Chaminade Scholars Program
Chaminade Scholars form a community of life and learning that provides each member with the support needed to excel academically, to pursue spiritual development and to thrive socially at Chaminade University. Through service, academics and reflection, Chaminade Scholars will gain insight into their gifts and talents. A Chaminade Scholar is challenged to discover his or her life vocation, to be a servant leader and to use God-given gifts and talents to pursue the common good.
Benefits
Chaminade Scholars can receive a $2,000 scholarship. The scholarship may be renewed to cover a total of four years (eight semesters). Renewal is dependent upon engagement in programming designed to help scholars develop skills as a servant leader, completion of 20 hours of service each semester, engagement in reflection upon that service and maintaining good academic standing at Chaminade University.
Each Chaminade Scholar is mentored by a member of the Campus Ministry staff.
Chaminade Scholars participate in a yearly retreat to provide opportunities for renewal, reflection and strengthening of relationships.
Eligibility and Academic Requirements
Incoming freshmen who are motivated to excel academically while engaging in experiences of service, faith and leadership are encouraged to apply to the Chaminade Scholars program.
If you are a member of a Catholic Parish or attend a Catholic or Marianist High School in the United States or U.S. Territory, you may be eligible to become a Chaminade Scholar and receive a $2,000 scholarship. A minimum high school GPA of 3.0 is required, and applicants must meet one of the following criteria to be considered for the Chaminade Scholars program.
- Will graduate from a Marianist or Catholic High School in the United States or U.S. Territory.
- Is a member of a Catholic Parish in the United States or U.S. Territory.
The Chaminade Scholars scholarship can be combined with merit and financial aid.
Required Application Materials
In addition to the completion of the Chaminade Scholars application, please submit:
- A resume detailing extra-curricular activities, community service or volunteer service, work experience and internships.
- Answers to each of the following questions in essay/paragraph form. Each response should be a minimum of 250 words.
- Give a concrete example of how your faith has shaped your life to this point in understanding yourself and the meaning of the human journey?
- What is your intended major? How will your faith and your study at Chaminade University guide your choice of a life direction and your future as a leader who cares about people?
- Letter of Recommendation: (only 1 is required)
- Applicants from a Catholic or Marianist High School are required to submit a letter of recommendation from a principal, guidance counselor or campus minister.
- Applicants meeting eligibility through their parish are required to submit a letter of recommendation from a parish priest, parish deacon or youth group moderator.
Chaminade Scholars Application Deadline: February 15, 2023
Notification Period: First week of April 2023
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Although the scholarships are merit-based, all Chaminade Scholar applicants should file the FAFSA by February 1 to be considered for need-based scholarships, grants, loans and College Work-Study.
Chaminade University school: 001605
Meet Our Chaminade Scholars
Being a Chaminade Scholar has provided me with the opportunity to become more involved in the Chaminade community and to get to know more students and members of the faculty.
I’m very proud of being a Chaminade Scholar. It allows me to be a member of a group of students that serve the university and the greater Honolulu community through service. And it builds on the Marianist values that I first learned at my high school Villa Angela Saint Joseph High School (Cleveland, OH).
The things that I’m being asked to do as a scholar are the things that I would want to be doing—service, succeeding academically, and being involved in the university community. And I’ve gotten to be a part of a great community.
Being a Chaminade Scholar has helped me in many ways throughout my time as a Chaminade student. Through them I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to make new friends, engage with my community beyond school, and to grow in my faith and better my relationship with God.
As a Chaminade Scholar, we would like prospective students to know that we are a welcoming family and we strive to put God first in all things we do. Doing so we engage in various service opportunities, chances to connect with your Chaminade ‘ohana, and support in your journey as a Chaminade student.
To me what it means to be a Chaminade Scholar is to be a part of a faith based community that actively seeks to better ourselves and one another as well as our greater community.
A specific project that I believe was heavily influenced by being a Chaminade Scholar was my 2019 Pacific Island Review recap video. While I wasn’t directly tasked by Campus Ministry to put that project together, they played a big role in giving the video direction. I always mention that CM helped me feel welcomed and comfortable on campus. If it weren’t for that foundation of love and that welcoming spirit, I would not have been as comfortable making something so meaningful. Without the influence of Campus Ministry, the video would’ve been nothing more than a montage.
My experience as a Chaminade Scholar has helped shape me into the person I am today. The biggest impact this opportunity has had on me has been its consistency in my life. Throughout my time at Chaminade, my schedule has changed from freshmen year where I had an abundant amount of free time to now where I am lucky to get free time at all. Throughout my entire experience, this opportunity has helped keep me rooted in the reason I have been blessed enough to call Chaminade my home away from home for four years. As my schedule gradually got busier and busier, I realized that being a full time student and full time worker was hard to balance as a student-athlete. My experience as a Chaminade Scholar and the mentoring by Campus ministry staff has been a key support system that I knew I could fall back on when my plate became too full. Their consistency in my academic and spiritual journey has helped shape me into the person I am.
Being a Chaminade Scholar has meant that I belong to a smaller community within the wonderful community of Chaminade University. The other recipients of this scholarship have always been familiar faces on campus that I have felt comfortable sharing an experience with and I would not trade this opportunity for the world.
I was an undisciplined freshman from Nebraska, but this program helped me to balance a busy schedule and to make time for the people would always make time for me. I am grateful for this opportunity and I would like other students to know that this opportunity has been a blessing in my life and it can be the same for them.
I got to learn a lot about my faith, how much our presence can mean to someone, and build connections to students that I see on campus but not necessarily in class.
The scholarship challenges those who have it to be more Christ like in our thoughts, actions, and words. It is a stage that allows us to think about ourselves and our goals, while also guiding us to being a better person in our community.
