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From Hawaii to Scotland: Chaminade Holds International Conference

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What connects Hawaii and Scotland?

You might assume the answer is not much. But an international conference held at Chaminade University over the summer underscored just how much the two locales share – and how indigenous writers from Scotland and its isles and the Hawaiian Islands have much to learn from each other.

From June 28 to 30, the University hosted the International Association for the Study of Scottish Literatures conference, welcoming researchers from around the globe to hear illuminating lectures around the theme, “Scotland and the South Seas: Writing the Wide Pacific.” The conference focused on how Scottish and Pacific literary works influenced each other thanks to rich cultural exchanges.

Chaminade’s Division of Humanities and Fine Arts professors Dr. Allison Paynter and Dr. Richard Hill served as key organizers for the conference, partnering with historical organizations from across the state to offer plenary sessions that took their inspiration from author Robert Louis Stevenson’s writings and travels across the Pacific, including Hawaii. The conference also featured two leading scholars of Stevenson, Roslyn Jolly (University of New South Wales) and Penny Fielding (Edinburgh University).

As part of the conference, Chaminade’s Sullivan Family Library worked to bring Stevenson’s stories to life, coordinating with Hawaii artist Solomon Enos and others to create pieces inspired by his many writings.

Paynter and Hill said the conference was so rich, they’re planning to write a book about the takeaways.

Also over the summer, Paynter was named a James Weldon Johnson Foundation artist-in-residence. The foundation seeks to advance Weldon’s legacy through educational, intellectual and artistic works. Weldon was an author, diplomat, attorney and strong advocate for social justice.

2019 Fr. John F. Bolin Excellence In Scholarship Awardee

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Dr. Junghwa Suh kicks off every semester with students by sharing this quote: “Happiness is the new rich. Inner peace is the new success. Health is the new wealth. Kindness is the new cool.” – Unknown.

Dr. Junghwa Suh

Suh, an associate professor of Environmental + Interior Design at Chaminade, said her goal is to help students understand that success in life comes from “embracing differences,” helping those around you grow right along with you, and working to be thankful everyday for all that you have.

Those are lessons Suh also takes to heart in her own work.

And her commitment to not only her research but the craft of teaching has earned her this year’s prestigious Father John F. Bolin Excellence in Scholarship award, which recognizes full-time faculty who have made notable academic and professional contributions to the University.

Suh, who received her doctoral degree in Architecture from the University of Hawaii in 2013, has an interdisciplinary background that also includes research in interior design, mathematics and fine arts.

She said in her teaching, she’s sought to challenge students to see the relationships between architecture and the urban-scape with sustainable, interdisciplinary and tech-driven design strategies.

“I encourage our students to think about design with people, culture, climate, and environmental contexts in mind,” Suh said, adding that she wants to help students become versatile designers who can connect the theory they learn with innovative practice. “It is crucial to educate our future designers to analyze and synthesize design solutions in the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way.”

Suh helps bring theory alive with innovative techniques of her own.

She uses digital and social media tools with her students, seeks to extend learning outside the classroom, incorporates hands-on and project-based learning into lessons, and looks for opportunities that allow students to learn from each other as they think through a tough problem.

Suh is also passionate about fostering empathy in her students. They have to understand that design really is about people. Once they do that, “they are better able to understand the project and clients.”

As part of receiving the Bolin award, Suh received $1,500 and her photo displayed permanently in the Sullivan Family Library. But the real reward, Suh said, is the recognition and support from her colleagues.

“My time at Chaminade University has been a period of tremendous growth as a versatile instructor, curriculum and course designer, and scholar in innovative research, creative activity, and service,” Suh said. “This recognition encourages me to do more meaningful and innovative work for our students.”

Putting Down “Roots”: PsyD Program is Here to Stay

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The next time you walk by Brogan Hall, look for the young kukui nut tree on the building’s mauka end. 

The tree — traditionally a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual guidance — was planted to celebrate the new permanent home of the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology degree program at the Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University.

The program’s faculty, staff and students attended the tree planting on November 6.

Dr. Sean Scanlan, director of Chaminade’s Psy.D. program, said the kukui nut is the perfect representation of the Clinical Psychology program at Chaminade. He added that the tree was planted following a suggestion from a student in a place where it will have lots of room to grow.

“The kukui tree was used by Native Hawaiians for candlelight and has become an emblem of the importance of seeking out opportunities for personal and academic growth,” Scanlan said. “As a symbol of enlightenment, the kukui tree we’ve planted at Brogan Hall will continue to grow and thrive in the years and decades ahead just as the Clinical Psychology program will flourish at Chaminade into the future.”

During the small ceremony, the students added soil to cover the kukui tree’s roots as a symbol of being the basis for the program to grow. The Psy.D. faculty and staff then poured water from an ipu as a symbol of their role in instructing, mentoring and supporting the students.

