The Matthew S. Therrien $1000 Memorial Award
Matthew Therrien was an aspiring English major at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, with a dream of becoming an English professor. He also was a gifted poet, greatly loved son and treasured friend at the time of his tragic death in a car accident on April 6, 2014.
In his memory, Stephen and Gloria Gainsley, good friends of the Therrien family, have launched the Matthew Somchai Therrien Award with a generous monetary gift. Over time, other donors have also contributed to this endowment. The annual writing award recognizes outstanding students majoring in English at UH Hilo.
English faculty nominate students for the award according to these criteria
- Must be an English major
- Must be in good academic standing (min. 3.0 GPA)
- Must have demonstrated course-work excellence in writing (fiction and/or non-fiction)
The following two criteria are highly desired, but not required:
- Demonstrated community service
- Publication of fiction or non-fiction (for example in Hohonu: Journal of Academic Writing or Kanilehua: Art and Literary Magazine)
The Howard and Yoneko Droste Awards
The Droste awards are made possible by a bequest by the estate of the late Howard and Yoneko Droste, longtime faculty members who taught a combined total of 45 years at UH Hilo in the English and Art departments.
English faculty member nominate students for the bookstore vouchers by using ballots.
The awards for excellence in writing are competitive. Students submit papers to specific awards categories. The papers are anonymized and undergo double blind review by English faculty. The writing awards are presented at the annual Spring College of Arts & Sciences Student Awards Convocation.
View a list of students awarded the Howard and Yoneko Droste Award.