Chaminade University of Honolulu

Diversity and Inclusion

Peer Mentors Offer Listening Ear

Mentors help peers with stress management, school-life balance and more

In addition to comprehensive individual, crisis and group counseling for students, Chaminade has also trained a cadre of peer mentors as part of an innovative program aimed at offering another layer of support to Silverswords who may feel uneasy seeking help or don’t need intensive services.

Earlier this year, five Silversword juniors—now all seniors—went through 16 hours of rigorous QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training, learning the signs and warnings of what to look for in their classmates as part of their preparation for Chaminade’s Peer Mentorship Program.

Director of Counseling Services Leilani Harness says a Marianist grant helped start the mentorship program in Fall 2023, and she was able to add five paid peer-mentor positions this semester.

Brit Hall, second from left, is doing an internship with the Counseling Center for her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology. She is surround by Peer Counselors, from left, Claire Heffernan, Mya Dawkins, Annie Kramer, Megan Nakamura and Micah Sanders.
Brit Hall, second from left, is doing an internship with the Counseling Center for her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree. She is surrounded by Peer Counselors, from left, Claire Heffernan, Mya Dawkins, Annie Kramer, Megan Nakamura and Micah Sanders.

Harness adds she has always valued peer-to-peer mentorship and jumped at the chance to start the initiative.

As NASPA-certified peer educators in the Counseling Center, Annie Kramer ’25, Micah Sanders ’25, Megan Nakamura ’25, Mya Dawkins ’25 and Claire Heffernan ’25 have helped their fellow Silverswords struggling academically, emotionally or mentally. Some of those they’ve helped are worried about grades, while others are concerned about personal relationships.

(Historically, NASPA stood for National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. However, the organization updated the name of the association to NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.)

According to Kramer and Sanders, students many times want more information about school-work-life balance, followed by stress management and coping skills.

“We saw between 10-12 clients last semester,” said Kramer, who is now the administrative assistant at the center and peer mentor co-lead with Sanders and Nakamura.

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Kramer said the peer mentoring program is effective because some students feel more comfortable sharing thoughts with people “who are their same age and who look like them.”

The peer mentors lend an empathetic ear to any student who needs support. They seek to build trust, create a safe environment, and show compassion. Sometimes, they just hang out.

“It feels more organic,” said Sanders, who spent hours under the supervision of Harness.

“Having a program like this peer mentorship is extremely important, especially on campus where students might feel anxious and homesick.”

Sanders said his biggest piece of advice to students is: Go out, meet new people and get out of your comfort zone. “The Counseling Center is a lifeline to the different departments,” he adds.

As the school year progresses, Harness emphasized that the Counseling Center is available for individual sessions, couples therapy and small friend groups Mondays through Fridays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“I am always available after hours, so feel free to contact me at any time,” Harness adds. “That’s literally my job—to be here for students and employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

For a full list of crisis resources available to anyone in need, click here.

All five peer mentors say they appreciate the hands-on experience of talking with fellow students and, most importantly, being able to help.

“This program really aligns well with what I want to do, which is to become a high school or college counselor,” Kramer says. “And Chaminade is providing the opportunity for me to reach that goal.”

Chaminade Convenes for Spiritual Convocation

The tradition celebrates ‘religious and spiritual roots’ of Chaminade life

One of the pillars that characterize a Marianist education is to educate for formation in faith. And there is perhaps no better example of this than during the Fall Spiritual Convocation.

A longstanding tradition at Chaminade, the Spiritual Convocation marks the beginning of the academic year, formally welcoming students, faculty and staff to the University community.

“It also affords the opportunity to ask for God’s blessing on our Chaminade ‘ohana as we come together as a community to live and learn,” said University President Lynn Babington.

“During this celebration, we take the time to pause and be mindful of each other.”

This sentiment of family spirit aligns with the Marianist approach to education, which seeks to nurture students’ unique talents and fosters a lifelong commitment to learning.

“Last Friday we took part in the Academic Convocation for this new academic year, emphasizing the hopes and aspirations, and taking our A‘a Pledge,” said Fr. Martin Solma S.M., during his sermon. “Today, fittingly, we touch upon the religious and spiritual roots of our University life.”

