HPU student John Rulmal, a native of Ulithi, Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia, was awarded a $500 scholarship from the Paradise of the Pacific Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA). Rulmal is a travel industry management major in the College of Business Administration.

Rulmal is a native of Ulithi Atoll, an area comprised of 49 small islands (four are inhabited) that is home to the fourth-largest lagoon in the world. With miles of unexplored reefs and underwater marine life, Ulithi could become a world-class diving destination—a factor that prompted Rulmal to pursue a degree in travel industry management at HPU.

“Our chiefs and island leaders have recently allowed visitors to come to Ulithi, and this has become a concern to the people. While they welcome visitors with open arms, the Ulithian people need to understand the business and the full effects of tourism,” explained Rulmal, who said he will become the first Ulithian with a tourism-related degree upon graduating from HPU next year.

“I’d like to guide Ulithi to become a world class destination that would not only provide jobs to the natives, but also allow them to share the rich Ulithian culture with everyone who goes there,” said Rulmal, who hopes to accomplish this through community awareness and education programs.