Chaminade University of Honolulu

Campus and Community

Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee is More than a Promise; It’s a Pact

When Nanea Chu was gearing up to graduate from Parker High School on Hawaiʻi Island, she knew she wanted to continue her education at college but didn’t necessarily have a school in her home state in mind. Nanea was actually considering going someplace much farther away, unsure if she could bear the cost of studying in her home state.

“I was going to go to Rhode Island for school,” she said.

Nanea said she was considering attending the Rhode Island School of Design, an institution with high tuition rates but in a state with a lower cost of living. Depending on the aid package, traveling all the way to Providence for college could have ended up being cheaper than staying in Hawaiʻi. 

“I didn’t think that I would be able to afford it if I chose to stay here,” she said.

Layla Becker also knew she wanted to go to college following her graduation from James Campbell High School. She initially zeroed in on two private universities on Oʻahu. It was a toss-up, but a trusted advisor recommended she give Chaminade a closer look.

“I only applied to two schools originally,” Layla said. “I had an environmental science teacher in high school who was talking to me a bunch about college and he recommended Chaminade to me because he had family that went.”

There were, of course, a lot of other factors to consider, yet both Layla and Nanea ultimately chose to study at Chaminade University of Honolulu, in part due to the university’s new Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship, a commitment the university launched the year they both applied.

Now in its fourth year, the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship is helping new generations of Hawaiʻi students afford a Chaminade University education.

The Guarantee is a promise the university makes to resident first-time college students graduating from local high schools. The admissions and financial aid offices work with enrolling students to ensure that the tuition rate these incoming students pay matches the institutional in-state tuition rate residents would pay to go to public universities.

It’s one way Chaminade University is striving to be as accessible as possible, understanding why it’s important that Hawaiʻi high school graduates have the option to pursue a Chaminade education regardless of means.

The Guarantee works in tandem with the university’s efforts to ensure students graduate in four years, keeping costs down while helping everyone in the Chaminade family pursue their dreams and goals without unnecessary delay or expense. Today, Chaminade University boasts the state’s highest four-year graduation rate.

Both Nanea and Layla said Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee program played a significant role in swaying their decisions to stay in the state and attend the university. They agree that the next wave of graduating high school seniors in Hawaiʻi should give the Guarantee a closer look.

“I would definitely recommend Chaminade,” Layla said.

A private university education at an in-state public price

Chaminade University is Hawaiʻi’s only private Catholic university. We fulfill the Marianist mission of promoting personal and community well-being through education, and we are particularly committed to serving Native Hawaiians and residents of the state even as we welcome students, staff, and faculty from everywhere.

The school’s devotion to serving Hawaiʻi is what ultimately inspired the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship program. Both Nanea and Layla are on course to graduate at the end of the current academic year. Now seniors, they are among the first cohort of students to receive Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship.

As noted earlier, the Guarantee is a sort of pact Chaminade makes with qualifying students. Through the Guarantee, Chaminade University will work to match Hawaiʻi’s in-state tuition rate for any qualifying local first-year student.

Incoming students apply for the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship by first submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Via the Guarantee, Chaminade will adjust students’ tuition rates after institutional aid is factored in to ensure that what the students pay matches in-state public university tuition costs. The adjusted tuition rate only rises when the in-state tuition rate goes up.

It’s a big deal–the Guarantee can bring annual tuition costs down by as much as two-thirds.

All Hawaiʻi graduating high school seniors, incoming university freshmen, and first-time Hawaiʻi college students are eligible for Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship. Applicants must be seeking their first bachelor’s degree and enroll as full-time students.

In addition, all majors are eligible, with the exception of Chaminade’s nursing degree programs. The scholarship is also renewable for three years.

For Nanea, the Guarantee meant she could choose to stay close to home and avoid relocating thousands of miles away to study her chosen field, which was graphic design at the time she was shopping for colleges. She later switched her major to interior design, impressed by Chaminade’s tough but excellent interior design program.

“It takes a lot of discipline and you can’t procrastinate whatsoever really, or it’ll really catch up to you,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Layla said the Guarantee helped convince her to choose Chaminade over other universities to pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Nanea said Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee “definitely was a big factor in staying here” versus flying off to the mainland.

