Local nurseries, garden centers, and plant wholesalers grow their support at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
HILO —The Big Island Association of Nurserymen, Inc. (BIAN) pledged $15,000 to establish the BIAN Excellence Scholarship Endowment for students pursuing a degree in agriculture. Their $15,000 contribution will be equally matched thanks to a special scholarship matching program currently available at UH Hilo.
"We're excited to do our part and plant the much-needed seeds for the future generation of horticulturalists," said BIAN president Sean Spellicy.
The College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM) dean William Steiner said the timing for this new scholarship is opportune with increasing tuition and growing college enrollment. "The number
of students pursuing agricultural degrees
has been growing and we are especially
grateful for the BIAN endowment that will
provide ongoing support for CAFNRM
students," Steiner shared.
There are approximately 190 students currently enrolled in the CAFNRM, with many of the students in the College specializing in Tropical Horticulture.
This new scholarship will provide financial aid for students who have graduated from a high school in Hawaiʻi and are enrolled in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. Students must achieve a minimum 3.5 GPA.
BIAN was organized in 1968 and includes 73 members. Since the BIAN began, the Big Island has grown to be the hub of a $70 million dollar floriculture and nursery products industry statewide.
To learn more about how you can support UH Hilo, please contact Margaret Shiba at (808) 933-0829 or [email protected].
You can also make a gift online at www.uhfoundation.org/GiveToUHH.
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The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. Our mission is to unite our donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi's aspirations to benefit the people of Hawaiʻi and beyond. We do this by raising private philanthropic support, managing private investments and nurturing donor and alumni relationships. www.uhfoundation.org.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is a comprehensive university with five degree-granting colleges, six master's programs and four doctoral programs. UH Hilo strives to integrate culture and science, offer hands-on learning opportunities to its students and use the Island of Hawaiʻi as a natural learning laboratory. Enrollment has doubled since 1980 to over 4,000 students coming from all fifty states and more than 40 countries. Please visit hilo.hawaii.edu.
