The Construction Industry of Maui (CIM), a professional trade organization, has announced that they are currently accepting applications for the Bob Poulson CIM Scholarship. The scholarship is open to students graduating from a Maui County high school who are pursuing a degree in an applicable construction or design field. Scholarship recipients, upon completion of their studies, must then return to Maui and serve their community with their newly learned skills.
Applicants are required to submit an essay of up to 1,500 words describing their career goals and explaining why they should receive the award. Completed applications, essays and supporting documents must be submitted May 1, 2024. There is a scholarship banquet tentatively scheduled for late May. Two awardees will be selected and notified by the CIM Advisory Board prior to the banquet date.
“The opportunity to award these scholarships to outstanding students from Maui fills us with great enthusiasm,” said Anthony Nelson, CIM Scholarship Committee Chair in a press release. “This tradition not only honors their achievements but also perpetuates Bob Poulson’s legacy where these scholars will eventually come back to contribute to their island community. By applying their acquired knowledge, they will play a pivotal role in furthering Maui’s building industry and ensuring its prosperity.”
Named for Bob Poulson, one of the original leaders of CIM, and a construction industry veteran who cofounded Arita Poulson General Contracting, the scholarship has to date awarded $277,500 to 12 Maui students. A holiday fundraiser in November raised $77,500 for the scholarship fund.
Past winners include Jaysen Akahi-Vida, a 2023 Lahainaluna High School graduate pursuing a degree in Architectural and Civil Engineering from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, and Yuna Lee, a 2023 graduate majoring in Engineering with a minor in Construction Management and Business at Gonzaga University, also in Spokane.
“This scholarship has given me the opportunity to go on to receive a higher degree so that I could gather the tools necessary to make real change,” said Lee in a press release. “It has given me beyond just an opportunity but has shaped the path of my entire future.”
Nelson added, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the generous supporters whose contributions make these scholarships a reality as they provide local youth with the opportunity to pursue their dreams of mastering trades, entering professional fields, and becoming future innovators in the construction industry. In doing so, they contribute to the enrichment of our Maui communities.”
More information can be found, and applications may be submitted at cimmaui.org.
