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Environmental Studies Major Nerisa Taua Interns at Bat Lab (the Real One) on Purdue Campus

Comic book fans and TV watchers know all about the secret bat lab at fictional Wayne Manor in Gotham City. But Nerisa Taua, a Chaminade University Environmental Studies major, knows about a real bat lab. It’s housed at Purdue University in Indiana, where she focused on three species of the flying mammals through the national Summer Research Opportunity Program. Nerisa Taua“Spending the whole summer catching bats was fun, mostly because of the people I got to do it with,” according to Taua, who interned with Associate Professor of Wildlife Science Patrick Zollner and his Hoosier “bat crew.” “Working with them has been a great experience,” said Taua, who plans to apply for graduate school at the West Lafayette campus. Encouraging Taua to pursue the internship were Environmental Studies Director and Associate Professor Gail Grabowsky, along with Associate Provost Patricia Lee-Robinson from Chaminade’s Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research. “I was interested in working with endangered species or wildlife conservation,” Taua said. “I found a couple of interesting internships. However, most of them didn’t provide board and/or transportation, which was a problem for me.” Fortunately for Taua, the Purdue program fit her needs. Taua’s research centered on the detection rate of bats using acoustic monitoring equipment and the subsequent capture rate of bats using mist nets. Similar to volleyball nets, mist nets catch birds and bats in flight so they can be tagged and studied by scientists. “I found a significant relationship between detection rate and number of captures was only present for Indiana bats and not Big brown bats and Eastern red bats,” Taua explained. This can be because Indiana bats have specific habitat requirements, while Big brown bats and Eastern red bats are omnipresent in the landscape.” Based on these preliminary results, Taua and her Indiana colleagues decided to expand their study with the goal of publishing a paper. “So while I am here in Hawaii, the bat lab is sending me data to analyze,” Taua said. She also reunited with her colleagues recently through Purdue’s Graduate Diversity Visitation Program “to talk about where we are with the project and manuscript.” Nerisa TauaTaua, who’s from American Samoa, learned about Chaminade when a team from the university visited her high school during senior year. “I was attracted to the small classroom size because it made it possible for students to have a positive interaction with their professors,” she said. “I spoke with alumni and they all said great things about the Chaminade community. “This was something I looked for in an institution – a university with a community that is home away from home.” Taua said her professors – notably Dr. Grabowsky – “taught me a lot of important lessons that are not only useful in the classroom but also life in general.” “Dr. Gail has helped my passion for wildlife, environment and my culture grow,” Taua emphasized. “Her enthusiastic personality always reminds me why it is important to love what you do and do what you love.” Chaminade University’s Environmental Studies undergraduate program within the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics employs a multidisciplinary approach in exploring issues such as policy and law, science, economics, ethics and values.

Hot 3-Point Shooting Propels Chaminade to Historic Upset Over Cal Bears in Maui Jim Maui Invitational

When a Division II college basketball team takes on a Division I squad, the result is usually predictable. But not so this year at the 34th annual Maui Jim Maui Invitational, held Nov. 20-22 in Lahaina. 2017 Maui InvitationalCompeting for seventh place in the nationally televised preseason tournament, the Chaminade University men’s team upset highly favored Berkeley in a 96-72 rout. It was the eighth all-time win for the Silverswords in their signature tourney and biggest-ever margin of triumph over a Division I school. “The victory over Cal is really special for us for a variety of reasons,” said Silversword head coach Eric Bovaird, whose team’s overall record is 8-92 in the tournament. “A win over a Pac-12 school is huge,” Bovaird said. “The exposure for a victory like that has huge impact for us recruiting wise for the future and hopefully adds name recognition for other potential students here at Chaminade. “With a win like that, we know we can compete with anyone in the country if we play to our capability.” Along with increasing his team’s confidence, beating the Cal Golden Bears also “puts a huge target on our back,” Bovaird said. “Every team we play now wants to be the team that beat the team that beat Cal,” he said. Chaminade began the tournament with an 83-56 loss to No. 13 Notre Dame, then fell 102-64 to the University of Michigan in the consolation semifinals. 2017 Maui InvitationalAgainst Cal, the Silverswords built an early lead behind the hot shooting of senior guard Dantley Walker, who finished with a career-high seven three-pointers and career-best 23 points. Junior forward Erik Scheive came off the bench to score 14 points, while junior forward Brett Reed and senior point guard Austin Pope tallied 12 points each. As a team, Chaminade shot 55.6 percent (35-of-63) from the floor, compared to 42.4 percent (28-of-66) for Cal. The Silverswords outrebounded the Bears 42-36 and led in assists 22-6. The Maui Jim tournament debuted in 1984 after Chaminade scored one of the most dramatic upsets in college basketball two years earlier by stunning No. 1 University of Virginia. This latest version of the competition was won by Notre Dame in a 67-66 nailbiter over Wichita State. Marquette finished third with an impressive 94-84 win against Louisiana State, and Michigan took fifth by beating Virginia Commonwealth 68-60. Starting with the 2018 tournament, the Silverswords will only play on Maui every other year.

