Chaminade University of Honolulu

University Communications & Marketing

Supporting Tomorrow’s School Leaders

Kathy Jaycox dedicated her career to advancing education as a high school teacher, university professor and community college administrator. Now in retirement, she’s proud to continue that support, including with a new scholarship that honors her uncle—a longtime educator himself.

The Andrew J. Penn Endowed Scholarship at Chaminade’s School of Education and Behavioral Sciences targets aid to students pursuing a master’s degree in education. While many scholarships are for undergraduates, Jaycox said it was important for her to help graduate students who are returning to school and looking to build on their skills and advance as leaders in education.

Jaycox says her “Uncle Andy,” who passed away in 2010, inspired her to pursue a career in education and often spoke about how he taught school during the day and earned his master’s degree at night. Penn served as a principal in Chicago for more than two decades.

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Penn, who started teaching in the 1950s, was also a Korean War veteran and something of a big brother to Jaycox. “He was a really big part of my life for as long as I can remember,” she explained.

“He put other people ahead of himself so much.”

Jaycox and Penn not only shared a passion for education. They also both fell in love with Hawaii, visiting for vacation and vowing to move there someday.

That’s exactly what they did in the early 1990s during a particularly chilly Chicago winter. Penn was retired by that time and Jaycox was able to secure a position at Honolulu Community College focused on continuing education.

Jaycox served at the University of Hawaiʻi for nearly 20 years and also led the Hawaiʻi P-20 Initiative to strengthen the education pipeline from early childhood to postsecondary education.

She said during her years in education leadership, she learned about Chaminade and its service-focused mission. Penn also supported the University as a donor. Jaycox said the endowed scholarship not only celebrates her uncle’s legacy, but her own pursuit of lifelong learning.

“I know this scholarship is what Uncle Andy would have wanted,” said Jaycox, who returned to Chicago after her retirement.

“He would often talk about how important it was to help people who wanted to do something more. As a lifelong learner myself, it’s nice to help somebody do that.”

Chaminade Students Organize Special ‘Unity Prom’

There are few events in high school more memorable than prom.

A group of Silverswords made sure that was especially true for more than 120 special education high schoolers, who gathered on November 18 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center for the 2025 West Oʻahu Unity Prom.

Students in Chaminade’s Business and Sport and Event Management programs planned the event, from the decorations to the live music and photo booth to the buffet. Meanwhile, some 80 Chaminade student-athletes volunteered as dance partners for the guests of honor.

Wendy Lam, Ph.D., associate professor of Business Administration and Sport and Event Management, said students from Waianae, Waipahu, Nanakuli high schools, DreamHouse Ewa Beach and Kamaile Academy attended. There were also a number of Chaminade administrators there, including President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., along with community members.

The event was sponsored by Ho’ea—The Foundation.

Lam said last year, Chaminade students volunteered at the East Oʻahu Unity Prom and were inspired to put together a special event for students on the other side of the island. She added Silverswords were integral to all elements of the gathering as part of field experience courses.

“This event exemplifies Chaminade’s commitment to community engagement, servant leadership, and the Marianist values of inclusivity, compassion, and formation through service,” Lam said.

“Our students are not only applying their classroom learning but also living out our mission to serve others and build a more just and caring community.”

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Trysten Mooney ’27, who is majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Sport and Event Management, was among those who helped put the event together. At the prom, he joined classmates to manage activity booths, including fun make-up and photo stations.

“Seeing all of the smiles from the students and teachers made all the work worth it,” Mooney said.

“This project helps connect Chaminade to the community by showing our love and core values with everyone. It is a cool experience for both the students involved and us students working it.”

Babington Serves in Women’s Leadership Forum

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D. recently traveled to Rome for a weeklong seminar aimed at fostering new opportunities for women in leadership at Catholic institutions of higher education and promoting the importance of values-based education.

Babington was selected to participate in the Women’s Leadership Program, which is an executive initiative of the International Federation of Catholic Universities.

Participants in the gathering, from October 22 to 26, included university presidents, rectors and other distinguished women leaders from academia.

They discussed the critical role of women in Catholic higher education, the importance of advancing women in academia, and the role of service-focused Catholic education.

