Why would a girl who grew up in Seattle have her heart set on going to the University of Chicago of all places? What would draw her there? Was Mr. Davis still in Chicago at the time? If so, why did Mr. Davis choose Hawaii as his next stop?
read when awake
Same reason someone from Seattle might want to go to Harvard, or Columbia, or Stanford.
The University of Chicago is a world-renouned institution, and in some areas, especially the social sciences, is considered by many to be the best in the world.
One of those areas happens to be anthropology, which just happened to turn out becoming Stanley Ann's major.