Ten Big Island students have become the first beneficiaries of a prestigious new scholarship program made possible by a groundbreaking partnership launched earlier this year between the University of Hawaii at Hilo and the Dorrance Family Foundation.
Ten Big Island students have become the first beneficiaries of a prestigious new scholarship program made possible by a groundbreaking partnership launched earlier this year between the University of Hawaii at Hilo and the Dorrance Family Foundation.
The Dorrance Scholarship is an innovative, four-year award designed to benefit local students who are the first in their family to attend college. Each year, up to 10 eligible students will be awarded need-based scholarships of $8,000 per year to attend UH-Hilo. Awards are renewable for eight semesters, and additional cohorts of scholars will be added in subsequent years.
“A college education can totally change the course of a young person’s life,” said Chancellor Don Straney. “Thanks to the generosity of the Dorrance Family Foundation, these students will have the opportunity to do what no one in their families has done before and achieve the goal of earning a college degree.”
Prior to their freshman year, Dorrance Scholars will participate in a custom-designed summer bridge program to help them transition from high school to college. In future summers, Scholars will take part in international travel and employment preparation.
“With the help of the Dorrance Family Foundation, we are taking all of what we know in terms of best practices and applying it to helping these students be successful and graduate from college,” said Luoluo Hong, vice chancellor for student affairs.
The Dorrance Scholarship addresses a critical need at UH-Hilo, where some 70 percent of its 4,000-plus students are the first in their family to attend college.
The 2012 Dorrance Scholarship recipients, high schools and their home towns are: Kuliamai Aveiro-Kalaniopio, Kohala High School; Aprille Rose Cariaga, Ka‘u High School; Dylan Coffel, Pahoa High School; Tamiah Johnson, Hilo High School; Kaiulani Kamau, Kamehameha Schools; Clifford Kow Jr., Kealakehe High School; Kawehi Lopez, Kamehameha Schools; Alayna Machacek, Kealakehe High School; Ishael Shaw-De Mello, Waiakea High School, and Edward Torrison, Hilo High School.
For more information about how to apply for the Dorrance Scholarship, contact Maria Martin, Hilo scholarship coordinator, at mmartin@azfoundation.org or call (808) 557-6343.