Chaminade University of Honolulu

Campus and Community

Dean’s Speaker Series

Eric Fujimoto ’94 advises students to persevere and show humility

The best rate of return and the stock market ticker symbol to keep a close eye on is YOU or ME. Sage advice from Ho‘ea Wealth Advisory Group Principal Eric Fujimoto, the guest speaker of the School of Business and Communication’s inaugural Dean’s Speaker Series. In his address to students, the 1994 Chaminade MBA graduate and Board of Regents member advised attendees to double down and invest in themselves.  

“There is nothing wrong with making money,” said Fujimoto, who was ranked Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors and #1 in Hawai‘i and Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors from 2018-2023. “But, do it ethically and use it to better your community. Shift the focus from money to people.”  

The Dean’s Speaker Series is designed to bring private, nonprofit and public sector leaders who have achieved recognition in their respective fields to share their expertise and insights on a broad range of timely issues, as well as share the highlights, challenges and turning points of their individual career paths.

The intent of the forum is to bring a diversity of social, cultural, economic and other business-related perspectives to the Chaminade community in order to engage in ways that inform and encourage sustainable business for good.  

Ho‘ea Wealth Advisory Group Principal Eric Fujimoto Eric Fujimoto shared his story and advice with students.

“The impetus for the Series is to provide co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for students to augment what they are learning in the classrooms with relevant and high-impact experiences,” said School of Business and Communication Interim Dean Annette Santos. “Ultimately, this event has an underlying call to action to students who are reminded that they are empowered to create a sustainable future that reflects the values and the priorities of their communities through the knowledge they glean from their educational experience at Chaminade.”  

Awarded the US Small Business Administration’s Small Business Person of the Year for the City and County of Honolulu in 2020, Fujimoto’s wealth of experience not only includes offering solid financial advice to his clients, but also serving as a member of various nonprofit organizations, including Drug Free Hawai‘i, Central Union Church and, one that he is particularly eager to help, Unity Prom, which is an effort to provide students with disabilities the experience of a normal high school prom.  

“We were the students and they were the teachers,” said Fujimoto, choking up in a video address that he played during his Monday evening talk. “The Ho‘ea Foundation is a proud sponsor of this event, which gives these high schools the chance to enjoy what other kids their age experience every year. And we’re always looking for dates, so if anyone wants to be a prom date, contact her—pointing to Jill Higashi, Chaminade’s Assistant Vice President of Advancement.”  

After Fujimoto’s talk, freshman baseball player Jacob Villacorte said he learned a lot, and the message of perseverance and giving back to the community especially meant a lot to him. “There were things I didn’t know about,” said Villacorte. “It was a good learning experience.”  

Consistent with Chaminade’s mission of community service, the Speakers Series is framed around the theme, “Sustainable Business for Good,” which also aligns with Chaminade’s CIFAL designation. Speakers are selected based on their demonstrated commitment to transforming lives and advancing communities.  

“I’ve had the privilege to visit other universities, but Chaminade is the only one where you feel a sense of community that genuinely wants you to succeed,” Fujimoto said. “The people here care about you; they put great ideas in front of you; so you were right to choose Chaminade.”  

Santos hopes students will feel the same way after they attend the Speakers Series.  

“There are several takeaways that I hope will resonate with students,” Santos said. “The first is to be inspired by the personal and professional journey of the featured speakers in ways that enhance their educational experience; the second is to understand that personal and professional growth is a process that involves challenges and turning points on the way to wins and transformation; and the third is to provide opportunities for them to build their network, possibly creating meaningful connections with speakers or those in attendance.”  

Gesturing as if he was steering a car on the H-1 freeway, Fujimoto made one final point to the students: they are in the driver’s seat and they determine the course of their destiny. “If you were just to turn the car by one degree, what do you think would happen,” he posed to the students. “You will end up at a different destination.”        

