Legislature to consider expansion of Hawai’i Promise scholarship
VIDEO NEWS RELEASE
University of Hawaiʻi
Daina Landeza-Olivier, Hawaiʻi Promise recipient
Daina Landeza-Olivier at Kauaʻi CC commencement
Daina Landeza-Olivier at Kauaʻi CC commencement
Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/ng
WHAT: The State House of Representatives Higher Education Committee is considering a bill to expand the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to UH Mānoa, UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu (Hawaiʻi Promise is currently only available to UH community college students who qualified for federal financial aid.)
WHEN: Wednesday, February 7 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Conference Room 309, Hawaiʻi State Capitol
WHO: Hawaiʻi Promise recipient Daina Landeza-Olivier of Kauaʻi, who, thanks to Hawaiʻi Promise, earned an AA in Hawaiian studies from Kauaʻi Community College in May 2023 and is enrolled at UH West Oʻahu, working toward a bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian and Indigenous health and healing.
MORE INFORMATION:
- HB1535 would add $19 million to UHʻs annual budget to fund the expansion of Hawaiʻi Promise to UHʻs three university campuses.
- Hawaiʻi Promise is only for students who qualified for federal financial aid after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- According to the 2023 annual report to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the Hawaiʻi Promise program has had significant, positive impact on UH Community College students with proven financial need.
- Hawaiʻi Promise recipients earn more credits (reducing time to degree and increasing likelihood of degree completion), have higher passing rates (3.0 grade point average or better) and are more likely to stay enrolled (69% vs. 65%) compared to non-Hawaiʻi Promise UH students.
- Eighty-four percent of the scholarship recipients would have been unable to enroll if not for Hawaiʻi Promise, and 60% were Native Hawaiians, Filipinos or from other ethnic groups underrepresented in higher education.
- Almost $3.8 million was awarded to 1,774 eligible students across the seven UH Community Colleges in fiscal year 2023. The average award per student was $2,142, covering direct education costs such as tuition, books and fees
- Since its inception in 2017, Hawaiʻi Promise has served 8,643 UH Community College students.
VIDEO: (TRT: 1:41)
BROLL:
in Kauaʻi CC taro loʻi
Landeza-Olivier graduation from Kauaʻi CC
Landeza-Olivier studying
SOUND:
Daina Landeza-Olivier, Hawaiʻi Promise recipient (said it helped with more than tuition) (:09)
“It helps me with food. It helps me with housing, clothing, gas, transportation.”
Landeza-Olivier (:16)
“I'm just very grateful it's there for those who are part of the community college level and it definitely needs to be there for the UH four-year level of education for students.”
Landeza-Olivier (:14)
“It's so important that all of our students and children and adults get educated at a higher level. It's just so important for us to be able to survive out here in the state of Hawaiʻi.”
Related UH News stories:
"Hawaiʻi Promise, financial lifeline for UH students, a success" https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2024/01/22/hawaii-promise-financial-lifeline/
"Kauaʻi recipient: Hawaiʻi Promise scholarship ‘needs to be there’ for 4-year campuses" https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2024/02/04/kauai-recipient-hawaii-promise-scholarship
For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2024/01/22/hawaii-promise-financial-lifeline/