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During the Convocation, Bro. Ed Brink, Chaminade’s vice president of mission and rector, outlined the origins of the Marianist Educational Associates program. In 2005, representatives from Chaminade, the University of Dayton, and St. Mary’s University of San Antonio responded to a call from the Association of Marianist Universities Board to form a special partnership.

“This initiative invited lay collaborators to help sustain and renew the mission and identity of the universities, rooted in the Catholic and Marianist educational tradition,” Brink said.

“For students, faculty and staff who are new members of our community, it will give you another opportunity to learn about the rich traditions of the University.”

This past summer, seven Chaminade faculty and staff members participated in the MEA Formation in Dayton; the seven-day program involving readings, reflections and shared insights.

The MEA cohort includes:

  • Andrew Ancheta ’21, student engagement coordinator
  • Dr. Rylan Chong ’10, Data Science director and assistant professor
  • Dr. Cheryl Edelson, School of Humanities, Arts and Design dean
  • Dr. Abby Halston, MS ’05, Marriage and Family Counseling clinical director
  • Kahala Kabalis Hoke ’05, MS ’07, women’s volleyball head coach
  • Pono Riddle ’18, MEd’ 21, Student Success associate director
  • Dr. Gail Grabowsky, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics dean

“These individuals are part of a community committed to strengthening and developing the Catholic and Marianist identity of this University,” Brink said, after calling the cohort’s names.

“I now ask you to affirm your commitment as Marianist Educational Associates.”

Brink also recognized the 23 Chaminade staff members and faculty who made their first commitment in previous years, asking them to stand and renew their commitment as Marianist Educational Associates.

In unison, the MEAs pledged to uphold and advance the Catholic and Marianist mission and identity of Chaminade University. They committed to ongoing reflection, collaboration, and the continuation of programs that reinforce Chaminade’s identity as a Catholic and Marianist University.

They also promised to support others in growing in their understanding and appreciation of the Catholic and Marianist traditions, aiming to embody and witness these traditions for the benefit of the world.

By offering a quality education and searching for truth through human wisdom and faith, Solma said students are able to expand their minds and hearts, and helps them become servant-leaders.

“And, all of this within our Chaminade ‘ohana, where respect, acceptance, appreciation and encouragement are palpable,” Solma added. “As Fr. Chaminade wanted—a genuine family spirit.”

New Student Orientation a Success

Incoming freshmen got a Silversword welcome at the daylong event.

With fists pumping in the air and boisterous “woo-hoos,” freshmen walked through a gauntlet of Chaminade faculty members dressed in full academic regalia, clapping loudly as students filed out after the Academic Convocation during New Student Orientation on Friday.

Held at Mamiya Theatre, this formal ceremony officially marks the beginning of the academic year—and holds significant meaning for both the University and incoming students.

A nursing major, freshman Rex Paguirigan poses with Chaminade Student Government Association President Victoria Zembik.
A nursing major, freshman Rex Paguirigan poses with Chaminade Student Government Association President Victoria Zembik.

“We gather to welcome new families and students,” said Chaminade President Lynn Babington, in her opening remarks at the convocation.

“You will meet new people and form new bonds, and you will laugh with each other and struggle with each other. You will learn new ways of thinking and discerning who you are and who you want to be.”

New Student Orientation is designed to acquaint incoming freshmen, transfer and exchange students with the campus and the many resources available to them—both for their academic success and personal development.

Orientation activities focus on several important areas, including the curriculum, academic advising, college success, scholarships and financial aid, campus activities, student services, student organizations, Silversword Spirit and campus facilities.

Also from Chaminade News: Students Welcomed on Move-in Day

“College is a new chapter in your life, an unwritten page in your book,” said Chaminade Student Government Association President Victoria Zembik, in her address at the Academic Convocation.

“As you embark on this journey at Chaminade, remember that college is not just about the classes you take or the grades you earn. It’s about the experiences you have, the challenges you overcome, and the person you become along the way. Embrace every moment—the highs and the lows—and know that each day is an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to become a better version of yourself.”

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Starting college life successfully can be challenging. But NSO gatherings were designed to set the right tone for incoming students, encouraging them to embrace curiosity and try new experiences.

“We see in you transformation through education,” said Provost Lance Askildson. “This is an inflection point in your life. You will struggle and even fail at times to achieve your goals—and that is OK. You’ll have untold opportunities to grow, learn and push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Our kuleana, our duty is to support you, to guide you and teach you. You are not alone in this journey.”

