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  • SSFM International gives $260K
Photo caption L-R: Song Choi, Assistant Dean, College of Engineering; Karen Umemoto, Chair, Department of Urban and Regional Planning; Horst G. Brandeis, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; H.R. Riggs, Dean, College of Engineering; Denise Konan, Dean, College of Social Sciences; Michael Matsumoto, President, CEO of SSFM; Norman Kawachika, Board member, SSFM; Stacey Miyamoto, Board member, SSFM; Trisha Sugita, Board member, SSFM

HONOLULU - SSFM International, Inc. has contributed $261,263 to support UH Mānoa College of Engineering and College of Social Sciences students.

This Gift Will Fund

  • 4 full undergraduate scholarships for Civil and Environmental Engineering for 4 years
  • 1 Fellowship for an Urban and Regional Planning Graduate student for 4 years

College of Engineering Interim Dean Ronald Riggs said, “These are the most comprehensive scholarships we have in the College of Engineering.  Providing full tuition scholarships significantly removes a major worry for many of our students and frees them to be able to focus on academics. In addition, the opportunity to intern with SSFM provides our students valuable work experience related to their major while also allowing them to earn money for living expenses. The College values this long-term, continuing partnership with SSFM in preparing the next generation of civil engineers.”

SSFM International Inc. is a Hawaiʻi-based business with a long history of supporting the University of Hawaiʻi. The company's lifetime giving, including this new gift, totals over $800,000.

“We are grateful to Michael Matsumoto and SSFM for their generosity and commitment to our students. This support will allow us to provide a rich learning opportunity for students interested in pursuing a professional planning career. The benefits of this gift will have a lasting impact on our students, our College, and the field of urban and regional planning,” said Denise Eby Konan, dean of the College of Social Sciences.

Karen Umemoto, Urban and Regional Planning chair in the College of Social Sciences, added, “We are very grateful to receive this generous gift from SSFM for students in our Masterʻs degree program. It not only offers students an educational opportunity, but the added internship is a valuable training opportunity in the specific skills and knowledge needed for a professional planning career in the private sector. SSFMʻs willingness and ability to mentor our students is priceless.”

Michael P. Matsumoto, University of Hawaiʻi College of Engineering alumnus and president of SSFM International, Inc. concluded, “We are honored to support the UH Mānoa College of Engineering and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning with these scholarships. This continues to be one of the ways that SSFM is able to honor our commitment to our profession and our community. SSFM understands that scholarships play a key role in making education accessible for many promising future engineers and planners. By partnering with UH we can participate in the education of the next generation of engineers for our state.”

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The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation, a nonprofit organization, raises private funds to support the University of Hawaiʻi System. The mission of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation is to unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi’s aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations www.uhfoundation.org.