Business & Communication

Building Blocks

February 1, 2023 by University Communications & Marketing

Ayko Group owner Chris Lee ’17 hammers home his commitment to Habitat for Humanity

It wasn’t all bad. In fact, some good did emerge from COVID-19. Vaccine production ramped up. Economic stimulus programs helped families weather financial hardships. And businesses—small and large—received Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to keep their workforce employed during the pandemic. For Chris Lee ’17, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) allowed him to build a relationship with Honolulu Habitat for Humanity.

“During the coronavirus scare, some of our planned/negotiated projects were suspended due to government restrictions,” says Lee, a Chaminade MBA graduate and owner of the construction company, Ayko Group. “Luckily, we received the PPP loans and we were able to keep the employees paid during the shut downs.”

A community-service-oriented business owner, Lee talked to a friend—the president of a local HVAC company—about business slowdowns, and because of this stagnation, he learned his friend’s company started taking on philanthropic endeavors with their employees. This prompted Lee to call Habitat for Humanity Honolulu and Habitat for Humanity West O‘ahu to see if Ayko could lend a hand in their home builds.

“My thought process being we are carpenters, and knowing that we could assist others at the same time as keeping our skills honed, would be a win-win,” Lee notes. “Habitat for Humanity Honolulu replied and was interested in this partnership, and we helped them on a few new builds along with some critical repairs.”

Ayko staff helped build a home for Habitat for Humanity. ©Howard Wolff

In pre-pandemic times, Ayko Group strictly focused on commercial and military projects, given Lee’s background as a former U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer, who has worked as a civilian manager for both Navy Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not keen on pursuing residential builds—because he’s uncomfortable about taking people’s money—his own admission—the 43-year-old entrepreneur decided to make an exception.

“The timing could not have been any better,” says Honolulu Habitat for Humanity CEO TJ Joseph, who is also a beneficiary of a Habitat for Humanity home. “Because of COVID, we had to stop all volunteer efforts, which we largely rely on to start and finish all our projects. So Chris’ call was a true godsend, and if it wasn’t for him coming out, we would not have finished the homes.”

The jobs started small, with some carpentry, drywalling, fire blocks, flooring issues, and leveling and patching a driveway for a new homestead home. Then came the Sniffen home in Waimānalo, which had only reached the demolition stage before the pandemic hit.

“It was just a slab,” Lee says. “So we brought in seven guys to work on-site and we finished the build in probably two, three weeks. I only like to do residential projects with organizations like Habitat.”

Workers framed a home for the Piohia Ohana construction project. ©Howard Wolff

In comparison, Joseph says the timeline for Habitat for Humanity to complete a single project could take months since the workforce consists of volunteers, who may or may not have any construction experience.

“Habitat for Humanity’s business model is based on a community building together,” Joseph explains. “With this old model, we were only able to finish one or two homes a year since we were only building on Saturdays. But now we’re using sub-contractors to lay the foundation, and install the roof, drywall, electric and plumbing.”

The concept that became Habitat for Humanity first grew from the fertile soil of Koinonia Farm, a community farm outside of Americus, Georgia, founded by farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan.

On the farm, Jordan and Habitat’s eventual founders, Millard and Linda Fuller, developed the idea of “partnership housing,” which centered on those in need of adequate shelter working side-by-side with volunteers to build quality, affordable residences. The homes would be built at no profit. New homeowners’ housing payments would be combined with no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fundraising to create “The Fund for Humanity,” which would then be used to build more houses.

Chris and Tara Lee named their company Ayko after their two kids—Ayla and Niko.

Thanks in no small part to the personal involvement of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, and the awareness they have raised, Habitat now works in all 50 states in the U.S. and more than 70 countries. Habitat’s advocacy efforts focus on policy reform to remove systemic barriers preventing low-income and historically underserved families from accessing adequate, affordable shelter.

“Right now, we have 16 families on our waiting list,” Joseph says. “And of the 16, 14 or 15 of them already have funding.”

Lee plans to continue to help Habitat for Humanity, whenever he is able to do so. Quoting former Hogan Entrepreneur Program director, John Webster, Lee says he is abiding his creed: “Doing business things that make social sense and doing social things that make business sense.”

“John always stated that before the Wednesday speaker sessions,” Lee says.

