Dear Members and Supporters:
As this year draws to a close, the AAUW Honolulu Board would like to mahalo our entire community. With your support and the help of our dedicated volunteers, we continue to amplify opportunities for local women and open the doors to economic security through academic scholarships, professional development grants, and community programming.
Here are some highlights from 2024:
We granted $40,000 in tuition assistance to 4 graduate and 10 non-traditional undergraduate students. Fassion Page, a Kapiʻolani Community College student who aspires to become a nurse practitioner wrote:
“…this generous support means the world to me and significantly impacts my ability to pursue my academic and career goals. More importantly, it reinforces the belief that anyone, regardless of their current situation, can start over and achieve their dreams. Your support is a testament to the idea that with hard work, dedication, and the right support, we can become what we aspire to be, no matter where we are in life."
We granted $25,000 in professional development grants to 12 women across the islands who are developing the skills needed to advance their careers. New this year was a partnership with AAUW Maui that allowed us to award additional funds to Maui residents. Some of our incredible awardees include:
Structural Designer Michelle Goo, a McKinley High School grad, studying for her Structural Engineering exam.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, Stefani Iwami of Kauai, a UH Mānoa and Chaminade graduate, seeking certification in Perinatal Mental Health.
Small business owner and Ph.D. student at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, Jessica Glazner, attending the Reef Futures conference to present the first chapter of her dissertation on coral resilience.
With the generosity of veteran pilot and AAUW supporter Tweet Coleman, we distributed $15,000 in tuition assistance to 3 women in the field of aviation. Awardee Anais Rodriguez, a University of Hawaiʻi graduate, wrote:
“Thanks to this scholarship I am alleviated of a lot of the financial stresses that come with training, allowing me to focus more on flying and studying. One day, I hope to be able to give back the same support I received and help guide women in aviation to achieve their dreams.”
Community Partnerships and AAUW Honolulu Programs
We supported the Hawaiʻi FoundHer program with grants totaling $35,000 to assist in their mission of empowering and accelerating women-led businesses rooted in culture and community. The program is especially for historically overlooked and unsupported AAPI and Native Hawaiian wāhine.
We also supported the Girls Talk Back Program with a grant of $15,000 to help reignite the summer program for girls between the ages of 14-18. The focus is on developing leadership, peace-building, and social justice skills, and then applying these skills to
address community issues outside the classroom.
We reintroduced in-person community programming with the launch of the AAUW Honolulu Women’s Circle. The group, which has drawn over 60 dynamic participants from a variety of fields and generations, gathers for intimate discussion and wisdom-sharing on topics that are pressing in the minds of professional local women.
Lastly, this year marked a new chapter in the evolution of our branch with the hiring of part-time Program Manager, Barbara Bumatay Picayo. Barbara has proved essential to the sustainability of our branch and we are confident that with this new staff position, the branch will be equipped to provide rewarding experiences and engagement for our entire community.
The tremendous number of applicants for our programs demonstrates that while we have much to be proud of, there is much work to be done. As we look forward to 2025, (and our 120th anniversary!) the AAUW Honolulu Board renews its commitment to serving our local community of women and we thank you for giving your time and resources to ensure that we touch as many lives as possible in the upcoming year.
Happy Holidays!
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