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Classroom of students
Liko Aʻe Program Director Malia Davidson (far left) meets with Liko Aʻe Maui Scholars for a 2012-13 academic year orientation. (Photo courtesy UH Maui College)

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College has received a three-year, $4.7 million grant to support Native Hawaiian students with higher education scholarships and facilitate the development of their leadership potential.

The Liko Aʻe Native Hawaiian Leadership Program was selected to receive the grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Native Hawaiian Education Program. The grant was made possible under the Title VII Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Student scholars who are selected for the program will work with identified community groups in Hawaiʻi and across the country. Some of the planned activities include working with cultural practitioners throughout Hawaiʻi, presenting research at conferences and events throughout the state, participating in leadership programs in Washington, D.C. and the United Nations in New York, and participation in online scholarly forums and discussions.

According to Liko Aʻe Director Malia Davidson, the leadership program, which was formerly known as a scholarship program, will continue to provide scholarships to Native Hawaiian students as it has done since 2003.

“This grant will be no different, except for the higher level of scholarship support, and the expectation that the scholars will learn about their communities and provide services for those communities. We know that leaders are grown from within each community, and we hope to help in that effort.”

Davidson compared the student scholars of Liko Aʻe to a very large family.

“There are many personalities and individuals’ goals to care for,” said Davidson. “Best practices have emerged, and at Liko Aʻe, we believe we’ve found a balance to provide good service and successful scholars supported by their communities and our many partners. Thus, we continue to build and strengthen our lahui from the inside out, one scholar at a time.”

The application period for the 2013–14 Liko Aʻe leadership program begins on March 4, 2013. All students of Hawaiian ancestry pursuing higher education are welcome to apply. Instructions and requirements for this new project will be posted in February 2013. For more information, visit the Liko Aʻe website or call the Liko Aʻe Maui office at (808) 984-3553.

—Adapted from a UH Maui College news release

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