$2.5 million in federal funding to support Native Hawaiian education programs at UH Hilo

HONOLULU—The U.S. Department of Education is awarding $2.5 million in grants that will support the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Kipuka Native Hawaiian Student Center by establishing a new on-campus living-learning center as well as implementing activities to further support students and help boost the institution’s graduation rate.

The federal funding is made possible through the U.S. Department of Education’s Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Education Grants Program.

The grant award descriptions are as follows:

$1,969,105 to renovate a campus housing facility to establish the Hale Kanilehua Living-Learning Center

This funding will be utilized for the construction of a living-learning center that would accommodate 50 students, two support staff, peer mentors, and one scholar-in-residence. It will provide a safe and supportive living-learning environment for students by successfully transitioning them into the University through first-year experience seminars and other academic/social integration experiences. The learning center’s aim will be to inspire students to explore and excel, particularly in Hawaiian language and culture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, as well as integrate their academic, co-curricular, and residential experiences.

It is anticipated this grant will be for a total of 2 years.

$564,341 to establish three activities that will improve persistence and graduation rates at the University of Hawaii at Hilo

* Facilitating Student Engagement Through Living-Learning Communities—This activity intends to facilitate student engagement through first-year experience seminars and other academic/social integration experiences and summer retention programs, peer mentoring, tutoring and learning communities, and faculty initiated activities and projects outside of the classroom.

* Strengthening Student Leadership Development—This activity will strengthen student leadership development through leadership courses, seminars and workshops, service-learning and campus and community-based learning opportunities, as well as planning and implementing an annual Hawaiian Leadership Conference.

* Enhancing Hawaiian Language Learning and Teaching—This activity will enhance Hawaiian Language learning and teaching through development and improvement of course materials, development of new courses and assessment tools, and faculty development and mentoring.

It is anticipated this grant will be for a total of 5 years.

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