In her concluding remarks, Zembik offered some sage advice. “Every day is a new day,” she advised. “No matter how good or bad today was, tomorrow is different. Just like a sunset, no two days are the same.”

Student Research on Display

The Summer Research Institute Symposium was an opportunity for undergraduate scientists-in-training to get feedback on their work.

In his final presentation during the Summer Research Institute Symposium, Zach McClellan ’25 decided to pursue the correlation between the effects of occupational stressors on the quality of life among firefighters.
Zach McClellan ’25 presented his findings during the Summer Research Institute Symposium.

Zach McClellan ’25 comes from a long line of firefighters—and has seen first-hand the trauma these first responders can experience.

So as a participant in this year’s Summer Research Institute at Chaminade, the Psychology major decided to study how occupational stressors correlate to quality of life indicators for firefighters.

He presented his findings July 23 at the Summer Research Institute Symposium on campus, an annual showcase of cutting-edge undergraduate research at Chaminade conducted under the mentorship of professors.

“I sent out my first survey that comprised of demographics, the Firefighter Assessment of Stress Test (FAST), and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) back in March,” said McClellan, pointing out the number of respondents shown on his poster board.

“This was my capstone project with Dr. (Darren) Iwamoto, and I want to take it as far as I can take it. The end goal is to get the study published.”

Organizers say the symposium reflects Chaminade’s strong commitment to advancing academic excellence while fostering close collaborations between faculty and student researchers.

A two-time participant in the Summer Research Institute Symposium, Grace Helmke ’25 built on last year’s “Climate Monstrosities” with this year’s “Climate Tricksters in an Indigenous Future.”

Mentored by Assistant Professor of English Dr. Justin Wyble, Helmke said she chose the subject for a couple of reasons. “The no. 1 reason was that I believe Indigenous peoples to have an incredibly important perspective on society—one that’s largely dismissed and unseen by the masses,” the English major said.

“Their viewpoints surrounding the ways in which to combat colonialism, preserve culture and fight for a greater future, are all concepts that each of the texts I focused on examined. I believe that discussing these concepts, principles and cultural beliefs, from an Indigenous perspective, has the potential to lead society into a future that rejects the colonial systems, and instead seeks equity and healing of the people.”

Amber Noguchi, program director for Chaminade’s Undergraduate Research and Pre-Professional Programs Office, said the symposium allows Summer Research Institute participants to not only showcase their work—but get feedback and questions from attendees to expand their research inquiries.

The institute is funded by a joint federal Title III grant with Kapiolani Community College.

A two-time participant in the Summer Research Institute Symposium, Grace Helmke ’25 built on last year’s “Climate Monstrosities” with this year’s “Climate Tricksters in an Indigenous Future.”
Grace Helmke ’25 explained her theories to a group of attendees.

“We just completed our fourth SRI,” Noguchi said, adding that participants also present at Kapiolani Community College’s Student Undergraduate Research Fair each semester.

Participant Georgeanna Flook is a rising senior and double majoring in Historical and Political Studies, and Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her research looked at the influence that education has on crime. Titled “Support Instead of Control: Education as a Unique Approach to Crime,” Flook’s study explored the possibility of reducing crime outside of traditional policing methods.

She credited her professors, Drs. Abby Halston and Kelly Treece, and lecturer Collin Lau, J.D., for their guidance as she conducted her research. Flook said she found that education, “acting as a means of formal social control and providing social support, can effectively reduce crime—regardless of the academic ability of the individual.”

“Future studies should focus on further articulating what effective social support means in the context of criminology and use working examples of social support to compare against crime trends,” concluded Flook, who aspires to go into criminal justice policy analysis.

Other Summer Research Institute participants at Chaminade this year included Ku‘ulei Koko ’26, who presented “Feeding Hawaii’s Future: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Culturally Tailored Programs for Native Hawaiians,” and LaVelle White ’26, who looked at “Student Food and Nutrition Security.”

For details on undergraduate research opportunities at Chaminade, click here.

Harnessing the Power of Supercomputers

In an innovative summer research institute, Chaminade students used data science to tackle big research questions.

