Chaminade University of Honolulu

University Communications & Marketing

Chaminade DMFT Grad Shares Her Newest Book: Was Your Mother Wrong?

Family life is messy and complicated, and counseling individuals and couples on sensitive marital and family issues can be emotionally traumatic for a client. For those reasons and more, marriage and family therapists must undergo rigorous training and pass exams before they can earn their licenses and graduate.

Despite the many obstacles, Dr. Bridget Duncan, DMFT ’26, cleared them all and is now busy sharing her knowledge with the world through books.

Last year, Dr. Duncan launched her first volume, titled “Stop Dyeing Red Flags Pink: Your Roadmap to Healthy, Balanced Relationships.” She has now published her second title, a study on how parents can impact their children given the provocative title “What if Your Mother was Wrong?: Rethinking the Beliefs that have Shaped Your Life.”

Dr. Duncan said the provocation in the title given to her newest book is deliberate.

“I know the title is controversial,” she shared in an interview. “What if my mom was wrong? I didn’t say she was, but it’s an invitation. What if she was? You know, not necessarily meaning she was, but it’s inviting the adult child to now question that.”

Duncan said her first book was inspired by conversations with her academic advisor while enrolled in Chaminade University’s Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy. Her latest book, she said, derives from her professional practice and interaction with clients. She said it is often surprising the extent to which the earliest childhood interactions with our parents can influence us well into adulthood.

“How does our system affect us and impact us, and what system are we in originally, is that home system, and usually in that early formative time, it’s usually the mom, typically the mom,” she explained. “So the book is to encourage people.”

In other words, Dr. Duncan said her newest book is an invitation to readers who may be struggling with past familial issues or trauma to recognize how our parents, especially our mothers, may be contributing to emotionally challenging states of mental health.

“What if my mom was wrong about loyalty, obligation, who am I, what I’m owed?” she said. “Maybe I can rethink that, and rethink who I am through a different lens.”

The life of a Chaminade DMFT student

Dr. Duncan holds two degrees in psychology and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy (MSMFT). She continued working full-time as a practicing therapist while completing her three-year doctoral program at Chaminade University, the only program of its kind in Hawaii.

She even spent a year in Thailand.

While all of that was going on, she decided to write her first book.

Dr. Duncan looks back fondly at her time at Chaminade because it kept her busy–her work, her studies, her writing all saved her from boredom.

She acknowledged that Chaminade’s Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT)  program is rigorous. Still, she said it was the right fit for her given how she knew the demands of her field and how the program at Chaminade is up to the challenge of training professional therapists of the highest caliber.

“You really had to know how to be determined, resilient, to be able to manage your time,” she said.

As she shared last year, Duncan was inspired to dive into book authorship during a conversation with her then academic advisor, Dean Dale Fryxell. At the time, she was telling him what she thought of the tendency of her clients to gloss over obvious “red flags” or warning signs that can reveal themselves in relationships of all sorts.

The euphemism she used to describe this phenomenon was “dyeing red flags pink.” Dr. Fryxell told her that phrase would make a great title for a book. She ran with the idea.

Now that she’s been bitten by the writing bug, Dr. Duncan said anyone interested in marriage and family therapy will see more to come.

Her new book “What if Your Mother Was Wrong?” is on sale now. Two more books are coming, and Duncan let slip that she has no intention of singling out mom. She’s already planning to write two more books: “What if Your Father Was Wrong?” and “What if Your Family Was Wrong?”

“I’m already working on book three,” she said. “So many people like, well, what about your father, Bridget? So I’ve already started the outline.”

Writing books, Duncan says, is a way for her to keep motivated, to keep moving, to keep learning, and to constantly stay at the forefront of her field.

“Like I tell my clients, I can’t be everybody’s therapist, so I’m just gonna keep writing books.”

Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee is More than a Promise; It’s a Pact

When Nanea Chu was gearing up to graduate from Parker High School on Hawaiʻi Island, she knew she wanted to continue her education at college but didn’t necessarily have a school in her home state in mind. Nanea was actually considering going someplace much farther away, unsure if she could bear the cost of studying in her home state.

“I was going to go to Rhode Island for school,” she said.