“It has always rang true to me, and when given the opportunity to help, I will, especially during a time like Covid. I’m fulfilling my service mission, which lines up with the values of a Chaminade education, and it also matches what my mom instilled in me when I was a kid.”

Living Legacy

January 26, 2023 by University Communications & Marketing

A Place Close to the Heart: Honoring an Alumnus’s Final Wishes

Before losing his battle to hypopharyngeal cancer on July 15, 2017 in San Leandro, CA., Thomas “Tom” Siu-Wing Watt ’68 made his spouse of more than 35 years, Carol-Ann Tucker-Watt, grant him two final wishes: One of them was to have Frank Sinatra’s version of “My Way” played at his funeral and another was “to fly.”

“He made it clear that he was fine with cremation, but he did not want his ashes buried, stuck in a niche or dumped over the side of a boat,” Tucker-Watt says. “He wished for his mortal remains to be ‘free like the wind.’”

Tom and Carol-Anne Watt were together for more than 35 years.

Indeed, Watt was a free spirit, developing close friends while attending Saint Louis School where he experienced academic success and a penchant for mathematics and sciences. After high school, he aspired to be an engineer—one of three popular professions chosen among Chinese immigrants at the time—and enrolled in the engineering department at the University of Hawai‘i Mānoa.

Unfortunately, his first-year experience would mark his last.

“The professors of the introductory engineering classes assumed that the students were already familiar with the fundamentals of mechanical drawing, but Tom was not,” Tucker-Watt recalls. “It did not take long for him to decide that he and UH were not a good fit, and that he would need to pivot.”

Having attended Saint Louis, Watt was familiar with the Chaminade campus, and several of his Saint Louis classmates were already attending what was then Chaminade College. There was one problem: Chaminade did not have an engineering program, so he decided to pass on his engineering books, drafting board and T-square to his younger brother and switched to a business major where he could apply both his math and English skills.

“Chaminade always held a place close to his heart,” Tucker-Watt says. “After retirement from a long and successful career with the Social Security Administration, Tom was able to connect with fellow alumni living in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as students about to start at Chaminade.”

But having scattered Tom’s ashes in mid-air meant that there would be no headstone. “There would be nothing to mark his time on earth,” Tucker-Watt says. “And so it occurred to me that the best way to give him an ongoing legacy was to endow a scholarship at Chaminade.”

The scholarship has a single criterion: Students have to maintain a 3.5 grade point average, something that Tom successfully managed to do while studying at Chaminade.

“He would have been proud, and glad that he could help young Chaminade students,” Tucker-Watt says. “I miss him terribly, but I still feel his guiding hand. He still has my back.”

One and Done

December 9, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

Program offers business students a fast track to an MBA degree

Unlike the contestants in the “Amazing Race,” Chaminade students did not encounter any detours nor face any roadblocks when they visited Aukland, New Zealand. The adventure was part of the new One Year MBA program that the University introduced in the fall of 2021.

“I had experience with such programs at three other universities,” says Dr. Bill Rhey, dean of the School of Business and Communication. “The data points out that when students look for an MBA program, they consider time of completion, cost, convenience and quality of faculty. This MBA meets all four.”

The cohort model for the One Year MBA program differs greatly from the traditional 18-month track. Foremost, as Rhey explains, students enrolled in this 12-month curriculum are in “lockstep,” which means they all must take the mandatory classes together.

“They start here and they finish here—together,” Rhey emphasizes. “This first cohort of students really bonded and supported each other every step of the way.”

The advantages of enrolling in a one-year program are many. But perhaps one of the most salient reasons refers back to an old adage: time is money. Obviously, paying a year’s tuition—versus two—saves a lot of cash. Tuition also includes books, meals on Saturdays and the international trip. Secondly, classes meet on alternate Saturdays and through online coursework. And thirdly, this type of educational model fosters collaboration and helps develop close bonds with fellow classmates.

“When I was packing my bags, I began to question my decision, asking myself ‘Why am I doing this,’” recalls Katelin Korman, who moved to Hawaii from her hometown of Surrey, British Columbia. “I didn’t know anyone in Hawaii but it turned out to be the best experience of my life and I have no regrets.

“The hybrid model also meant that I could continue working while also completing my studies,” Korman further notes. “I loved the idea of having a small cohort and a more personalized experience.”

