Vice President Richard Nixon congratulates Oren E. Long, left, and Hiram L. Fong after swearing them in as senators from the new state of Hawai'i. Yesterday, separate scholarships were created in their memory for Hawai'i public school graduates enrolled in the University of Hawai'i system. Advertiser library photo | August 1959

The scholarship programs will provide financial support for Hawai'i public school graduates enrolled in the University of Hawai'i system.

"It is an honor to enact legislation to establish scholarships that will carry on the legacies of Senators Fong and Long," Lingle said. "These men came from different backgrounds, but both worked in a bipartisan manner to serve the people of Hawai'i and to represent America's newest state in our nation's Capitol."

The signing took place at the installation ceremony for the board of directors of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

Fong, the nation's first Asian-American senator, and Long were elected in 1959, the year Hawai'i became a state.

Fong, a Republican, was the son of Chinese immigrants and earlier served in the territorial House of Representatives. He died in 2004. Democrat Long was born in Kansas and served as Hawai'i's territorial governor from 1951 to 1953. He died in 1965.

The scholarships will be funded by proceeds from endowment trusts administered by the university's Board of Regents. The bill appropriates $50,000 to initially fund each trust.