Four Maui County students receive Josh and Souk Jerman Foundation scholarships

Four Maui County high school seniors have been awarded $1,000 each by the Josh and Souk Jerman Foundation Scholarship program. 

Now in its 19th consecutive year, the Josh and Souk Jerman Foundation Scholarship (formerly the Josh Jerman Maui Nui Scholarship) program has provided scholarships to students who will attend an accredited four-year college or university.

To date, the program has awarded more than $59,000 in scholarships to Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i high school seniors who have displayed a passion for returning to Maui County after college to contribute to the community.

“We were impressed by the number of applications we received this year, as well as their quality,” said Josh Jerman. “Maui Nui has a new generation of exceptional students with bright futures ahead of them who are mindful of living and working in Hawai‘i after university.”

This year’s recipients are Aiden Bluh of Maui Preparatory Academy, Kaylee Volner of Seabury Hall, Samantha Joyce Della of Maui High School, and Tommy Musto of Hawaiʻi Technology Academy. In the fall, Volner will attend Santa Clara University with plans to major in biochemistry.

Della will attend Grand Canyon University, where she plans to study nursing. Musto is heading off to the University of Portland with his sights set on a business degree. Bluh will attend the University of Michigan, where he plans to major in marketing.   

“I am so honored to be a recipient this year for this amazing scholarship,” Volner said. “To Josh and Souk Jerman, thank you for creating this scholarship to support students hoping to continue their education. This scholarship will be a great help for my family and I as I attend my first year at Santa Clara University.”

Like Volner, Bluh said he is honored to have been selected as one of this year’s recipients. To Josh and Souk Jerman, he said, “Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. College is very expensive and I cannot thank you enough for the generosity shown to me. This scholarship will make a significant impact on my life.” 

Musto is also grateful to have been chosen for the scholarship award. “It is great to be one of the recipients and be able to financially help my parents,” he said. “It really makes a difference and I appreciate that they [Josh and Souk Jerman] are helping kids strive for their dreams.”

Della said the scholarship will help her achieve her long-term goals. “I was so excited to find that I was selected as one of this year’s scholarship recipients,” she said. “I’d like to thank Josh and Souk Jerman for this scholarship opportunity and for allowing high school seniors to share their stories and passions.”

Volner said all college-bound students should consider applying for scholarships. “My advice to high students who are considering applying to scholarships like the Josh and Souk Jerman Foundation Scholarship is to explore all the opportunities created by the wonderfully generous people and foundations,” she said. “Definitely apply to as many of the scholarships you are eligible for, as they will help you achieve your future goals.” 

Della also encourages other high school seniors to seek out scholarship opportunities. “A piece of advice that I would give to other high school seniors that are considering or doubting themselves about applying for scholarships is to just apply,” she said. “I applied for this scholarship, as well as others, not knowing the outcome, but in the end, there’s nothing to lose. Scholarships are the best way to earn money for college and there are always going to be people in the community that are willing to help out students.”

Josh Jerman, an award-winning, top-producing real estate broker on Maui since 2004, and his wife, Souk, are the founders of the Josh and Souk Jerman Foundation Scholarship program. To learn more, visit http://jermanfoundation.org.