Bank of Hawaii has reached the five-year milestone of its College Assistance Program, a tuition-free employee benefit that so far has paid for the associate’s or bachelor’s degrees of eight staff members in Hawaii and the West Pacific Region. Eighty employees are currently enrolled in the program.

Bank of Hawaii launched the College Assistance Program in August 2016 with the mission of helping its employees obtain their first college degree. To lessen the financial cost, the bank provides 100% upfront tuition assistance, including textbooks and fees, prior to each term. Included in CAP is “Focus on Finals Day,” which gives each enrolled participant one paid day off during finals week so they may study for exams.

In the first five years of the program, three employees have earned their bachelor’s degrees in psychology, business administration or management, and five have earned their associate’s degrees in business administration or management.

The program is open to employees who have been employed at the bank for at least six continuous months and who have not yet earned a college degree. Employees can choose from one of four bachelor’s degree programs (business administration, criminology and criminal justice, historical and political studies, and psychology) offered by Chaminade University, or the Associates in Arts program from University of Hawaii Community Colleges.

Majors do not have to be related to an employee’s role at the bank, and there is no commitment to stay with Bank of Hawaii once they have earned their degrees.