Chaminade University of Honolulu

University Communications & Marketing

Students Welcomed at Early College Summit

Chaminade University welcomed more than 100 high school students Dec. 16 from Kapa‘a High School, Sacred Hearts Academy, and Saint Louis School for a full-day campus visit that included classes, tours, and workshops as part of the university’s Early College Program.

“Our Early College Summit is a unique opportunity for our students pursuing dual high school and college credit to learn more about Chaminade’s cutting-edge academic programs, chat one-on-one with their professors and get details on our individualized student support services designed to set them up for success,” said Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D.

“Hosting these exceptional students is our honor—and part of Chaminade’s commitment to offering robust pathways for Hawai’i students to earn college credit, and for some their associate’s degrees, before they even graduate from high school.”


The Early College Program at Chaminade provides access to a college education for a diverse group of Hawai’i high school students as part of the University’s mission to prepare leaders for tomorrow, ready to make impactful contributions to their communities and professions.

Studies show that early college students are better prepared for full-time college entry, college life and expectations. Students who earn college credit while still in high school are also more likely to go to college, stay in school and graduate.

“The earlier you have the experience of being on a college campus, of experiencing classes, it gives you time to think about: Is college the right fit for me? What college do I want to go to? And also what might I want to study,” Babington said.

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“It also helps students realize they can succeed in these college classes while they’re in high school.”

In addition to a special welcome from President Babington and other University administrators, Early College students at the summit visited Chaminade’s state-of-the-art Nursing simulation labs, the United Nations CIFAL Honolulu Center, and Forensic Sciences Crime Scene Lab.

Chaminade Rector Prepares for New Adventure

Bro. Edward Brink, S.M. is the Vice President for Mission and Rector at Chaminade, but he prefers a simpler title: Teacher. These days, while he spends less time in the classroom, he still looks for every opportunity to counsel and advise students on campus or in the community.

So it is of little surprise that Brink says what he’ll miss the most about Chaminade when he takes on a new role with the Marianist Province of the US this summer is mentoring students at all stages of their academic careers, from freshman year to graduation day.

“I really like being able to introduce myself to young people and try to help them make connections about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it,” Brink said. “It will be that regular contact with students that I will miss the most. That ability to guide and inspire.”

Brink has been selected to serve as Director of Novices for the Marianist Province of the United States, a role that requires him to relocate to Dayton, Ohio. He plans to wrap up his work at Chaminade by June 2025. And while he is looking forward to his next adventure, he is also sad to be leaving a place and a university ’ohana that has meant so much to him.

Brink joined Chaminade in July 2016, after previously serving on the Board of Regents.

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He recalls that when he first started, his office was undergoing renovations so he was temporarily located in what is now the tutoring center, known as Kokua Ike. The placement gave Brink an early advantage—a chance to meet students throughout the day and hear directly from them.

“It was a great way to ease into it,” Brink said.

But before long, Brink was hitting the ground running, including as part of the welcoming committee for the University’s 10th president, Dr. Lynn Babington. She officially took on the role in August 2017, and Brink helped organize a tour for her to visit O’ahu sites that are important to Marianist and Chaminade history. Stops included ’Iolani Palace and the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, plus the original home along Nu’uanu Stream of Saint Louis School.

Bro. Edward Brink, SM

Babington so enjoyed the tour that she encouraged Brink to make it available to new faculty.

And so he did—and even got interest from longtime employees.

“Many people who have lived in Hawai’i for years told me that it was their first time visiting ’Iolani Palace”—and learning about the important history of Marianists in the islands, Brink said. “It really is about helping history come alive, just getting a bigger sense of everything.”

Brink said the tours are designed to help participants reflect on Chaminade’s mission, connecting important dots, including the importance of ensuring access for all students.

Before joining Chaminade, Brink served as Assistant for Education for the Marianist Province of the US, assisting Marianist universities and high schools nationwide. He began his career in education in 1985, teaching at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton.