Layla said it was the same with her, even after she learned that she could couple the scholarship with Veterans Affairs benefits she qualified for through her father’s service in the military.

“It piqued my interest and I definitely was more persuaded to choose Chaminade because at the time I didn’t know I qualified for VA benefits,” Layla shared.

Peace of mind in pursuit of knowledge

With an up to two-thirds decrease in tuition costs, the Guarantee is significant and designed to give every Hawaiʻi resident a chance at being a part of the Chaminade University community.

As the university says on its Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship website, “We’re giving you and your family financial peace of mind, so you can focus on achieving your goals and stepping into your future with confidence and purpose.”

Abigail Hurgo, Chaminade’s assistant vice president of enrollment management, told KHON TV in a recent interview that the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship is an important program the university is proud to offer because “it makes it affordable for students to have a great private education here at Chaminade.”

As some of the first students to receive the award, both Nanea and Layla wholeheartedly agree.

“It’s helped me a lot because, besides tuition, I did choose to dorm for two years on campus and that actually brought down the overall cost by a lot for me,” Layla said. “So, I got to experience more as a college student.”

Likewise, Nanea said the new opportunity to pursue her studies at Chaminade at the in-state tuition rate saved her from having to make a very tough decision–leaving the state. It’s a decision she said a lot of graduating high school seniors in Hawaiʻi are forced to consider if they choose to continue on to college.

“I didn’t want to have to go away, obviously,” Nanea explained. “I was really avoiding it, but when it really comes down to it, I feel like a lot of locals are pushed out towards the mainland because of money costs, especially when it comes to school.”

The Guarantee completely changed the equation for her, Nanea said. “Having an opportunity like that is super important.”

A Head Start on Life: Chaminade University’s Early College Program 

While still finishing high school, Tiare Wong earned her associate’s degree at Chaminade—and discovered she was ready for college.

For most high school students, graduation means closing one chapter before beginning another.

For Tiare Wong, it meant earning two diplomas at once, something not all high school students are prepared to do.

This past spring, Wong graduated from Sacred Hearts Academy while simultaneously  earning an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts degree through Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Early College Program. Now, she is preparing to head to the University of Oregon—with enough college credits to enter as a third-year student.

She already has an early jump on college, but Wong’s journey was about more than getting ahead academically.

Chaminade’s Early College Program, she said, taught her how to manage her time, take responsibility for her own education, and navigate the expectations of college-level coursework—all while she was still balancing the busy life of a high school student.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a head start on what being a college student feels like,” Wong said. “I wanted to learn what it was like to be responsible and to have good time management.”

That lesson happened to come at a busy time in her life.

At Sacred Hearts Academy, Wong played volleyball for three years before switching to cheerleading as a senior. She served as president of the school’s Life Team, danced hula, and stayed active in numerous other ways throughout her high school years.

Somehow, she still found time to earn a college degree.

Wong first learned about Chaminade’s Early College Program when Sacred Hearts announced the opportunity near the end of her sophomore year. The program allows eligible high school students to enroll in college courses and earn Chaminade credits while completing their high school requirements.

“Tiare is one of many success stories at Sacred Hearts,” said Kimberlee Baxter, Director of Chaminade’s Early College program. “She learned a lot even outside academics, such as time management and life skills. The idea of the program is to get ahead with college, earn college credit, and experience more.”

Kapaʻa High on Kauai was the first high school to partner with Chaminade’s Early College program in the fall of 2021. Since then, Sacred Hearts Academy and Saint Louis School joined, and several cohorts have already risen through the program, with 108 students between all three schools currently enrolled. 

Students from any Hawaiʻi high school are eligible to participate. Enrolled high school students take a variety of general education courses, including English, communications, business, psychology, and religion.

For Wong, the program became an opportunity to experience the increased independence that comes with college and, in her case, earning a college degree.

“I feel like I got a little taste of what being a college student is like and what the expectations are, especially from my professors,” she said. “I had to learn how to be responsible for myself.”

Assistant Professor of English Justyn Wyble has been teaching for the Early College Program for two years. He said  students in the program are adept at rising to the occasion, taking college level courses all while maintaining positive and joyful attitudes. 

One of his courses involves reading “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyashi, “Night Watchmen” by Louise Erdrich, and “House of Many Gods” by Kiana Davenport, works selected because of their introspective storylines that intersect generations while drawing connections to students’ own journeys.   

