Project Kaihuwaʻa

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Thank you for your interest in applying for the Kaihuwa'a Scholarship Program. You need to pursue Engineering Techology (4-year), Electronics & Computer Engineering Technology (2-year) or Natural Science (2-year) to be eligible to apply to this scholarship. Download and review other requirements from the Application Form below.

Kaihuwa'a Scholarship Application Form

The deadline to apply is APRIL 26, 2019.

Scholarships available to students in STEM courses, UH Maui College receives $1 million grant

KAHULUI, Hawaii – Incoming freshmen and current students at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College pursuing STEM degrees may qualify for four or three-year scholarships made possible by a $1M federal grant to the college’s Project Kaihuwaʻa program.

The program aims to increase the academic success of low-income, talented students and improve overall retention, graduation and transfer rates to 4-year institutions.

UH Maui College’s faculty team behind Project Kaihuwa'a will select 24 qualified students through an application process and interview. Those enrolled in Engineering Technology (ENGT), Electronic & Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) and in Natural Sciences (NSCI) may apply.

In addition to the scholarship, the first cohort will receive STEM faculty mentoring, attend a recognition banquet, and have access to leadership activities and research opportunities.

“This innovative program is centered in promoting culturally appropriate learning in the development of our future STEM leaders,” said Dr. Michael Ferguson, associate professor of chemistry and co-investigator of the grant. “Kaihuwaʻa is the Native Hawaiian word for the prow of a canoe, symbolically representing leading UHMC toward institutional capacity to better serve low-income STEM students.”

Ferguson said the grant directly removes the financial barrier students face, and will address filling the gap in STEM-related jobs in the Hawaii workforce.

The five-year grant from the National Science Foundation was made possible because of support from Senator Mazie Hirono, who convened ​national experts from the NSF, the Small Business Administration, and the Office of Naval Research, for a U.S. Senate Small Business Committee field hearing at Maui High School in 2016.

Hirono said UH Maui College’s Project Kaihuwaʻa was “just the kind of initiative that I’ve been advocating for in Congress,” to support the pipeline in STEM-related businesses and jobs in Hawaii.

Those interested in the program and getting into STEM-related courses in UH Maui College may apply here.

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