Alumni & Friends Scholarship Recipients
The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Alumni and Friends Association has awarded four students its 2015-16 scholarship. Keala Cowell and Joanna Norton each received $2,000 and Joyce Lilly and Chelsea Sato were awarded $1,000 scholarships to be applied toward their education at UH Hilo.
Keala Cowell graduated from Pahala High School and is seeking a B.S. in Agriculture in the Pre-Veterinary track. “It has always been my dream to become a veterinarian and to help animals.” She plans on applying to Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences next fall. Cowell was involved with the Student Union and served as senator of the College of Agriculture for the UH Hilo Student Association (UHHSA).
Joanna Norton graduated from UH Hilo with a B.A. in Biology and will be entering the TCBES master degree program this fall. She has been working since last spring as a research technician under Professor of Biology Rebecca Ostertag, experimenting with the restoration of hybrid forests with native and non-invasive species. “I am very interested in preservation strategies and agriculture research; continuing my education will allow me to do research that can make a positive impact on the environment.”
“He alii ka aina,” this land is your chief. Inspired by this statement, Joyce Lilly is pursuing a B.A. in Hawaiian Studies and a B.S. in Agriculture with a Tropical Horticulture Speciality. She plans to build a career in environmental conservation. “I have always been passionate about caring for the land as well as my culture…it is a necessity to protect the resources and knowledge of Hawai’i for our future generations.”
A graduate of Waiakea High School, Chelsea Sato is working on a double major in Chemistry and Mathematics. “My attendance at UH Hilo has broadened my horizons and uncovered my desire to further my education in the STEM field.” Sato took part in the Global Education and Exchange program by studying in South Korea for a year; she also assisted students from South Korea and Palau through the International Buddy Program.
The UH Hilo Alumni and Friends Association organizes two signature events annually to fund these scholarships: the Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament, to be held at the Waikoloa Beach Resort on Saturday, October 24, 2015 and the Distinguished Alumni and Service Awards Banquet, to be held on Saturday, February 27, 2016. Thirty-six alumni scholarships have been awarded to UH Hilo students in the past decade.