In March, Chaminade University announced it would host the Hawaii School of Professional Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program following the abrupt closure of Argosy University. Chaminade immediately welcomed approximately 100 students and faculty members into the program as it worked to ensure a seamless transition for those working toward their doctoral degree – and those helping them get there.

Today, the Psy.D. at Chaminade is a five-year, intensive program designed to build students’ skills and knowledge as they train to become clinical psychologists. Early courses in the program provide the foundation for the field, while later classes focus on therapy, research training and an internship.

Dr. Lynn Babington, Chaminade president, said serving as a hub for high-quality mental health instruction – and a source for excellent mental health providers who will serve their communities – is in line with the University’s mission to work every day to change the world for the better.

“The planting of the kukui nut tree at Brogan Hall is a powerful symbol that underscores our commitment to ensuring the Psy.D. program at Chaminade continues to grow and meet the mental health needs of our state,” she said. “We are excited about the next steps in building out this program and can’t wait to see how psychologists trained at Chaminade impact people’s lives in positive ways.”

For more information on the Psy.D. program at Chaminade or to apply, click here.

PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree

Graduate and Undergrad Student Recognized at “Top Cop” Event

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Two Chaminade students were recognized recently at the “Top Cop” Law Enforcement and Security Awards, an annual event aimed at celebrating those who work to make their communities safer.

L-R: Dr. Joe Allen, Dr. Kelly Treece, Jesus Moreno (MSCJA student), Dr. Ronald Becker and Andres Victoria (Criminology and Criminal Justice student)

Jesus Moreno, a Chaminade graduate student, was awarded the Anton Financial Scholarship after outlining his studies in criminal justice and detailing what he plans to do after graduation.

Undergraduate student Andres Victoria, meanwhile, took home the ASIS Hawaii Chapter award. Victoria is seeking his bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Chaminade online.

Both students received $1,000 cash scholarships.

The “Top Cop” awards banquet was held October 24 at the Ala Moana Hotel. The event is held annually to “promote, encourage and recognize excellence in the field of law enforcement and security in Hawaii.”

To be selected for the scholarships, Moreno and Victoria also had to submit letters of recommendation and be actively enrolled in a criminal justice program.

Worth noting: Chaminade’s Criminology and Criminal Justice program is the largest and oldest in Hawaii, and the University offers several degree options for those interested in pursuing careers in the field.

In addition to on-campus programs, students can seek Criminology and Criminal Justice undergraduate and graduate degrees entirely online.

Whether on campus or online, the degrees prepare students to pursue careers in law enforcement, public safety, criminal justice or graduate studies in law or criminology research.

E+ID Student Receives Interior Design Scholarship

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Hawaii interior designers – and interior designers-in-training – gathered in October to honor those who are making significant contributions to the field.

E+ID student Jacqueline Harbin receiving her scholarship

Among those recognized at the inaugural International Interior Design Association (IIDA)-Hawaii Ho’ohuli Awards: Chaminade University student Jacqueline Harbin.

Harbin is in Chaminade’s Environmental + Interior Design program, the only accredited and degree-granting program of its kind in Hawaii.

And at the October 12 event, she took home the Student Scholastic Award, which recognizes a design student who exhibits a strong work ethic, team leadership and is a strong advocate for the International Interior Design Association.

Harbin was awarded $2,000 – and showered with no small amount of praise from her mentors.

To apply for the honor, Harbin wrote an essay about her craft. She also had to be nominated by a faculty member and underwent an interview with an awards committee.

Organizers from the IIDA Hawaii Pacific Chapter say the awards gala, held at the Prince Waikiki, was an evening dedicated to celebrating “outstanding and original commercial interior design in Hawaii.”

Welcoming our Master of Science in Counseling Psychology Students

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Incoming graduate students in Chaminade’s counseling psychology program gathered in October to develop personalized road maps for how they’ll pursue their degrees – and go onto successful careers.

Master of Science in Counseling Psychology students and faculty pose for a group picture during new student orientation

It was the first time the program has held an orientation for new graduate students. Organizers of the October 5 event say it was aimed at answering students’ questions, inspiring them as they learn more about the professional pathways they’re setting out on, and ensuring they feel supported and welcomed.

The orientation also gave faculty and staff a chance to introduce themselves to new students.

Some 27 students attended the event, coming from across the three concentrations offered in Chaminade’s Master of Science in Counseling Psychology: Marriage and Family Counseling; Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. The orientation touched on the program’s overall goals along with the core competencies required in each of the program’s three focus areas.

Dr. Dale Fryxell, School of Education and Behavioral Sciences dean, was on hand at the half-day orientation along with Counseling Psychology Program Director Dr. Robert Santee, and a number of full-time and adjunct faculty. Time was also set aside for new and current students to network.

Students rounded out the orientation by breaking up into groups and meeting with their advisers. Attendees also got valuable information on student organizations and internship opportunities. And before the event wrapped up, attendees all gathered around for – what else? – a group picture!