F.O.L.K. Scholarships
The Friends of the Libraries, Kona is pleased to announce the availability of a generous $6,000 scholarship donation from The Arne & Ruth Werchick Charitable Fund. This Arne & Ruth Werchick MLIS (Master’s Degree in Library Science) Scholarship has the following requirements:
- Must be a resident of the County of Hawaii or have at least
one parent currently a resident of the County of Hawaii (Big
Island). - Must be a post-graduate student enrolled in an ALA-accredited
Master's Degree in Library Science program (classroom,
remote, or hybrid). - Must express an intention of pursuing employment in the
County of Hawaii upon completion of their studies.
Refer any questions to: folk@folkhawaii.com
Applications need to be submitted by 4/15/26. Click on the following
link to submit an application to Friends of the Libraries, Kona.
F.O.L.K. Scholarship Application - F.O.L.K. Hawaii
2025 F.O.L.K. Scholarship Winner
Arne & Ruth Werchick MLIS Scholarship
Maka'ala Rosehill is the winner of this year’s Arne & Ruth Werchick MLIS scholarship!
Meet Maka’ala Rosehill, this year’s Arne and Ruth Werchick scholarship recipient. A
proud Hilo native, her love for reading was rekindled last year with the birth of her
daughter.
Maka’ala balances being a full-time student, single mother, student librarian, and part-
time preschool substitute teacher. Her work with preschoolers shows her the magic of a
good book.
As a student worker at the Edith Kanaka’ole Hawaiian Collection at Mo’okini Library, she
values research and preservation in librarianship. Maka’ala aims to preserve, create
access to, and share her people's history and stories.
In Fall 2025, Maka’ala will begin a Master's in Library and Information Science at the
University of Hawai’i at Manoa to become a librarian and serve her community.