Chaminade University of Honolulu

Business & Communication

Prison Education Grads Celebrate Commencement

The Halawa Correctional Facility and Chaminade University held a special commencement ceremony May 10 for nine men earning their associate of arts degree in Business Administration. The graduates are the second cohort to graduate from Halawa’s Prison Education Program—offered at the facility through a partnership with Chaminade.

“Driving positive change and advocating for social justice is core to our Catholic, Marianist mission at Chaminade University, which is why we are so excited about the continued success of our rehabilitation-through-education partnership with the State of Hawaiʻi,” said Lynn Babington, Ph.D., president of Chaminade University.

“Our Spring 2025 prison-based education graduates exemplify the importance of second chances and personal development. These men have overcome so many obstacles that most of us can’t even imagine. They are well on their way to being resilient, to taking care of themselves and moving forward with their life’s path and we are so proud of that.”

The graduates included Eddieson Reyes, AA ’25, who said he never thought he would be able to attain a college degree.

“It’s an eye-opener for me, gaining more knowledge, more wisdom, more understanding of how the world works,” he said, adding that he is proud to be a positive role model for his two daughters, both of whom are also attending college.

“I’m trying to show them that if I can do it, they can do it. This program was so inspiring. I told myself that I didn’t like school, but really I love it.”

Oscar Kanoa, AA ’25 said he had “a lot of butterflies” at the commencement.

“It’s means a lot to me. It shows the perseverance we’ve had,” he said. “This is a second chance to achieve something.”

Through the program, Chaminade University faculty teach courses at the correctional facility.

The graduates completed 20 courses and accumulated 60 credits over five semesters to earn their associate’s degree. The AA in Business Administration includes foundational coursework in business principles, communication and critical thinking.

Tommy Johnson, director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said the graduating class “represents the core mission of the department—providing programs and services in collaboration with our partners to those in our custody and care so they can successfully reintegrate back into society upon release.”

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“We are extremely proud of all the graduates,” he added.

After the ceremony, graduate Tyrone Molina said he was proud of himself—and his fellow Silverswords.

“This proves that I’m capable of doing things that I never thought I could,” the 38-year-old said.

“Growing up, I was pretty good in school but I just started following the wrong crowd. So this was a chance for me to redeem myself and get back out there and show the world what I’m capable of and be able to provide for myself and my family.”

Lance Askildson, Ph.D, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Chaminade University, told graduates that the commencement ceremony was a new beginning.

“The start of this new chapter is not defined by the past but by the purpose you have chosen, the values you carry with you and the choices that lie ahead of you,” he said.

Askildson added: “At Chaminade, we believe that every student deserves the chance to grow and learn to build a life of purpose. Our graduates in the prison education program have embraced this opportunity with courage and perseverance while also finding renewed purpose in their lives.”

Competition Spotlights ‘Business for Good’

High school students from campuses statewide gathered at Chaminade University in April for a daylong series of hands-on activities aimed at underscoring the role businesses can play in making a positive difference in communities and embracing environmentally-sustainable practices.

Nine high schools participated in this year’s “Business Olympix” on April 25.

Eddie Merc, Ph.D., director of Chaminade’s MBA program, said the annual gathering was first launched in 2023.

Student participants work their way through activity stations that feature a long list of learning themes, including accounting, business analytics, marketing, economics and finance.

In the competition, students also collaborate in teams to tackle a challenge and present a business idea.

“This event promotes the importance of business in our local community as well as awareness of globalization,” Merc said. “It also prepares students to explore business topics for study in college.”

Micah Kalauli, a sophomore at Waiakea High, said the competition solidified his interest in pursuing economics or accounting as a potential career choice.

“I also learned a lot of good life skills, like communication, collaboration, thinking under deadlines and operations management.”

Kaiser High student Logan Leong added that the event helped him see just how critical business is to everyday life.

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“Every decision we make is a transaction between risk and rewards,” he said, adding the group presentation challenged participants to “see flaws in our own thinking.”