“They are eager for that kind of rigorous curriculum and they want to be treated like college students,” Wyble said of the Early College students. “They are ready to be mature students who can engage in advanced material.” 

When a question arose in a course, Tiare learned she had to reach out. If an assignment was due, there was no one waiting to remind her repeatedly. She learned to be proactive in her own education.

“I really had to step up and grow up to learn how to do things myself,” she said, noting how she used study halls and breaks after school before heading to practices and then setting aside additional time to study at home.

The experience also challenged some of her assumptions about college.

Wong had heard stories about intimidating professors and demanding college classrooms. At Chaminade, she found something quite different. Her professors, she said, took the time to interact with their students and get to know them.

She admits to feeling some nerves about moving so far from home this fall–and she has never been to Oregon. But she is also excited about what comes next—and about continuing hula and joining the university’s Hawaiʻi Club.

Wong said her long-term goal is to start her own business and maybe become the  CEO of a company, expanding her enterprise internationally.

For high school students considering Chaminade’s Early College Program, Wong has one simple piece of advice: Go for it.

“I think it’s so much more than the diploma,” she said. “It taught me so many life lessons that I will not only use in college, but in the future.”

Chaminade Hosts 23rd Annual Nonprofit Financial Seminar

Chaminade University of Honolulu held its 23rd annual Nonprofit Financial Seminar on August 6, welcoming more than 200 participants from nonprofit organizations across Hawaiʻi to gain practical knowledge and insights on best practices in today’s fast-changing economic climate.

The seminar featured updates on federal and state laws affecting nonprofit organizations, along with sessions on using artificial intelligence to streamline nonprofit workflows, securing major gifts and strengthening social media strategies. Featured speakers included Trever Asam, J.D., partner at Cades Schutte LLP; Ryan Kusumoto, president and CEO of PACT; and Matt Morgan, chief operating officer and partner at EisnerAmper. Panel discussions explored social media strategies and “A Kinaʻole Approach to Major Gifts Fundraising.”

“I think with all of the changes happening in our government, political arena, state and county, it’s more of an investment for my agency, which is the Big Island Substance Abuse Council, to understand those changes and how they are going to impact me,” said Hannah Preston-Pita of Hawaiʻi Island.

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., and Amir H. Toosi, DBA, dean of the College of Business, Innovation & Technology, welcomed guests and speakers representing a wide range of organizations, including Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, the YMCA and the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation.

For more than two decades, the annual seminar has reflected Chaminade’s commitment to serving the community and preparing leaders to make a positive difference in Hawaiʻi. Rooted in its Catholic Marianist mission, the University brings together nonprofit leaders and professionals to share knowledge, build connections and strengthen organizations that serve communities throughout the Islands.

As Hawaiʻi’s only Catholic university, Chaminade continues to play an active role as a community partner and resource, helping nonprofit organizations develop the skills and strategies needed to advance their missions and respond to changing community needs. The seminar is one example of the University’s longstanding commitment to putting knowledge into action in service of the common good.

Mahalo to Gold Sponsors First Hawaiian Bank and KMH LLP, and Silver Sponsor Central Pacific Bank, for their continued support of the seminar.

Faculty Recognized as New Academic Year Begins

“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.“

 – William Butler Yeats

People are what make Chaminade University an incredible community, committed to our Marianist foundation and mission. At the annual Fall Faculty Institute this past Wednesday, faculty were recognized for their excellence in teaching, leadership, collaboration and dedication to their students and to each other. The following Chaminade University awards were presented to: 

CUH Excellence in Teaching Award

Wera Panow-Loui, MBA

Senior Lecturer, College of Business, Innovation & Technology

Wera Panow-Loui is an example of the type of learning that makes Chaminade unique—where students are challenged to go beyond theory, to demonstrate what they can do and, importantly, how they can contribute to the benefit of our communities. She contributes exceptional value to the student experience through experiential learning and real-world community impact,  data-driven, student-centered learning that elevates student engagement, and lasting educational impact through innovation and professional preparation.

