"A Celebration of Academic Excellence and Philanthropy"
(Hilo, Hawaiʻi) — On November 15, UH Hilo Chancellor Donald Straney and the UH Foundation brought scholarship recipients and donors together during UH Hilo's annual scholarship banquet celebrating academic excellence and philanthropy.
Thus far UH Hilo has awarded nearly $500,000 in private scholarships to 175 students enrolled for the 2010-2011 academic year. "Every privately funded scholarship makes a difference," said Jeff Scofield, UH Hilo Director of Financial Aid. "Scholarships are even more critical in challenging economic times. This year, the financial aid office has already processed 6,500 applications, 800 more than last year."
UH Hilo has the highest percentage of students receiving aid of any of the ten campuses in the UH system. 65% of UH Hilo's 4,000 students depend upon some form of financial aid to fund the cost of attending university. For first-year students at UH Hilo, the percentage is even higher&endash;74% of freshmen are receiving financial aid.
Speaking during the program, endowed scholarship donor Mitchell Dodo, vice president/operations manager of Dodo Mortuary, shared how he and his wife, as well as his mother, father, sister, grandfather and other family members, are all products of the University of Hawaiʻi System who have remained in the state to launch their careers and utilize the education gained at UH to serve the community. He added, "Tonight, however, is not about me or my family. It's about those who are honored tonight by receiving a scholarship...we are simply pleased to be able to provide another tool to help make a college degree a reality for those who are willing to work for it."
Margaret Shiba, senior director of development at UH Hilo, acknowledged the support of an anonymous donor who made a groundbreaking $1.5 million gift to UH Hilo in April 2009. With part of this gift, UH Hilo created the "Student Access and Successs" matching gift program, offering dollar-for-dollar matches to donors of new scholarships Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of many local donors, this program has raised $600,000 to date, with $400,000 still available to double the value of additional donations.
For more information on how you can support UH Hilo and leverage your gift with the "Student Access and Success" matching gift program, please contact the UH Hilo Office of Development at (808) 933-1945.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF: Robbyn Peck
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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 two 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 nearly 4,000 students coming from all fifty states and more than 40 countries. Please visit www.uhh.hawaii.edu.
