DANIEL MORIARTY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
"HE KOA'E MANU O KA PALI KAHAKO
IT IS THE TROPICBIRD, BIRD OF THE SHEER CLIFFS.
(an expression of admiration for an outstanding person.)"
 

In 1998 the Kilauea Point Natural History Association endowed a scholarship in the memory of a close friend of the association, Dan Moriarty, an outstanding environmental educator and conservationist. This endowment was matched with contributions from his family, friends in the community, and a percentage of the annual profits from the KPNHA gift shop. To honor Dan, a scholarship of $3,000 is awarded annually to college students in the broadly defined fields of botany, zoology, history and related subjects concerning the

Hawaiian environment.

Moriarty managed the Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge from 1979 to 1990, and his tireless efforts in restoring native vegetation and protecting seabirds were largely responsible for transforming the former lighthouse grounds and surrounding cliffs into one of the premier wildlife refuges in the world. He also spearheaded the successful drive to acquire Crater Hill and make it part of the refuge. In the process, he made hundreds of friends, and a few enemies. Dan initiated the formation of the Kilauea Point Natural History Association and worked closely with it. He is also responsible for building the volunteer program at the refuge, which has since grown to over 100 volunteers who carry out a variety of tasks within the refuge.

Friends recall that he was largely responsible for reestablishing Laysan albatross populations on Kauai by fencing the wildlife refuge to protect the ground-nesting birds from predators. The large seabirds had been long gone from Kauai when a few mysteriously reappeared in 1976, the same year Dan began working part-time for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Kilauea. Under Dan's management, the Kilauea Refuge, which is home to the largest colony of seabirds in the major Hawaiian Islands, became one of the most popular visitor destinations on Kauai.

Dan had a passion for uprooting invasive introduced plants and replacing them with native Hawaiian species. His friends still grin when they remember the look of fierce joy that would come into his eyes as he tore into alien ironwood trees with his favorite chainsaw. He would also constantly stoop to pull alien weeds from the ground, and insist that whoever was with him at the moment, do the same.

 
Scholarship Award  

The annual award is direct payment of college or university annual tuition, up to $3,000.

 
Purpose & Goals of the Scholarship  
•   To foster a greater awareness and protection of native Hawaiian ecosystems by supporting the college education of students from Hawaii studying in associated fields, with the hope that they will return to Kauai and further the cause of environmental conservation.
     
•   To help support the community of Kauai through direct financial assistance of student college education expenses.
     
•   To honor Dan Moriarty, who was a manager of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, an outstanding environmental educator, and conservationist.
     
Recipients  
1998   Edward H. Schmidt, a Botany major at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, who achieved an excellent academic record during his undergraduate years and spent numerous hours as a volunteer for the Koke'e Natural History museum during several summers.
 
1998   Colleen Carroll, a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Education at the University of Canberra in Australia. She served as head of the Education Department at the National Tropical Botanical Garden and authored an informative book, published in 1998, about creating school gardens.
 
1999   Elizabeth Harrington, an interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Recreation/Leisure Science major at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. She was Education Programs Coordinator for the Friends of Heeia State Park, coordinator for the Heeia Stream Restoration Project and a member of the Sierra Club and Surfriders Foundation.
 
2000   Lyndsey Haraguchi, a Tropical Agriculture major in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. She worked as a legislative assistant to Rep. Morita, with the CTAHR extension service, as research student helper for Dr. Nishimoto, and as a Horticulture assistant on the Sanford estate in Manoa Valley. She is a member of the National Honor Society and president of the U. H. Horticulture Society.
 
2001     Michelle McGurr
 
2002     Tiana Lum-Tucker
 
2003     Andrea Brower
 
2004     Colin McCormick
 
2005     John Chock
 
2006     Cleoflins Ramos & Deidre Spencer
 
2007     Erin Pickett & Deidre Spencer

     
Eligibility Requirements  
•   The student must have been a resident of Hawaii within the last five years
     
•   Enrolled in a four-year college or university
     
•   Field of Study: In the broadly defined fields of botany, zoology, history and related subjects concerning the Hawaiian environment (wildlife management, interpretation, conservation and environmental education are included)
     
•   Grade point average of 3.0 or better
     
•  

Application consisting of :
o Application form
o Three letters of recommendation
o Official high school and college transcripts


Preferences		  
· Student is from Kauai.
· Is an upper-level undergraduate (junior or senior) although both lower level and graduate student applications will be accepted.
· Has demonstrated community service in environmental projects, such as volunteer or internship programs.
· Is actively participating in environmental clubs or organizations



Application Forms  

Download Application Form (Word document - 26kb)

Applications forms may also be obtained from:
Dan Moriarty Memorial Scholarship Committee
Kilauea Point Natural History Association
P.O. Box 1130
Kilauea, HI 96754

  
Submission   Application forms, transcripts, letters of recommendations and FAFSA forms must be submitted by mid-June of each year. Check current application form for exact date.