Nanea said she was considering attending the Rhode Island School of Design, an institution with high tuition rates but in a state with a lower cost of living. Depending on the aid package, traveling all the way to Providence for college could have ended up being cheaper than staying in Hawaiʻi. 

“I didn’t think that I would be able to afford it if I chose to stay here,” she said.

Layla Becker also knew she wanted to go to college following her graduation from James Campbell High School. She initially zeroed in on two private universities on Oʻahu. It was a toss-up, but a trusted advisor recommended she give Chaminade a closer look.

“I only applied to two schools originally,” Layla said. “I had an environmental science teacher in high school who was talking to me a bunch about college and he recommended Chaminade to me because he had family that went.”

There were, of course, a lot of other factors to consider, yet both Layla and Nanea ultimately chose to study at Chaminade University of Honolulu, in part due to the university’s new Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship, a commitment the university launched the year they both applied.

Now in its fourth year, the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship is helping new generations of Hawaiʻi students afford a Chaminade University education.

The Guarantee is a promise the university makes to resident first-time college students graduating from local high schools. The admissions and financial aid offices work with enrolling students to ensure that the tuition rate these incoming students pay matches the institutional in-state tuition rate residents would pay to go to public universities.

It’s one way Chaminade University is striving to be as accessible as possible, understanding why it’s important that Hawaiʻi high school graduates have the option to pursue a Chaminade education regardless of means.

The Guarantee works in tandem with the university’s efforts to ensure students graduate in four years, keeping costs down while helping everyone in the Chaminade family pursue their dreams and goals without unnecessary delay or expense. Today, Chaminade University boasts the state’s highest four-year graduation rate.

Both Nanea and Layla said Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee program played a significant role in swaying their decisions to stay in the state and attend the university. They agree that the next wave of graduating high school seniors in Hawaiʻi should give the Guarantee a closer look.

“I would definitely recommend Chaminade,” Layla said.

A private university education at an in-state public price

Chaminade University is Hawaiʻi’s only private Catholic university. We fulfill the Marianist mission of promoting personal and community well-being through education, and we are particularly committed to serving Native Hawaiians and residents of the state even as we welcome students, staff, and faculty from everywhere.

The school’s devotion to serving Hawaiʻi is what ultimately inspired the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship program. Both Nanea and Layla are on course to graduate at the end of the current academic year. Now seniors, they are among the first cohort of students to receive Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship.

As noted earlier, the Guarantee is a sort of pact Chaminade makes with qualifying students. Through the Guarantee, Chaminade University will work to match Hawaiʻi’s in-state tuition rate for any qualifying local first-year student.

Incoming students apply for the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship by first submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Via the Guarantee, Chaminade will adjust students’ tuition rates after institutional aid is factored in to ensure that what the students pay matches in-state public university tuition costs. The adjusted tuition rate only rises when the in-state tuition rate goes up.

It’s a big deal–the Guarantee can bring annual tuition costs down by as much as two-thirds.

All Hawaiʻi graduating high school seniors, incoming university freshmen, and first-time Hawaiʻi college students are eligible for Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship. Applicants must be seeking their first bachelor’s degree and enroll as full-time students.

In addition, all majors are eligible, with the exception of Chaminade’s nursing degree programs. The scholarship is also renewable for three years.

For Nanea, the Guarantee meant she could choose to stay close to home and avoid relocating thousands of miles away to study her chosen field, which was graphic design at the time she was shopping for colleges. She later switched her major to interior design, impressed by Chaminade’s tough but excellent interior design program.

“It takes a lot of discipline and you can’t procrastinate whatsoever really, or it’ll really catch up to you,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Layla said the Guarantee helped convince her to choose Chaminade over other universities to pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Nanea said Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee “definitely was a big factor in staying here” versus flying off to the mainland.

Layla said it was the same with her, even after she learned that she could couple the scholarship with Veterans Affairs benefits she qualified for through her father’s service in the military.

“It piqued my interest and I definitely was more persuaded to choose Chaminade because at the time I didn’t know I qualified for VA benefits,” Layla shared.

