College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Hawaii Pacific Foundation – Graduate Studies Funding

Currently accepting applications for Spring 2027 Admissions to the following eligible programs:

Graduate Certificates

Master’s Degrees

Funding Application

If you are applying to one of the eligible programs, please review the funding eligibility criteria and submit your application by October 1, 2026.

Apply for Funding →

The application has two parts:

  1. Applicant Information
  2. Short Essay Prompts
    • Why did you choose to become a teacher?
    • Why do you choose to continue teaching?
    • How is being Native Hawaiian important to you as an educator?
    • How do you see this program you are pursuing as beneficial and impacting
      you, your students, and your educational career?

About this Partnership

The College of Education has established a partnership with the Hawai‘i Pacific Foundation (HPF) in support of strengthening Native Hawaiian communities and creating opportunities for future generations. Over $100,000 in funding is being provided in support of initiatives that create meaningful opportunities and address the diverse needs of our communities. We thank Hawai‘i Pacific Foundation for contributing to our efforts that foster growth, resilience, and lasting impact across Hawai‘i.

About this Initiative

This project is designed to retain and support high-quality Native Hawaiian educators. By providing graduate student financial support, current licensed teachers can pursue professional development and leadership opportunities offered through one of our online and statewide graduate program pathways.

When pursuing a graduate program of study, educators gain new knowledge and competencies that support their work in the classroom and are often based on current best-research-based practices. Being in a program with other educators provides a professional learning community that often helps reignite the passion and desire to commit to the teaching profession. These efforts promote retention in the classroom and provide educators with career advancement and leadership opportunities within the state.

In addition, the HIDOE pay scale promotes salary advancement and reclassification opportunities for every 15 credits of professional development obtained. Therefore, scholars receiving these funds could be compensated with an additional $3,000–$6,000 each year after completion of their chosen program. Having higher salaries potentially leads to higher job satisfaction, reduces financial stress, and provides educators with the compensation they deserve.

With a longstanding commitment to support educators across the state and living on neighboring islands, this project will provide funding to current teachers who are living and teaching within Maui County (i.e., Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i). Participants can select and choose any online or hybrid graduate programs available within the College of Education.

 


SPRING 2027

Graduate Funding Applications Are Now Open

Applications are now being accepted for Spring 2027 admission to eligible College of Education graduate programs.


APPLICATION DEADLINE


October 1, 2026

Funding is available to eligible applicants in select graduate programs. Review the eligibility requirements before submitting your application.



Review Eligibility & Apply

HPF Funding Info

Funding support will cover five graduate students annually

•Two (2) Graduate Certificate graduate students (15 credits of tuition, approx. $10,000 each)

•Two (2) Master Degree graduate students (30 credits of tuition, approx. $20,000 each)

•One (1) Doctoral Degree graduate student (40 credits of tuition, approx. $30,000)

Funding will be provided in installments by semester, depending on program requirements and number of credits taken. Final installment would be provided upon graduation semester and advisor approval.

Note:Receiving award may impact financial aid. Check with your financial aid office
upon selection for receiving the award.

HPF funding recipients must:

•Be a current resident of Maui County (i.e., Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i)

•Identify as Native Hawaiian or Part-Hawaiian

•Be a licensed teacher in a public, private, or charter school in Maui County

•Be admitted to one of the identified College of Education graduate programs

•Share a funding recipient headshot and bio for the grant website, with the option to participate in the
Social Media Ambassador Project (SMAP) to share and highlight program-related experiences and knowledge with others

The College of Education offers a variety of graduate programs and pathways in education. Programs offered through the online or hybrid format are eligible to pursue as part of this funding opportunity. Programs may differ in number of credits and format, therefore please refer to the respective program website for more detailed information.

Note:Additional credits, fees, books, and/or travel costs associated with hybrid
in-person requirements on Oahu are not included within the HPF funding allotment.

Examples of available programs include:

Graduate Certificates

Master’s Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

* Add-a-field pathway: These programs are already approved through the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board
to be an added field for licensure once completed.

Current Recipients

We are proud to recognize our current HPF funding recipients for their dedication, resilience, and commitment to education. Their motivation to continue learning, serve their communities, and grow as educators reflects the strength and purpose behind this initiative. Through their achievements and perseverance, they inspire others and demonstrate the meaningful impact educators can make across Hawaiʻi.

Madison Maddela

Madison Maddela

Learning Design and Technology

Madison Maddela has a background in elementary education and has spent six years teaching in Maui schools, including Kahului Elementary School and Kamehameha Schools Maui. Her experience has included teaching first grade, sixth grade math, and reading intervention. She currently serves as a substitute teacher at Kamehameha Schools Maui while pursuing her master’s degree in Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

After her years in the classroom, Madison chose to step away from full-time teaching to focus on raising her family and continuing her education. Through the LTEC program, she is building on her experience as a classroom teacher while developing skills in instructional design, curriculum development, and educational technology. She hopes to use these skills to expand her impact beyond a single classroom by creating meaningful, accessible, and culturally grounded learning experiences for educators and students.

The Hawaiʻi Pacific Foundation Gift Award means a lot to Madison as she balances being a mom and graduate student. With her decision to step away from full-time teaching also came the decision to step away from a full-time income. This funding helps ease some of that financial burden and allows her to continue working toward her graduate degree while prioritizing her family. She is incredibly grateful for Hawaiʻi Pacific Foundation’s support as she works toward this next chapter.

Mikayla Pico

Mikayla Pico

Curriculum Studies – STEM2

Aloha mai kākou,

My name is Mikayla Pico, and I am from the island of Molokaʻi. I am an educator currently pursuing my graduate degree in Curriculum Studies–STEM2 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. My passion is creating meaningful learning experiences that honor students’ identities, connect them to ʻāina and community, and empower them to make a meaningful impact in their communities. I hope to use what I learn to continue the work my kūpuna began and serve Hawaiʻi’s keiki through education.

Receiving the HPF Gift has provided me with an opportunity to further my professional and educational growth. I am deeply grateful for the support and the opportunity to continue learning, growing as an educator, and bringing what I learn back to my students and community.

Graduate Assistantship

In addition to supporting five candidates with tuition funding, this project includes a Graduate Assistantship (GA) opportunity in support of project initiatives, management and fiscal duties related to scholarship, research, travel, and assistance with overseeing project outcomes and reporting.

2025–2027 HPF Graduate Assistant
Binbin Dou, coega@hawaii.edu