(Photo courtesy of University of Hawaii)

MEDIA RELEASE

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents and President M.R.C. Greenwood honored and recognized 30 Hawaii students who have been awarded the prestigious Regents and Presidential Scholarships at an annual awards dinner in their honor July 19 at The Willows Restaurant in Honolulu.

The UH Board of Regents established the Regents and Presidential Scholarships to support Hawaii students with a record of outstanding academic achievement.

Its intent is to retain the best and brightest of Hawaii’s students here in the islands to attend the University of Hawaii and provide a quality higher education experience so they may go on to share their academic and personal growth with the state.

More than 300 students applied for the 2012 scholarships, of which only 20 Regents Scholarships are available to outstanding high school seniors and 10 Presidential Scholarships are available to incoming college juniors.

The 2012 Regents Scholars, high school attended and anticipated major are:

* Lucia Amore, Iolani School (biology)

* Alexander Bitter, Waiakea High School (journalism)

* Britny Ching, Sacred Hearts Academy (Hawaiian studies and psychology)

* Nicholas Farrant, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus (physics, minor in art)

* John Rommel Gawaran, Waimea High School (computer engineering)

* Daisy Green, Kealakehe High School (electrical engineering)

* Lauren Hill, Waiakea High School (chemistry)

* Shae Ideue, Pearl City High School (plant and environmental technology)

* Caitlin Kelly, Mililani High School (journalism)

* Angelica Lao, Moanalua High School (international business)

* Rachel Look, Pearl City High School (mechanical engineering)

* Hollyann Loui, Moanalua High School (biology)

* Brandon McMurtry, Kaiser High School (chemistry)

* Jen Samantha Rasay, Iolani School (English, philosophy, political science)

* Grant Takara, Kalani High School (mechanical engineering)

* Bryce Tanaka, Hawaii Baptist Academy (biology)

* Dustin Vuong, Mid-Pacific Institute (biology)

* Zhaotong Xu, Iolani School (biology)

* Kelly Zakimi, Moanalua High School (history)

* Shalin Zhang, Moanalua High School (biology)

The 2012 Presidential Scholars, campus last attended and current major are:

* Tyler Blair, UH Manoa (chemistry; graduate of Baldwin High School)

* Elyssa Correia, UH Hilo (political science; graduate of St. Joseph High School)

* Christopher Ian Escalante, UH Manoa (mechanical engineering)

* Suzette Farnum, Leeward CC (education)

* Yannic Gagnon, UH Manoa (physics)

* Rachel Gregory, UH Manoa (education)

* Dane Kurohara, UH Manoa (biology; graduate of Baldwin High School)

* Austen Lau, UH Manoa (civil engineering; graduate of Punahou School)

* Robin Michi Sweeney, UH Manoa (sociology)

* Jordan Wang, UH Manoa (biology; graduate of Kaiser High School)

Yannic Gagnon is also this year’s recipient of the Albert Simone Scholarship for Academic Excellence, a distinction offered to a Presidential Scholar with a particularly exceptional record of academic and personal achievement.

To be eligible for the Regents Scholarships, students must receive an SAT combined score of at least 1950 on all three sections of the test or ACT combined score of at least 29, maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in academic subjects in high school, and whose extracurricular achievements are shown to be remarkable.

To be eligible for the Presidential Scholarships, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.7 for all college level work, a record of sustained progress in academic courses, and evidence of superior academic achievement or creative endeavor.

Regents Scholars selected receive a full tuition waiver for four years of undergraduate study, and Presidential Scholars receive a full tuition waiver for two years of undergraduate study. All scholars receive $4,000 a year and a one-time travel grant of $2,000.

For more information about the Regents and Presidential Scholarships, visit www.hawaii.edu/raps

UH recognizes Hawaii’s brightest from University of Hawai'i System on Vimeo.