Fr. John F. Bolin Excellence in Scholarship Award

Sr. Malia Wong, DMin

Senior Lecturer, College of Arts & Sciences

The Fr. John F. Bolin Excellence in Scholarship Award recognizes a full-time faculty member for achieving excellence in scholarship. Sister Malia Wong has been actively engaged in interfaith work for more than two decades, serving as a bridge builder between religious traditions, cultures and communities. She has served as a keynote speaker, retreat facilitator, guest lecturer, and presenter for numerous respected organizations, including the Hawaii Association of International Buddhists, the International Buddhist Women’s Conference, the Hawai‘i Council of Religions for Peace, the numerous Foundations, and other local and international faith communities. 

Dr. Joseph Allen Collegiality Award

Hans Chun, EdD

Director, School of Organizational & Education Leadership
Associate Professor, College of Education & Human Development

Over the years, Dr. Hans Chun has distinguished himself as an exceptional leader, scholar, mentor, and advocate whose contributions have profoundly strengthened the university community. His work consistently reflects a rare combination of visionary leadership, compassion for others, and unwavering dedication to faculty, students, and institutional advancement. Having served as Faculty Senate President since 2024, Dr. Chun has increased faculty participation and attendance at faculty senate meetings. Through this, he has cultivated an atmosphere where faculty feel heard, respected, and valued. What distinguishes Dr. Chun most, however, is the humanity with which he leads. He consistently recognizes and celebrates the efforts of faculty, staff, administrators, and students, fostering a culture of collegiality and mutual respect. 

In addition, 2026 Provost Leadership Awards were presented to seven well-deserving members of the Chaminade faculty and staff community for their dedication, character, and leadership. Award recipients included Dr. Hans Chun, Dr. Masahisa Yamaguchi, Dr. Alexis Barroga, Dr. Koreen Nakahodo, Dr. Carlos Gutierrez and Abigail Hurgo.

A beautifully carved paddle was also presented to Dr. Janet Davidson as an expression of deep gratitude for her leadership and commitment to advancing Chaminade’s strategic priorities. 

Alumna Tasha Castro Returns to Lead Campus Ministry at Chaminade

As an undergraduate at Chaminade University, Tasha Castro often walked the campus searching for something deeper than a degree. Like many students, she wrestled with questions about her purpose, her future and her faith.

Today, those same walkways on Kalaepohaku have taken on new meaning.

Castro has returned to her alma mater as Chaminade University’s new Director of Campus Ministry, bringing with her a passion for accompaniment, community and helping students discover that they don’t have to navigate life’s questions alone.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Castro said. “I remember being the student who was trying to figure things out. Now I have the opportunity to walk alongside students as they discover who they’re called to be.”

A first-generation college student and graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy, Castro received a Presidential Scholarship at Chaminade while earning bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and political science in 2009, followed by a master of education in Instructional Leadership from Chaminade in 2021. She served as president of the Native Hawaiian Club and credits the university’s faculty and Marianist community with broadening her understanding of faith, culture and service.

Those experiences shaped a career devoted to education.

After graduation, Castro became a cultural educator at Bishop Museum before joining Saint Louis School as its first kindergarten teacher when the school expanded to include elementary grades. Later, principal Christopher Casupang recognized her gifts for ministry and asked her to become the school’s religion teacher.

At first, she questioned whether she was ready, and then proved to everyone she indeed was.

When the opportunity arose to return to Chaminade as Director of Campus Ministry, those same self-doubts resurfaced. Yet, Casupang reminded her that she had been gaining the skills and honing her talents for this calling all along.

“He told me, ‘What are you talking about? We’ve been preparing you for this this whole time,'” Castro recalled. “‘For six-plus years, we’ve been helping you get to this point.'”

His encouragement echoed the advice he had offered years earlier when she stepped into religious education: “Take a leap of faith.”

That message has continued to guide her.

For the past five years, Castro served as a moderator for the Marianist LIFE program at Saint Louis School, an experience that provided her with the opportunity to walk alongside current and future leaders as they deepen their faith, discern their gifts, and accompany others on their own faith journeys. She believes this ministry has helped to bridge her journey from Saint Louis School to Campus Ministry at Chaminade.

One of Castro’s first priorities is simply building relationships. Rather than waiting for students to find Campus Ministry, she hopes to meet them where they are — whether through retreats, small gatherings or something as simple as taking a walk together.

“Maybe students are struggling at school, but they need someone to talk to, and they don’t know who to reach out to,” Castro said. “Just having someone who can walk around campus with them could be a source of support.”