New College Rankings

Chaminade makes 2024 annual listing by US News & World Report

The US News & World Report released its 2024 annual ranking list of the nation’s “Best Colleges” on Monday, and Chaminade University once again fared strongly in several categories, ranking No. 10—bumping up a spot from 2023—for Best Value among regional universities in the west. The University was also recognized as No. 29 in Social Mobility for graduates and No. 30 as Best in the Western Region.

“Chaminade combines many of the advantages of a large university—such as innovative programs, dedicated faculty, research programs and real-world learning opportunities—with the personal attention and close-knit culture of a small, private institution,” said Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D. “We offer a unique blend of liberal and professional studies that provides our students with the skills, knowledge and experience they need to build successful lives and achieve their dreams.”  

This year, US News made several changes to the metrics it uses to rank colleges, such as introducing new criteria tied to first-generation students, and placing more weight on retention of and graduation rates for students who received need-based Pell grants. The system also adds greater emphasis on “social mobility,” which generally refers to an individual making gains in education, income and other markers of socioeconomic status.  

“The significant changes in this year’s methodology are part of the ongoing evolution to make sure our rankings capture what is most important for students as they compare colleges and select the school that is right for them,” U.S. News CEO Eric Gertler said in a statement to USA TODAY.  

The rankings were calculated using as many as 19 key measures of academic quality to evaluate nearly 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree-granting institutions. These statistics reflect educational excellence and graduate outcomes, as well as considerations that vary person-to-person, like campus culture, strength in specific majors and financial aid offered.  

Chaminade was also recognized favorably from two other sources. Recently, Forbes ranked both Chaminade’s Master’s of Education online program and the Bachelor’s of Education online program in the top 10 across the country. Both programs accommodate working adults and others who need a flexible college experience.  

CounselingPsychology.org—a website devoted to providing educational resources for aspiring counselors and psychologists—also ranked Chaminade’s online bachelor’s degree in Psychology as #1. This recognition is a testament to Chaminade’s faculty, staff and students who contribute to making this program one of the best in the country.  

“Our comprehensive excellence is notable,” Babington said. “Many of our peer institutions are weighted heavily toward certain disciplines, but we are fortunate to have a balanced portfolio of strengths. Indeed, we have nationally recognized programs that range from nursing to forensics.”  

U.S. News and World Report Rankings*:  
Regional Universities West #30
Best Value – Regional Universities West #10
Social Mobility – Regional Universities West #29  
*These rankings are based on in-depth analyses of a wide variety of data points, as explained in the Best Colleges methodology article.  

39th Annual Maui Invitational

Tournament officials decide to shift location to Oahu  

It’s official. The 39th Annual Maui Invitational will be played on O‘ahu, from Nov. 20 to 22. Tournament officials attribute the necessity to relocate the event due to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s current use of Lahaina Civic Center as its Disaster Recovery Center for Maui wildfire recovery efforts.  

“We understand that circumstances warrant moving the Tournament, which has been held on Maui for the 37 years,” says Dr. Lynn Babington, President of Chaminade University of Honolulu. “However, this year is like no other, and it will stand alone in history as one of the most difficult for our West Maui residents.”  

Ironically, the tournament returns to the city where it all began. In 1982, Chaminade, then a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school, shocked the collegiate sports world by defeating No. 1 Virginia, led by two-time national player of the year Ralph Sampson, in Honolulu.  

Often considered one of the premier in-season tournaments, the 2023 Maui Invitational assembled one of the strongest fields in the tournament’s history with Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, UCLA and Chaminade University, which has hosted this event for the past 36 years. Combined, the eight teams boast 263 NCAA Tournament appearances, 17 NCAA Tournament Championship Titles and three AP Coach of the Year award—Mark Few (2017), Bill Self (2009, 2016) and Shaka Smart (2023).  