Peace of mind in pursuit of knowledge

With an up to two-thirds decrease in tuition costs, the Guarantee is significant and designed to give every Hawaiʻi resident a chance at being a part of the Chaminade University community.

As the university says on its Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship website, “We’re giving you and your family financial peace of mind, so you can focus on achieving your goals and stepping into your future with confidence and purpose.”

Abigail Hurgo, Chaminade’s assistant vice president of enrollment management, told KHON TV in a recent interview that the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship is an important program the university is proud to offer because “it makes it affordable for students to have a great private education here at Chaminade.”

As some of the first students to receive the award, both Nanea and Layla wholeheartedly agree.

“It’s helped me a lot because, besides tuition, I did choose to dorm for two years on campus and that actually brought down the overall cost by a lot for me,” Layla said. “So, I got to experience more as a college student.”

Likewise, Nanea said the new opportunity to pursue her studies at Chaminade at the in-state tuition rate saved her from having to make a very tough decision–leaving the state. It’s a decision she said a lot of graduating high school seniors in Hawaiʻi are forced to consider if they choose to continue on to college.

“I didn’t want to have to go away, obviously,” Nanea explained. “I was really avoiding it, but when it really comes down to it, I feel like a lot of locals are pushed out towards the mainland because of money costs, especially when it comes to school.”

The Guarantee completely changed the equation for her, Nanea said. “Having an opportunity like that is super important.”

A Head Start on Life: Chaminade University’s Early College Program 

While still finishing high school, Tiare Wong earned her associate’s degree at Chaminade—and discovered she was ready for college.

For most high school students, graduation means closing one chapter before beginning another.

For Tiare Wong, it meant earning two diplomas at once, something not all high school students are prepared to do.

This past spring, Wong graduated from Sacred Hearts Academy while simultaneously  earning an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts degree through Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Early College Program. Now, she is preparing to head to the University of Oregon—with enough college credits to enter as a third-year student.

She already has an early jump on college, but Wong’s journey was about more than getting ahead academically.

Chaminade’s Early College Program, she said, taught her how to manage her time, take responsibility for her own education, and navigate the expectations of college-level coursework—all while she was still balancing the busy life of a high school student.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a head start on what being a college student feels like,” Wong said. “I wanted to learn what it was like to be responsible and to have good time management.”

That lesson happened to come at a busy time in her life.

At Sacred Hearts Academy, Wong played volleyball for three years before switching to cheerleading as a senior. She served as president of the school’s Life Team, danced hula, and stayed active in numerous other ways throughout her high school years.

Somehow, she still found time to earn a college degree.

Wong first learned about Chaminade’s Early College Program when Sacred Hearts announced the opportunity near the end of her sophomore year. The program allows eligible high school students to enroll in college courses and earn Chaminade credits while completing their high school requirements.

“Tiare is one of many success stories at Sacred Hearts,” said Kimberlee Baxter, Director of Chaminade’s Early College program. “She learned a lot even outside academics, such as time management and life skills. The idea of the program is to get ahead with college, earn college credit, and experience more.”

Kapaʻa High on Kauai was the first high school to partner with Chaminade’s Early College program in the fall of 2021. Since then, Sacred Hearts Academy and Saint Louis School joined, and several cohorts have already risen through the program, with 108 students between all three schools currently enrolled. 

Students from any Hawaiʻi high school are eligible to participate. Enrolled high school students take a variety of general education courses, including English, communications, business, psychology, and religion.

For Wong, the program became an opportunity to experience the increased independence that comes with college and, in her case, earning a college degree.

“I feel like I got a little taste of what being a college student is like and what the expectations are, especially from my professors,” she said. “I had to learn how to be responsible for myself.”

Assistant Professor of English Justyn Wyble has been teaching for the Early College Program for two years. He said  students in the program are adept at rising to the occasion, taking college level courses all while maintaining positive and joyful attitudes. 

One of his courses involves reading “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyashi, “Night Watchmen” by Louise Erdrich, and “House of Many Gods” by Kiana Davenport, works selected because of their introspective storylines that intersect generations while drawing connections to students’ own journeys.   

“They are eager for that kind of rigorous curriculum and they want to be treated like college students,” Wyble said of the Early College students. “They are ready to be mature students who can engage in advanced material.” 

