Three University of Guam engineering majors were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Guam chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). From left to right: Ann Marie Pelobello, NAWIC Guam chartering president-elect and scholarship chairwoman; Crystal Cruz, NAWIC Guam president; Andrew Shiroma, NAWIC Guam scholarship recipient; Merry Remetira, NAWIC Guam scholarship recipient; Anna Mallari, NAWIC Guam scholarship recipient; Dr. Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, Dean, UOG School of Engineering; Dr. Sharleen Santos-Bamba, Senior Vice President and Provost; Dr. Gena Rojas, Interim Dean, Enrollment Management and Student Success; and Drina Pelobello, NAWIC Guam vice president. 

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Freshman Andrew Shiroma and seniors Anna Mallari and Merry Remetira each received $1,000 during the awards ceremony on August 20.
 
Ann Marie Pelobello, chartering president-elect and scholarship chairwoman of NAWIC Guam, congratulated all the awardees and urged them to continue advancing their careers in the industry.
 
Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, Dean of the School of Engineering at UOG, highlighted the significance of the scholarship in encouraging more interest in construction, especially among women.
 
“Construction is a multibillion-dollar industry, yet only a tenth of people working in construction in the United States are women,” said Hettiarachchi. “We greatly appreciate the efforts of NAWIC Guam in supporting women pursuing careers in construction on island.” 
 
Through its scholarship program, NAWIC Guam offers financial support to students pursuing advanced degrees in construction-related fields. This year, they granted a total of four scholarships, three of which went to UOG students.