WAILUKU - The Margaret Follett Haskins (Maui) Scholarship Fund that helps Maui Community College associate degree graduates continue their education has received a gift of $68,921.90 from Walter D. Haskins Jr.
Haskins established the Maui scholarship and another, for any University of Hawaii four-year campus, in memory of his late wife.
Mrs. Haskins learned the value of hard work and education through her experiences during the Great Depression. Using the community college system as a stepping stone, she graduated from the University of Kansas and despite financial hardships, became a successful pharmacist.
In 1973, Margaret Haskins visited Hawaii and "loved it," a news release about the grant said. Walter Haskins, now retired on Maui with his wife, Peggy, is committed to helping the students of Hawaii to realize their potential through higher education, said the news release.
Established in 1996, the Margaret Follett Haskins (Maui) Scholarship Fund provides financial support to students who earn an associate degree from Maui Community College and plan to continue their studies at one of the University of Hawaii's four-year campuses. Recipients who qualify may reapply for their senior year or an additional year if their major requires a fifth year of college study.
To date, scholarships totaling $89,200 have been awarded.
A second scholarship fund, the Margaret Follett Haskins (Hawaii) Scholarship Fund, was established in 2005 for the University of Hawaii campus of the recipient's choice. Students must demonstrate financial need and have a 3.5 or higher grade-point average. Recipients of the Margaret Follett Haskins (Hawaii) Scholarship are encouraged to reapply for the scholarship if they maintain the same economic and scholarship requirements.
Both funds are administered by The Hawai'i Community Foundation.
