Six UH Hilo students receive scholarships from the American Association of University Women Hilo Branch
AAUW is a national organization that promotes equity and education for women and girls.
The American Association of University Women Hilo Branch recently awarded $8,000 in scholarships to six women attending the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and two attending Hawai‘i Community College.
AAUW is a national organization that promotes equity and education for women and girls. For over 65 years, the Hilo Branch of AAUW has been assisting women and girls to achieve self-realization through education. The group has been awarding scholarships since 1954. Currently, both UH Hilo and Hawai‘i CC are AAUW University Partners with the goal to strengthen the leadership skills of students and staff and to build community relations. The group awards scholarships to college students each year.
The 2019 recipients of AAUW Scholarships
Shantel Akau is pursuing her dream of becoming a registered nurse through the bachelor of science in nursing program. While raising her four-year-old daughter she works as a medical assistant and one day hopes to get a graduate degree in nursing and become an advanced practice registered nurse in her hometown of Hilo.
Skye Narvaez will be graduating with her bachelor of arts in communication and certificate in educational studies in the fall of 2019. In addition to being a mom of three, she plans to pursue a master of arts in teaching and ultimately a doctorate in education.
Heather Padilla, a mother of two, works part-time as a paraprofessional tutor at Kea‘au Elementary School. She plans to become an English teacher with a certificate in creative writing.
Ariana Dolan is pursuing a bachelor of science in agriculture specializing in animal science and is also obtaining a certificate in beekeeping. She volunteers at a local veterinary clinic and plans to attend Colorado State University for a doctorate in veterinary science.
Maya Goodoni has a bachelor of arts in environmental studies from UH Hilo and is currently enrolled in the tropical conservation biology and environmental science graduate program in an internship track. She has done an internship on a permaculture farm in North Kohala and assisted with the humpback Pacific survey.
Kailee Yoshimura is working on her bachelor of science in biology and hopes to continue to medical school and become a radiologist. She works for the US Department of Agriculture Pacific Rim Agricultural Research Center in Hilo researching preventable agricultural diseases.
Scholarships were also awarded to two students at Hawai‘i Community College. Annalise Cogan will be earning her associate of science degree in nursing with a goal to complete a master of science degree so she can become a nurse educator to help train future nurses. Annabelle Mufalli is enrolled in the architectural engineering and CAD (computer aided design) technology program and plans to continue her education at a four-year UH campus.
