The Hilo Orchid Society recently honored University of Hawaii at Hilo students with the 2020-21 Yasuji Takasaki Memorial Scholarship.
Colin Conway is an agriculture major with focus on agroecology, Matthew Dye is an agriculture major with specialization in aquaculture and Paige Hamada is an environmental science major.
The Takasaki Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Yasuji Takasaki, a pioneer in orchid culture on Hawaii Island who made valuable contributions to the Hilo Orchid Society for decades. Takasaki strongly believed the power of a college education bestowed opportunities to diligent students. The fundamental purpose of HOS is to extend the knowledge, production, use and appreciation of orchids. One way this is done is through the support of UH-Hilo students who have academic goals that will promote and foster future development of the Hawaii orchid industry.
The annual scholarship pays a tuition grant of $1,500 per semester.
For more information about the Yasuji Takasaki Memorial Scholarship and Hilo Orchid Society, visit www.hiloorchidsociety.org/scholarships.html/.