Chaminade University of Honolulu

Behavioral Sciences

Criminal Justice Students Clinch Scholarships

Two Silverswords were honored with TOP COP Hawaii Scholarships in recognition of their academic achievement. Each student received $1,000 to use toward their educational goals.

The honorees were Jayce Pascua ‘26 and Heather Weires, MSCJS ‘24.

TOP COP Hawaii is organized by the Law Enforcement and Security Coalition of Hawaii to recognize excellence in law enforcement and security.

Dr. Kelly Treece, Chaminade Criminology and Criminal Justice program director, congratulated the student honorees. “They’re being recognized not only by scholarship donors, but the criminal justice community,” she said.

Pascua, a Criminology and Criminal Justice major at Chaminade, said the scholarship was humbling.

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“I chose Criminal Justice simply because I always had a drive for selfless service in our community,” he said. “I always wanted to do better and give back to my community, so what other way than keeping the community protected and safe? I have a strong passion for justice for our community and I always thought I would be the one to make a difference.”

Pascua said after graduation, he hopes to attend warrant officer and flight schools in the Hawai’i Army National Guard before pursuing a special agent role with the FBI, CIA or other organization.

“I am driven to become a special agent because their role is a blend of investigative work, critical thinking, and field operations and that aligns perfectly with my passion for justice,” he said.

Pascua added that he is grateful for the hands-on learning at Chaminade. “The small and interactive classes at Chaminade are something that you cannot get at another University, but it is the professors that make the experiences at Chaminade stand out,” he said.

Psychological Association Honors Chaminade Professor

Darren Iwamoto, Ed.D., a professor of Psychology and associate dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, was honored in January with the Hawai‘i Psychological Association’s (HPA) 2024 Outstanding Professor of Psychology Award.

In recognizing Iwamoto, HPA said the professor not only oversees Chaminade’s Counseling Psychology, School Psychology and Educational Psychology programs, but also serves on a long list of university committees and has published in over a dozen academic journals.

darren_iwamoto_headshot 136x200

His teaching experience includes more than 30 undergraduate and graduate courses.

“Dr. Iwamoto exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional teacher who deeply cares about his students and their learning experiences,” the Hawai‘i Psychological Association said.

“By getting to know each student individually, he creates a safe and welcoming space where students feel encouraged to participate and learn at their own pace. This dedication to his students is reflected consistently in course evaluations, where he is rated at the highest levels.”

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Iwamoto said the award was “completely unexpected” and humbling.

“I find so much joy in teaching because being with students and watching them grow and develop into amazing scholars and professionals right before my eyes truly puts me in awe,” he said, adding he is grateful to his mentors in the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

“Without their insights and motivating words, I would not be where I am today.”

Iwamoto started at Chaminade in 2007 as the internship director for the Master’s in School Counseling program. He then served as an assistant professor and full professor, and became the associate dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences in August 2024.

Iwamoto said his biggest joy in life is seeing Chaminade graduates become professionals and embrace the University’s mission of serving others. “I believe that Chaminade is not only an institute of higher education, but we also support our students’ transition into adulthood,” Iwamoto said, adding, “Being able to mentor and teach students is so much fun.”

The School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Chaminade offers undergraduate programs in Psychology, Elementary Education, Criminology and Criminal Justice and more.

Graduate degrees offered through the school include the Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology or Organizational Leadership for Adaptation and Change, and Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Study Underscores Importance of Student Engagement

For the past 12 years, Professor Tracy Trevorrow, Ph.D.—director of the Center for Medical Psychology at Chaminade—has been surveying university students on their sleep and health habits. His latest research, in partnership with other university sleep centers, underscores the importance of campus support and engagement activities to help students thrive.

Trevorrow is a co-author on the study, which looked at causes for insomnia in college students. The research, conducted with Oregon State University and fellow collaborator Harvard University, included more than 1,000 undergraduates and found students who reported 8 to 10 hours of screen time daily had an increased likelihood of insomnia.

