The University of Hawai'i at Hilo has received a generous donation from the Edmund C. Olson Trust 2 to support students pursuing careers in agriculture. The $200,000 gift will be used to benefit young people training for agricultural careers through the university's College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management.
Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin expressed her gratitude for the donation, stating, "Ed Olson's confidence in Hawai'i's next generation of agriculturists will have a direct impact on Hawai'i Island's sustainable future. We're grateful for his foresight and commitment to the island."
The contribution from the Edmund C. Olson Trust 2 has established the "Edmund C. Olson Trust 2 Scholarship," which will be awarded to students from the Kaʻū District on Hawaiʻi Island for a two-year period. The scholarship aims to prioritize students from this district, where the trust holds significant land holdings.
The first two recipients of the scholarship are Keya Davies and Kassey Hanoa. Hanoa, a senior at UH Hilo, is majoring in animal science with a focus on livestock. She comes from a family with a small working livestock farm in the Kaʻū community of Pāhala. Hanoa expressed her gratitude for the scholarship, stating that it has opened many doors for her. Davies, on the other hand, grew up riding horses in Kaʻū and is studying animal science while pursuing an equine certificate on the pre-vet track at UH Hilo. Davies also expressed her thankfulness for the scholarship and her excitement to finish her degree and embark on her career.
The Edmund C. Olson Trust 2 is deeply involved in sustainable agriculture, the preservation of managed natural resources, cultural heritage conservation, community development, and renewable energy initiatives. The trust is one of the largest private landowners in the state, with notable assets such as the Hāmākua Macadamia Nut Company, Kaʻū Coffee Mill, and OK Farms, known for cultivating a diverse range of tropical crops on the scenic hills of Puʻuʻeo Mauka above Hilo.
Ed Olson, the benefactor of the trust, has a long-standing connection to Hawaiʻi dating back to 1959. He currently owns 15,000 acres of land dedicated to agriculture and conservation on Hawaiʻi Island, along with an additional 2,000 acres on Oʻahu. Troy Keolanui, a partner in OK Farms, emphasized the significance of supporting the future of agriculture in Hawaiʻi, stating, "I see good things in the future. I can't say enough about Ed and his benevolence and love for the people of Hawai'i."
The Edmund C. Olson Trust 2 Scholarship is seen as a crucial initiative in bridging the gap between discussing the future of agriculture in Hawai'i and taking concrete actions to support it. By retaining and inspiring young individuals to stay in the agriculture sector, the scholarship aims to contribute to the sustainable future of Hawai'i Island.