Get to Know Rita Aponte

“You’d be amazed at how many people don’t have degrees because they’ve been working adults for so long and just didn’t have the time. They don’t know if they could fit school into their schedule now and, since they never talk about it, they never learn what options are available for them.” – Rita Aponte

When Rita Aponte first learned that Bank of Hawaii was looking for a talented professional to join their People Services Center nearly a decade ago, her first thought was that she wouldn’t be the right person for the job. After all, Aponte had previously spent close to 20 years working as a station operations manager for an airline company. She wasn’t familiar with what a career in human resources required or if she had the necessary skills to succeed in such a role.

But Aponte learned about the job, about the process of onboarding new hires, conducting job orientations, making presentations about company benefits for Bank of Hawaii team members, and how to support employees getting ready for retirement. Her hard work ethic and willingness to learn paid off in the long term: today, Aponte is Senior Manager of the People Services Center, having celebrated nine years with Bank of Hawaii this past June.

“I love taking care of our employees, whether that’s helping to bring them on the Bank of Hawaii team or teaching them about their benefits,” says Aponte. “It’s never too late to learn.”

Being a lifelong learner is something that particularly resonates with Aponte, who was recently able to earn her bachelor’s degree in business administration. It’s a proud accomplishment made even more impressive by the fact that Aponte graduated with her college degree nearly 30 years to the date after graduating from Mililani High School in 1994.

“I’m a go-getter. I like to accomplish things and move on to the next project. After I graduated high school, I started working and climbing the ranks wherever I went,” she says.

Aponte always had plans to eventually attend college, but the rising cost of school tuition became a factor. She also already had a full-time job and was unsure how attending university classes would fit into her schedule. When Aponte got married and had a son, she saved for his education instead. Getting her college degree became a goal that Aponte put on the back burner to pursue her career.

“There was always this nagging feeling that I should still get my college degree—and that I was capable enough to do it,” Aponte says. “When I learned about Bank of Hawaii’s assistance programs for bank employees to attend college, I wanted to learn more.”

Since 2016, Bank of Hawaii has offered a College Assistance Program (CAP) and a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for bank employees who are interested in obtaining a college degree or continuing their college education by taking job-related courses. Created in partnership with Chaminade University, CAP and TAP offers tuition reimbursement for employees who have been employed at the bank for at least six continuous months, with no obligation to stay with Bank of Hawaii upon graduation.

Through Bank of Hawaii’s College Assistance Program (CAP), employees who have not yet earned a college degree can receive 100% of tuition assistance upfront before the beginning of each school term at Chaminade (although completion of courses and other obligations are required). This includes textbooks, fees, and “Focus on Finals Day,” which gives each employee one paid day off during finals week to study for their exams. Employees have the flexibility to select from different bachelor’s degree programs, such as business administration, political science, criminology & criminal justice, and psychology.

With Bank of Hawaii’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), employees can receive tuition assistance while pursuing graduate-level courses at Chaminade. This allows employees to obtain specialized knowledge in their field through specific courses or to generally further their education.

Employees can receive discounts for undergraduate and graduate-level courses at Chaminade University and University of Hawaii’s Community College (UHCC) system, either online or in-person. They can also pursue an accelerated associate of arts degree online.

Having virtual classes as an option while working on her bachelor’s degree proved to be a great asset for Aponte, who juggled her career as well as the responsibilities of having a family. Instead of having to take a leave of absence from work to attend traditional daytime courses at a university, Aponte was able to take classes online and on her own time.

“There were times I couldn’t do a course online because I had an appointment or was attending an event with my son, but I was able to take care of schoolwork later. It’s all on your schedule,” says Aponte.”

Part of earning an undergraduate degree involves learning basic life skills, such as teamwork and time management, which Aponte had already developed after many years working as a senior management professional. She didn’t have to join a classroom of 18- and 19-year-old freshmen in an entry-level course to learn how to work in a group or how to be confident speaking her mind, for example.

“I was already familiar with these concepts because I’ve had a successful career for decades. Instead, I wanted to learn at my own pace and be done with it,” Aponte says. “Some courses, I was able to finish in one month. Other courses took a bit longer because they were more involved. But you were on your own timeline, which made it easier.”

Since inception, 25 Bank of Hawaii employees have earned their degree with the help of the College Assistance Program (CAP), including Aponte. Since finishing her bachelor’s this past May, Aponte finds herself more empowered and self-assured in her role at the bank.

“I just feel better about myself. I’ve been fortunate that my not having a degree hasn’t held me back in my field, but having my bachelor’s has become a kind of validation for me,” says Aponte. “I’m proud of what I do and I’m good at it. My degree is a symbol of how far I’ve come.”

Want to learn more about others who make Bank of Hawaii the bank of Hawaii? Visit our stories archive.