"If Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industries are to grow, their future leaders must have adequate educational funding in order to obtain their education. We intend to help our future leaders get the necessary education. HFSA’s leaders dreamed for years of establishing a scholarship program for Hawaiʻi’s aspiring agriculturists. Raymond Suefuji, our late president, visualized an industry commitment to educating our future leaders who choose diversified agriculture as a career. The HFSA has begun this process and we urge other commodity organizations to increase their own capability with a scholarship program as well."
Eric Tanouye, President,
Hawaiʻi Florists & Shippers Association
(Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) — The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is pleased to announce an additional commitment of $25,000 by the Hawaiʻi Florists and Shippers Association (HFSA) to enhance the Association’s endowed scholarship at the University of Hawaiʻi to $100,000. The endowment is managed by the UH Foundation.
HFSA was founded in 1948 and is an organization of florists, growers, and shippers, nurseries, and support industries directly connected to the horticultural industry. The combined generosity of its 400 plus members statewide, resulted in their first endowment check in 2003, of $50,000 which they presented to Dean Andrew Hashimoto who received the funds on behalf of UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), UH Hilo’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management, and the community colleges. This was followed by an additional $25,000 in 2005. Last year, in honor of the CTAHR Centennial, HFSA gave an additional $25,000 which brought the total endowment up to $100,000.
The Hawaiʻi Florists and Shippers Endowed Scholarship fund is one of the few industry scholarships that UH Foundation manages, assists agriculture students at UH Mānoa, UH Hilo and UH community colleges. To date this scholarship has been awarded to 6 students committed to careers in this dynamic field.
"I thank the members of HFSA for their generosity toward the students of the University of Hawaiʻi. Their commitment reinforces the mutually beneficial public-private partnership between the university and the business sector."
CTAHR Dean and Director Andrew Hashimoto
Statewide, this gift is making a difference, and attracting talented students to rewarding careers in Hawaiʻi’s agricultural field.
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The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is to unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations www.uhfoundation.org.