Diana Lau, a teacher at Waiakea High, appreciated how engaging the day’s activities were. “I saw my students laughing and I think that’s always a good sign,” she said. “It was also a great way to introduce the campus and the idea of college. Continuous exposure—that’s what we want to do with our students just to let them know there are many options.”

Merc said he’s happy to say the event has grown every year since its launch.

One key takeaway for students is the importance of doing “business for good.”

“That’s the slogan we live by,” Merc said, “and I think today, we witnessed students are really amplifying the importance of sustainability and helping the community with business applications.”

Mom and Daughter Graduate on Same Day

Leila Morinaga and her daughter, Maelia Thomas, share a lot.

They both believe in hard work and they both have a passion for business and finance.

And at Chaminade’s Commencement on May 3, they both got to share the stage—accepting their respective degrees on the same memorable day. Morinaga graduated with her MBA and Thomas accepted her associate’s degree, earned through Chaminade’s Early College partnership with Sacred Hearts Academy.

She was among 17 Sacred Hearts students who completed their associate’s degrees this Spring—and part of the first cohort to achieve the milestone.

Maelia, 17 and a senior at Sacred Hearts, said her mother inspires her every day with her example.

For Morinaga, the feeling is mutual. She decided to go back to school and get her MBA after watching her daughter juggle the dual obligations of high school and college work.

“I’m just so glad that I get to share this special moment with her,” Morinaga said, before the Commencement ceremonies on May 3.

Added Maelia, “I’m really happy that I get to graduate with my mom. What really kept me going with this program was seeing my mom every night working on homework, staying up late. Seeing how she can do all this and still manage to get a master’s.”

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Morinaga is chief operating officer at KÉCO CAPITAL, an investment firm. She opted for Chaminade’s Professional MBA given her years of experience, and said she knew she’d made the right decision after meeting her fellow cohort members and professors.

“Everyone I’ve met in the program has been amazing,” she said. “They bring all kinds of strengths.”

She said networking was a weekly opportunity with her fellow students, executives from a diversity of fields. “Pharmacy, medical, tourism. It’s been very interesting to hear and see the way everyone works while we’re all trying to achieve the same goal,” Morinaga said.

Maelia said she decided to pursue the Early College program at Chaminade because of its cost-effectiveness, allowing her to graduate from high school with two years of college under her belt.

At Chaminade, she also found professors who challenged her to delve into ethics and social justice—topics that she believes will offer a strong foundation in her business career.

For now, though, her focus is on taking a moment to celebrate.

Her graduation party later in May will also mark another special occasion: Her 18th birthday.

Chaminade Professor Elected to Accreditation Board

Scott Schroeder, Ph.D., a Management professor in residence at Chaminade University, has been elected to the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) Board of Commissioners in acknowledgement of his scholarly contributions and years of experience in academia.

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Schroeder rejoins the board after having served two terms from 2018 to 2024. He has also served as an IACBE site visit team member and site chair for seven years.

And in 2024, the IACBE recognized Schroeder with the Dr. John L. Green Service Award for his commitment to higher education.

The IACBE is a global programmatic accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Its mission is to advance academic quality in business programs through evidence-based accreditation that encourages institutions to build unique educational models to reflect their mission and vision.

Scott Schroeder

Schroeder was most recently president of Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu.

He has also served as dean of the School of Business and Communication at Chaminade University, dean of Academic Affairs at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute in Seattle, and chair of Graduate Management Programs at Antioch University.

As a professor in residence at Chaminade, Schroeder regularly teaches graduate classes on organizational behavior, organization development and strategic management.

His research focuses on personal power and social influence in the workplace. He also consults on executive transition, executive team development, and strategic planning.

Schroeder completed his Ph.D. at UCLA and postdoctoral work at Harvard University.

Students Flex Their Event Planning Skills

You can’t take advantage of opportunities you don’t know about.

That’s the idea behind the annual LEI (Leadership, Exploration, Inspiration) event, which is organized by nonprofit ClimbHI in collaboration with Chaminade students in the University’s senior field experience class.

