Two UH Hilo students honored with scholarships from Big Island Press Club
The Big Island Press Club’s annual scholarship dinner will be held on Thursday, May 5, at Hilo’s Seaside Restaurant to honor 2016 scholarship recipients.
By Lara Hughes.
Two students from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo have received scholarships from the Big Island Press Club. The press club, the oldest on the island, awards scholarships each semester to students pursuing writing and journalism.
Eric Vega and Hannah Hawkins have been honored with scholarships from funds commemorating Hugh Clark ($500) and Marcia Reynolds ($1,000), respectively. Journalist Clark, former Honolulu Advertiser Hawai‘i Island bureau chief, was one of the founders of the press club along with Reynolds, a former Hawaii Tribune-Herald reporter.
Eric Vega
Vega is a junior at UH Hilo majoring in kinesiology and exercise science . He is a sports writer at Ke Kalahea and plays baseball for the Vulcans. He comes from Los Angeles and spent 28 days on the road this year, traveling for sports.
“Baseball is the game I have loved since I was three years old,” he says. “It will always have a special place in my heart. As I come to my last few years of baseball, my love grows stronger and stronger.”
About coming to the islands, Vega says, “I always wanted to live in Hawai‘i.”
Playing college baseball has given him that opportunity. Now, the scholarship from the press club will help provide money for his continued education. In the future he hopes to apply to graduate school.
Hannah Hawkins
Hawkins also is a junior at UH Hilo majoring in kinesiology. She writes for the student newspaper Ke Kalahea and serves as the sports editor and copy chief. She hails from Oregon and in her free time enjoys roller derby.
Scholarship Dinner
The Big Island Press Club’s annual scholarship dinner will be held on Thursday, May 5, at Hilo’s Seaside Restaurant to honor all 2016 scholarship recipients. Keynote speaker is award-winning Hawai‘i TV news reporter Keoki Kerr.
About the author of this story: Lara Hughes (junior, business administration) is a public information intern in the Office of the Chancellor.
-UH Hilo Stories