When a question arose in a course, Tiare learned she had to reach out. If an assignment was due, there was no one waiting to remind her repeatedly. She learned to be proactive in her own education.

“I really had to step up and grow up to learn how to do things myself,” she said, noting how she used study halls and breaks after school before heading to practices and then setting aside additional time to study at home.

The experience also challenged some of her assumptions about college.

Wong had heard stories about intimidating professors and demanding college classrooms. At Chaminade, she found something quite different. Her professors, she said, took the time to interact with their students and get to know them.

She admits to feeling some nerves about moving so far from home this fall–and she has never been to Oregon. But she is also excited about what comes next—and about continuing hula and joining the university’s Hawaiʻi Club.

Wong said her long-term goal is to start her own business and maybe become the  CEO of a company, expanding her enterprise internationally.

For high school students considering Chaminade’s Early College Program, Wong has one simple piece of advice: Go for it.

“I think it’s so much more than the diploma,” she said. “It taught me so many life lessons that I will not only use in college, but in the future.”

Convocation Opens a New Academic Year

The sound of an oli delivered by Chaminade University Director of Campus Ministry Tasha Castro resonated throughout the newly refreshed Mystical Rose Oratory, opening the University’s annual Spiritual Convocation and marking the beginning of a new academic year.

The gathering was also the first major event held in the beautifully renovated Oratory, providing a meaningful setting for a Chaminade tradition that brings together students, faculty, staff, administrators and members of the Marianist community to reflect on the University’s Catholic and Marianist mission.

The Most Rev. Michael Thomas Tupou Castori, S.J., Bishop of Honolulu, served as celebrant and homilist, delivering a message centered on the importance of educating the whole person—both mind and heart.

That commitment, he noted, lies at the heart of Catholic education. While students come to a university to gain knowledge and prepare for careers, education also offers an opportunity for spiritual growth, deeper reflection and connection with others.

Bishop Castori reflected on his own early connection to Chaminade through the late Bishop Amando Samo, the first native Catholic bishop of Micronesia, who served the Diocese of the Caroline Islands for decades. Bishop Castori said he had recently graduated from college when he met Bishop Samo who was a 1973 graduate of Chaminade.

The bishop also expressed gratitude to President Dr. Lynn Babington and the Chaminade ‘ohana for welcoming him to the Chaminade community. One of the first events he attended after arriving in Honolulu from Seattle was Chaminade’s Commencement dinner in May.

A central tradition of the Spiritual Convocation is the recognition of Chaminade’s newest cohort of Marianist Educational Associates, who publicly affirm their commitment to the University’s Catholic and Marianist mission. The new associates joined current Marianist Educational Associates in reciting their pledge:

 “As a Marianist Educational Associate, I renew my pledge to strengthen, sustain and develop the Catholic and Marianist mission and identity of Chaminade University of Honolulu. I will continue to read, reflect and collaborate with others to ensure the continuation of the programs, processes and behaviors that make us a Catholic and Marianist University.”

Bishop Castori then blessed the Marianist Educational Associates and offered a blessing for Chaminade students as they begin the new academic year. He encouraged them to approach their studies with discipline and purpose while also embracing the joy, friendships, support and opportunities that are part of the college experience.

Prayers were offered in Hawaiian, Korean, Samoan, Tagalog and Spanish, reflecting the diversity of the Chaminade community and the many cultures represented at the University.

Marianist Brothers, members of the Chaminade community and Campus Ministry staff also joined the gathering, which served as both a blessing for the academic year ahead and a reminder of the mission that has guided the University since its founding.

The Convocation concluded with a renewed sense of purpose as the Chaminade community looked ahead to a new year of learning, service, faith and formation. At the center of the gathering was the University’s enduring commitment to prepare students not only for successful careers, but also for lives of purpose and meaningful contribution.

Chaminade Ties Continue as MBA Alumni Reunite

Laughter, smiles and renewed friendships filled the Oʻahu Country Club as alumni from Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Master of Business Administration program gathered for an evening of reconnecting.

