Chans' $250,000 pledge to support Engineering transfer students

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Margot Schrire, (808) 956-6774
Director of Communications, UH Foundation
Posted: Oct 10, 2014

College of Engineering students work on electronics for a small satellite.
College of Engineering students work on electronics for a small satellite.

Annie and UH alumnus Fred Chan have pledged $250,000 to assist full-time undergraduate students transferring from any University of Hawai‘i Community College into the College of Engineering at UH Mānoa. Fred earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from the College of Engineering, and his MS in Information and Computer Sciences from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, and attributes the education he received at UH for much of his success.

“This incredibly generous gift from Fred Chan is aimed at a very important component of the College’s efforts over the last 8 years – assisting students transferring from UH Community Colleges into the College of Engineering,” said Dean Peter Crouch.

This new gift builds on the Chans’ philanthropic legacy at the College. In 2001, the Chans created The Fred and Annie Chan Endowed Scholarship Fund for Electrical Engineering to support students with an interest in pursuing careers in electrical engineering.

Fred Chan has enjoyed a successful career founded on innovation. In 1984, Fred Chan and Forrest Mozer founded ESS Technology Incorporated, a private manufacturer of computer multimedia products based in Fremont, California.  Today, the company holds a leading market share position in the digital video and audio market.

“In 1999, Fred Chan received the UHAA Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the community and his leadership in the engineering sector. Today, we recognize and thank him for his generosity and foresight in nurturing the success of future engineers through this important transfer scholarship, which will make it possible for students to continue their education without the burden of debt,” said UH Foundation President and CEO Donna Vuchinich.

Chan Scholarship for Transfer Students criteria

Recipient must:

  • Be a Hawai‘i resident.
  • Be the graduate of a Hawai‘i high school.
  • Demonstrate academic merit with a minimum 3.4 GPA.
  • Demonstrate some degree of financial need, not necessarily determined by federal guidelines.
  • Express an interest in pursuing a career in the field of engineering.
  • Submit an application essay of no fewer than 500 words expressing: 1) his or her motivation for pursuing a career in engineering; and 2) how this scholarship award will help to achieve academic and career goals.

To find out how you can support the students, research and programs at the College of Engineering, please contact Kellie Takenaka at (808) 956-2906 or kellie.takenaka@uhfoundation.org

You can also make a secure tax-deductible gift at www.uhfoundation.org/givetoengineering

The University of Hawai‘i Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawai‘i System. The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Foundation is to unite donors’ passions with the University of Hawai‘i’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawai‘i and our future generations. www.uhfoundation.org

For more information, visit: http://www.eng.hawaii.edu/