Investing in the Next Generation of Island Storytellers
The Big Island Press Club Scholarship
The application window for the 2026 Big Island Press Club scholarships is now closed. Our selection committee has finalized this year's outstanding recipients, who will be formally recognized at our annual dinner on May 28.
Information, guidelines, and active application portals for our 2027 scholarship cycle will be posted here in early Spring 2027. We encourage future applicants to review our eligibility criteria below to prepare for the next cycle.
General Eligibility Criteria
We welcome applications from graduating high school seniors and full-time college students with Big Island ties pursuing careers in journalism or related communications. High school students attending tuition-based journalism programs or camps are also eligible to apply.
Please note that all scholarship funds awarded are paid directly to the student's academic organization or program.
2026 Scholarships
The 2026 Big Island Press Club Scholarship Dinner will be held on Thursday, May 28, at the Hilo Yacht Club. While ticket sales are now closed for this celebration, we are thrilled to formally announce and honor our 2026 scholarship recipients: Rianne Empaynado (University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo) and Mari Iwata (Loyola Marymount University).
Scroll down to learn more about the deep history of our scholarship endowment and the decades of advocacy that make these awards possible.
Invest in the Future of Journalism
Your donations directly fuel our scholarship foundation. By making a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3) today, you help ensure that ethical reporting remains a cornerstone of our community.
Interested in creating a lasting legacy? You can even establish a scholarship named after yourself or a loved one to support local students indefinitely.
Past Scholarship Recipients
We are incredibly proud of all of our previous winners and the work they are doing to advance media transparency. Learn all about past honorees and their academic journeys!
The Foundation Story
The Big Island Press Club scholarship program began because of a feisty high school journalism teacher named Yukino Fukabori, who promised to join the club only if we offered a scholarship. She never wavered, and neither did we. While we initially relied on membership dues, the fund took a major leap forward when W.H. “Doc” Hill, the state senator and publisher, tossed $1,000 our way following Robert C. Miller’s inaugural talk.
That momentum continued through the decades. Doc’s widow, Ouida Hill, twice endorsed our efforts with matching amounts, and our "Imu" roasts—a fool-around, good-time roast of the press and politicians—helped build a permanent scholarship endowment that has seen more than $450,000 in total contributions since its inception. These funds are carefully managed to ensure that scholarship awards remain available for generations to come.
Over the years, we have been supported by the tremendous generosity of families like the Christensens, who funded a scholarship in honor of Edna’s late husband, the family of Marcia Reynolds, who contributed $10,000, and the Fukabori family, whose annual endowment continues Yukino’s vision. We even honor the memory of the "sometimes crotchety" Jack Markey with a named award each year.
While we have supported legitimate news professionals across the islands, our reach has extended even further, providing a foundation for students who went on to become lawyers, teachers and even a court bailiff. No one could have imagined this outcome in 1967, but we remain committed to cultivating the integrity of every student we support.