The Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP) began in 2001 as a joint initiative between the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s College of Engineering and Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. NHSEMP launched with a group of 14 freshmen engineering students. Since then, the program has grown to become a national model for science and engineering higher education, bridging educational institutions, government agencies, and private industry.