Chaminade University of Honolulu

Campus and Community

Chaminade University Celebrates Founders’ Week

Banners with the images of Marianist founders, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, Venerable Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon and Venerable Marie Thérèse Charlotte de Lamourous, held steady by the high winds, unfurled throughout Chaminade University’s campus. Banners of past founders and presidents of Chaminade University also heralded in the week. It was Founders Week (Jan. 23-28) and an opportunity for the University to celebrate its Marianist heritage, affirm its present day Marianist spirit and carry forward its Marianist values.

Honoring the Past

Monday morning, Campus Ministers set up a lei making station in the Vi and Paul Loo Student Center.  They stacked boxes of white and purple dendrobium orchids and threaded lei needles for students, staff, and faculty to craft together long garlands of flowers.  The garlands were completed in time for a simple draping ceremony at the Father Chaminade statue on the oval.  A simple prayer united the onlookers and gave pause. The group reflected on the rich Marianist past that preceded them.

Fully Present in the Here and Now

On Wednesday, the Chaminade family gathered at Mystical Rose Oratory for Mass and to honor three of its finest.  This was the 15th year that Chaminade University gave out its Heritage Awards. These awards, given annually to members of the faculty, staff and student body, who embody the Marianist spirit, give clear evidence that the Marianist charism is alive and well on campus.

 

This year’s awardees were:

  • Joan Riggs, associate professor and director of the Environmental and Interior Design program, who will receive the Chaminade Award, given to a faculty or professional staff member who has exhibited a continuous commitment to Marianist values in education;
  • Elaine Oishi, director of Administrative Services, who will receive the Marianist Award, given to a staff member who has exhibited a continuous and extraordinary commitment to the vision and mission of Chaminade University while drawing others into the collaborative community (Elaine was unable to attend due to health issues);
  • Jerri Gisela Francisco, vice president of CSGA Programming and Campus Ministry volunteer, who will receive the Founders Award, given to a student who has exhibited a commitment to Marianist values by outstanding generosity, respect for others, and spirit of faith.

Sowing Forward

Combining education and application, Campus Ministry on Tuesday presented an exhibit of Marianists doing good works globally. That afternoon the Chaminade community prepared food to serve to the homeless at Next Step Shelter in Kakaako, Honolulu. On Thursday, it was off to see the film Hidden Figures, which reminded students of social justice issues. On Friday, it was an Ice Cream Social, where Campus Ministry highlighted activities of involvement and civic engagement available to students and winners for the Founders’ Week photo contest were announced.

On Saturday, Founders’ Week culminated in service.  Faculty, staff, and alumni joined more than 60 students to outwardly express their Marianist Catholic values together. From sorting out clothes and household items at the Institute for Human Services to refurbishing furniture at Habitat for Humanity, from cleaning up the campus to cleaning out an ancient fishpond in Heeia, the Chaminade volunteers poured their energy into doing good works across the island.

The good works that the ‘ohana did that service day and participated in throughout Founders’ Week would continue to pay forward towards a rich Marianist future.

 

Message from the Dean of Students

Aloha, Chaminade Silverswords!

I hope you enjoyed the wonderful holiday season, whether here in Hawaii or beyond our shores. I also hope you enjoy reading this first newsletter for students. Starting with this issue, we’ll send monthly newsletters to keep you informed about campus happenings.

This is a busy and exciting time at Chaminade as you begin classwork for the new semester. Don’t forget to balance learning in the classroom with learning through extracurricular activities, such as student clubs and organizations. You can check out the Spring 2018 Club Fest on January 17.

The highlight of this month is the inauguration on January 20 of our university’s tenth President, Dr. Lynn Babington. This full day of worship, reflection and celebration mark a new era for Chaminade as we carry out our mission of education, research, and service in keeping with the university’s Catholic and Marianist values.

In closing, I wish you all the best as we begin this new year full of promise and opportunity. God bless!

Allison Jerome
Dean of Students
Allison Jerome, Dean of Students

Saint Louis School Agreement Sets Stage for Chaminade’s Athletics Locker Room and Training Facility

Chaminade University has successfully completed its athletics agreement with Saint Louis School.   In exchange for a payment of $3.5 million to Saint Louis on December 30, Chaminade received:

  • 50 year ground sublease for the site mauka of McCabe Gym, the first 40 years of rent pre-paid;
  • 30 years of prepaid rent for the use of St. Louis’s athletics facilities for 1,150 hours per year for the gym and 350 hours per year for the field.

With the granting of the sublease Chaminade will now be able to build a locker/training room facility, which is projected to open in time to use for the fall 2018 season.