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The program also explored the intersection of faith, leadership and governance at Catholic universities worldwide.

While women are a powerful force in Catholic higher education leadership, they hold only 8% of top positions globally.

Organizers said the Women’s Leadership Program is designed to bring together women leaders guiding institutions with confidence, integrity and Catholic values.

Babington said it was a great honor to participate in the initiative, which included talks at LUMSA University in Rome and visits to the Vatican.

“A central area of reflection was the urgent and important work of Catholic universities to, as Pope Leo XIV’s has said, seek ‘the integral development of the human person forming intellects with a critical sense, believing hearts, and citizens committed to the common good,’” she said.

Babington added, “Those inspiring words speak eloquently to our University’s mission.”

Silverswords Recount ‘Joy’ of Youth Pilgrimage

Surreal.

That’s how four Chaminade University students described their recent trip to Rome for the Jubilee of Young People, a global Catholic pilgrimage meant to break down bridges and spotlight the power of unity, service and hope. More than one million youth participated, celebrating Mass with Pope Leo XIV, participating in volunteer activities, and gathering for concerts and vigils.

“I was just filled with gratitude for having the opportunity to be there,” said Julia Durocher ’28, who is studying biochemistry at Chaminade. “It was such a beautiful thing to be there with young adults. It gave me hope that the Catholic Church is being brought into the next generation.”

Durocher was selected to participate in the Chaminade contingent along with her brother, Anthony ’26, Sophia Terry ’28, and Olivia Jensen ’27. Also in attendance were students from fellow U.S. Marianist institutions—the University of Dayton in Ohio and St. Mary’s University in Texas.

Anthony Durocher said the Rome trip was full of “pinch me” moments. Like when he and the other Silverswords joined tens of thousands of young pilgrims from around the globe to parade in the streets of Rome. “There was so much energy and everyone was so alive,” Durocher said.

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The Jubilee of Young People, from July 28 to August 3, coincides with the Jubilee Year of Hope designated by Pope Francis. The Vatican said more than one million youth convened for the celebration, which closed with a huge, open-air Mass at Rome’s University of Tor Vergata.

Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass, calling on young people to embrace peace. “My young brothers and sisters, you are the sign that a different world is possible,” he told celebrants. A world of fraternity and friendship, where conflicts are not resolved with weapons, but with dialogue.”

Terry said that message resonated with her.

She was especially grateful to form close bonds with her fellow Chaminade pilgrims. “The trip meant so much to me because I was truly able to embrace my faith with those of differing cultures and getting to express our love of God together was truly inspiring,” she said.

Even months later, Terry added, “The impact of this pilgrimage has brought me a spark like no other, whenever I’m in a tough spot I remember how truly supported I am by God and by those around me. The trip was so beautifully impactful on each and every person that went.”

Jensen, who is pursuing a degree in historical and political studies, said one moment from the pilgrimage that she will always cherish is kneeling during a large-scale eucharistic adoration at Tor Vergata right along with Pope Leo XIV and hundreds of thousands of youth from across the globe.

“Seeing the Holy Father kneeling in unison with me was eye-opening,” Jensen said.

“It reminded me that he is human just as I am, and that I too have the same opportunity to pursue holiness in my lifetime. As I looked around, I saw one million other Catholics in silent reverence, all kneeling before the presence of our Lord.

“I felt overwhelmed by the presence of the lord and by the sheer universality of the Church. It did not matter whether someone came from Hawaii, Ukraine, Spain, or Colombia. We were all united together under the one Catholic Church.”

Jensen added that the trip to Rome recharged her—and her faith. But she also realized on reflection that there was no need to travel to Rome to feel that way. “We can find hope in our communities, in prayer, and in the faces of those closest to us,” she said.

The pilgrimage was Julia Durocher’s first trip overseas.

For her, one major highlight was hearing fellow pilgrims recite the Lord’s Prayer in their own languages.

“That was something that I will never forget,” she said, adding that she could feel Jesus’ presence everywhere she went in Rome. “I felt Jesus was calling me to bring what I experienced in Rome back to my home,” she said. “To be an instrument of His love and kindness to others.”

