2020 SPIO COVID Scholarships Silicon Valley Recipients
Congratulations to the 2020 SPIO COVID Scholarship Silicon Valley Recipients. This project has been made possible in part by a grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
Te Aue Addison-Valaau, Principal Advisor for Plant & Food Research, Advocates for Māori and Pasifika Science Innovators in Aotearoa
In Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika only make up 2.5% of staff positions in science institutions. Te Aue Addison-Valaau through her organisation Plant & Food, is leading the launch of a new annual Māori and Pasifika internship programme for 25 young scientists and business scholars to impact the future of New Zealand’s science system.
Reina Kapiolani Pahulu, Producer of The Mo’unga Project and Manava Circle | “I’m a First-Gen American, Queer, Tongan, Brown Diaspora Kid Learning to Navigate Those Identities”
Poet and Pasifika community advocate, Reina Kapiolani Pahulu, shares why she created The Manava Circle and The Mo’unga Project — community projects that empower Pasifika communities.
Oakland-Raised Tongan PhD Candidate, Marlena Wolfgramm, Researches Pacific Islander Retention and Persistence in STEM
Learn about Marlena Wolfgramm’s journey to researching Persistence and Retention of Pacific Islanders in STEM.
Asena Tolungamaka, Director at Navigators of Success | “We need more Māori and Pacific people in leadership and policy roles”
TupuToa alum and 2018 winner of the Prime Minister’s Leadership and Inspiration Award, Asena Tolungamaka shares the reason for helping to lead Navigators of Success and why we need more Pacific representation in policy.
Kanaka Maoli - M.S. in Counseling Psychology, Michael Tui | “Remember the aloha that has been passed down from generation to generation”
Michael Tui, born and raised on Oahu, shares his experience navigating undergrad and grad school as a first generation student. Driven by his desire to uplift his community, he’s served in the mental health field by providing trauma-informed care and the law enforcement field as a police officer for the Honolulu Police Department. He now works on an award winning program in North Carolina as a Behavioral Health Specialist helping emergency medical personnel cope with physical and mental health conditions.
Educators for Equity & Inclusion | Dean of Culture and Instruction at Uplift Education, Michael Green, Jr.
Michael Green Jr.’s dedication to equity and inclusion is undoubtedly connected to his diverse life experiences and his humble upbringing as a child in Desoto, Texas. A first-generation college graduate from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Michael Green Jr. currently serves as the Dean of Culture and Instruction for Uplift Education, where he impacts teacher practices and influences the way schools provide culturally sound educational experiences for all students.
Founder of Save PNG and the Healthy Pacific Campaign, Jennifer Baing-Waiko | “We need to hold on to traditional knowledge”
Papua New Guinean non-profit founder, tv-series host, mother of 5, and health advocate, Jennifer Baing-Waiko, shares her journey creating Save PNG and the Healthy Pacific Campaign. She encourages Pacific communities to trust their Pacific ancestors and go back to a more traditional diet.
#2020SPIOSummit | A Global Virtual Gathering Highlighting Pacific Presence in STEM, Arts, Entrepreneurship, and Education
South Pacific Islander Organization advocates for the creation of intentional spaces specifically led by and created for Pacific Islanders.
Pasifika Bay Area Artist Launches Social Justice Collection, Proceeds Go To Nonprofits Fighting Against Systemic Racism
Meet the founder of Afakasi Prints and learn why she decided to create a social justice collection fighting againt the systemic racism faced by BIPOC communities.
Lorna-Lei Sua'ava, Samoan Biochemistry Pre-Med Student, Urges U.S. Pasifika STEM Scholars to Apply for National Science Foundation Internships
Lorna-Lei Sua'ava, Samoan undergraduate scholar at Southern Virginia University, shares her transformative experience as a recipient of a National Science Foundation-funded Biochemistry internship at Brigham Young University, Provo. She hopes to see an improved American Samoan healthcare system empowering traditional medicinal practices.
Free Digital Directory of Educational Resources for Pacific Scholars
South Pacific Islander Organization (SPIO) is excited to announce the launch of its first open source project: the SPIO Directory of Educational Resources.
Youth Worker at Le Mana Pasifika, Patricia Leilua | “If you feel strong enough, challenge the systems that you are in”
Patricia “Patty” Leilua is a Samoan woman born and raised in Melbourne. Patty shares her educational journey, her experience working at Le Mana Pasifika, and why she’s pursuing a Masters in Teaching.
Meet SPIO's Inaugural Community Leadership Scholarship Recipient, Wilbert Alik
Wilbert Alik is the inaugural recipient of the $5,000 USD 2019-20 SPIO Community Leadership Scholarship. Translating COVID-19 health materials for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Wilbert is dedicated to community service. The power and strength of a community working together, along with his desire to preserve, protect and pass on the knowledge of his people, gave him motivation to pursue an Anthropology degree. He is now pursuing his Bachelor's Degree at Northern Michigan University.
Meet SPIO's Inaugural Extracurricular Excellence Scholarship Recipient, Lessei Perelini
Lessei Perelini is the inaugural recipient of the $5,000 USD 2019-20 SPIO Extracurricular Excellence Scholarship. Lessei, commonly known as “Sei”, was born in New Zealand; despite her Kiwi nationality, her upbringing took place in the depths of the South Pacific in American Samoa. Currently, Sei is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Politics and International Relations and Spanish at the University of Auckland.
Meet SPIO's Inaugural Academic Excellence Scholarship Recipient, Teiana Rose Uʻimailani Gonsalves
Teiana Gonsalves is the inaugural recipient of the $5,000 USD 2019-20 SPIO Academic Excellence Scholarship. Teiana is a recent graduate of Kamehameha Schools Kapālama and was born and raised on the east side of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. She will attend Stanford University in the fall and plans on majoring in Political Science with a minor in Earth Systems along the Sustainability sub-plan.
2019-20 SPIO Scholarship Award Recipients
We are honored to announce our inaugural 2019-20 SPIO Scholarship Award Recipients.
Founder of Tonga Youth Leaders, Elizabeth V Kite, launches Oceanic Leaders Alliance and Pacific Lead
Elizabeth V. Kite shares her educational path and journey to founding Tonga’s only youth-led NGO, Tonga Youth Leaders. She is now embarking on two new initiatives: Oceanic Leaders Alliance and Pacific Lead.
Activist and Founder of Brown Girl Woke, Doris Tulifau | “With consistency, resilience, and the right team, the impact of your hard work will come through”
Doris Tulifau, founder of Brown Girl Woke, shares her story of resilience, tenacious advocacy and love for her community as she navigated higher education before pursuing her community advocacy work around gender equity in Samoa and American Samoa. She gives advice to people interested in becoming community organizers and working in the nonprofit field.
Director of financial aid empowering scholars to reach financial freedom, Eli Jennings: “You are in control of your financial destiny”
Eli Jennings shares his path from homelessness to Director of Financial Aid at Pacific Rim University in Hawai’i. He now provides students with the resources they need to find financial freedom.