At Chaminade, despite his busy schedule, Brink couldn’t stay out of the classroom. He has taught several sections of CUH100, Chaminade’s First Year Experience Seminar. He also led the Chaminade Scholars Program. The scholars are students chosen because of their strong academic background, their commitment to service to the community and their desire to continue to grow in their faith while attending Chaminade University.

And he has spearheaded the Marianist Educational Associate program at Chaminade, which seeks to inspire members of the faculty and staff to become stewards of Marianist values and the University’s mission.

Brink says while he’ll be leaving Chaminade, he will remain in the Silversword ’ohana and expects to maintain many of the relationships he has formed while in the islands. And he is also looking forward to his new role, which requires him to once again put on his teaching hat as he seeks to lead novices through a rigorous journey of reflection and spiritual development.

“There are people who are coming up to me and saying, ‘You can’t go!’” Brink said.

“It’s not that I want to go but I remember very clearly that part of my exploration of Marianist life was hearing stories about brothers who got to do really cool jobs and multiple cool jobs. Some brothers stay and do the same job, but the ones who caught my attention were people who did different things in different places. So I feel this is God’s way of reminding me of one of the things that made me want to be a Marianist.”

Nursing Students Honored in Pinning Ceremony

In a “heartfelt tradition,” 21 Nursing students at Chaminade gathered with loved ones Dec. 7 for a Pinning Ceremony, which marks the ceremonial completion of their bachelor’s degree journeys and the start of their professional careers.

During the gathering, students received their nursing stoles and pins.

They also recited the International Council for Nurses Pledge, promising to:

“Care for the sick with all the skills and understanding I possess, without regard to race, creed, color, politics or social status, sparing no effort to conserve life, to alleviate suffering, and to promote health.”

Hermaine Beltran ’24 was among the students honored.

“I’m feeling very happy, very exhilarated, very grateful for this moment,” said Beltran, who will be a nurse in the mother-baby unit at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. “We worked very hard to be here.”

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., a nurse herself, said the students are launching their careers amid a significant need for nurses in Hawai’i and nationally.

“We are proud that our students are answering the call,” Babington said.

She added, “The pinning ceremony is a heartfelt tradition that symbolizes students’ hard work and dedication throughout their coursework and clinical training.”

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Chaminade School of Nursing and Health Professions Interim Dean Lorin Ramocki explained that the roots of the Nursing Pinning Ceremony tradition date back to the 1860s when Florence Nightingale, known as the founder of modern nursing, was awarded the Red Cross of St. George.

Pinning ceremonies grew to mark the start of a nurse’s career.

Bringing Learning to Life for HR Students

Students in Dr. Pamela Estell’s Human Resources Management course devoted much of the Fall semester to researching emerging trends in HR, from mental health in the workplace to bolstering employee engagement to the popularity of the four-day workweek.

They pored over studies, spoke to experts, dug into the data, and wrote a research paper.

And then Estell challenged them to take it one step further: Take everything you have learned about your topic, she told them, and create a five-minute presentation for busy bank executives.

Their hard work was on display Nov. 27 at the Bank of Hawaii headquarters.

The 25 Business students in Estell’s course took the podium at a BOH conference room and addressed bank professionals, detailing the trending topic they’d investigated and showing off detailed infographics. The students also offered three recommendations in their research area.

Estell said the idea to have students deliver the presentations came out of a conversation with a Bank of Hawaii guest speaker.

“She mentioned that they were using infographics to present bite-sized information to employees that would be more interactive than a simple email,” Estell said.

“Hearing that they were looking for ways not just to collect information, but also present information, really lit a fire in me to start building in some synergies. As such, I redesigned my existing assignment to include the infographic and presentation portion.”

Estell then reached out to her Bank of Hawaii contact to ask if some bank employees would be willing to visit the class and provide feedback on student presentations. But the class mentor offered a counter-proposal: Students should come to the BOH offices in Honolulu instead.