“While we have to move this year’s Tournament off of Maui, we are determined to celebrate and honor the culture and traditions that make this event so special,” says Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports LIVE, the operator of the Maui Invitational. “Throughout this process, we’ve seen the spirit of ‘ohana in action. Thank you to Governor Josh Green, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and Mayor Richard Bissen, as well as the staff at Chaminade University of Honolulu and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa for working tirelessly with us to keep this tournament in Hawai‘i.”  

Other college basketball programs across the country are showing their support for Maui through charity games and fundraisers. Michigan State hosts Tennessee on Oct. 29 in a charity exhibition, while Kansas and Illinois will do the same in Champaign, Illinois. Saint Mary’s will visit Honolulu on Oct. 20 to play an exhibition game against Hawaii at the Stan Sheriff Center.  

Meanwhile, the Maui Invitational launched its Hoops for ‘Ohana online auction last week in partnership with Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. All the proceeds will go directly to wildfire relief and recovery efforts. Fans can bid on unique items donated by past Maui Jim Invitational basketball programs and Tournament partners.  

“Although this year’s Invitational will be held on O‘ahu, Maui will forever remain in the hearts and minds of the teams who participate in it,” Babington says. “We feel a heightened responsibility to support our Maui neighbors, and we look forward to returning home to Lahaina in 2024.”  

Early College Exposure

Sacred Hearts Academy students experience university-level courses

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Lindsey Dimaya takes college-level communications and history classes. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she attends biology lab and expository writing courses. And in between, the 16-year-old Sacred Hearts Academy Lancer still has to juggle the requirements for her high school diploma.  

While the rest of Dimaya’s classmates decided to participate in a dual enrollment program between Sacred Hearts Academy and Chaminade University in early March, the Aiea resident didn’t render her final verdict until mid-summer. For the high school junior, the question of finishing high school and simultaneously earning college credit was one of the toughest decisions she has had to ever make in her 16 years.  

“It was a big decision,” says Dimaya, an inspiring journalist interested in the media industry. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the college experience and the added workload.”  

Lindsey Dimaya is glad she enrolled in the dual enrollment program between Sacred Hearts Academy and Chaminade.

Finances, however, also played a major role in Dimaya’s mind. Since she is one half of fraternal twins, her parents would have had to pay for college for two kids at the same time. And that adds up quickly. Earning college credits in high school could reduce the financial barrier to college for many students—and help address the student debt crisis. Indeed, it can be a faster, cheaper way to get a college degree.

“My parents encouraged me to participate in the dual enrollment program because it was a more affordable option,” Dimaya says. “In addition to getting a head start in college, I could also save my parents a lot of money.”  

States—including Hawaii—have prioritized college and career readiness as a key goal of high school, reflecting the reality that most jobs require postsecondary education. The Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI) was established in 2002 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Over the past two decades, Early Colleges have expanded rapidly nationwide.

In a 2019 American Institutes for Research (AIR) study, researchers found that, over four years, Early Colleges cost about $3,800 more per student than traditional high schools. However, the estimated return on that investment was about $33,709 in increased lifetime earnings for each student. Furthermore, a cost-benefit study by AIR found that Early College programs pay off with lasting benefits for students and the broader population. (Chaminade’s program is separate from this consortium of Early Colleges, which are partnerships among school districts, charter management organizations or high schools, and two- or four-year colleges or universities.)

Also called concurrent enrollment, dual enrollment programs offer many cost-saving benefits, making these types of options popular among high schoolers. But many students, particularly those who are low-income and/or of color, lack access to a well-rounded high school education. Inadequate preparation in high school leaves high school graduates with fewer choices and pathways to postsecondary education. As a result, postsecondary enrollment and completion gaps persist. Early College High Schools focus explicitly on overcoming these challenges.  

“This is really a part of Chaminade’s service-oriented mission, which is to make higher education accessible to all Hawai’i students,” says Janet Davidson, Ph.D., Vice Provost of Academic Affairs and the driving force behind the University’s early college initiatives. “We launched a similar program with Kapaa High School in 2021. But unlike this new early college program, Kapaa participants only had the opportunity to earn high school and college credit at the same time. Sacred Heart students can actually earn their Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts.”  

