Dowling Company Endows Scholarship Honoring Patrick S. Kawano

The University of Hawaii (UH) Foundation today announced a gift of $30,000 by Dowling Company, a Maui-based developer, to create the Patrick S. Kawano Endowed Scholarship fund. The $30,000 gift will be added to an existing scholarship account of $10,000, previously gifted by Dowling Company.

Of the total $40,000, $35,000 will be used to establish an endowed fund and $5,000 will be used immediately for scholarships. The fund will be used to help support the college tuitions of students from Molokai attending any campus of the University of Hawaii.

The Patrick S. Kawano Endowed Scholarship honors former Maui County Council Chairman Patrick Kawano. Born and raised on Molokai, in 1996 Kawano became Molokai‘s first Council representative to serve as Chair. Kawano passed away recently at his home in Kaunakakai in June 2002. He is remembered as a retired businessman and public servant who worked hard to serve the people of Maui County, especially its low-income and elderly populations.

Everett Dowling, president of Dowling Company and University of Hawaii regent, elaborated, "Patrick Kawano was a tough yet caring person. As a Maui County Council member, he [always] paid special thought to how his decisions would help create opportunities for Maui‘s families to improve financially. His efforts helped many Maui families to have better jobs, better homes and a greater ability to offer their children a better education. I think Pat would be happy knowing that this scholarship will help develop the next generation of Molokai leaders."

This year‘s recipients are Kimberly Willenbrink, Nyree Kang, Catherine Knowlton and Drena Jessop—all students at Maui Community College. One additional scholarship will be awarded for the fall semester.

Foundation President Betsy Sloane remarked that, "Scholarship endowments are a tremendously rewarding avenue for giving to the University because their benefits are so tangible. This fall, several students will attend the University who might not otherwise have been able to do so."

University of Hawaii President Evan S. Dobelle called the company‘s gift "…a wonderful new beginning for Molokai. This scholarship will help support a population that has been hit hard by the changes in Hawaii‘s economy over the last decade—and it will help them though education. Dowling Company‘s commitment to the University of Hawaii and the students we serve is a gift to this community."

Over the last several years Dowling Company has given over $3 million in cash and land to more than 50 local organizations. The Maui based firm focuses its contributions in two main areas: education and environment. Within these areas it prefers to support organizations located within the same communities as its real estate developments.

Based on Maui, Dowling Company, Inc. is dedicated to "Building in Balance," developing profitable real estate projects that improve the quality of life on Maui. The company‘s developments include Maui‘s only privately developed public school—Kamaliʻi Elementary School, Waiʻehu Kou II Hawaiian Homelands project, One Palaueʻa Bay, and the Kulamalu project, which includes the Maui Campus of the Kamehameha Schools.