In the news!

The University of Hawaii at Manoa has published a wonderful article about the Fellowship program and their/our four 2021 Fellowship award-winning students. This article summarizes why the Fellowship Board and our members do what we do in support of this program. 

2021 awardees from left, Ashley McGuigan, Erica Molnar-Bufanda, Kendra Nip and Caitlin Williams

A doctoral fellowship presented to students whose area of study improves the lives of women and girls, and contributes to the welfare of society was awarded to four University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students. Ashley McGuigan, Erica Molnar-Bufanda, Kendra Nip and Caitlin Williams received the Founder Region Fellowship from Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship, Inc. The award includes $10,000 of unrestricted funds to cover expenses to complete their doctoral degrees.

For a second consecutive year, UH Mānoa led the number of fellowships received with four of the eight awardees. The recipients come from graduate schools located in the Founder Region which encompasses Northern California, Hawaiʻi, Guam, the Mariana Islands and the Republic of Palau. They each were honored at this year’s Founder Region conference in April 2021.
“This award has allowed me to continue to take care of my family while devoting more time to completing my dissertation research this school year,” said Nip, a doctoral candidate in educational psychology. “As an added benefit, I had the opportunity to connect with other women who are also pursuing their doctorates, as well as a whole network of women who are committed to enriching the lives of others through education.”