Chaminade University of Honolulu

University Communications & Marketing

Alumnus Announces $10 K Gift during His Recent Campus Visit

Grelyn Rosario BA'94, MBA '98

Franchise owner/operator of six McDonald’s on the island of Maui, Grelyn Rosario, brought holiday cheer in the form of a $10,000 multi-year gift to Chaminade’s campus recently, stating that he was pleased to re-engage with the university and hoped to inspire future entrepreneurs and students through his example of giving back.

Last year, Rosario participated in the alumni reunion’s “50-Minute University” with an informative session during which he shared his path to owning and operating McDonald’s restaurants. Having gotten an early start at McDonald’s himself as a second-generation franchisee, Rosario found the time and discipline to attended Chaminade University, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in history in 1994 and an MBA in 1998. While on campus, he reminisced fondly about his time as a student, noting that the campus has become much more beautiful during the years since his graduation

With a strong belief in giving back to the community, Rosario serves on numerous boards including Maui United Way and previously Maryknoll’s board. He created a fund in the Philippines to support educational projects, feed needy children and provides the necessary materials to upkeep churches in Magsingal Ilocos Sur, the area where his mom grew up. The Philippines Consulate General and the City Council of Valenzuela have also recognized Rosario for his contributions to the Filipino community.

Chaminade’s Student Nurses Association Served More than a Side Dish at Thanksgiving

It was the annual Salvation Army Thanksgiving Lunch at Neal Blaisdell Arena on November 24, with 800 volunteers serving 2000 people in need.  Most of the volunteers served the holiday guests a traditional Thanksgiving meal — mashed potatoes, roasted turkey, cranberries, stuffing, rolls, cooked vegetables, salad and, of course, pumpkin pie.

However, 30 of those volunteers, all members of Chaminade’s Student Nurses Association (SNA), were on a different mission. The student volunteers offered blood pressure screenings, serving more than 150 people before the door to the dining area even opened. Dressed in their Chaminade logo shirts, they shared on healthy lifestyle habits and assisted at the first aid station. Several senior citizens who had high blood pressure were directed to see their primary care physician as soon as possible by the nursing faculty. “I was surprised that many elders were not aware of how to care for their blood pressure,” said Lena Souza, SNA senior student member.

This was the School of Nursing’s second year at this event. Chaminade SNA advisor and assistant professor, Eurina Yujin-Cha Kee, Ph.D, RN, MSN, CRRN organized the service project. Last year, the volunteer group was limited to nursing students in Kee’s public health nursing section. Opening the opportunity up to include SNA members allowed for more participation.

Kee and her students have found this community service to be meaningful. “Serving people in the community is our Chaminade mission and the School of Nursing’s mission,” Kee remarked. “And sharing our love and ‘ohana with people in need is SBA’s community service goal as well.”

Kee added, “I will support this event every year.”

Her students and the guests at next year’s Salvation Army Thanksgiving Lunch will be glad to hear that.

Dean of the School of Business and Communication Recognized For His Volunteer Work

Betty White (Head of School, Sacred Hearts), Scott Schroeder and Koreen Nakahodo
Betty White (Head of School, Sacred Hearts), Scott Schroeder and Koreen Nakahodo

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Aloha Chapter recognized Chaminade’s School of Business and Communication dean, Scott Schroeder, Ph.D. as one of its 2016 Volunteers in Philanthropy (VIPs).  Annually, AFP invites nonprofit organizations to honor a special volunteer and recognize their distinguished service. These dedicated individuals are called “Volunteers in Philanthropy” or VIPs by AFP. Schroeder was honored by Sacred Hearts Academy for having served faithfully as chair of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Sacred Hearts Board of Directors.

Chaminade Teacher Preparation Programs Receive CAEP Accreditation

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) has granted accreditation to Chaminade University’s teacher preparation programs that lead to state licensure. The accreditation was given with no weaknesses or stipulations for a period of seven years, the maximum allotted time possible.