The idea of being in a tight-knit group also drew Rebecca Miller. “I was so fortunate to have been part of this particularly amazing group of people, and I mean that sincerely,” says Miller, a licensed optician with LensCrafters. “Having been able to share this time together helped us learn how we worked with each other as individuals.”

Initially accepted into the traditional MBA program, Mario Macagba later learned about the accelerated alternative and decided this option would work best for his circumstance. The trip to New Zealand was another alluring factor.

“In preparation for the trip, professor Callahan provided us assignments that allowed us to learn about New Zealand,” Macagba says. “We learned about its culture and did research about Hawaii’s link to New Zealand and the similarities with regards to tourism and culture.”

In the past, Rhey has led other student groups on similar trips to Malawi and South African but never to Auckland. According to Rhey, New Zealand was chosen because it’s an island country, which has a Polynesian history and a large tourism/hospitality sector.

“It is, also, an English-speaking country with direct flights from Honolulu,” Rhey points out. “I have a friend (Rob Scharar) who is engaged with many leaders and businesses in New Zealand, and he was happy to help design the tour.”

A supporter of MBA programs and education overall, Scharar’s invaluable knowledge and connections provided students with an insider’s look into the New Zealand economy and politics.

“It was a mini business seminar for four days,” asserts Scharar, President of FCA Corp., a 50-year-old leading global investment management and financial advisory firm that also owns a stake in Unparalleled Journeys, which arranged the itinerary. “We had guest speakers from the New Zealand Stock Exchange, U.S. Embassy, FCA Corp’s investment team, Representatives from the U.S. Commercial Service for Australia and New Zealand, and Commonwealth Australia-New Zealand investment managers. The goal was to give these students some exposure to international trade and business.”

After discussing the impact of COVID on the travel industry, Unparalled Journeys tasked the students to prepare a presentation and summary of strategies and protocols that could possibly mitigate the effects of another potential global pandemic.

“The students had a lot of great ideas, from the use of technology to strategic messaging in anticipation of another COVID-like pandemic,” Scharar says. “They all passed. This was a wonderful group of young adults who were pretty humble and grounded, which made it fun for me.”

“Traveling with Mr. Rob Scharar was a fantastic experience,” Miller says. “He really brought to life a sense of what we were working to achieve. Watching him command a room, and interact with individuals everywhere from Parliament to the Stock Exchange was very enlightening.”

Macagba’s biggest takeaway from the trip was a pointed lesson in leading. “Servant leadership is valuable,” he says, “and we need to make sure we serve and lead in our community, home, work and social circles, and to view our culture not as black and white but gray.”

Korman was most impressed with the level of awareness that Kiwis hold for their surroundings, giving her a new perspective on the quality of life and living in general.

“I learned that New Zealand is a lot like Canada where I am from,” says the British Columbia native. “It is extremely similar in the way it’s run and governed, the landscape, environment and climate, as well as the people and their interests and hobbies. Our money and tax system are also alike and both countries are part of the British Commonwealth.”

The one-year program is targeted—but not limited—to mid-management professionals who are already working in a specific industry, and seek a track to the executive level. Its goal is to provide growth, leadership, thoughtful decision-making, engagement and new opportunities.

Before obtaining her MBA, Korman had only worked at small companies with few employees and even fewer opportunities for professional growth. However, this changed in November when she landed a marketing coordinator position with Save-On-Foods, one of Western Canada’s largest supermarket chains.

“I think the MBA definitely helped me get this job,” says Korman, who believes this is her first step to upward mobility. “I learned so much more about business, including data science, analytics, strategic thinking and marketing.”

During a banquet dinner to celebrate their graduation, students from the 2021 class had the opportunity to welcome the next cohort of MBA graduates, passing the torch on to some of the incoming class members.

“I know the students took away a sense of confidence in their ability to make recommendations as business consultants for our host company, Unparalled Journeys,” Rhey concludes. “I also believe that most had their horizons broadened, and experienced a greater appreciation for how business is done, and how different life is outside of Hawaii.”

Chaminade University Awarded $600,000 Federal Grant

November 22, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

Chaminade University of Honolulu was among seven minority educational institutions that received $1.75 million in grants from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). The monies are part of an expanded pilot program to support entrepreneurship for undergraduate students.

