2026 Scholarship Reception celebrates donors supporting student success
The college’s annual scholarship reception celebrates donors who financially support University of Arizona students, reinforcing their academic success at the College of Engineering.
University of Arizona students gathered in the Grand Ballroom for the College of Engineering's annual 2026 Scholarship Reception, which celebrates donors who support exceptional students with $1.8 million in scholarships.
Environmental engineering senior Mahieuilani Konanui credited awards such as the da Vinci Scholarship and the Professor Richard M. Edwards Endowed Scholarship in Chemical and Environmental Engineering with helping her build connections across campus.
“Being a scholarship recipient has allowed me to be a part of so many communities,” Konanui said. Adding that, without financial burden, she was able to attend the Society of Women Engineers Conference last October to build her professional network.
Konanui also worked as a student assistant in the Níhí lab, led by CHEE assistant professor Cherie De Vore, where she used ion chromatography to analyze heavy metal characteristics in a liquid mixture.
For some students, scholarships inspired them to continue their education.
Engineering Student Council President and chemical engineering senior Rohini Ghosh – winner of the Clarence Wilson Scholarship and the A. & J. Elias Scholarship – said scholarships encouraged her to apply to doctoral programs.
“Through various scholarships and grants, I have been able to present posters at two AIChE annual student conferences,” she said. “And because of these experiences, this has shaped my desire to pursue a PhD.”