But the study also looked at the connection between social interactions and trouble sleeping, finding students who reported higher levels of loneliness were more likely to have trouble with insomnia—irrespective of their daily screen time amounts.

Trevorrow said the study, which included 227 participants from Chaminade, puts a spotlight on the success and leadership programs that help students remain engaged—and feel supported—as they pursue their undergraduate degrees.

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“It’s very important to appreciate how important good sleep is to health, a sense of wellbeing and to learning,” Trevorrow said. “Although this is just a single study, it appears that social connectedness among students is important for getting adequate sleep in addition to being careful about excessive screen time.”

The study was published in the Journal of American College Health, and Trevorrow expects to expand surveys to further explore students’ sense of social connectedness and daily screen time. Trevorrow added the study underscores the importance of Chaminade’s “many opportunities for students to develop friendships and social connections through clubs, sports, student government, and campus events.” He noted the University’s robust counseling program is also important—as is continuing to develop new engagement activities.

“This study highlights the importance of keeping a lifestyle balance” and prioritizing friendships and a sense of belonging, Trevorrow said.

“Feeling socially connected helps students manage the challenges of college life, and also appears to improve sleep.”

As for screen time, Trevorrow recommends keeping it to less than eight hours a day.

Peer Mentors Offer Listening Ear

Mentors help peers with stress management, school-life balance and more

In addition to comprehensive individual, crisis and group counseling for students, Chaminade has also trained a cadre of peer mentors as part of an innovative program aimed at offering another layer of support to Silverswords who may feel uneasy seeking help or don’t need intensive services.

Earlier this year, five Silversword juniors—now all seniors—went through 16 hours of rigorous QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training, learning the signs and warnings of what to look for in their classmates as part of their preparation for Chaminade’s Peer Mentorship Program.

Director of Counseling Services Leilani Harness says a Marianist grant helped start the mentorship program in Fall 2023, and she was able to add five paid peer-mentor positions this semester.

Brit Hall, second from left, is doing an internship with the Counseling Center for her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology. She is surround by Peer Counselors, from left, Claire Heffernan, Mya Dawkins, Annie Kramer, Megan Nakamura and Micah Sanders.
Brit Hall, second from left, is doing an internship with the Counseling Center for her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree. She is surrounded by Peer Counselors, from left, Claire Heffernan, Mya Dawkins, Annie Kramer, Megan Nakamura and Micah Sanders.

Harness adds she has always valued peer-to-peer mentorship and jumped at the chance to start the initiative.

As NASPA-certified peer educators in the Counseling Center, Annie Kramer ’25, Micah Sanders ’25, Megan Nakamura ’25, Mya Dawkins ’25 and Claire Heffernan ’25 have helped their fellow Silverswords struggling academically, emotionally or mentally. Some of those they’ve helped are worried about grades, while others are concerned about personal relationships.

(Historically, NASPA stood for National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. However, the organization updated the name of the association to NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.)

According to Kramer and Sanders, students many times want more information about school-work-life balance, followed by stress management and coping skills.

“We saw between 10-12 clients last semester,” said Kramer, who is now the administrative assistant at the center and peer mentor co-lead with Sanders and Nakamura.

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Kramer said the peer mentoring program is effective because some students feel more comfortable sharing thoughts with people “who are their same age and who look like them.”

The peer mentors lend an empathetic ear to any student who needs support. They seek to build trust, create a safe environment, and show compassion. Sometimes, they just hang out.

“It feels more organic,” said Sanders, who spent hours under the supervision of Harness.

“Having a program like this peer mentorship is extremely important, especially on campus where students might feel anxious and homesick.”

Sanders said his biggest piece of advice to students is: Go out, meet new people and get out of your comfort zone. “The Counseling Center is a lifeline to the different departments,” he adds.

As the school year progresses, Harness emphasized that the Counseling Center is available for individual sessions, couples therapy and small friend groups Mondays through Fridays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“I am always available after hours, so feel free to contact me at any time,” Harness adds. “That’s literally my job—to be here for students and employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

For a full list of crisis resources available to anyone in need, click here.