The idea was inspired by Chaminade’s beautiful campus and by the example of the Marianists.

“I think about Jesus and how he walked to find his disciples,” she said. “There’s something meaningful about that idea of walking with people and inviting them into the community.”

Outside of Chaminade, Castro is also a respected cultural practitioner, serving as kumu hula for Ka Ulu Lehua i ka Wai Māpuna, a hālau whose members range from young keiki to kūpuna. She sees no separation between her cultural leadership and her ministry. Both are rooted in cultivating relationships, honoring tradition and helping others grow.

As she begins this new chapter, Castro carries deep gratitude for the professors and mentors who shaped her journey, including Dr. Henry Halenani Gomes, Dr. Regina Pfeiffer, Dr. Frank Bailey and Kumu John Keola Lake. Their guidance, she says, helped her see faith not as something confined to a classroom or chapel, but as something lived every day through service, compassion and community.

She is equally excited to embrace the Marianist charism, extending its spirit of hospitality beyond the Campus Ministry office and into every corner of campus. She is also thankful to  be working with newly appointed campus minister Andrew Peter Ancheta II, who graduated from Chaminade in 2021, recently served as Chaminade’s director of student engagement and is also a beloved member of the Chaminade ‘ohana..

For the student who once walked through campus searching for direction, coming home is less than returning to the past and more stepping into a vocation she was preparing for all along.

“I have to say that it has to be part of the plan,” she said. “I’ve literally moved within this circle my whole life — Sacred Hearts, Chaminade, Saint Louis, and now back to Chaminade.”

Welcoming New Members to Boards of Regents and Governors

Chaminade University has appointed five respected business and community leaders to its Board of Regents and Board of Governors, adding a breadth of experience in business, finance, education, ministry and nonprofit leadership to the University’s governing boards.

The appointments come as Chaminade continues to expand its academic offerings, strengthen enrollment and deepen its commitment to serving Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.

“We are honored to welcome these distinguished leaders to the Chaminade community,” said Chaminade President Lynn Babington. “Each brings valuable expertise, thoughtful leadership and a commitment to service that will help advance the University’s Catholic Marianist mission. We look forward to working with them as Chaminade continues to grow and serve our students and community.”

Board of Regents

Emily Fukunaga is Chief of Staff, Digital Strategy at Servco Pacific Inc., one of Hawaiʻi’s largest privately held companies. A fourth-generation Servco leader, she has held leadership roles in supply chain management, operations and strategy at Servco, adidas and DFS Group. Fukunaga serves on the boards of Servco Pacific Inc. and Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and is an Omidyar Fellow. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Colorado College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Bro. Robert Metzger, S.M. has devoted more than four decades to financial leadership within the Marianist community. He currently serves as Director of Finance for the Marianist Province of the United States and Assistant for Temporalities/Treasurer for the Province. Previously, he served with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and has held numerous leadership roles within the Society of Mary, including service on the Board of Trustees at the University of Dayton.

Bro. Allen Pacquing, S.M. serves as Vice President and Executive Director of the Marianist Center of Hawaiʻi and is Director of Advising in Chaminade’s School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. A longtime Marianist educator and administrator, he has served in leadership positions at both Chaminade University and St. Mary’s University in Texas. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Chaminade College Preparatory in California and is active in parish ministry at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Honolulu.

Board of Governors

Michael Camacho ’92 is President and CEO of PFC Investments and former President and CEO of PFC Finance in Guam. A 1992 Chaminade graduate, he has spent more than three decades in banking and financial services and remains active in civic and nonprofit organizations throughout Guam, including Rotary and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Kanakolu Noa is founder and executive director of Kūkolu, a nonprofit organization that supports Native Hawaiian and Indigenous entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on women-owned businesses. She previously held leadership roles at Kamehameha Schools, where she helped advance sustainable industries and food systems initiatives. Noa also serves on several nonprofit boards and was recognized by Hawaiʻi Business Magazine as one of its “20 for the Next 20” honorees in 2023. She holds graduate degrees in Indigenous Studies and business administration.

The Board of Regents provides fiduciary oversight and governance for the University, while the Board of Governors serves in an advisory capacity, supporting Chaminade’s mission and strategic priorities through community engagement, advocacy and philanthropy.