The Paubox Kahikina Scholarship helps Native Hawaiian students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and Tech in general. Its purpose is to offer financial support and create a strong network for these students. The scholarship makes education more affordable and connects students with professionals, giving them valuable opportunities to learn and grow in their chosen STEM or Tech fields. This scholarship is about more than just money; it's about building a community and empowering Native Hawaiian students to succeed in STEM or Tech careers.
See also: The big ideas behind the Paubox Kahikina Scholarship
As a 2023 recipient, Erika is now a rising junior studying mechanical engineering at MIT. Here is a word from Erika:
“My sophomore year was much busier, with more technical and project-based classes. My favorite class was in design and manufacturing, where we explored the design process and learned how to machine parts and build mechanisms from scratch. This class culminated in a robot competition on a Wicked-themed game board. While it seemed intimidating to design and build my own robot, it was exciting to compete with my robot and see the creative designs and strategies my classmates came up with.
Outside of classes, I played ultimate frisbee, performed violin in chamber music groups, and built mechanisms for an autonomous boat team. In my free time, I enjoyed having movie nights with friends, became obsessed with crocheting, and worked on craft projects in the maker spaces.
This summer, I’m interning in the Netherlands with Oyster Heaven, which is a company that designs artificial oyster reefs to help restore native oyster populations and improve ocean water quality. I hope to gain practical experience in ocean engineering, and I am excited to explore parts of the Netherlands and immerse myself in a different culture.
Mahalo to Hoala Greevy and Paubox for supporting my education and organizing events like the winter networking event. Attending this event was a valuable opportunity to connect with professionals in STEM and to gain insight into mechanical engineering opportunities and applications within Hawaiʻi. After completing my studies, I hope to contribute to Hawaiʻi’s efforts in addressing climate change through engineering solutions.”
Read more: Paubox Kahikina Scholarship Recipient Reflection | Erika Kwee