Alum Rhys Murphy’s AUSA Hoops Business Helps Aussie Basketball Dreams Come True in America

When international student-athletes seek to play basketball in the United States, navigating the myriad of rules and regulations can be “overwhelming.” This according to Chaminade University alumnus Rhys Murphy (Accounting ’14), a two-year starter for the Silversword men’s team. Rhys MurphySensing a business opportunity, Murphy returned to his hometown of Sydney, Australia, where he founded and serves as president of AUSA Hoops. This basketball camp organization helps Aussie boys and girls pursue their academic and athletic goals at high schools, colleges and universities across America. “In terms of successes, we are at just over 70 players who are in college now,” said Murphy, who placed student-athletes at prominent schools in the Pac-12, Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Big East conferences. These players earned more than $5 million in scholarships. Murphy and his staff accomplished this feat by conducting training and development programs for young hoopsters and bringing them to America for a series of Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments where college coaches recruit players. These trips don’t include sightseeing excursions to Disneyland. They’re focused on proving that Australians have what it takes to play top-tier basketball in the U.S. As for Murphy’s basketball career, the six-foot-seven-inch forward “stumbled into an opportunity to play AAU basketball in Chicago” and received over 50 scholarship offers. Murphy opted for Oregon State, where he competed in 18 games for the Beavers during 2011-12. After transferring to Chaminade for his junior and senior years, Murphy started the final 12 games of the 2013-14 season and was twice-named to the All-Pacific West Conference Academic Team. Murphy got the idea for AUSA Hoops as a junior during spring break when a summer internship with a Chicago hedge fund failed to materialize. “I pretty much just sat down and thought about what I could do myself,” Murphy recalled, “because I had no work experience and realized I would need to get a job the following year.” Rhys MurphyBy turning his basketball camp concept into a bigger project, Murphy “ticked the ‘work-experience’ box” on his resume. “The most challenging part is always right after the inspiration and excitement of the initial idea begins to fade and the reality of the amount of work that needs to be completed starts to become more and more clear,” Murphy said. “I started with the thought that I had a pretty good idea about the industry, and then very quickly realized I knew next to nothing about the intricacies of how it worked. So for the first couple years I was almost flying blind trying to figure it out as I went. “I don’t believe starting your own business is as hard as people perceive it to be,” Murphy added. “Yes, you need to be resilient, consistent with your work and have a desire to constantly learn and improve. But so much of it is just about having the confidence – or delusion – to get started and then keep rolling with the punches. It’s a wild rollercoaster!” One Chaminade instructor who particularly influenced Murphy is Richard Kido, an Associate Professor of Accounting. Kido praised Murphy’s work ethic in the classroom and on the basketball court. “Despite the demands of being a scholar-athlete, Rhys was outstanding in all his classes,” Kido said. “His positive attitude was infectious and carried over to his classmates.” Another instructor making an impression on Murphy was Business Professor Wayne Tanna, who emphasized the importance of community service. Murphy continues that commitment to giving back by uplifting Australia’s South Sudanese basketball community through AUSA Hoops. “I think Professor Tanna did a great job of opening my eyes to the tremendous need for help out there,” Murphy said. “And he opened my eyes to my own privileges by putting me in new environments where people were not as well off.” That’s why community service is a slam dunk for Murphy and his team at AUSA Hoops. Chaminade University’s School of Business and Communication offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Accounting. Community service activities for students include tax clinics and the FAFSA project, which helps low-income and immigrant families fill out college financial aid forms.

Combining Native Hawaiian Culture with Science and Conservation is Ho`oulu Scholar’s Passion, Purpose