“This marks another proud achievement and win for our faculty members,” says Chaminade University of Honolulu president Lynn Babington. “Principal Investigator, Dr. Helen Turner, and a supportive leadership team shepherded this grant through a rigorous vetting process, and deserve all the recognition for bringing this nationally competitive award to the university.”

Submitted to the MBDA’s Minority Colleges and Universities Grant Competition, the award will allow Chaminade to develop the “‘Inana Sustainability Entrepreneurship Program,” which aims to spark minority entrepreneurial innovation among Hawaii-Pacific undergraduates.

“As a Native Hawaiian Serving Institution, Chaminade University of Honolulu’s proposal demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the mission and goals of MBDA, and the requirements of the Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement,” says Donald R. Cravins, Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development, in a prepared statement. “In addition, their application presented evidence of the expertise and community resources necessary to meet these goals.”

The Minority Colleges and Universities pilot program will help fund the development of curricula, pilot courses, seminars, and replicable products and tools that address inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and general economic development. The award is worth $600,000, funded annually over a two-year span.

“The ‘Inana program is highly collaborative and builds on foundations laid by Chaminade’s more-than-20-year history of promoting business and entrepreneurship,” Dr. Turner says. “`Inana will bring together our new UN Sustainability Center, our outstanding School of Business and Communication, and the highly regarded Hogan Entrepreneurs Program, as well as our Marianist Leadership Center and Experiential Honors program. Together we will laser-focus on supporting the next generation of sustainability focused entrepreneurs for Hawaii and our Pacific region.”

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Chaminade University of Honolulu believes in the power of education to drive positive change, broaden perspectives and deepen our understanding of one another. With an emphasis on transformative service-learning experiences, we prepare students to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, inspiring and challenging them to use their minds and their hearts to help build stronger and more just communities. We are proud to serve as Hawai‘i’s only Marianist university, and rely on these values to guide us in delivering a high-quality education with an individualized approach and a focus on excellence, innovation and change. Established in 1955, we offer more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs, including doctoral degrees in education, psychology and nursing practice. Learn more at chaminade.edu.

Chaminade University Receives $50,000 Grant from the McInerny Foundation

September 27, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

Chaminade University of Honolulu recently received a $50,000 grant from the McInerny Foundation to support the school’s Economic Education Center for Excellence. The grant will fund financial literacy programs at the center for the 2022-2023 school year.

The Chaminade Economic Education Center for Excellence (EECE) promotes economic empowerment for families and communities in Hawaii and the US-affiliated Pacific through accessible and sustained economic and personal financial literacy training that is culturally responsive. The research projects improve understanding of barriers to economic empowerment which shed light on policies and practical interventions to overcome these barriers in Hawaii and beyond.

The McInerny Foundation grant aims to serve approximately 30 public school teachers with professional development workshops in how to incorporate financial literacy into the K-12 classroom, and 20 high school students with age appropriate coursework in economics and personal finance. Chaminade students also benefit from the programs as EECE workshop teaching assistants.

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Pre-College Summer Institutes 2022

August 30, 2022 by University Communications & Marketing

“Cooking with Chemistry”

“Think Like a Champion”

“Psychology of Happiness”

Those might sound like great reads—or fascinating TED Talks.

But they were actually some of the engaging and hands-on courses offered at Chaminade University over the summer to groups of Hawaii high schoolers. The students were participants in Chaminade’s Summer Institutes, made possible at the university thanks to a partnership with the federal GEARUP program.

The workshops are designed to give high school students a taste of college—and get them hooked.

Participants this year for the seven, two-week sessions included ninth to 12th graders from Farrington, Kaimukī, Ānuenue and McKinley high schools. And in addition to going on field trips and tackling fun projects, they got the chance to attend co-curricular sessions on college readiness. The topics covered everything you’d need to know as you prepare to graduate from high school and plan for college, including applying for financial aid, navigating admissions and student life.

Pure Imagination

Aaron Williamson, assistant professor of Accounting, taught a session called “The Successes of Pure Imagination: Business Development and Entrepreneurial Mentorship.” He said the course was designed as “an immersion into the world of entrepreneurship”—from business plan development, brainstorming sessions, strategic thinking skills-building and the application of “principles of success” in daily life.

“The entire process of teaching the course was memorable—from idea inception to business plan presentations,” he said. “Having a small part in assisting students to see how an idea can impact the world and developing theoretical businesses that will be on the streets of tomorrow is so enjoyable.”