Since this trend began, AIR researchers have conducted a number of comprehensive studies on their impact, finding overall that Early Colleges show strong and lasting evidence of effectiveness for all students. Promoting postsecondary access and success can be an effective policy strategy for improving postsecondary enrollment and completion rates.  

“Early college exposure is inspiring and formative,” says Kim Baxter, Chaminade’s Early College Director. “Sacred Hearts students will earn their Associates degree in May 2025, and two weeks later, they’ll graduate from high school.”  

Dimaya’s grateful that she opted in this program, which will prepare her to be better equipped when she continues to pursue her bachelor’s degree either at Chaminade or Portland University.  

“At first, I was afraid of the workload, but now I see that I can handle it,” Dimaya says confidently. “I think that this early college exposure has helped me manage my time, as well as taught me to be more independent and disciplined.”  

Read Lindsey’s story in the Sacred Hearts Academy newspaper.

Environmental Leaders

Changemakers discuss their path to policymaking

One is nicknamed by her husband as the “Irresistible Force.” The other is known as “The Enforcer.” And the third has a spouse who wholeheartedly stands behind him—even if it means wielding a tire iron. Together, Althine Clark, Celeste Connors and William Aila, Jr., respectively, represent a “super power” to contend with when it involves environmental policy and activism in the islands.  

“The goal of this session is to have our guest speakers talk about how they got where they are today,” said Clark, a Chaminade adjunct professor who recently retired as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) superintendent of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. “You’ll hear real-life examples of what it’s like to live a life in environmental policy.”  

In his opening story, Aila recalled a time when he was young with a fervent commitment to do whatever it took to preserve the aina–even if it meant physical confrontation. “I saw these three guys one day and I confronted them because they were mistreating a cultural site,” Aila shared with the students. “I asked them to stop and I started to move towards them. When you’re about to get into a fight, you look at the person’s eyes and then watch their shoulder. But these guys kept looking behind me so I thought I was going to be ambushed. And when I had a second to look back, I saw my wife standing there with a tire iron in her hands.”  

Today’s environmentalists are faced with many forms of violence—and even death at times. The non-governmental organization Standing Firm has published an annual report on the killings of land and environmental defenders around the world every year since 2012, after the murder of Chut Wutty, a Cambodian environmentalist who worked with the Global Witness CEO Mike Davis investigating illegal logging.  

While stationed in Greece as an economics officer with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Celeste Connors once remembered seeing a bullet lodged in her office window. “There was so much anti-American sentiment at the time,” said Connors, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Green Growth, which is a United Nations Local 2030 hub that brings together diverse stakeholders committed to economic, social and environmental priorities. “But when I told them I was from Hawaii, everyone started reaching out because they can connect with Hawaii.”

Indeed, Hawaii holds a special place with Connors who decided to come home in 2015 after serving as a diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Germany and U.S. Mission to the UN. She later was named the Director for Environment and Climate Change at the National Security Council and National Economic Council in the White House (2008-2012), where she helped shape the Administration’s climate and energy policies, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Connors also worked with the United Nations on the Paris climate agreement that was signed in 2016, which she sees as inspiration for Hawai‘i Green Growth’s goals.  

“The world is at a point where we desperately need solutions,” Connors asserted. “Since I left home, there has been a cultural renaissance, and other nations are now looking to indigenous models, such as Hawai’s ahupua‘a system, to become sustainable and independent. Think locally but act globally.”  

With a background in urban and regional planning, Clark understands the complexity of environmental law and policy, a class (ENV 300) that she is currently teaching to sophomores and juniors. Her introductory course outlines environmental policy and law—specifically its nature, development, flexibility, and growth, and to the ethical dimensions surrounding the creation of state, national and international environmental policy and law.  