For many in attendance, the evening on August 20 represented more than a reunion of MBA graduates. Several alumni had also earned undergraduate or other graduate degrees from Chaminade, making the gathering a true Silversword reunion—and a reminder that the connections formed at the University often continue long after students leave Kalaepōhaku.

Throughout the evening, conversations turned to careers, families and life since graduation, but also to shared memories of classrooms, professors and the experiences that helped shape their Chaminade journeys. For many MBA alumni, the program was an important step in their professional development, providing opportunities to strengthen leadership and management skills while connecting with classmates from a wide range of professional backgrounds.

Those relationships, alumni said, often extend beyond the classroom. The connections made with faculty and fellow students can become part of a professional network and, in some cases, lasting friendships that continue to grow years after graduation.

“I am very thankful for the education I received at Chaminade,” said MBA alumna Betty Mastrantonio. “The close-knit community, experienced faculty and beautiful campus on the hill made the experience incredibly valuable and life-changing.”

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., welcomed guests and shared updates from campus before introducing Amir H. Toosi, DBA, the new dean of the College of Business, Innovation & Technology.

Toosi spoke about the intersection of art and science in business and his excitement about joining Chaminade and becoming part of the University community. Before coming to Chaminade, he served for 14 years as dean of the Division of Business and Security Studies at Rivier University in New Hampshire. Throughout his career, he has helped lead academic innovation, expand programs and develop partnerships that strengthen student learning and workforce development.

The College of Business, Innovation & Technology offers programs designed to prepare students for an evolving workplace and economy. Its programs span business administration, accounting, strategic marketing, sport and event management, interior design, computer science, data science, analytics and visualization, and the MBA program.

For working professionals, the MBA offers an opportunity to continue their education while building practical knowledge and leadership skills that can be applied to their careers and communities. The program also brings together professionals with different experiences and perspectives, creating opportunities for students to learn from one another as well as from faculty.

As the evening came to a close, guests enjoyed Chaminade favors and door prizes. But the gathering’s most lasting takeaway was the opportunity to reconnect with classmates, professors and the University that remains an important part of their lives.

The evening was also a reminder that graduation does not necessarily mark the end of a Chaminade journey. For the MBA alumni gathered at the Oʻahu Country Club, the friendships, professional connections and memories formed along the way continue to be part of the Silversword ʻohana.

Chaminade Hosts 23rd Annual Nonprofit Financial Seminar

Chaminade University of Honolulu held its 23rd annual Nonprofit Financial Seminar on August 6, welcoming more than 200 participants from nonprofit organizations across Hawaiʻi to gain practical knowledge and insights on best practices in today’s fast-changing economic climate.

The seminar featured updates on federal and state laws affecting nonprofit organizations, along with sessions on using artificial intelligence to streamline nonprofit workflows, securing major gifts and strengthening social media strategies. Featured speakers included Trever Asam, J.D., partner at Cades Schutte LLP; Ryan Kusumoto, president and CEO of PACT; and Matt Morgan, chief operating officer and partner at EisnerAmper. Panel discussions explored social media strategies and “A Kinaʻole Approach to Major Gifts Fundraising.”

“I think with all of the changes happening in our government, political arena, state and county, it’s more of an investment for my agency, which is the Big Island Substance Abuse Council, to understand those changes and how they are going to impact me,” said Hannah Preston-Pita of Hawaiʻi Island.

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., and Amir H. Toosi, DBA, dean of the College of Business, Innovation & Technology, welcomed guests and speakers representing a wide range of organizations, including Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, the YMCA and the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation.

For more than two decades, the annual seminar has reflected Chaminade’s commitment to serving the community and preparing leaders to make a positive difference in Hawaiʻi. Rooted in its Catholic Marianist mission, the University brings together nonprofit leaders and professionals to share knowledge, build connections and strengthen organizations that serve communities throughout the Islands.

As Hawaiʻi’s only Catholic university, Chaminade continues to play an active role as a community partner and resource, helping nonprofit organizations develop the skills and strategies needed to advance their missions and respond to changing community needs. The seminar is one example of the University’s longstanding commitment to putting knowledge into action in service of the common good.

Mahalo to Gold Sponsors First Hawaiian Bank and KMH LLP, and Silver Sponsor Central Pacific Bank, for their continued support of the seminar.