respectively.

While she did not have a formal education, Reinhardt explains that his mother “was an intelligent woman, filled with common sense. She taught me by experience and example and took great pride in my baccalaureate and master’s degrees.”

His sister valued higher education as well. She attended the University of Washington where she played on the women’s volleyball team.

“Her integrity and fortitude always inspired me,” says Reinhardt. He recalls the time when his sister literally saved his life, dashing out into the waves fronting Nānākuli Beach as he struggled to find the surface and pulled him to safety.

“Education, whether experiential or academic, has always redeemed our lives, allowing us to rise above our station in life,” Reinhardt says. “It is this legacy that my mother and sister would have wished to bestow on others. When my mother passed, it dawned on me that I wanted to honor them in some manner, and scholarships came to mind. I’m a very pro-female spirit and I draw my inspiration from that.”

When he was eight years old, Reinhardt’s family moved from Hawai‘i to Seattle, he says, “for a better education as one of the reasons.” He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington, and when he moved to New York City, he furthered his education by earning a master’s degree in liberal studies from New York University.

Reinhardt resides in New York City where he had a successful career working at only one company for 27 years. Once again, he attributes his success to education, allowing him to transition from a temporary employee, to ultimately working with the company’s chairman and his family.

“Education has always proved to be beneficial to me,” he says. “My education has helped me to succeed personally and financially, enabling me to establish these scholarship funds.”

Reinhardt donated $50,000 to the Pauahi Foundation to create two $25,000 endowed scholarship funds: the Elizabeth “Nani” Ling Reinhardt Scholarship Fund in honor of his mother (designated for Native Hawaiian female students pursuing a post-high education) and the Raynani Reinhardt Sports Scholarship Fund in memory of his sister (designated for Native Hawaiian female students who played volleyball or other sports and are pursuing a post-high education).

Kamehameha Schools has always captivated Reinhardt. As a keiki, he was enthralled by his brother’s attendance at a summer program at KS Kapālama. While he did not attend KS, that nostalgic experience, coupled with his love for his mother and sister – and their collective passion for education – motivated Reinhardt to make his generous gift to the Pauahi Foundation.

“Other institutions don’t have the same ties and roots that Kamehameha Schools and the Pauahi Foundation do,” Reinhardt says. “The focus of these scholarships is that they are granted to Native Hawaiian females. I’m fortunate and thankful that I could do this and find the right channel in which to accomplish it.”

Reinhardt recalls that “When my sister moved back to Kona, after having resided in Seattle for forty years, I thanked her for bringing us back to Hawai‘i. The scholarship aspect is about furthering education.

“I also wanted to give back and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture, steeped in the Aloha Spirit, and that’s what guided me to make this gift. My mom and my sister set the example for me about what a legacy of education engenders; that is what they would want me to bestow upon others.”

By including the Pauahi Foundation in your will or trust and making a planned gift, you establish a legacy that benefits generations to come. Contact Jeannin Jeremiah at jejeremi@ksbe.edu or (808) 534-8540 for information about collaborating with the Pauahi Foundation.