HTA & HLTA Offering Ho‘oilina Scholarships

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association reports the introduction of the Ho‘oilina Scholarships for students pursuing degrees in the tourism, hospitality or culinary fields.

The Ho‘oilina (“legacy” in Hawaiian) Scholarships will be jointly funded by the two organizations and administered by the HLTA.

The scholarships are open exclusively to Hawai‘i public high school graduates who are planning to pursue degrees in tourism-related fields.

Five, four-year scholarships of $12,000 per student per year ($48,000 total) will be awarded to students admitted to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s School of Travel Industry Management or the hospitality programs at Brigham Young University Hawai‘i or Hawai‘i Pacific University.

Ten, two-year scholarships of $12,000 per student per year ($24,000 total) will be awarded to University of Hawai‘i Community College students participating in Hawai‘i Promise and who are transferring into the UH TIM School. The awards will be allocated among the Community College campuses, two for O‘ahu, two for Maui County, two for Kaua‘i County, two for Hawai‘i Island, and two for students from any island.

“The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority is very pleased to partner with the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association to introduce a program we believe is vital to the future of tourism in the islands,” said HTA President and CEO Chris Tatum. “Encouraging and supporting our exceptional public high school students in their college studies will develop future generations of island leaders and bring fresh ideas and perspectives to better enable us to compete in a global marketplace.”

“As a long-time proponent of public-private partnerships, I can’t think of a better way for government and business to collaborate than in supporting the educations of our young people,” HLTA President and CEO Mufi Hanneman. “The HLTA already offers nearly 60 scholarships for high school and college students, including many for hospitality students, but this is truly groundbreaking in monetary terms and for the future of our young people and the visitor industry. Kudos to Chris Tatum and the HTA team for their spirit of cooperation.”

Applicants will be selected based on grade point average, leadership skills, volunteer service, and internship experience. Recipients must enroll in ‘Ōlelo Hawaiian language and culture classes.

The Ho‘oilina Scholarship recipient selection committee will be co-chaired by Chris Tatum and Mufi Hannemann. Members will include leaders from across the state in the fields of hospitality, culinary arts, and education, as well as labor representatives and Hawaiian culture specialists.

Applications are now available on the HLTA website and are due at noon on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.