“I knew immediately that this was an amazing opportunity for our students to be able to close the loop on how their work can be impactful in a work environment,” Estell said. “In the School of Business and Communication, relationships with local businesses are crucial.”

She added, “These types of high impact experiences are a good way for us to build on those connections with local businesses and also understand what their needs are so that we can ensure we are providing a rigorous and relevant education for our students.”

On the day of the presentations, students were nervous but excited.

John Barayuga ‘25 spoke to the BOH professionals about the importance of mental health programming in the workplace. He said the assignment and subsequent presentation was a challenge that required him to think about the real-world application of his chosen topic.

“This experience has better prepared me for what it means to present on and defend a meaningful subject to an audience with varying opinions and perspectives,” Barayuga said, adding he was gratified to take several insightful and thought-provoking questions from the attendees.

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He said the experience also inspired him to think about other ways he could contribute to improving workplaces. “The more pride you take in your work and understand how it can improve the wellbeing of yourself and others, the more likely your actions will resonate,” he said.

Kyla Castro ‘25 focused her presentation on discipline and dispute management.

She said the class assignment was tough, especially considering all the other things she was juggling in her schedule.

“With the presentation being at BOH, an extra pressure was put on myself and my fellow classmates to represent Chaminade University,” Castro said.

For Castro, the takeaway lesson was she’s capable of pushing through. “This presentation has not only reminded me of what I am capable of,” she said, “but it has also shown me where I need to improve which will ultimately help me as I enter the final push into my professional career.”

Estell said she walked away from the day incredibly proud of her students and grateful to Bank of Hawaii for the opportunity.

“Sometimes it can be difficult for students who are so accustomed to sitting in a classroom every day to see the connections between what they are learning right now—in this moment—and how those skills translate to their future careers,” she said.

“Any opportunity we have to make that really come alive for students is a huge value.”

Silversword Turns Hobby into Thriving Business

Haelee Tallett ‘18 started making jewelry in high school.

It was something she and her mother could do together for fun and creative inspiration.

Roughly a decade later, the small business owner still can’t believe she was able to turn a hobby she loves into a flourishing career. And she credits Chaminade and its Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program with giving her the mentorship and networking opportunities that set her on a pathway to success.

Tallett owns Ocean Creations, a thriving jewelry business in the islands with locations at both Ala Moana Center and Ka Makana Ali’i and brisk online sales. Her own mentors are floored by how quickly her business has grown—from a pop-up and online store to brick-and-mortar locations and plans for more growth.

And Tallett said she doesn’t think she would be where she is without the help she received at Chaminade.

She chose the university because she didn’t want to get lost in the crowd and was looking for an educational experience that would allow her to build relationships with professors. That’s exactly what she found at Chaminade, she said.

“What stood out most at Chaminade was the community that I gained there,” she said.

“From the teachers to staff, they really would give the shirt off their backs for you. They know you by name.”

Tallett, whose grandfather and aunt are also Silversword graduates, said she jumped at the chance to participate in the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Chaminade, a certificate program that gives students access to lectures, international study trips, and hands-on learning experiences.

“The Hogan program helped me in a lot of ways,” Tallett said.

“One being it taught me how to be professional—really act as a professional or as a business owner from the beginning. And that helped me a lot when making leasing deals (with shopping malls). I knew how to handle myself from the start.”

Tallett added that the Hogan program also gave her the chance to meet and network with top business executives and entrepreneurs—“so many influential people right here in Hawai’i who have really helped me in my business career.” She’s also stayed in contact with several of her fellow Hogan graduates.

Tallett’s business specializes in customized jewelry, with every piece unique.

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She said relationship building with customers was something she learned a lot about in the Hogan Entrepreneurial program. She realized early on that she needed to build a community before she built a business so she worked hard to create a fun, personable and interesting social media presence.

Community building was also front and center when she opened her brick-and-mortar shops, she said.

Tallett said she wanted to curate spaces that served as an oasis from people’s busy lives.