Celebrating 430 Years of Employee Service

The house was packed with well-wishers of employees who were being honored for their years of service.  Poinsettias, Santa jars filled with candy, white tablecloths and folded red napkins, Christmas decorations, a brightly lit tree, lots of food and sweets, and of course, the eggnog added to the festive spirit.

Annually the Personnel team highlights employees who have been with Chaminade starting with 5 years and then in additional 5-year increments. This past December 9, they honored 39 of Chaminade’s finest. In total, these faithful employees have served the university for more than 430 years.

The top contender was Chitha R. Unni (Philosophy and Religion) with  50 years (yes, the big 5-0). He was followed by Steven Downey (Audio Visual) and Yukio Ozaki (Fine Arts) each with 30 years of service. The 20-year benchmark was achieved by Hector Mamaclay (Facilities) and Evelyn M. Sanqui (Purchasing/ Bookstore). Oh, the stories they could tell!

With lei and hugs, kind words and good cheer, Chaminade University offered the 39 its gratitude for the blessings they have brought to this campus.

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  • Richard Kido at Employee Years of Service
  • Faculty and Staff at Employee Years of Service
  • Staff at Employee Years of Service
  • Employee Years of Service

Chaminade Welcomes Middle School Students with Science

Chaminade University recently hosted students from Stevenson Middle School for a half-day as part of the College for Every Student (CFES) program. Dressed in their Chaminade-logo wear, student and faculty volunteers greeted 40 eighth graders and their escorts on the morning of November 18, as the young students climbed out of a yellow school bus in front of Clarence T. C. Ching Hall.

Stevenson Middle School students doing a science activityThe youth and their escorts were divided into two groups.  While one group toured the campus, the other group attended an “I am a Scientist” session hosted in the Henry Hall laboratories by Lori Shimoda, faculty member and research associate from the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Shimoda, who created the “I am a Scientist” program that has inspired thousands of students in Hawaii with science, coordinated the activities with graceful effectiveness.  Cheerfully she and her colleagues encouraged critical thinking and puzzle solving for the youth in white lab coats.  When done, the science group switched with the tour group.

Once everyone had completed the science session and the tour, it was lunch and reflection time. Chaminade volunteers led the Stevenson students in CFES-based activities helping the youth to reflect on the future probability of someday attending college with Chaminade as a top-of-mind possibility.

The Culture of Health Learned through the Lo‘i

While others were meandering through shopping malls on their annual holiday hunt, Eurina Kee, Ph.D. and 12 public health students from her Nursing 401 class were trudging through mud. Seven family members accompanied them into the wet outback. Instead of pulling items from sales’ tables, they were pulling weeds, clearing grass, and cleaning water sources. Rather than preparing gifts for wrapping at Ala Moana Center near Waikiki, they instead prepared a wetland kalo patch (lo‘i) for planting in Waialua on the North Shore of Oahu.

Nursing students working in the loi patch for service-learning activity

And they loved it! “It was my first time to crack a coconut, and it was fun,” said senior BSN student, Maria Talana.

The students were invigorated by the physical experience combined with the underlying academic purpose of the service-learning activity. The muddy, six-hour field expedition on Saturday, November 26, was the first time that Chaminade public health nursing students were invited to participate in the wetland experience.

They learned about public health nursing through caring for the land (mālama `āina) while working alongside Joan Takamori, chief of the Public Health Nursing Branch for Hawaii’s Department of Health. Takamori explained that Hawaii’s public health nurses listened and responded to community needs, based on professional knowledge and relationships with individuals, families, and communities. The Public Health Nursing Branch was an expansion of the Department of Health into all communities statewide. Priorities included emergency preparedness and response, control of communicable diseases, school health, elder health, and health promotion in high-risk populations. As a public health nurse before her leadership role, Takamori helped provide public health nursing services in Central Oahu, primarily in Wahiawa, Waialua, and Haleiwa.

Nursing students working in the loi patch for service-learning activity

As the Chaminade group labored in the lo‘i, the students discussed the culture of health and the value of being connected to community leaders. According to Kee, students were given a sense of place as they learned from the land. They “talked story” about the relationship between public health, community, and culture.

“It is important for public health nursing students to understand community health needs, know available community resources and be involved in efforts to preserve natural resources. It is also very valuable to discuss current public health issues with leaders such as Joan Takamori,” explained Kee.

Nursing students working in the loi patch for service-learning activity

Senior BSN students, Rebecca Maxey and Jeramae Marcellano agreed.

“Joan inspired me a lot,” recalled Marcellano. “Now I am so proud of my mom who has been a public health nurse in the Philippines for many years.”

Maxey concurred. “The experience was very educational, and it was an inspiring moment to listen to Joan speak about the community and her passion,” she reflected.

Throughout the coming year, there will be at least three more field sessions in the next three sections of Nursing 401. Consider them choice gifts of experience.