All five peer mentors say they appreciate the hands-on experience of talking with fellow students and, most importantly, being able to help.

“This program really aligns well with what I want to do, which is to become a high school or college counselor,” Kramer says. “And Chaminade is providing the opportunity for me to reach that goal.”

Enduring Memories

Chaminade Leaves Lasting Impression on Two Alumni

As they reminisced about their years at Chaminade, Clarke Antonio ’17 and Vanessa Ignacio ’18 vividly recalled their memories of laughter, professors, fellow Swords, classes, conferences, the Filipino Club and Extravaganza. Eight years later, the two alumni shared one last detail: they now bear the same last name.

“We got married on Oahu on May 11,” said Antonio-Ignacio with a wide smile during a ZOOM interview. “We have been together for seven years, and three of those were long distance. So, it has been a long road to get here.”

Their journey began by meeting through various classes, attending the same workshops and taking advantage of the many opportunities. One of the them was a chance to attend a Pre-Health Conference at UC Davis, where talks swirled about the two dating. Apparently, on the drive back to their hotel after a long day at the Conference, Ignacio had fallen asleep on the shoulder of Antonio, sparking rumors among other passengers and the driver, Dr. Amber Noguchi, Chaminade’s Program Director with the Undergraduate Research & Pre-Professional Programs.

“Yeah, we heard about that,” Antonio chuckled. “We can confirm that story is true, but we weren’t seeing each other at that point. We were seen together at different workshops so people thought we were a couple.”

  • Vanessa Antonio-Ignacio and Clarke Ignacio got married on May 11 on Oahu.
    Vanessa Antonio-Ignacio and Clarke Ignacio got married on May 11 on Oahu.
  • Vanessa Ignacio attended Clarke Antonio's commencement ceremony.
    Vanessa Ignacio attended Clarke Antonio’s commencement ceremony.
  • Vanessa Antonio-Ignacio and Clarke Ignacio got married on May 11 on Oahu.
    Vanessa Antonio-Ignacio and Clarke Ignacio got married on May 11 on Oahu.
  • Clarke Antonio and Vanessa Ignacio danced the traditional Filipino tinikling during Extravaganza.
    Clarke Antonio and Vanessa Ignacio danced the traditional Filipino tinikling during Extravaganza.
  • Clarke Antonio and Vanessa Ignacio shared their vows on May 11.
    Clarke Antonio and Vanessa Ignacio shared their vows on May 11.
  • Clarke Antonio and Vanessa attended the Commencement Ball as a couple.
    Clarke Antonio and Vanessa attended the Commencement Ball as a couple.
  • Fr. George Cerniglia (former rector at Chaminade) officiated the wedding of Clarke Antonio and Vanessa Ignacio.
    Fr. George Cerniglia (former rector at Chaminade) officiated the wedding of Clarke Antonio and Vanessa Ignacio.
  • Clarke Antonio gave Vanessa Ignacio a boquet of flowers when he asked her to the Commencement Ball.
    Clarke Antonio gave Vanessa Ignacio a boquet of flowers when he asked her to the Commencement Ball.

Yet, it wasn’t until Antonio’s junior year and Ignacio’s sophomore year did they have their first official date. Over time, their bond strengthened, in part, because of their mutual commitment to the University’s mission of service, which they took to heart. Both take great interests in inter-professional collaboration, advocacy and serving underserved communities.

“Educating for service was the primary reason I chose to go to Chaminade,” said Ignacio, a Hilo native who is in her last year of residency with the Hawai’i Island Family Medicine Residency. “I remember coming to Chaminade on a college campus tour during my sophomore year in high school, and I really liked the intimate culture and student involvement.”

Antonio cited similar reasons. After graduating from Farrington High School, the Kalihi native recognized that he preferred smaller class sizes and with a better professor-to-student ratio. He didn’t want to attend UH precisely because of its sprawl and large population. Instead, Antonio scheduled a campus tour of Chaminade, unsure even if his family could afford the cost of a private university.

