University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu student Shanna Vierra calls her Hawai‘i Society for Healthcare Engineering Scholarship an unexpected gift and honor.
Vierra, who is majoring in Business Administration with a focus on Facilities Management, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Hawai‘i Society for Healthcare Engineering (HISHE), an organization devoted to professionals who design, build, maintain, and operate hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
“Receiving this scholarship has given me a boost in confidence and motivation to succeed in life,” said Vierra, who plans to graduate this fall. “Being selected as an award recipient serves as a reminder that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.”
Vierra is among five UH West O‘ahu Facilities Management students who received the HISHE Scholarship. The recipients are Josiah Ednilao, Corinne Morton, Edgar Sanchez, Trevor Togami, and Vierra.
Vierra, Ednilao, Sanchez, and Togami attended a HISHE Scholarship Meet and Greet event in September on campus with representatives from HISHE. Morton, who is from Maui, was not able to attend.
“This Meet and Greet was an opportunity for Facilities Management students to meet members of the sponsoring organization and, more importantly, gain more insight into the the industry of Facilities Management,” said event co-organizer, Marnelli Joy B. Ulep, Program Development Manager for the Business Administration Division. “It was also a time for networking, where HISHE members shared some of the wonderful opportunities in Facilities Management as a profession.”
According to the HISHE website, the organization’s members include healthcare facility managers, engineers, architects, designers, constructors, and others.
Vierra, a James Campbell High School graduate and ‘Aiea resident, said the Meet and Greet event was a great place to get to know the HISHE board members, as well as the other student award recipients.
“Each and every one of the HISHE representatives offered words of encouragement and wisdom,” Vierra said. “Listening to how each of them got to where they are today — some through the trade, others through their education and degrees — was very inspiring to hear.”
Vierra continued, “The lesson learned is that there are many ways to reach your goals and make your way to the top. Sometimes it’s about networking and getting to know the right people.”
The Meet and Greet program also included remarks from Professor of Management Dr. Linda Randall, Chancellor Maenette Benham, and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Jeffrey Moniz — each of whom recognized the scholarship recipients for their achievements.
“Not only does this scholarship offer encouragement, but it also gives me purpose — to strive harder and always do my best,” Vierra said. “My goal in the future is to also give back to others, and pay it forward, just as HISHE has done for me.”