This story was originally posted on July 21 on UH News.
The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation has given $200,000 to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s RISE—Residences for Innovative Student Entrepreneurs—project, a world-class innovation and entrepreneurship center coupled with student housing being built on the site of the former Atherton YMCA across from the flagship campus.
The gift helps to fund scholarships for student residents at the 374-bed live-learn-work community at RISE with programs operated by the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) at the UH Mānoa Shidler College of Business.
Student residents who move into RISE for the fall semester will enjoy a brand-new housing community with like-minded students, and proximity to the wealth of UH entrepreneurship programs offered by PACE in the classroom, makerspaces, meeting rooms and co-working spaces on the floors below.
“We want every student who is a creator, changemaker and problem-solver to have the opportunity to live at RISE and be immersed in an environment where they can explore their passions and bring their ideas to life, however, the cost to live at RISE is a barrier for some of these students,” said PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama. “Through the generous donation by The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, we are able to offer scholarships to these students as part of our PACE Leaders program and open the door to this unique opportunity.”
The gift builds on The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation’s long standing support for UH academic and athletic programs.
“On behalf of The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, we congratulate PACE at the Shidler College for creating this world-class innovation and entrepreneurship center and student housing facility, that will benefit not only Shidler students, but students from all majors and campuses throughout the UH System that participate in PACE‘s programs at RISE,” said Tertia Freas, Shidler College of Business alumna and executive director of The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation.
“The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation’s vision aligns with our mission to nurture local talent and innovation, empowering UH students to make a lasting impact in Hawaiʻi,” said Shidler College of Business Dean Vance Roley. “We are grateful for the generous scholarship support, which enables us to unlock the potential of deserving student entrepreneurs. The PACE Leaders program stands at the forefront of educational innovation, providing students with an opportunity to cultivate and refine their entrepreneurial and leadership skills.”
This gift is among a number of private gifts totaling more than $5 million that PACE, along with UH Foundation, has raised to pay for the costs of furnishing and equipping RISE and to cover the cost of operations and scholarships in the first few years of operation.
RISE is fully-funded with private, non-taxpayer money under a public-private partnership (P3) between UH, UH Foundation and Hunt Development Group Hawaiʻi. Moss is the general contractor on the project and B.HOM Student Living will manage RISE, the university’s first externally managed student housing complex.
Current and prospective students at any of the 10 UH campuses are welcome to apply. For more information and to apply, visit the RISE website. All RISE student spaces, including student housing rooms, will be open by August. The Atherton wing, which will house office space for UH Foundation and additional ideation space for PACE, is expected to be completed by January 2024.