More than 650 high school and college students attended this year’s LEI gathering, held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center on April 14.

The fair featured over 60 Hawai’i business and organizations sharing career opportunities in short “speed-dating” style segments. Students also learned about what types of preparation different jobs require and the internships that might be available to them as they advance their skills.

“We want these high school students to know that after graduation, there are all these opportunities available to them,” said Wendy Lam, Ph.D., a professor of Business Administration and Sport Event Management at Chaminade who oversees the Chaminade students who help organize the LEI event.


“It’s a very meaningful project that our students can apply everything that they have learned, from accounting to marketing to management and human resources.”

Loke Yokoyama ’25 is among the students who worked on the project.

“As a Chaminade student, we get to help with the planning and coordinating of the event,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun using my skills that I have obtained at Chaminade. The best part is working as a team.”

Yokoyama added Silverswords even made ti leaf lei for participating businesses.

John Paul Pacura ’25, a Business Administration senior, said Chaminade students got to apply their strongest skills and sharpen others in putting the event together.

“One of the biggest takeaways from this event is utilizing all the skills we have learned at Chaminade over four years,” Pacura said.

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This is the 13th year of the LEI event, which is especially focused on inspiring Hawai’i youth to pursue careers in the visitor industry. At the exposure fair, participants also got a chance to engage with industry leaders and participate in hands-on activities.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with ClimbHI and our industry and community partners to bring this important program to life,” said Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.

ClimbHI President Julie Morikawa said the LEI program is designed to offer a stepping stone between exposure to career opportunities and the hiring process, “allowing students to achieve their dreams and helping local businesses with workforce development.”

Business Students Take First in Global Competition

A team of Chaminade University students took top honors at an international business competition, wowing the judges with their strong presentation skills and innovative marketing strategies aimed at bolstering grassroots social media engagement.

Some 40 U.S. and international university teams participated in this year’s Fully Virtual IACBE Live Case Competition. Students spent more than a month crafting a marketing and engagement strategy for a real company—WealthFluent—as it seeks to reach Gen Z professionals.

The winning Chaminade team included John Barayuga ’25, Blake Buonopane ’25, Madelynne Knowd ’26 and Brycen Shackelford ’26, and their first-place title meant they took home a $1,200 prize. Their winning strategy: Crafting athlete and university partnerships to build a strong brand.

“Participating in this competition helped me grow as both a learner and a leader by challenging me to apply real-world problem-solving skills in a collaborative environment,” said Buonopane, the team captain.

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“As a leader, I learned to communicate effectively, delegate tasks based on team strengths, and stay adaptable under pressure. The experience strengthened my confidence, decision-making skills, and ability to guide a team toward a common goal, preparing me for future academic and professional challenges.”

He added, “Walking away with the top prize feels incredibly rewarding and validating. It’s a reflection of all the hard work and teamwork we put into bringing our idea to life. More than just winning, it feels amazing to know that our solution made an impact and stood out among other strong competitors since this was the first year it was virtual.”

The students tackled the challenge as part of their Business Strategy 469 course.

The winning Chaminade team (left to right) included John Barayuga ’25, Madelynne Knowd ’26, Blake Buonopane ’25 and Brycen Shackelford ’26.

Wera Panow-Loui, MBA, a marketing lecturer at Chaminade and an advisor for the group, said students worked hard to apply what they’d learned in a real-world setting and continuously hone their proposal. “Placing first among 40-plus teams is a prestigious achievement, especially considering the client and judges are highly-experienced professionals,” she said.

“I am incredibly proud of our students. They demonstrated exceptional critical thinking, business acumen and the ability to apply classroom learning in innovative ways.”

Eduard “Eddie” Merc, Ph.D., assistant professor of Business Administration and director of the University’s MBA program, noted that five Chaminade teams participated in the competition—held online for the first time this year.

“As mentors, we used our expertise in business analytics, marketing, and business strategies to prepare students with a comprehensive plan to solve the company’s biggest challenges,” Merc said.

Chaminade has participated in the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) competition for several years. In 2024, the University placed third overall.