VIDEO: Financial Aid College Workshops for Native Hawaiian Students

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJF26Ue5M10 /] By Maui Now Staff

The University of Hawaiʻi will offer four financial aid workshops in Maui County for Native Hawaiian students interested in attending college, and those interested in applying for college scholarships.

The sessions will take place on the following dates and times:

• Kahului: UH Maui College Student Lounge, Dec. 11, 2014 at 6 p.m.
• Lānaʻi: Lānaʻi High School Cafeteria, Jan. 27, 2015 at 6 p.m.
• Molokaʻi: Kulana ʻŌiwi, Jan. 28, 2015 at 6 p.m.
• Hāna: Hāna High School Cafeteria, Jan. 29, 2015 at 6 p.m.

Image courtesy University of Hawaiʻi.

The free AHA Financial Aid workshops in Maui County are part of a larger series being offered across the state for Native Hawaiians interested in attending college, learning about scholarship opportunities and fining out how to apply for financial aid.

The free financial aid presentations and workshops are open to high school and college students, parents, teachers, counselors or anyone interested in learning about the range of resources and financial aid available to Native Hawaiian students. The workshop will include a brief tutorial on how to fill out financial aid applications and strategies on earning scholarship money.

University officials say the effort is part of a statewide initiative to bring Native Hawaiian scholarship opportunities to underserved communities across the state.

“It’s a coming together of scholarship agencies and organizations who believe in the value of college for every person in Hawaiʻi,” said Judy Oliveira, Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs in a university press release.

UH President David Lassner also commented saying, “We’ve committed to increase the participation and success of Native Hawaiian students across the entire University of Hawaiʻi System. One of the keys to access and success is affordability. So we’re very grateful to our many partners for the availability of these scholarships and for helping us spread the good work throughout the state.”

The Native Hawaiian Scholarship AHA has assisted countless Native Hawaiian students in the process of appling for financial aid.

“Coming out of high school I was unaware of how I would pay for college because at the time my parents were unable to put me through college so I took it upon myself to find other means necessary in order for me to prolong my education to provide a better future for me as well as my family. I’m grateful and fortunate to not have paid anything since my Freshman year in college,” said Justin Pagan, UH Mānoa undergraduate student.