Awards and Funding

The Communicology program recognizes both its undergraduate and graduate students with annual awards.

Learn more about the Communicology program.

Contact Us

(808) 956-8202

Undergraduate

Selection Criteria

This award recognizes students whose efforts in the field of communicology have been meritorious. These contributions should be above and beyond course requirements. Foremost, the award recognizes academic excellence. The award also acknowledges notable contributions to communicology research, leading to a conference paper, publications, and/or admirable community/university service.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Communicology Award, applicants must be a full time student at UH Mānoa and major in Communicology regardless of undergraduate class standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior). A minimum 3.50 GPA in Communicology and a minimum 3.20 GPA overall is required.

Selection Procedures

Award

Award recipients will have their names placed on a permanent plaque displayed in the office of the Communicology Program. For 2024, the recipient receives a cash award of $500.00.

Winners

2023-2024 – Kellie Yap
2022-2023 – Chaerin Song and Marieyan Balagtas
2021-2022 – Corey Frantz
2020-2021 – Makena Duffy
2019-2020 – Austin Choy and Kittra Evenson
2018-2019 – Natalie Henderson and Micah Leval
2017-2018 – Justine Cheang and Grace Peralta
2016-2017 – Sanoe Burgess and Robert Casales
2015-2016 – Sakaria Auelua-Toomey
2014-2015 – Kayden Iwasaki
2013-2014 – Kayden Iwasaki
2012-2013 – Sterling Higa
2011-2012 – Chelsey Nakanishi
2010-2011 – Edward Toyozaki
2009-2010 – Christian Gilbert
2008-2009 – Meredith Trockman
2007-2008 – Michele Hamada
2006-2007 – Sophia Chang
2005-2006 – [None]
2004-2005 – Tina Kuribayashi
2003-2004 – Marni Vidal
2002-2003 – Melissa Stepp
2001-2002 – [None]
2000-2001 – [None]
1999-2000 – Rachel Kim
1998-1999 – [None]
1997-1998 – [None]
1996-1997 – Sandra Montour
1995-1996 – Elijah Yip
1994-1995 – Janice Nakatani

Selection Criteria

This award recognizes students whose service to the field of Communicology has been meritorious. These contributions may include but are not limited to, service in the Communicology Program, in the college, at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and/or in the community.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Communicology Undergraduate Service Award, applicants must be a full-time student at UH Mānoa and major in Communicology regardless of undergraduate class standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior).

Selection Procedures

Award

Award recipients will have their names placed on a permanent plaque displayed in the office of the Communicology Program. For 2024, the recipient also receives $500.00 cash award at UH Mānoa for one semester provided the student is enrolled full-time, and is in good academic standing.

Winners

2023-2024 – Woomi “Kayoko” Perkins
2022-2023 – Paige Barnett
2021-2022 – Samantha Hall
2020-2021 – Bianka Diza
2019-2020 – Makena Duffy
2018-2019 – Natalie Henderson
2017-2018 – Gabrielle Buist
2016-2017 – Katherine Gaulke
2015-2016 – Corey Watanabe
2014-2015 – Alyssa-Marie Kau
2013-2014 – Howard Kam, III
2012-2013 – Kayden Iwasaki
2011-2012 – Sara Ohashi
2010-2011 – Maria Deguzman and Keani DiBerardino
2009-2010 – Matthew Weyer and Thomas Craig
2008-2009 – Michele Hamada
2007-2008 – Allison Higashi
2006-2007 – LeeAnn Freitas
2005-2006 – [None]
2004-2005 – Alfred Gonzales, Jr.
2003-2004 – Rachel Thomas

Selection Criteria

This award recognizes superior endeavors in communicology that go above and beyond class assignments and projects. The award is based on speech communication performance(s), service to the Communicology Program, and/or active participation in communicology-related activities in the community. The award will not be granted to a student who has another academic award or scholarship at UH Mānoa that is equal to or higher in value than the Joseph Fielding Smith Memorial Award.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Joseph Fielding Smith Memorial Award, applicants must be a full-time classified UH Mānoa sophomore, junior, or senior (with one or more semesters remaining at the time of application) and be a declared Communicology major or a declared Education major with a minor (concentration) in Communicology. A minimum 3.0 GPA in Communicology and a minimum 2.8 GPA overall is required.