“I received the Merit Scholarship so that really helped,” Antonio said. “The experience was incredible. I was exposed to so many opportunities that helped me go beyond my initial dreams and ambitions.”

One opportunity in particular helped advance Antonio’s lifetime dream of becoming a physician in Hawaii. Through an articulation agreement with A.T. Still University–Arizona School of Health Sciences, he was able to pursue his Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T). Meanwhile, Ignacio also entered into an articulation agreement with A.T. Still University, but with the school’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, 1,300 miles away from Mesa, Arizona.

“We made it work since we were on the same academic calendar, and we had the same breaks,” said Antonio, a Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist who now practices full-time at Hilo Medical Center. “We literally studied together virtually, with our laptops on one side of the desk and books on the other. Sometimes, it was just complete silence but it was comforting to see each other on screen.”

As Antonio-Ignacio completes her third and final year of residency, the couple has a lot to look forward to in the coming years. And they have a lot to look back on, including their recent marriage and their time on the Kalaepohaku campus.

“Chaminade holds so many great memories for us,” Antonio-Ignacio said. “We even asked Fr. George Cerniglia (former rector at Chaminade)—whom we got close to while we were students, and kept in touch even after he moved to Missouri—to officiate our wedding. He was thrilled and happy to see so many familiar Chaminade faces since we invited a lot of our Chaminade friends to the wedding.”

Scholarly Research

Students present their thought-provoking research findings

Psychology major juniors Leila-Jayne Casison and Clara Slate-Liu are on their way to the National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in California. But before presenting their findings on a national stage, the two Silversword athletes presented their research at the annual Na Liko Na‘auao Symposium, allowing them to fine tune their presentation and to anticipate any questions they may have to field.

“I think today was a good trial run for us in terms of getting used to discussing our study with others, especially those who we’ve never met before,” Casison said. “I also think we’re getting better with having meaningful conversations with those who find interest in our study on our athletes.”

Titled “The Sleep of University Student-Athletes,” Casison’s and Liu’s study looked at sleep patterns of fellow Swords, and they concluded that soccer players have the worst sleeping habits of all the athletes.

“Their practices start at 6 in the morning and they go to bed late,” Casison and Slate-Liu said. “So, of course, they’re going to experience daytime fatigue. It should be an issue that our coaches and athletic director are made aware of.”

A Silversword tennis player, Sydney Danielson was tireless in her pursuit of learning about avian malaria and avian pox effects on Hawaiian birds, such as the ‘amakihi, apapane and ‘i‘wi. A passionate naturalist, the Minnesota native looked at the two diseases and their impact on native birds’ population.

“Symptoms include swollen, tumor-like lesions on unfeathered parts of a bird’s body, such as the feet, legs, eyes and base of the bill,” Danielson explained of avian pox. “Both diseases are very difficult to manage, and the continued viability of our native forest birds depends on the preservation of their habitat.”