For four intensive weeks this summer, 25 Chaminade students used supercomputers at the Texas Advanced Computing Center to analyze complex data sets. They were looking to test hypotheses to complex research questions. And along the way, they got valuable hands-on experience in data science, one of the nation’s fastest-growing fields in a long list of sectors, from climate science to healthcare.

The Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence (ALL-SPICE) Data Science Summer Institute allows students to take a deep dive into their research interests, giving them access to tools and supercomputers that can help synthesize complex data sets into understandable, manageable variables.

“This is not theoretical learning,” says Connor Flynn ’21, a data scientist with Chaminade’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Flynn participated in ALL-SPICE as a student and now serves as a group leader. “This is literally experiential since some of the students’ research projects require that they go to actual sites to verify what they’ve captured in their data is accurate.”

ALL-SPICE, now in its sixth year, is the product of an innovative Chaminade partnership with the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Advanced Computing Center. ALL-SPICE is one of just four new National Science Foundation INCLUDES Alliances, and organizers say the ALL-SPICE program helps level the playing field for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students, who are woefully underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

“The program is transformative for students from Hawaii and the US-affiliated Pacific, from Chaminade and many other colleges,” said Dr. Helen Turner, biology professor and principal investigator for Chaminade’s NSF ALL-SPICE program.

“Students come in with curiosity and a passion to solve their islands’ challenges. They leave as card-carrying data scientists with a high-demand skill set that they can use to change the future.”

Wilneris Carrion-Colon ’25 and Johnny Bae ’26 were among the students who participated in this year’s ALL-SPICE summer intensive program. They are both excited about pursuing careers in STEM.

In the summer program, the two Data and Computer Science majors used imaging technology to detect marine debris found off Windward Oahu. Carrion-Colon said satellite technology has become a valuable tool for detecting and classifying environmental phenomena on both land and aquatic environments.

  • The data science classroom was the main hub for the ALL-SPICE Summer Institute.
  • Thirty-two students were divided into three groups then into sub-groups as they pursued their research interests.
  • For four weeks, students researched their interests in environmental management and health disparities.
  • Students share their research with Kumu Kahoa Keahi-Wood.
  • Kumu Kahoa Keahi-Wood serves as the Environmental Project Lead and has been with SPICE's first cohort since 2019.

“By analyzing reflectance and absorption of light, spectral bands enable machines to differentiate material classes,” said Carrion-Colon, during her final presentation.

“Notably, the Windward side was chosen because it is particularly susceptible to marine debris accumulation due to prevailing ocean currents.”

Carrion-Colon noted there are limitations to her analysis, but added that’s reason to do more research.

In his research, Bae mapped out ocean plastics using machine learning in waters northeast of Oahu.

Also using multispectral satellite imagery and statistical learning algorithms to detect floating marine debris, Bae sought to underscore the critical role of technology in environmental management.

“Ultimately, this work contributes to protecting marine ecosystems, supporting economic stability and safeguarding public health,” said Bae, in presenting his findings.

“Future research and initiatives—stemming from detecting and mitigating plastic marine debris in Hawaii’s ocean using machine learning and AI—can significantly contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 12, which focuses on responsible consumption and production; and SDG 13, which involves evaluating the carbon footprint of plastic debris.”

Open to all majors, from nursing and business to biology and interior design, the ALL-SPICE Data Science Summer Institute also teaches students how to code and use other cutting-edge tech.

Organizers say ALL-SPICE participants represent the region’s diversity, and include significant numbers of women and veterans. Students work in thematic areas that are of central importance to the Hawaii-Pacific region, including climate analytics, health inequity and the impacts of misinformation.

The summer institute also has a strong cultural component and culminates in a ho‘ike—a showcase of student projects). SPICE mentors include faculty, analysts and peers. To learn more, click here.

The SPICE program was funded by NSF INCLUDES ALL-SPICE Alliance #HRD-1744526. Student places were sponsored by ALL-SPICE and the following additional grants (Primary Investigator Dr. Helen Turner): NSF EPSCoR Hawaii (#OIA-2149133), the Pacific Intelligence Innovation Initiative, the Sullivan Family Foundation and NIH grant 3U54GM138062-03S1 (Primary Investigator Dr. Youping Deng, University of Hawaii).

Taking Climate Action

Chaminade empowers students to seek innovative solutions to environmental challenges

Amid growing concern about the impacts of climate change on Hawaii communities, Chaminade University is developing and expanding programs aimed at empowering students—so they can turn concerns about environmental challenges into projects of positive change.