“We love to create an environment that’s really homey and safe. And we kind of use different forms of aesthetics or furniture to create that look,” she said. “And then, we want you to just be able to express yourself and create pieces that you love and are special to you. So we try our best to give pieces on the floor that inspire that.”

As she celebrates her success, Tallett is also looking to the future.

She’s interested in continuing to expand Ocean Creations, including by offering other accessories and considering entries into bigger markets.

At the same time, she is giving back, including as a mentor herself to the next generation of Hogan entrepreneurs. Tallett has returned to Chaminade several times to speak to students about her own journey—and inspire them to pursue their own dreams.

Her advice to students: Stay focused and “remember your strong why.”

“There’s going to be moments all the time, at every stage of this, where you are going to want to give up and you really need to one have a strong why and to have a community of people around you who have experienced that before and can walk you through that, or can talk about it with you, or have empathy with you,” she said.

From Student Leader to Campus Mentor

Pamela Oda ‘24, MSCJ ‘25 rarely has down time—and she likes it that way.

When the Criminology and Criminal Justice student isn’t attending class or studying, she’s probably volunteering or interning in her field. And just recently, she stepped away from a long list of Chaminade extracurriculars so she could juggle all her work at Chaminade with running two small businesses. You read that right: On top of everything else, she’s an entrepreneur.

“In all honesty, I believe that all my experiences at Chaminade University—whether it was academics, clubs and organizations, student employment, events and more—have all been transformative for me,” Oda said. “Everything I’ve participated in, every person I have had the pleasure of working with and everything in between has made me into the person I am today.”

Oda, whose bachelor’s degree from Chaminade also includes a second major in Data Science, Analytics and Visualization at Chaminade along with minors in Computer Information Systems and Psychology, is an intern with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Honolulu Field Office.

Criminology and Criminal Justice at Chaminade

It’s the third internship she’s clinched while pursuing her degree. She was previously an undergraduate intern for the Hawaii State Judiciary, contributing to legislative and government reports. And in summer 2023, she was a research intern for the state Attorney General’s Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division Research and Statistics branch.

Oda credits Chaminade professors and departments with helping her secure the opportunities—and countless others, including a chance to participate in a summer institute focused on data analytics and supercomputing.

Oda said Dr. Kelly Treece, director of the Criminology and Criminal Justice program, has been a true inspiration to her.

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“She is truly one of those professors that pushes you to do your best,” Oda said.

Dr. Rylan Chong, director of the Data Science program, has also served as a mentor.

“From an early age, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the criminal justice field,” Oda said.

“I looked at universities that had criminal justice programs in Hawai’i and the mainland and knew that I wanted to attend a university with a criminal justice program that had hands-on learning experience and a small professor-to-student ratio. I chose Chaminade because it had the qualities that I was looking for—in addition to scholarships to help cover costs.”

Oda, who is from Hilo, added that she didn’t want to attend a university too far from home.

“Through my busy schedule of academics, part-time employment, internships, clubs and organizations as well as co-operating two small businesses, my time at Chaminade has taught me how to manage my time and achieve things that I never thought I could,” she said.

“With that said, through my hard work, I have been able to be a leader and mentor others in various capacities. Through my various leadership and internship experiences, I wanted to be a role model for other students and show them hard work, networking, and exploring can take you places. I want to show other students the possibilities available while pursuing your studies.”

Oda will be wrapping up her undergraduate degree in December and then—thanks to Chaminade’s innovative 4+1 program—moving directly into the Master of Science in Criminal Justice Studies program. She plans to continue her work under Treece and with the ATF.

And of course, she’s got those two small businesses to help run. Both sell handmade crafts.

“Serving my community is my passion and that message is something that I truly take to heart,” said Oda, who is excited about passing the baton of student leadership to her peers. Oda previously served as student government president, a role she greatly valued.

“I wanted to make a positive impact on the Chaminade community through being a strong advocate for student change and fostering relationships amongst students, faculty and staff.”

Suffice to say Oda has achieved that goal—and so much more.