3 sworn in to SHEFA board
From left, special assistant to the mayor Henry Hofschneider, Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board vice chair Juan K. Tenorio, Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, SHEFA board member Henry Kyle B. Hofschneider, SHEFA board member Kaelani Marie B. Demapan, SHEFA board member Raymond M. Muña, and SHEFA board chair Oscar M. Babauta share a group photo with other members of the SHEFA board at the Saipan Mayor’s Office conference room Wednesday. (JOSHUA SANTOS)
The Saipan scholarship program—Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance—reappointed two board members and appointed one new board member yesterday—with all three being sworn in at the Saipan Mayor’s Office conference room.
The two reappointees were Kaelani Marie B. Demapan and Raymond M. Muña; Henry Kyle B. Hofschneider is SHEFA’s newest board member.
Muña, who said he first became a SHEFA board member in 2015, later thanked Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang for nominating him and said he was honored that the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation confirmed his nomination earlier this month.
“I’m happy, and I’ll do my best to help our recipients get the education [they desire] with the ultimate goal for them to return home and contribute to the workforce,” said Muña.
Speaking on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on SHEFA’s mission to better educate and enrich the CNMI’s workforce, Muña said the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic “created other options for us in higher education” through online learning, and that there has been a rising trend of students who are attending or planning to attend NMC or the Northern Marianas Technical Institute seeking financial aid through SHEFA.
“The focus right now is to support our high school graduates and those in the workforce starting their postsecondary education. We’re here to support them, even during the pandemic. Right now, the CNMI is one of the safest places in the world. For anything related to helping our workforce, I’m here for that,” said Muña.