OHA awards $1.1 million grant for higher education scholarships

News Release from OHA

HONOLULU (Dec. 19, 2019) – OHA approved today the selection of the UH Mānoa Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program to administer a $1.1 million grant for higher education scholarships for Native Hawaiian students.

Between 2010 and 2018, OHA provided more than 2,000 post-secondary education scholarships, totaling more than $5.6 million. The goal of this grant is to increase the number of Native Hawaiian students who graduate with an undergraduate degree or higher, or who earn a vocational education certificate.  The program has two priority areas: 1) to support scholarships for Native Hawaiians who plan want to pursue vocational certificates, undergraduate and graduate degrees; and 2) to provide wrap-around services for non-traditional Native Hawaiian students in order to help them complete a post-secondary degree or vocational or technical education.

The UH Mānoa Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program will provide OHA Higher Education Scholarships to Native Hawaiian students in UH’s ten campus system: UH Mānoa, UH Hilo, UH Maui, UH West Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Community College, Honolulu Community College, Kapiʻolani Community College, Kauaʻi Community College, Leeward Community College and Windward Community College. Each scholarship recipient will be matched with an on-campus coordinator and attend a scholarship orientation at their respective campus. The program will provide scholarship recipients with advising and mentoring, professional and leadership development, and cultural-based workshops.

The grant period is from February 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, with $550,000 allocated for each year.

For more information about OHA’s Higher Education Scholarship, contact the UH Mānoa Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program at ohastem@hawaii.edu.

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