SCHOLARSHIPS

USS BOWFIN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (PFSM) is proud to partner with the University of Hawai‘i Foundation on a new scholarship program to benefit students enrolled in specific Honolulu Community College (HCC) Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

The $26,000 scholarship endowment will financially assist students enrolled this coming school year in HCC’s Career and Technical Education program, which provides courses in the trade industry. The annual scholarships will be funded by the Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association and managed by the University of Hawai‘i Foundation.

“We are excited to partner with Honolulu Community College and the University of Hawai‘i Foundation on this scholarship program,” said Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum executive director Chuck Merkel. “There is a high demand for skilled workers at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and in Hawaii’s maritime industry. We want to help develop local students for good paying jobs here that will allow them to stay home, rather than relocating elsewhere.”

The scholarships will be used to pay for costs associated with attendance (tuition, books, fees).

To qualify for the scholarships, students wishing to apply for the PFSM/UH Foundation scholarships must be enrolled in the following Career and Technical programs at HCC:

    • Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology
    • Sheet Metal and Plastics Technology
    • Welding Technology
    • Occupational and Environmental Safety Management

More information on the scholarship application process will be made available in the near future.

DOLPHIN SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION

In partnership with the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation (DSF), the Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association (PFSMA) is proud to announce that DSF will administer the USS Bowfin Memorial Scholarship program beginning this fall for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The USS Bowfin Memorial Scholarship shall be awarded to a current or former qualified submariner, or their U. S. Department of Defense recognized spouse or child who are seeking financial assistance for undergraduate education and vocational/trade certification. The application window for the Bowfin scholarships will open on October 1, 2024.

USS Bowfin Memorial Scholarships are open to those who meet all the following criteria.

  • A current or former qualified submariner or their U.S. Department of Defense recognized spouse or child.
  • Served at least six (6) years of active duty in submarine service OR eight (8) years of active duty in submarine support billets. This includes Submarine groups or squadrons, training and maintenance facilities, Submarine Tenders, etc.
  • A minimum of two (2) years of active-duty submarine or submarine support service must have been served while permanently assigned to a command based in Hawaii.
  • All otherwise retired or discharged veterans must have received an honorable discharge.

Applicants that apply for the USS Bowfin Memorial Scholarship may be considered for other scholarships administered by the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation if all eligibility criteria are met.

 With $50,000 in scholarship funding this year, the scholarships will not be renewable, but recipients may reapply each year they are pursuing their first undergraduate degree or vocational certification. A selection committee will determine the number and recipients of the scholarship awards, with the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation administering the program.

LEARN MORE

USS BOWFIN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

The Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association awards the USS Bowfin Memorial Scholarships every year to current or retired submariners stationed or living in Hawaii. Immediate family members (spouse and children) of current or retired submariners stationed or living in Hawaii are also eligible. Since 1985 more than $1,300,000 in scholarships have been awarded.

 Current Bowfin Memorial Scholarship recipients are eligible to renew their scholarships even if their sponsor has been transferred from Hawaii, but they must re-apply. The Bowfin Memorial Scholarship program is administered by the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF). Applicants should complete an online Common Application process via the Hawaii Community Foundation website, and they will be automatically screened for eligibility for more than 200 other scholarships administered by HCF.

QUESTIONS

For questions related to the USS Bowfin Memorial Scholarship program, contact Mrs. Lana Vargas at (808) 423-1341.

 For questions pertaining to the online application process, please contact the HCF Scholarship hotline at (808) 566-5570 or email scholarships@hcf-hawaii.org

LEARN MORE