Cooking with Chemistry

In Dr. Francis Sakai-Kawada’s “Cooking with Chemistry” course, students tie-dyed their lab coats to better understand the chemistry of dyes, made their own bars of soap as they explored the properties of saponification, and took chemistry into the kitchen to make butter, mayonnaise, boba and ice cream.

“The goal was develop activities that were hands-on and engaging,” he said. “We had the creative license and flexibility to tie underlying scientific and chemistry concepts to every activity. Our priority was to incorporate an element of fun. We wanted our students to see that so much of what we deal with in our daily life can be related to chemistry, from food to household cleaning products.”

Kawada added that students started the course a little shy, but slowly opened up.

And the highlight of the session: visiting the IL Gelato Factory to talk story with owner Dr. Dirk Koeppenkastrop (a fellow chemist), who discussed his path from a chemistry lab to studying the art and science of gelato in Italy and the “perfect ratio of ingredients” that goes into the sweet treat.

Psychology of Happiness

Dr. Abby Halston, an assistant professor of psychology at Chaminade and clinical director of the university’s Marriage and Family Counseling program, taught the “Psychology of Happiness” course—which incorporated everything from guided meditation and breathing to personal journaling.

Students also put together personal stress management plans, worked to identify their hopes and dreams for college and beyond, and participated in mock career development interviews. The group also got to go on a field trip to Beyond Monet, an immersive experience into the artist’s works.

“I wanted to create a fun and life-changing institute where high school students could gain deep personal insight into their psychological wellbeing while learning personal management skills that could be utilized throughout their lifespan,” Halston said. “We focused on understanding the keys to happiness … and the power of our mindset to achieving our hopes and dreams.”

She added, “I cannot wait until next summer’s institute!”

For the Love of Math

For the Summer Institutes course on “Creating Number Sense to Increase Love of Math,” Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Travis Mukina wasn’t just teaching math fundamentals, but un-teaching some bad math habits. “Most days consisted of mental math activities that forced students to view numbers in ways their elementary school teachers did not allow,” Mukina said. “We broke numbers apart, changed their values and accommodated for the change at the end of the problem.”

“Hands-on manipulatives were also used daily to allow students to visually see how the numbers were working with each other in multiple different strategies. Every activity ensured the students were learning from each other rather than from me. It was amazing to witness!” Mukina added.

He said one of the big takeaways for students was that math isn’t a set of rules and procedures to memorize, but about creativity and flexibility. Mukina also wanted participants to see how math can be used seamlessly in everyday life—and how even complicated things can be broken down.

“I feel so honored to be part of this summer institute,” he said.

Living Pono

For the “Living Pono” institute, School of Nursing and Health Professions Professors Dr. Jennifer Nafarrete and Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe covered a wide range of health topics—from nutrition to human anatomy and physiology to reproductive health. Along the way, students tried their hand at cooking, engaged in some friendly competition, and put together presentations to tackle big topics.

Magpantay-Monroe said students really enjoyed the concepts of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, and especially loved their field trip to Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden—where they were challenged to strengthen their ability to “notice” and “be with nature.”

“I really enjoyed being a source of information to these students—helping them realize self-care is important but they also need to be self-aware of what is happening around them,” she said. “Being with nature helped increase their capacity to be mindful and reduce their stressors.”

Nafarrete added she was also happy to give students actionable, healthy solutions they can use everyday—like recipes. “My thought process was to find fun ways to engage students into making conscious choices about their health while considering how it affects the environment,” she said.

Think Like a Champion

Dr. Guanlin Gao, associate professor of Economics at Chaminade and director of the Economic Education Center for Excellence, focused on personal finance literacy in her course, “Think Like a Champion.” She wanted students to walk away with a better understanding of how to handle money.

“We spent one day visiting a local financial institution to learn more about how they operate and contribute to managing personal finances,” Gao said. “We spent another day on a fun team competition that involved budgeting, shopping and cooking. We even played a game that was all about inflation.”

Gao said the point of all the exercises was to help students see how better (and smarter) financial decisions ultimately lead to happier lives. “Interacting with the students was my favorite part,” she said. “For many of them, our trip to a bank was the first time they’d seen an actual vault. During our cooking competition, they all made nutritious meals. The best part: they were so proud of themselves.”