Dr. Lupita Ruiz-Jones shows her ENV 100 students a chart, which helps identify fish in Palolo Stream.
Dr. Lupita Ruiz-Jones shows her Environmental Studies 100 students a chart to identify fish in Palolo Stream.

Vice Provost Janet Davidson has called on each department at Chaminade to identify priorities that closely align with the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals, as well as two goals from Laudato Si—Pope Francis’s encyclical letter released in 2015—that resonate with the mission and outcomes of their programs.

“As a Marianist Catholic institution, we are well poised to demonstrate how our programs contribute meaningfully to the goals set forth by Laudato Si and the United Nations,” Davidson told faculty, in a recent memo. “Further alignment with the 2024 Chaminade University of Honolulu Strategic Plan ensures that we remain forward-looking as a university, continually evolving and growing in accordance with our shared strategic vision.”

The United Nations has underscored the scope of the challenge, writing that a comprehensive global effort is needed to avoid “catastrophic, irreversible climate change.”

Provost Lance Askildson said Chaminade is living up to that call to action.

“We are leveraging our degree programs to help address issues as wide-ranging as climate action, social equality and clean water, which are resonant issues here in Hawaii and the Pacific,” he said.

“This is an incredibly well-aligned initiative for Chaminade. And so we see this as an extension of our University mission in many respects, but it is also an opportunity for us to be more intentional about our approach to sustainability and our contributions here within our local community in Hawaii and Pacific Island neighbors.”

In Spring 2022, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) partnered with Chaminade to establish the CIFAL Center of Honolulu, focused on developing and supporting projects in the Pacific centered on Urban Governance and Planning, Economic Development, Social Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability.

That work is dovetailed with efforts across all of Chaminade’s 25 undergraduate majors and 13 graduate programs, which now incorporate several of the UN’s, Laudato Si’s and the University’s Strategic Sustainable Development Goals.

Some of the common themes—or core competencies—across many of the programs include good health and well-being; peace, justice and strong institutions; climate action; quality education; and responsible consumption and production.

There is also a strong tie-in to workforce development and meeting community needs, university leaders say. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), sustainability studies was the fastest-growing green program during the last five years. In fact, the number of graduates more than doubled between 2016 and 2021—from 832 to 1,837.

Chaminade has contributed to that growth.

Since introducing Environmental Studies in 2000, the program has evolved from a certificate to then a minor and today a bachelor’s degree with two different concentrations.

Students help harvest kalo in a Heeia field.
Students help harvest kalo in a Heeia field.

“It was founded at the request of Chaminade’s then-president Sue Wesselkamper, who came to me in 1998 when I was a biology professor and said, ‘Gail we need a major that looks after creation,’ and the rest is history,” recalled Dr. Gail Grabowsky, Dean of the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and UN CIFAL Honolulu Executive Director.

“Today, between Environmental Science and Environmental Studies, we have 38 students declaring it as their majors.”

Lucy Lee ’23 decided to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies at Chaminade because she wanted to combine her passion for the environment with her love of the ocean.

Lee is a member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Moananuiākea Voyage, a circumnavigation of the Pacific, which to her, “holds the capacity and stories to change the world.”

“Voyaging is a way to further empowerment of indigenous peoples,” said Lee, adding “it unifies people around common goals like healing the ocean and the earth, and allows for a different pathway for young women to pursue and involve themselves in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).”

For Lee, the Environmental Studies program at Chaminade was perfect since her ultimate goal, she said, is to offer legal expertise and representation to sustenance fishing and farming communities in Hawaii.

“They are ingenious, but they struggle in literacy when it comes to law and defending themselves in justice systems,” Lee said, pointing to decades-long legal challenges over water rights for small farmers on Maui. “I started hearing about that case when I was in elementary school.”

Elementary school was also around the same time that Casidhe Mahuka first visited the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, which forever sparked her passion for ocean science.

It was the first time that she discovered that she could not only breathe underwater, but she could also breathe underwater for a living.

“That was it; I was totally hooked,” said Mahuka, ’22, an Environmental Studies major and now invasive species coordinator (ISC) at the Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) in American Samoa.

“I was determined to be an ocean scientist because I have always loved being in the water. And to get paid for it, I was all in.”