UH Hilo Kipuka Center gets $2.5 million

The Kipuka Native Hawaiian Student Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo has been awarded more than $2.5 million in U.S. Department of Education grants.

The funding, announced by Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, is provided through the Native Hawaiian Serving Institution Education Grants Program. The grants will establish a new on-campus living-learning center and implement activities to support students and boost the institution’s graduation rate.

More than $1.9 million will be used to establish the Hale Kanilehua Living-Learning Center. The Center, in a renovated campus dormitory, will accommodate 50 students, two support staff, peer mentors and one scholar-in-residence. The Center will provide academic/social integration for new students and give them opportunities to explore and excel Hawaiian language and culture and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. It is anticipated that this grant will be for a total of two years.

More than $564,000 will establish programs to facilitate student engagement through living-learning communities, strengthen student leadership development and enhance Hawaiian language learning and teaching. It is anticipated this grant will be for a total of five years.

Funding for both grants is on a year-to-year basis with additional funding anticipated in the future.

The Kipuka Native Hawaiian Student Center is devoted to helping Hawaiian students from all majors and backgrounds achieve academic excellence. To learn more, please visit: http://kipuka.uhh.hawaii.edu/index.html.