Co-Presidents:
Wendy Lagareta (Chapter Affairs)
Dr. Carol Stratford (National Affairs)
Vice President - Membership:
Patricia (Patty) Lee
Treasurer: Susan Moore
Secretaries:
Roslyn (Roz) Pearson (Recording)
Patricia LaPorte (Corresponding)
Directors:
Cheryl Ernst (Communications)
Dr. Jane Schoonmaker (University Relations)
Dr. Jacqueline (Jacquie) Maly (Parliamentarian)
Immediate Past President:
Cheryl Ernst
ARCS Foundation Honolulu Chapter is an all-volunteer, non-profit, women's orgnization that provides financial support to exceptional University of Hawai‘i students pursuing graduate studies and conducting research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health.
Our members come from community, business, government, and education sectors. We are united by our keen interest in things scientific and our strong commitment to advancing U.S. leadership in STEM fields … not to mention our delight in good company and fun events.
Since 1974, we have provided more than $2.8 million in ARCS Scholar Awards to 689 students. Funding for these unrestricted grants comes from two sources:
– ARCS Award endowments managed by the University of Hawai‘i Foundation and Hawai‘i Community Foundation
– annual chapter fundraising efforts
We depend on dues to cover operational expenses; donations and proceeds from fundraising efforts go toward ARCS Scholar Awards. As a result, $8 out of every $10 expended by our chapter goes directly to our student scholars.
"The generous support of the ARCS award facilitates both the completion of my PhD program and the establishment a long-term research component of my future career."
2024 Sarah Ann Martin ARCS Scholar Julia Douglas scales trees in Hawai‘i an Mexico to study endangered epiphytes growing in the canopies as part of her doctoral research in botany at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
"I hustle to make sure that my expenses are covered, often working part-time jobs to make ends meet. Receiving this award means that I can place greater focus on my academic research work."
2024 Helen Jones Farrar ARCS Scholar Ben Wiseman quantifies nematodes to study soil health and explores new cover crops as an effective, sustainable way to control the pest in sweet potato fields.
"The grant will cover travel to one or two conferences that I would not be able to attend otherwise."
2024 Toby Lee ARCS Scholar Lucas Ellison uses data from past droughts to analyze the performance of climate simulation models to better predict the impact of climate change.