Apr. 7, 2015
Contributed by Shaundor Chillingworth
Applications are being accepted through May 30 for the First Nations’ Futures Program (FNFP), a year-long fellowship that cultivates emerging leaders who have a passion for land stewardship – including the protection and preservation of cultural and natural resources.
More than 50 leaders have successfully completed the fellowship since its inception in 2006, and are making positive impacts on island communities.
Among them are Dr. Mehana Blaich Vaughan – a UH professor of natural resources and environmental management, Kaʻiulani Murphy – an HCC Hawaiian Studies instructor and Polynesian Voyaging Society educator, and KS' own Jason Jeremiah – a senior cultural resource specialist. (See video below.)
FNFP was initiated by Kamehameha Schools, working in partnership with another First Nations Institution in Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (Aotearoa – New Zealand) to establish a world-class fellowship program focused on building indigenous capacity through developing values based leadership and more integrated solutions for managing natural and cultural resources.
Today, the international alliance includes partners Sealaska/First Alaskans Institute, Stanford University Woods Institute for the Environment and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Center for Hawaiian Studies.
The program partners share a common purpose: to improve the well-being of their communities and steward their assets, including natural and cultural resources, in perpetuity. The vision is to develop well-balanced leaders who serve their communities through impactful work in community, public or professional roles.
KS ʻĀina-Based Education Specialist Māhealani Kauahi is a current fellow in the 2014-15 cohort, Papa Mālamalama. While the time challenges of the program were at first daunting, she saw the potential opportunity to help her connect with opportunities to help guide her career path and reach new goals.
“FNFP is about creating or strengthening young leaders in Hawaiian communities,” says Kauahi. “We all have our niche in the lāhui and FNFP is not only helping me identify my strengths and weaknesses, but also my future role in my community. There is so much potential for the lāhui and we need positive, well-rounded individuals to move our communities and lāhui forward.
“Through gaining more in-depth education in this field and the connections/relationships built during this fellowship, I believe that I can move closer to achieving my professional goals.”
During the program year, FNFP offers an academic program and a series of problem-based learning experiences in Hawai‘i. Highlights include:
Read the story behind the creation of the First Nations’ Futures program in an article from KS’ I Mua Magazine and learn about the members of FNFP’s current cohort – Papa Mālamalama – in a recent I Mua Newsroom story.
For more information on the program, visit fnfp.org, call (808) 541-5346 or email fellowship@ksbe.edu.
Applications can be downloaded through May 30 at ksbe.edu/admissions or call 808-842-8800 to request a mailed application. The forms are also available at KS Resource Centers throughout the state. All applications must by postmarked or turned in to a KS Resource Center location by May 30. Kamehameha Schools’ policy on admissions is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. If you would like to be considered under that policy, your Hawaiian ancestry must be verified by Kamehameha’s Ho‘oulu Hawaiian Data Center.
FNFP is about creating or strengthening young leaders in Hawaiian communities. We all have our niche in the lāhui and FNFP is not only helping me identify my strengths and weaknesses, but also my future role in my community.
Māhealani Kauahi, FNFP fellow and KS ʻāina-based education specialist