Apply Now For Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Scholarship, Please Support Our Scholarship Program      

The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle through its Filipino Media Foundation (HFC scholarship non-profit) for a fourth consecutive year since its inception will be awarding a scholarship of $2,500 to a Filipino college student majoring in journalism, mass communications or a media-related major from an accredited four-year university or college in Hawaii.

The publishers of HFC Dr. Charlie and Chona-Montesines Sonido (also managing editor) should be commended for continuing this scholarship tradition that helps a deserving college student and uplifts our Filipino community by ensuring our ethnic representation in a career field underrepresented by Filipinos.

Raising funds to support FMF scholarship program since the outbreak of the pandemic to the current high inflation times has been difficult which makes the 2022 scholarship endowment perhaps even more significant in terms of the publishers’ commitment to giving back to our community and promoting the journalism-mass communications profession.

Montesines-Sonido said, “The support for the scholarship program is a support to our Filipino youth and the community. We are in dire need of Filipino journalists. We hope you will be able to contribute and donate to the scholarship program for our future journalists who will be our voice and advocate in the community in the years to come.”

Alyssa Acob, FMF’s first scholarship recipient, said “I hope more people can donate to our scholarship program. It’s beyond just the financial aspect of it. With this scholarship, you get to be a part of investing in the future of upcoming writers, journalists, media managers, news anchors, radio hosts, etc. By donating, you also get to be a part of encouraging and uplifting students who may not feel like they deserve it, but they get to know there are people who do believe in them and want to set them up for success.” 

What scholarship means beyond money
Clearly a scholarship lessens the financial strain on students. It helps by enabling students to spend more time focusing on studying than working a side job. It drives down student college debt. In some situations specific to need-based scholarships, they make the difference on whether a high school student can attend college or must enter the work force full-time immediately.

But beyond monetary value there are other very profound, impactful ways a college scholarship helps a student. The scholarship endower is like a boss, mentor, coach saying to the student: “You’re doing well. We like your work. We believe in you, your future, and would like to help you succeed because we have faith in your potential, talent and discipline.”

To the hardworking college junior or senior receiving that scholarship, that financial reward is far different from the money they’ve been earning while working part-time in a non-career job and going to school.  That scholarship money represents the future and specifically rewards the student’s college work related to the student’s future career – be it journalism, engineering, medicine, etc.

A scholarship is validating to the student. It makes the student feel empowered, that he or she is making it happen and, on the way, to achieving a dream career — something that perhaps was imagined over and over for years as a teen.

A scholarship builds confidence because scholarships are usually competitive with many applicants. The student-awardee – chosen in most cases in a fairly rigorous process — feels a degree of accomplishment even before starting a career.

And like that “career boost” new workers talk about after finally achieving management or “titled” position at a company, to the college junior or senior receiving a scholarship, he gets a “college boost” – that leads to increased motivation and focus during the last and most critical stage of the student’s higher learning experience.

Scholarships help students to graduate and on time. It lessens the likelihood of dropping out due to finances.

A scholarship recipient also learns the value of philanthropy and giving back. In a world centered on self-advancement, self-promotion, often successful people with means justify their selfishness with an attitude of: “no one helped me, why should I care about someone else?”

But if a student did in fact receive some financial assistance that truly made a difference and provided opportunities that otherwise would not have been available, that is laying down the foundation for stronger communities and a better world because more than likely this now towering successful figure can and will be inspired to help others outside the family circle.

Donating to FMF scholarship program
There is a special, rewarding feeling when people also contribute to a scholarship foundation or program. People might not have enough in resources to give a large amount of money to benefit a hardworking deserving student. But in their small way that they can afford and donate perhaps $10, $30 or $100. These donations add up and could determine if a foundation or charitable non-profit can continue to offer scholarships.

If you would like to make a donation to the Filipino Chronicle’s FMF Scholarship Program, please call (808) 284-4185 or send an email to filipinochronicle@gmail.com.  Any amount is welcomed. And donations are 100% tax-deductible.

We wish continued success to our first three FMF awardees: Alyssa Acob, Brenna Flores and Jasmine Sadang. Applications are now being accepted until Nov. 15 for our 2002 scholarship. For more information and details, visit the Chronicle journalism scholarship webpage at https://www.thefilipinochronicle.com/scholarship.