Sarah Carroll explains her research to Fr. Martin Solma during the Na Liko Na'auao Symposium.
Sarah Carroll explains her research to Fr. Martin Solma during the Na Liko Na’auao Symposium.
Professor Tracy Trevorrow, Ph.D., discusses the research findings of Clara Slate-Liu, left, and Leila-Jayne Casison.
Professor Tracy Trevorrow, Ph.D., discusses the research findings of Clara Slate-Liu, left, and Leila-Jayne Casison.
Brittany Johnson commented on Brandon Koskie's research project on Kalauhaihai Fishpond and Kanewai Spring.
Brittany Johnson commented on Brandon Koskie’s research project on Kalauhaihai Fishpond and Kanewai Spring.
Lindsey Dimaya, left, a junior at Sacred Hearts Academy and a participant in Chaminade’s early college program, presented her findings to Joleigh Ballesteros-Magdaro.
Lindsey Dimaya, left, a junior at Sacred Hearts Academy and a participant in Chaminade’s early college program, presented her findings to Joleigh Ballesteros-Magdaro.
Brandon Koskie, right, discusses his research findings on two fishponds with Anson Ekau, who developed a dashboard for the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center.
Brandon Koskie, right, discusses his research findings on two fishponds with Anson Ekau, who developed a dashboard for the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center.
Katelyn Salcedo's hypotheses posed the question: Is Literacy Affected by the Home Environment.
Katelyn Salcedo’s hypotheses posed the question: Is Literacy Affected by the Home Environment.
Sydney Danielson explains the effects of avian malaria and avian pox to attendees at the Na Liko Na'auao Symposium.
Sydney Danielson explains the effects of avian malaria and avian pox to attendees at the Na Liko Na’auao Symposium.
Dr. Lynn Babington listened to what Kole Nagai had to say about his research findings during the 22nd Annual Na Liko Na'auao Symposium.
Dr. Lynn Babington listened to what Kole Nagai had to say about his research findings during the 22nd Annual Na Liko Na’auao Symposium.
Leila-Jayne Casison, left, and Clara Slate-Liu, studied the sleeping patterns of Silversword athletes.
Leila-Jayne Casison, left, and Clara Slate-Liu, studied the sleeping patterns of Silversword athletes.

For the past 22 years, student scholars have presented their yearlong work during this annual Symposium, allowing them to explain their research and answer questions from faculty, peers and at-large community members. In the past, students’ presentations have focused on mental health—especially the impact of COVID—physical health problems, substance abuse and even “climate monstrosities.”

According to Amber Noguchi, Ph.D., Undergraduate Research and Pre-Professional Programs director, undergraduate and graduate research experience can look like a number of things. It can range from formal and clinical studies to data analysis, and creative works and beyond.

“All of these presentations stem from research projects that have been collaborations between the student researchers and their faculty mentors,” Noguchi explains. “This undergraduate conference celebrates student scholars from across all academic disciplines.”

For the past several months, Lindsey Dimaya has locked herself in her room, unwilling to share with her parents the project that she was working on for the Na Liko Na‘auao Symposium. An avid reader, the 17-year-old teenager chose to do research on adult literacy and its impact on mental health.

Pointing to her presentation, dad Don Dimaya quipped that Lindsey finally explained why she isolated herself in her bedroom for all those hours. “Now it makes sense,” he said with a laugh. “Instead of getting her driver’s license last summer, she was busy with this.”

“I looked at the correlation between adult literacy and mental health,” said Dimaya, a junior at Sacred Hearts Academy and a participant in Chaminade’s early college program. “One of the reasons I was interested in this research was because of a story I had heard about a mother who wanted to bake her daughter a birthday cake, but she couldn’t because she didn’t know how to read.”

Dimaya’s research yielded some interesting findings, including a connection between improved reading skills and better mental health, and regaining childhood memories that emerged as a result of enhanced literacy.

“The breadth and depths of these projects have blown me away,” said President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., in her closing remarks at the Symposium. “I have been truly impressed walking around the room, and listening to your presentations and your interests.”

In his oral presentation, Anson Ekau ’25 demonstrated a beta dashboard that he developed for the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, helping the nonprofit to monitor the health of the pond and its inhabitants.

“This fishpond once stretched all the way to Mauanlua Bay,” Ekau said. “Now you can walk around it in two minutes. However, fishponds are crucial to the survival of native species, and they also allow us to promote and preserve Native Hawaiian culture.”

The Symposium concluded with a presentation of the President Sue Wesselkamper Award, which acknowledges a student who has demonstrated extensive community and university service. In order to qualify for the prize, a student must have a minimum 3.5 GPA, show scholarship beyond classroom requirements by undertaking their own independent research or study, and must have presented their work both on and off campus. This year’s award went to Victoria Francois ’25, who gave a presentation on chronic pain among young adults and the effects of mindfulness.

“I would do this again in a heartbeat,” said Francois of her research. “In doing research, I found that the world is your oyster, and that everything is open to you.”