USA Scholarships
Elaine Dollie Mortensen Malama 'Aina Scholarship 2027
The Elaine "Dollie" Mortensen KS '71 Kaumualiʻi Malama ʻAina Scholarship funds students whose post-high education centers on agriculture or preservation of Hawaiʻi's land and natural resources. Pauahi Foundation lists one award per cycle, a 2.0 GPA floor, and flexibility for certificate, two-year, four-year, or graduate programs at full or half-time enrollment. Reviewers favor applicants contributing to Hawaiʻi's agricultural industry or working toward becoming mahiʻai (farmers). You may live in Hawaiʻi or the continental United States. Pauahi gives preference to students of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Plan on the 2027-28 portal opening October 1, 2026, closing around mid-December with a personal-growth essay on the fund checklist.
What is the Elaine Dollie Mortensen Kaumualiʻi Malama ʻAina Scholarship?
Elaine "Dollie" Mortensen, KS Class of 1971, left a Pauahi fund that backs people who want to care for Hawaiian land through farming, ag science, or conservation work. The Kaumualiʻi Malama ʻAina Scholarship is practical: a 2.0 GPA minimum, half-time schedules allowed, and room for certificate students who might not fit traditional four-year awards.
Your essay matters because reviewers want to see how one activity changed the way you see yourself and your career. Maybe you volunteered at a loʻi, interned on a ranch, or led a campus garden project. Connect that story to Hawaiʻi's agricultural needs and to your plan to become or support mahiʻai.
Continental residents qualify when their studies still aim at protecting Hawaiʻi's resources, not just generic environmentalism. Pauahi may favor Hawaiian ancestry where permitted, but the portal stays open to eligible U.S. residents in Hawaiʻi and on the mainland. Start October 1, 2026, for the 2027-28 cycle and cite Pauahi postsecondary scholarships for live requirements.
Eligibility
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✓Minimum 2.0 GPAYou must meet at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA on the Pauahi listing. The fund welcomes students building farming or conservation skills even if their transcript is not perfect.
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✓Agriculture or land stewardship focusYour certificate or degree path must focus on agriculture and/or preservation and protection of the land and natural resources of the Hawaiian Islands.
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✓Certificate, associate, bachelor's, or graduate studyEligible programs include professional certificates, two-year, four-year, and graduate credentials at accredited U.S. institutions.
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✓Full-time or half-time enrollmentUnlike many Pauahi funds, this scholarship allows half-time enrollment. Confirm your schedule on the live portal matches the listing for the year you apply.
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✓U.S. residency in Hawaiʻi or continental USApplicants in the State of Hawaiʻi and the continental United States may apply. You do not have to attend a Hawaiʻi campus if your program meets the field-of-study requirement.
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✓Community service involvementParticipation in community service should appear in your Pauahi profile. Tie activities to land care, farming, or environmental education when possible.
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✓Preference for farmers and ag contributorsPauahi gives special consideration to students contributing to Hawaiʻi's agricultural industry and to those working to become mahiʻai. Hawaiian ancestry preference also applies where law allows.
Benefits
- Number of scholarships One recipient per cycle
- Eligible fields Agriculture and natural resource protection
- Enrollment options Full-time or half-time
- Program types Certificate through graduate degrees
- Published dollar amount Varies with fund income
- Non-agriculture majors Not eligible under fund listing
Document checklist
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✓Pauahi Foundation online applicationRegister on the Pauahi scholarship portal when the 2027-28 cycle opens. Add the Elaine Dollie Mortensen Kaumualiʻi Malama ʻAina Scholarship to your fund selections.
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✓Personal growth essayAnswer the fund prompt about an on- or off-campus activity that sparked personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or your career goal. Community service examples fit well.
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✓Most recent transcriptUpload a transcript showing at least a 2.0 GPA and your enrollment level. Certificate students should document their program focus on agriculture or land stewardship.
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✓Extracurricular and service listDocument farming internships, loʻi work, conservation clubs, or volunteer hours that support your malama ʻāina story.
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✓Letter of recommendation (if required)Follow the Pauahi portal checklist for 2027-28. Kamehameha Schools seniors may need a recommendation; other applicants should watch for fund-specific letter rules.
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✓Supplemental uploads from portalComplete any additional items such as FAFSA Submission Summary if the live checklist requires them before you submit.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Elaine Dollie Mortensen Malama 'Aina Scholarship?
It is a Pauahi Foundation fund named for a Kamehameha Schools alum that awards one scholarship per cycle to students focused on agriculture or preserving Hawaiʻi's land and natural resources. Amounts vary with fund income.
What GPA do I need for the Malama 'Aina Scholarship?
Pauahi lists a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Stronger grades help your overall file, but the fund explicitly allows a modest floor.
Can part-time students apply for the Malama 'Aina Scholarship?
Yes. Half-time enrollment is allowed on this listing, which differs from many full-time-only Pauahi memorial funds.
Do I have to study in Hawaiʻi for the Malama 'Aina Scholarship?
No. You may live in Hawaiʻi or the continental United States. Your program must focus on agriculture or land and natural resource protection tied to the Hawaiian Islands.
What essay does the Malama 'Aina Scholarship require?
You respond to a prompt about an on- or off-campus activity that sparked personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or your career goal. Community service examples work well.
Who gets preference for the Malama 'Aina Scholarship?
Pauahi gives special consideration to students contributing to Hawaiʻi's agricultural industry, to those working to become mahiʻai, and to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry where law allows.
When is the Malama 'Aina Scholarship deadline for 2027?
Expect the 2027-28 Pauahi portal to open October 1, 2026, and close around mid-December, often December 15. Confirm the exact date on the live site.
Can certificate students apply for the Malama 'Aina Scholarship?
Yes. Certificate programs are eligible when the curriculum supports agriculture or preservation of Hawaiʻi's land and natural resources.
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