Her brother, Anthony, said the joy he felt—and saw—during the pilgrimage still buoys him.

“On a bad day or during a sad time or if I’m not feeling very grateful, I just look back at my memories of Rome,” he said. “There was joy on so many people’s faces. People from Ukraine, from Russia, coming from poverty, they came together and they had joy.”

Alumni Celebrate Silversword Reunion 2025

It was a weekend of celebrating old memories and making new ones.

More than 250 Chaminade alumni gathered on campus for Silversword Reunion 2025, three days of festivities that included serving as the guests of honor at this year’s Pacific Island Review cultural celebration featuring student performances and great food.

Reunion attendees also shared a campus tour, dinner and attended Mass.

Jodi-Ann Yoshida, MBA ’23, who is director of Alumni Relations, said the reunion from October 17 to 19 offered opportunities for alumni from across the state and across the nation to reconnect, reminisce and reignite their passion for Chaminade and its important public service-focused mission.

This year’s reunion also coincided with the University’s 70th anniversary celebration and included an alumnus—Bernard Lum Hoy ’59—from Chaminade’s first graduating class.

At the Silversword Reunion dinner, three attendees were recognized with Alumni Awards.

Rylan Chong, ’10, Ph.D., received the Marianist Alumni Award for exemplifying the Marianist spirit. Chong co-developed Hawaiʻi’s first Data Science undergraduate program at Chaminade in 2019, with a focus on community building and providing students access to in-demand skills and career opportunities.

Under his leadership, Silversword Data Science students have won national competitions, clinched prestigious local and national internships, and pursued exciting careers.

Angela Riccardi Maroun ’76, was named recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for outstanding contributions to her profession and the community.

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Over her career, Maroun helped thousands of patients regain their mobility and independence as a leader in the field of outpatient and home care physical therapy.

In accepting her award, Maroun called Chaminade a very special place that provided her with both a “wider world view and lasting friendships.” Maroun added, “How many people can say they still visit and text with their professors 50 years later?

“That is the Chaminade experience.”

Joshua Orimoto ’20, meanwhile, was recognized with the Young Alumni Award for excellence in his field and demonstrated service to the community, the university and the public.

Orimoto serves as an Air Force cyberspace operations officer and was recently selected to serve as a diplomatic security service special agent for the U.S. Department of State.

Yoshida congratulated all the honorees.

“These exemplary Silversword alumni have made meaningful contributions to their professions and communities, embodying the Chaminade mission by leading and serving with aloha,” she said.

Chaminade Dean Inducted Into Hawaiʻi Swimming Hall of Fame

Gail Grabowsky, Ph.D., dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Chaminade, executive director of the University’s UN CIFAL Center and a decorated ocean and roughwater swimmer, was inducted into the Hawaiʻi Swimming Hall of Fame in a ceremony on October 18.

Grabowsky was inducted into the Ocean and Channel Swimming category for the Class of 2025.

Gail Grabowsky

In an interview before the ceremony, Grabowsky said she was humbled by the honor.

“I’m a distance swimmer and I love swimming,” said Grabowsky, who makes time to swim three mornings a week off Ala Moana Regional Park. She has won the female division of the Double Roughwater swim six times and has also clinched wins and a long list of age-group firsts in the Waikiki Roughwater Swim, King’s Swim, the Wailea Roughwater and the Popoiʻa Swim.

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Grabowsky said she fell in love with ocean swimming as a young girl in California.

That quickly grew into a passion for environmental sciences and marine studies.

One of the biggest highlights of her job, she said, is being able to take students to field experiences in Hawaiʻi waters—from Ala Moana to Hanauma Bay. “That’s where I’m lucky,” she said. “f you create a memory for them that’s tied to Chaminade or them loving science, that’s important.”

Grabowksy, from Los Angeles, studied at Duke University and earned her doctoral degree in Zoology in 1993. She first came to the islands as a graduate student in 1992 and returned a year later for a postdoctoral position. She started teaching at Chaminade in 1997.

The Hawaiʻi Swimming Hall of Fame, founded in 2002, seeks to “promote, preserve, and perpetuate Hawaiian aquatic sports for the future” by celebrating the achievements of island swimmers, divers, and water polo athletes.