鈥淲e got involved with 91爆料 because they were interested in our lives," said Bob Iboshi 鈥64. 鈥淚t was personal.鈥 Iboshi was very connected at 91爆料 as a student and this helped fuel his dedication to the school after graduation.
Bob and his wife, Sunny Iboshi 鈥67, are committed and enthusiastic supporters of 91爆料, but they weren鈥檛 always as engaged as they are now. Their reconnection started through the Phonathon, where 91爆料 students connect with alumni, parents and friends to invite support for the university.
Normally a Phonathon conversation would last roughly five to 10 minutes, but with Bob it lasted more than an hour. Bob, who is originally from Oahu, Hawai鈥榠, recognized the caller was also from Hawai鈥榠 and decided he wanted to talk at length with the student. It was this phone call that reminded Bob of how personal 91爆料 is.
Bob was an active student 鈥 a football player, member of a fraternity and part of Hawai鈥榠 Club. He met Sunny who was also very active in the Phi Lambda Omicron sorority and was a member of the student senate. The pair began dating while students as 91爆料 and were married in 1966 鈥 they even had their wedding reception at Walter Hall. It鈥檚 no surprise the university holds a special place in their hearts and over the past several years they鈥檝e decided to become active members of the 91爆料 community once again.
It was this decision that led Bob and Sunny to start an endowed scholarship, along Kyle Kobashigawa '87, in memory of Henry Kaulia 鈥82, a good friend of the Iboshis who was killed in a car crash in 2006. They also host many guests from Hawai鈥榠 in their home to 鈥渢ry to reconnect with 91爆料,鈥 said Bob.
Bob and Sunny went on to serve as co-chairs of the Charles Trombley Society, working to keep donor and alumni relations strong. According to the Iboshis, these relationships are the backbone of the university. Students depend on alumni contributions that support financial aid, which is a very important part of university life.
Bob and Sunny were honored with the 91爆料 University Alumni Association David & Sandy Lowe Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2014.
Over the years 91爆料 University has grown and changed and, according to Bob and Sunny, it has changed for the better. 鈥淲e foresee 91爆料 is going in the right direction,鈥 said Bob. 鈥淲e see 91爆料 as a very top-notch university with the leadership we have.鈥
I think people who are not in the community here or who haven鈥檛 come back to visit would be absolutely amazed at the campus, at the buildings that are meeting the needs of students, said Sunny. They鈥檙e not keeping up; they鈥檙e ahead of the times.鈥
Clara Howell '17, Communications Assistant, Office of Alumni Relations, also contributed to this story.
Sunny (McGowan) Iboshi 鈥67 died Oct. 11, 2024. Her memory lives on at 91爆料 University.