Selection Procedures

Faculty in the Communicology Program and all students (peers/classmates) can submit an award nomination form (deadline March 15, login required). Self-nomination is also encouraged. After eligibility verification, each nominee will be asked to complete and submit a nominee information form. The nominee may be invited to participate in a 15-20 minute informal interview with the Awards Committee. The interview will focus on the selection criteria. Nominees should be prepared to discuss their qualifications for the award. The committee will determine the nominee(s) that best meets all criteria. In the event that no nominee clearly meets the criteria, as determined by the Awards Committee, no award will be given that year.

Award

The award pays one recipient $1000.00 toward UH Mānoa tuition for one semester provided that the student is enrolled full-time, is in good academic standing, and the funds are available.

Winners

2023-2024 – Kellie Yap
2022-2023 – Madeline Chorney
2021-2022 – Tara Sutton
2020-2021 – Darcy Lynn Ing
2018-2019 – Dayna Asuncion
2017-2018 – Robert Casale
2016-2017 – Louie Anthony Sicorsicon
2015-2016 – Sakaria Auelua-Toomey
2014-2015 – Gabriel Candelario
2013-2014 – Gabriel Candelario
2012-2013 – Richard Mizusawa
2011-2012 – James Kim & Sara Ohashi
2010-2011 – Justice Quick
2009-2010 – Nga Nguyen
2007-2008 – Michele Hamada and Audrey Mendoza
2006-2007 – Ju Lynn Seet and Michele Hamada
2005-2006 – Claire Sakata and Alfred Gonzales, Jr.
2004-2005 – Claire Sakata
2003-2004 – Melissa Mayse
2002-2003 – [None]
2001-2002 – Cherakah Cunningham
2000-2001 – Reginald Condes and Kellie Mickelson
1999-2000 – Rachel Kim and Carrie Oliveira
1998-1999 – Rachel Kim
1997-1998 – Karen Kahanu Kailimai
1996-1997 – Karen Kahanu Kailimai
1995-1996 – [None]
1994-1995 – Jo-Ann Ablog Lagud
1992-1993 – Ursula Chan Rodillas
1991-1992 – [None]
1990-1991 – Alma Ramiro Alonzo
1989-1990 – Lynn Lorenz
1988-1989 – [None]
1987-1988 – Kathleen Kondo and Mitchell Roth
1986-1987 – Lesly Takemoto
1985-1986 – [None]
1984-1985 – John Olinger
1983-1984 – [None]
1982-1983 – [None]
1981-1982 – Sheryll Bonilla and Stanford Egi
1980-1981 – [None]
1979-1980 – Dean Yokotake
1978-1979 – Stanley Lui
1977-1978 – Geralyn Vasconcellos
1976-1977 – [None]
1975-1976 – John Honda and Randall Obata
1974-1975 – Lloyd Nakata and Stephen Hioki
1973-1974 – Amy Jenks and Milton Lau
1972-1973 – Errol Kane
1971-1972 – [None]
1970-1971 – Anthony Curry
1969-1970 – Sharon Emiko Otake
1968-1969 – John Cassell
1967-1968 – Terrance Tom
1966-1967 – Sylvia Kiosterud

Graduate

Purpose

This award recognizes academic excellence, outstanding research that leads to a conference paper(s) or publication(s) and/or program citizenship.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Outstanding Graduate Student in Communicology Award, applicants must be a full-time classified Communicology graduate student, and must be the first- or second- year student in the program and have a minimum 3.7 GPA (overall and in Communicology).

Procedure

The Award Committee will review each candidate’s eligibility for the award based on the criteria. Those who meet or exceed the criteria will then be reviewed by the remaining faculty members, who will provide evaluation and feedback. Based on the evaluation by the faculty members, the Award Committee will make the final selection of the awardee.

Award

Award recipients will have their names placed on a permanent plaque displayed in the Communicology Program main office. For 2024, the recipient also receives a cash award of $500.00.