CAEP accredited program areas, levels and specialties include:

  • Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with K-6 Licensure
  • Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education 7-12
    • With Licensure in Math
    • With Licensure in English
    • With Licensure in Social Studies
    • With Licensure in Science
  • Master of Art in Teaching in Early Childhood Education PK-K
  •  Master of Art in Teaching in Early Childhood Education PK-3
  • Master of Art in Teaching in Elementary Education K-6
  • Master of Art in Teaching in Secondary Education 7-12
    • With Licensure in Math
    • With Licensure in English
    • With Licensure in Social Studies
    • With Licensure in Science
  • Master of Art in Teaching in Special Education K-12

According to CAEP, the justification for the accreditation decision was based on the convincing evidence of the quality of learning for candidates pursuing degrees in these programs. The effective operation of a quality control system was also noted. In addition, faculty had documented candidate growth and accomplishment with a variety of measures and were attentive to consistency in performance.

The accreditation is effective through the year 2023. The next site visit will be in spring 2023 for the purpose of auditing the division’s next inquiry brief, which should establish fulfillment of the CAEP standards.

Providers accredited under TEAC Quality Principles, as well as those accredited under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards, are now served by the single specialized accreditation system for educator preparation in the United States, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). More than 900 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (www.CAEPnet.org) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.

The mission of the Education Division is closely aligned to and flows from Chaminade University’s mission. The mission of the Education Division is to foster the development of teachers and leaders in education through programs based in the liberal arts tradition, Catholic Marianist values, current research, best practice, and state and professional standards. The graduate programs prepare professionals to assume a leadership role in education by advancing their educational training and expertise.

Service Project with Kaimuki High School Culminates in a Night of Words

Kaimuki student performing his poetryWhen Chaminade held a Poetry Festival this fall, the words of Kaimuki High School students captured the attention of their audience with words arranged like music, punctuating the air with meaning and feelings and insight.  The audience grew to standing-room-only on the lawn of Sullivan Family Library that November evening. All listened intently, fearful of missing one word or one inflection which might change the whole message.

Chaminade students from professor Brooke Carlson’s 102 English class listened more closely than others to the 10th, 11th and 12th graders.  After all, the Chaminade students had worked with these high schoolers for seven shifts of one and a half hours per shift in small groups throughout the semester. The service-learning project had included activities such as vocabulary lessons and practice, teaching the SEE (sentence, example, explanation) paragraph, using a favorite song or a short story, and editing and revising written work.  The Chaminade students had engaged themselves and were vested.

Carlson and Candice Sakuda, the director of Chaminade’s Service-Learning program, have been working together on a service-learning project with Kaimuki High School since 2013. “We’ve linked our English courses’ curricula to service within Kaimuki’s classes, helping high school kids who need help with English and self-expression,” said Sakuda.  “At the start of each term, Carlson’s EN102 students learn about their service-learning project, through which they serve as role models, motivators, and mentors for Mrs. Mary Ann Akamine’s English classes at Kaimuki High School.”

Kaimuki student performing her poetryCarlson explained, “One of the things that drew me to Chaminade was the Service-Learning program. I want my students to take what they learn through my courses out into the real world for life. The more we can build, craft and cultivate with those around us, the better.” He added, “I am blessed in that literature is an expression of being human.  Service-learning provides more space for practicing our humanity.”

This year, twelve Kaimuki High School students read their poems at the festival.  “The performances were fantastic,” said Sakuda. “Through original poetry, the students shared their feelings about friends’ betrayals, about disrespect for the Hawaiian culture, and about family struggles, inner conflict and loss. Tears and long embraces followed so many performances.”

After the performances,  Carlson’s students were filled with “faculty pride” knowing that they had something to do with their students’ success.

Chaminade Business Students Score Well on National Exams

Chaminade University’s Business students did well on their national business exams.  The results for the Peregrine Academic Services national exams revealed some of the highest scores ever garnered by Chaminade students.  For accounting students, the high score was 91 percent (rated as very high nationally), and for business administration students, the high score was 83 percent (also rated very high nationally).  All students scored above the national average.

Peregrine Academic Services is the globally recognized leader in providing online assessment services, online educational services, and higher education support services to institutions of higher education and academic organizations.

Academic officials benchmark student performance against specific aggregate pools and determine the value-added by the institution based upon the student’s academic experience using an Inbound/Outbound Exam assessment construct (programmatic pre/post-test) to determine initial knowledge levels and assess retained student knowledge, thus enabling academic institutions to establish the extent to which assurance of learning goals are being achieved.