A homerun for local housing: Meet Lexie Tilton

Lexie Tilton will graduate from UH Hilo this May with a bachelors in business finance and a pre-law certificate.

Lexie Tilton came to UH Hilo from Oʻahu’s ʻIolani School on a softball scholarship — and somewhere between the diamond and the dean’s list, she found her real fight. This spring 2026, she graduates with a Bachelor's in Business Finance and a Pre-Law Certificate, headed to law school with one clear mission: helping local families afford to stay in Hawaiʻi.

Initially drawn to UH Hilo for the opportunity to play Division II softball on scholarship, Tilton quickly fell in love with the island's welcoming environment. “I love the community here. They say this campus is the most diverse in the world, and it has always felt very inviting and supportive, especially for the athletic community,” shared the #4 outfielder and 2025 PacWest Conference Co-Defender of the Year.

The transition from a structured high school to the freedom of a university setting allowed Tilton, who has repeatedly earned recognition for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher as a student-athlete, to flourish. She successfully juggled the rigorous demands of being a student-athlete with active leadership roles, serving as a student government secretary and representing her softball team on the NCAA Student-Athlete Committee.

Tilton also holds great pride in the world-class education she received. She emphasizes the prestige of the College of Business and Economics (CoBE), which is accredited by the AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), the highest standard for business schools worldwide. “We hold a distinction that places us in the top 6% of business schools globally.” Reflecting on the close-knit but powerful nature of the entire university, she adds, “We’re small, but we’re feisty, and we get it done.”

Her academic trajectory was profoundly shaped by UH Hilo’s dedicated faculty. Professor Sarah Marusek ignited her passion for the legal field by taking learning beyond the textbook to show “how law is integrated in our everyday life”. Additionally, Business and Management instructor Benjamin Zenk’s ethics class helped her seamlessly connect business, real estate, and law.

These academic connections are vital for Tilton, who is already a licensed real estate agent. Inspired by her mother — a first-generation college graduate and realtor — Tilton has her sights set on an incredibly noble goal.

This fall, she will attend the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to become a real estate attorney. Her mission is to combat the state’s soaring housing prices. “We want to be able to empower locals to become homeowners by creating more affordable housing so they’re able to stay here,” Tilton explained, citing sobering statistics of how many Hawaiʻi natives are forced to move away to make ends meet.

As she prepares to cross the graduation stage with her family cheering her on, she recognizes the milestone as a “bittersweet, nostalgic moment” that represents the culmination of all her hard work.

For prospective students, Tilton’s story is a powerful testament to the unique value of UH Hilo, where a student can step up to the plate, build an incredible foundation, and prepare to change the world.