$276K SSFM gift supports UH Mānoa student scholarships

SSFM check presentation on the Holmes Hall lawn

SSFM President and CEO Michael Matsumoto and College of Engineering Dean Brennon Morioka

SSFM International, Inc. (SSFM), a leading Hawaiʻi-based consulting and engineering firm, is building on its philanthropic investments at the University of Hawaiʻi with a new donation of $276,000. This gift supports scholarships at UH Mānoa’s College of Engineering and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) in the College of Social Sciences (CSS).

SSFM has committed to providing four years of full tuition and fees for three undergraduate students majoring in civil and environmental engineering, as well as full tuition for an incoming freshman in the College of Engineering. Additionally, the firm will fund the SSFM Graduate Fellowship in Planning, which offers financial support for tuition, fees and other expenses to a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning.

Since its inception in 1999, SSFM scholarships have benefited 70 students, distributing a cumulative total of 105 awards.

“We have been dedicated to supporting these scholarships for over 25 years,” said SSFM President and CEO Michael Matsumoto (’67, College of Engineering), during a check presentation on the lawn of the College of Engineering. “Our goal is to nurture the next generation of infrastructure and development experts in Hawaiʻi. By investing in these students, we’re also strengthening the future of our industry.”

Invaluable experiences, tools for success

SSFM’s generous contribution is a transformative experience for recipients, and its significance goes far beyond just the monetary support it provides. For recent graduate Jena Kamalani Earle (BA ’22 UH Hilo, MA ’24 UH Mānoa), the fellowship meant more than just tuition assistance.

“SSFM’s support in both my academic and professional endeavors have equipped me with invaluable experiences and tools needed to succeed,” Earle said. “I was able to gain professional planning experience in my role as a graduate student intern. So much so that I eventually got hired as a full-time planner before graduating.”

Brennon Morioka, dean of the College of Engineering, acknowledges that scholarships often serve as powerful motivators, inspiring students to work harder, achieve academic excellence and contribute positively to their communities.

“Scholarships provide students with the opportunity to concentrate on school without worrying about financial pressure,” Morioka said. “SSFM is one of our longtime supporters and we’re grateful for its investment in shaping Hawaiʻi’s future engineers, planners and construction leaders.”

Dean Denise Eby Konan of CSS agreed, underscoring the impact of SSFM’s support for aspiring urban planners.

“We are grateful to SSFM for funding this International Graduate Fellowship in Planning,” Konan said. “Our Urban and Regional Planning graduate students are becoming professional planners and policy analysts within private firms, public agencies, international organizations and community groups, particularly in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Asia Basin.”