“No is not an option nor an answer,” Clark said. “I’m now seeing lots of communities get engaged. One of the reasons I agreed to teach at Chaminade is because the University encourages students to get involved in projects that benefit society.”  

Asked by a student how to deal with climate change deniers, Aila said try to first reason with them. “And if that doesn’t work, go around him, go above him, go below him,” he advised. “Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t. Instead, use those words as a motivator, and go out and make a difference.”                

Enterprising Minds

Teams to compete in Silversword Business Competition

Game on! In a Shark Tank-like competition, teams of students will compete in an entrepreneurial 18-week contest, vying for the grand prize of $2,000. The catch: the product or the service must have some element of sustainability.  

“Your idea has to address any of the CIFAL Center’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),” explained Asoke Datta, EdD, School of Business and Communication’s Assistant Dean, outlining the competition’s rules. “It has to be profitable, not just in terms of revenue, but for the greater good of society.”  

Without revealing too much about her strategy, Carol Nacario ’23, a senior in the School of Business and Communication, is concerned with all the “waste” that she sees around her. The environment, like many in her generation—led by Greta Thunberg and the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led political organization urging increased attention to climate change—is an issue that needs to be kept in the forefront of people’s minds.  

Students participating in the Silversword Business Competition include, from left, Peyton Haleamau, Michalla Burtado, Alyssa Torres (kneeling), Emma Rosales and Carol Nacario.

“Deciding on a final project will be the most difficult challenge,” shared Nacario with other students who attended Day 1 of the competition. “My target audience will be the campus.”  

Academic competitions play an essential part in learning for students. Participation offers a hands-on opportunity for students to apply the knowledge and principles they have gained in the classroom and apply it to real-work situations. These competitions foster such skills as leadership, teamwork and communication. They can also be a great way to make new connections and friends.  

School of Business and Communication interim dean, Dr. Annette Santos, issued her first challenge to the students: recruit others to join their teams. “It can be a team of two to five students,” said Santos via a live video feed from Guam. “However, at least one of the team members has to be from the School of Business and Communication.”  

A business major, Peyton Haleamau ’25, convinced second year forensics science majors, Emma Rosales ’25 and Michalla “Meeks” Butardo ’25, to be on her team. Having never taken a business course, Rosales and Butardo consider their lack of entrepreneurial savvy as their major challenge.  

“We’ll be here as advisors and mentors,” marketing lecturer Wera Panow-Loui, MBA, told the students. “Last year, I opened my house up to a team of students who were producing jewelry out of microplastics reclaimed from the beach and in the ocean. And I also fed them.”  

Datta suggested to find team members who are in different disciplines, from art and interior design to nursing and data analytics. “You want a wider perspective than just business,” he said. “That’s what entrepreneurs do—they get creative. And, if they fail, what they learn from that failure determines how they succeed the next time.”

Each team will be given $250 seed money to use at its discretion. The School of Business and Communication’s Advisory Board members, who are providing the funding for the seed money, will also be available as mentors.  

When the competition was launched in 2021, the plan was to have students open and manage a pop-up concession on campus. Because COVID-19 was still a factor, another approach was decided: the School invited students to participate in a business competition that would allow them to show off their creativity, their ability to work with others and their aptitude in everything from marketing to accounting and customer service.  

“Think of this competition as an incubator of ideas,” said Dr. Eduard Merc, who is Chaminade’s MBA director. “You’ll have the chance to work alongside your professors and the opportunity for experiential learning that goes beyond theory.”  

Students’ final presentation will take place on Nov. 16. Each team will be assessed by sales/revenue, social media likes and shares, and their profit-and-lost statement.  

“And your business must align with the sustainable approach,” Santos emphasized. “In developing your business plan, take into account these considerations: 1) Identify future needs; 2) Identify technology to serve that need; and 3) How will you deliver the need, through what channels of distribution?”  

Their time starts now!