Winners

2023-2024 – Juven Villacastin
2022-2023 – Kayla Soma Tsutsuse
2021-2022 – Mark Jehnsen Bumanglang
2020-2021 – Dayna Aulani Asuncion
2019-2020 – Sanoe Burgess and Marguerite Liechtenstein
2018-2019 – Jeanna Chi
2017-2018 – Sheana Humphries
2016-2017 – Katelyn Smith
2015-2016 – Kayden Iwasaki
2014-2015 – Jaymian Urashima
2013-2014 – Chelsey Nakanishi
2012-2013 – Abel Gustafson
2011-2012 – Lisa Van Raalte
2010-2011 – Emiko Taniguchi and Amy Wisner
2009-2010 – Keri Fehrenbach
2008-2009 – Jennifer Sur
2007-2008 – Matthew Savage
2006-2007 – Hae Lin Han
2005-2006 – Whitney Kim
2004-2005 – Douglas Raphael
2003-2004 – Induk Kim
2002-2003 – Rachel Kim
2001-2002 – Marybeth Callison
2000-2001 – Kelli Asada
1999-2000 – Lori Anders
1998-1999 – Allison Hu
1997-1998 – HeeSun Park
1996-1997 – HeeSun Park
1995-1996 – Cailin Kulp
1994-1995 – [None]
1993-1994 – Maria Lapinski

Purpose

This award recognizes a graduate teaching assistant in the Communicology Program who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in teaching.

Eligibility

A graduate student is eligible for the Communicology Graduate Teaching Assistant Award if they are teaching undergraduate courses in the Communicology Program. The award is based on outstanding performance in the classroom, evaluations from the course director and from students, display of creative and innovative teaching practices, and service to the course (e.g., sharing teaching ideas, providing assistance to other teaching assistants and to the course director, etc.).

Procedure

Course Directors for COMG 151 and COMG 251 or other faculty members who supervise teaching assistants may nominate Communicology Program graduate teaching assistants whom they feel meets or exceeds the eligibility requirements to the Award Committee. The Award Committee will determine the nominee(s) that best meets all criteria.

Award

Award recipients will have their names placed on a permanent plaque displayed in the Communicology Program main office. For 2024, the recipient also receives a cash award of $500.00.

Winners

2023-2024 – Juven Villacastin
2022-2023 – Kimberly Serratos
2021-2022 – Kayla Soma Tsutsuse
2020-2021 – Kayla Soma Tsutsuse
2019-2020 – Sanoe Burgess
2018-2019 – Sanoe Burgess & Jeanna Chi
2017-2018 – Sheana Humphries
2016-2017 – Haley Collins
2015-2016 – Justice Quick
2014-2015 – Elizabeth Bendix Harper
2013-2014 – Caroline Kennedy & Jessica Kaneshiro
2012-2013 – Abel Gustafson
2011-2012 – Christian Gilbert & Andra Kubulins
2010-2011 – Michele Hamada & Audrey Mendoza
2009-2010 – Ashley Hanna
2008-2009 – Blake Hendrickson
2007-2008 – Jennifer Sur
2006-2007 – Matthew Savage
2005-2006 – Whitney Kim
2004-2005 – Marni Vidal
2003-2004 – Michelle Jerney-Davis
2002-2003 – Anthony Ongyod
2001-2002 – Olivia Federico

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to recognize and assist Master’s students in the Communicology Program in their efforts to conduct research (e.g., collect data) and execute applied projects (e.g., participation incentives) by giving them resources to support their scholarship and research activities.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Communicology Graduate Student Research Award, applicants must be a continuing full-time degree-seeking student pursuing a master’s degree in Communicology with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and in good academic standing. Past recipients are eligible, but preference will be given to first time applicants.

Award

Scholarships in amounts ranging from $200 to $500 will be awarded, pending availability of funds. More than one award may be granted in a given academic year.

Procedure

Applications will be accepted year-round. Applicants will submit a complete application to the Award Committee:

A cover letter (two double-spaced pages maximum) indicating your interest in this award, a brief description of your achievements to date, and how this award will be used to significantly enhance your thesis/research project
A double-spaced two page paper of your proposed thesis/research project describing its rationale, theoretical framework, research questions, and methods
A complete curriculum vitae
A brief memo of recommendation from the student’s thesis/research project advisor via the graduate chair with endorsement signature

Winners

2022-2023 – Nga Nguyen, Kayla Soma Tsutsuse, and Rebekka Williams
2021-2022 – Julia De Jong
2020-2021 – Dayna Aulani Asuncion

Learn more about financial support for graduate students, achievement scholarships, and financial aid.