For Chaminade University student Hulali Kinilau, combining Native Hawaiian cultural practices with science and conservation is her passion and career goal. She also regards this three-pronged approach as key to achieving sustainability in the ecologically fragile Aloha State. Hulali KinilauKinilau, who’s double majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Environmental Studies, was greatly influenced this past summer by the Hawaii Conservation Conference, which had a theme of “He Waʻa, He Moku – Mālama Honua: Caring for Our Island Earth.” This 24th annual gathering at the Hawaii Convention Center brought together scientists, educators, students, conservation practitioners and community members with the goal of preserving natural resources in the Pacific region and beyond. “I was blown away by the people at the conference,” said Kinilau, who’s attending Chaminade through the Ho`oulu STEM Scholarship Program funded by the university and Kamehameha Schools. “It was amazing to hear what what they had to say. “I especially enjoyed learning about the scientific techniques that were being done in the outer islands within smaller communities,” Kinilau continued. “The scientists were working on establishing a connection with the community and figuring out what the community’s interests, needs and concerns were. Only after determining what could benefit the community did the scientists begin their studies/experiments.” A declaration by one of the conference speakers that “Hawaiian culture is science” made a particular impact on Kinilau. “I thought it was the most profound statement I could have heard that day,” she said. “And it was when I decided that – as a Native Hawaiian female in science – I have to do more.” With that ambition in mind, Kinilau is applying for summer internships and master’s and Ph.D. programs on the Mainland. “My plan is to focus on getting a higher education that builds on my scientific knowledge and experience,” she said. “Once I’ve done that, I plan on returning home and collaborating with the programs that are present on the Islands.” Aiding Kinilau in her graduate school preparations are an internship with the Sierra Club and participation in Chaminade’s I Am a Scientist mobile outreach program, which encourages public school children to pursue STEM educations and careers. “Both the internship and the I Am a Scientist events are helping me develop the communication skills needed when talking to the community on a scientific topic,” Kinilau said. “I’m learning how to gain the interests of the community through social media, while connecting them with knowledgeable individuals who have actively participated in conservation efforts on Oahu.” Reflecting on her Chaminade education, Kinilau said she appreciates the confidence shown in her by Biology Assistant Professor Jolene Cogbill, Biology Lecturer Chrystie Naeole and Environmental Studies Associate Professor Gail Grabowsky. “They have been the most supportive and understanding,” Kinilau said. “I’m grateful that they’re in my life. “The staff at Chaminade University want you to succeed in all walks of life,” Kinilau added, “and they are willing and able to help you achieve your goals. Even if you have no idea what it is that you want to do with your degree, they will help you figure it out.”

For ‘Outstanding Graduate’ Melissa Cortez, Aiding Needy Families in Lima, Peru, was Life-Changing

Melissa Cortez, who’s earning a Master of Arts in Teaching (Elementary Education) degree at Chaminade University, received an education of a different sort when she volunteered to construct houses for needy families in Lima, Peru. She learned about a vastly different way of life by witnessing the gratitude, generosity and steadfast faith in God that impoverished South Americans possess in abundance. Accordingly, Cortez – who will be honored in December as the Division of Education’s “Outstanding Graduate” – received much more than she gave on a life-changing, 12,000-mile, roundtrip journey. “It was good to experience what the less fortunate experience,” said Cortez, a sixth-grade teacher at Damien Memorial School in Kalihi. “We left our phones and laptops behind. We traded all we knew for a simple life.” Selecting Cortez and a small group of Mainland educators for the two-week home-building project was the Congregation of Christian Brothers, a religious order that sponsors Damien and other Edmund Rice Catholic schools in the U.S. and Canada. The humanitarian mission’s primary focus, Cortez explained, was “standing in solidarity with those who are marginalized by poverty and injustice.” Peru is so overpopulated, she said, that families often live in small, flimsy houses high above the flatlands where there’s a lack of running water and electrical service. “The Brothers dedicate their whole lives to helping these people,” Cortez said. “Every day they’re going up into the hills, getting to know the families, seeing what hardships they’re going through. They’re building solid and positive relationships with the people, especially those who are suffering – those who truly need help.” Melissa Cortez in Lima, PeruCortez and her team assisted two families. The father of one family has a lung disease and can’t afford proper medical care. The other father is afflicted by seizures – caused by worms in his brain – and can no longer support his wife and two young boys. When the volunteers finished their strenuous construction work each day, they wrote down their thoughts in journals. “The Brothers asked us to reflect on what we did, the people we met,” Cortez said. “But the question wasn’t: What did we do for the less fortunate today? The question was: What did the less fortunate teach us today? The less fortunate taught us to be grateful. They taught us to have faith.” Although Cortez only spent a fortnight in Peru, she left as a changed person. “I realized that a lot of things I take for granted on a daily basis are luxuries to these people,” she said. “But they have an unwavering faith in God and they have their families. That’s really all they need to survive.” The Master of Arts in Teaching program offers licensure in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education and Special Education.

Three Alumnae Serving as Chapter Presidents of Professional Interior Design Organizations

Graduates of Chaminade University’s Environmental + Interior Design program are well represented in Oahu’s professional ranks. Three alumnae, in fact – Nancy Schnur,  Dedra Hinano Nahinu and Colette Abe Lee – serve as Hawaii chapter presidents of national design organizations.

