Following the initial awarding of scholarships to eight Honolulu Community College (HonCC) students enrolled in the school’s trade-related program, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (PFSM) has committed to funding for a second year of scholarship awards.

Eight HonCC students in the community college’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program each received a $3,000 scholarship intended to advance their education that helps cover tuition, books, and fees for the academic year. This year’s scholarship recipients are pursuing high-demand careers in Hawaiʻi’s trade sector. Four students—Mary Joy Plan, Keanumarc Castillo, Nathen Allen Ulep, and Reynard Juan—are enrolled in the Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology (EIMT) program, while four others—Johann Patrick Cornelio, Branden Castillo, Kekai Nielson-Cabagason, and Joshua Keiki-Dickinson—are part of the Welding Technology program.

These fields are essential to Hawaiʻi’s maritime and shipyard industries. The first year of HonCC scholarships was made possible through an initial $26,000 grant from the Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association and managed by the University of Hawai‘i Foundation. Because of the success of the initial award of scholarships, the submarine memorial association this month approved an additional $50,000 for another year of scholarship awards.

“Congratulations to all of the scholarship winners,” said Chuck Merkel, Executive Director of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum. “With the high demand for skilled workers at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and in Hawaiʻi’s maritime industry, we wanted to find a way to support students pursuing good-paying local trade jobs. This scholarship program is an important step in achieving that goal, and we’re grateful to Honolulu Community College and the University of Hawai‘i Foundation for making this possible.”