Schnur, who founded and manages Kailua-based Universal Interiors, LLC, heads the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Hawaii chapter.

Hinano Nahinu, general manager and lead designer with INspiration Interiors at the Honolulu Design Center, leads the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) Aloha Chapter.

And Abe Lee, a senior interior designer associate with AHL in downtown Honolulu, is president of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Hawaii Pacific Chapter.

Schnur said her responsibilities at ASID include keeping members “informed, educated and active,” given that the organization’s national headquarters is nearly 5,000 miles away in Washington, D.C.

“Just as our field is constantly changing, ASID is constantly changing,” Schnur said. “New benefits, new opportunities and new people are always happening.”

Schnur specializes in universal design, which produces aesthetic environments usable to the greatest possible extent by all people, regardless of age or ability.

“When I was in school, universal design was just coming into fashion, so to speak,” Schur said. “We had one basic class on the subject. To me, it was something that could apply to residential but also to health care, which is what I had hoped to focus on.

“Now I’m trying to keep up with all the information out there on the subject,” said Schnur, who works on residential, hospitality, retail and aging-in-place projects.

While attending Chaminade, Schnur was a nontraditional student pursuing a second career.

“Chaminade was a different place then,” said Schnur, who graduated in 2003 with a bachelor of fine arts. The university was “a great place to attend college,” she said, but the interior design program “was small and underdeveloped.”

Today, by contrast, Environmental + Interior Design (E+ID) is the only degree-granting program of its kind of Hawaii. The Council for Interior Design Accreditation, which oversees and evaluates academic standards for baccalaureate institutions, accredited E+ID in 2013.

“I was raising a family, so I couldn’t attend full time,” Schnur pointed out. “The upside was, I was there for so long I was able to see a lot of positive changes by the time I graduated. But nothing like it is now.”

One highlight of her college days was an internship during which she designed new offices for Parents and Children Together, a nonprofit family service agency.

“It was so wonderful to see how my design services brightened people’s lives,” Schnur recalled. “I was so appreciated. The internship got me my first job. So that was a good takeaway for sure!”​

Schnur said she hopes to see E+ID “continue to develop and grow.”

“It is so great to see what it has become,” she said. “And I love being there and learning about what the students are learning. I hope they are successful in developing a master’s program. Because as designers, we are always learning.”

NKBA president Hinano Nahinu attended Chaminade on a volleyball scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 1999. She continued her education by earning an MBA in 2001.

“One of my all-time favorite professors was our interior design director, Walter Taketa, who challenged me both as an athlete and Native Hawaiian student to be successful,” Hinano Nahinu said. “It was a lot of hard work and worth every penny for that education.”

While serving as ASID student chapter president, she learned how professional organizations “can really help you in your business.”

“Today, I am happy to serve on the NKBA board and have for the last ten years as a way of giving back,” Hinano Nahinu said. “The funny thing with volunteering is that you always get back what you put in, if not more.”

Abe Lee, the IIDA president, has worked on numerous major projects during her career, including renovations of The Queen’s Medical Center – West Oahu, Kapiolani Medical Center, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa and the Sky Ute Casino Resort in Colorado.

“When the general public thinks of interior design, some still perceive it as a very ‘fun’ field’ where it’s all coloring and pillows and, dare I say, even ‘decorating.’  There still needs to be public outreach and education on what interior design is,” Abe Lee said.

“When a person walks into a hospital, hotel, university or library, the way the space moves you to your next destination was thoughtfully planned out by the design team,” she pointed out. “The way the space makes you feel is orchestrated by a combination of color, texture, finishes and furniture, while also keeping life, safety and welfare in mind.

“It’s no coincidence this experience was created by an interior designer.”

Abe Lee, who received her bachelor’s degree from Chaminade in 2005, said three professors were especially helpful.

“Joan Riggs expected a lot from all of us, which pushed me harder to think more critically and explore solutions from different angles,” Abe Lee said. “Although her classes were always the hardest, I learned the most.

“Yukio Ozaki was a wonderful mentor to me,” Abe Lee continued. “He fostered my creativity and helped me hone my skills where needed and also taught me how to let go in other ways.  His classes were always my favorite because I could express myself through form.”

She also appreciated the guidance of Takeda, who “always pushed me to be better and was never afraid to give constructive criticism. “

“It gave me thick skin,” Abe Lee said. “Whenever I had to revise a project based on his comments, it came out ten times better.”

Now that Abe Lee is IIDA president, she uses her position to support E+ID by mentoring students “with great potential.”

“Since its accreditation and with the new faculty, E+ID raised the bar on the quality of work and level of talent that has come out of the school,” she said. “I’m so proud of where the program has gone and where it will continue to go with the leadership they have in place.”