Chaminade University of Honolulu

Early College

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.

Early College: High Schoolers Get A Head Start

With Chaminade’s Early College program, students earn college credit while still in high school.

Sacred Hearts Academy junior Alana Travelstead wants to become an emergency room physician—and knows getting there will be a challenge academically. That’s why she jumped at the chance to take courses at Chaminade as part of the University’s innovative Early College program.

“This experience is preparing me for the real world,” she said, during a tour of Chaminade’s campus recently. “Getting started early on this college path can only help me. … I can do it.”

As part of a partnership, Sacred Heart students can earn an associate’s degree in liberal arts at Chaminade—technically, without ever stepping foot into a campus classroom. Students are exposed to college-level curricula and complete the necessary coursework to earn their degrees.

Interested in learning more about the Early College program? Click here.

While they take those classes at Sacred Hearts, 18 academy students were invited to Chaminade earlier this month to tour the campus and meet with faculty, staff and administrators. The students are members of the second cohort at Sacred Hearts to participate in the program.

The dual enrollment program is also offered to students at other private and public high schools.

The Early College program at Chaminade helps students save time and money, can boost their confidence, and can even help them determine what they want to pursue after high school.

“Students take Early College courses to get a taste of college, to see what college courses are like,” said Kim Baxter, Chaminade’s Early College director. “Others take the courses to see if college is even something they want to pursue.”

Mosi Manupele, 17, is grateful for the Early College program. “Not many students have this type of opportunity, which is advantageous to me,” she said. “I think earning college credit while still finishing high school will give me the advantage when I finally do attend university.”

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Both Manupele and Travelstead say they’re confident that they made the right decision by participating in the dual credit program.

“I just want the college experience,” said Manapule, who dropped her elective dance class so she could have more time in study hall to concentrate on her History 101 and CUH 100 classes at Chaminade.

“I just can’t wait for the day when I do finally graduate from university.”

College Bound

Kapaa High Seniors Earn High School Diplomas and College Credits through Chaminade University’s Early College Partnership

Kapaa High School seniors who participated in Chaminade University’s Early College Program received their high school diplomas after also earning college credits from Chaminade University and being admitted to four-year higher education institutions.

Sixteen Kapaa High seniors enrolled in Chaminade’s Early College Program will graduate on Friday, May 24. The students will attend various higher education learning institutions, including Brown University, Columbia University, UCLA, Chaminade University, Adelphi University, BYU-Hawaii, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Kauai Community College, Lane Community College (Oregon), St. Ambrose University and Willamette University.

Chaminade and Kapaa High began the Early College program partnership in 2021. The program aims to provide high school students with exposure to higher education and the opportunity to jump start earning their college degrees. The students earn 25 college credits while juniors and seniors in high school.  

“This program is really a part of Chaminade’s service-oriented mission, which is to make higher education accessible to all Hawaii students,” says Janet Davidson, Ph.D., Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. 

Research shows that early college programs show strong and lasting evidence of effectiveness for all students. It promotes both postsecondary access and success. The data is undeniable that students who participate in such programs will be ahead of their peers and graduate from a four-year university either debt-free or with very little federal student loan debt. The latest data further supports the claim that students who participate in these programs are better prepared to transfer to a four-year university than students who attend the university without prior college experience. 

The Kapaa High School 2024 Commencement will take place on Friday, May 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex.

Kapaa High School Commencement Ceremony marked a milestone for 160 students who participated In Chaminade's Early Career Program.
Kapaa High School Commencement Ceremony marked a milestone for 160 students who participated In Chaminade's Early Career Program.
Kapaa High School Commencement Ceremony marked a milestone for 160 students who participated In Chaminade's Early Career Program.
Dr. Janet Davidson presents a Kapaa High School senior with a special ribbon.
Kapaa High School Commencement Ceremony marked a milestone for 160 students who participated In Chaminade's Early Career Program.
Chaminade faculty members attended Kapaa High School's Ceremony.

Early College Exposure

High school students earn college credit

For the past two years, Kapaa High School seniors, Tatum Harper and Taeani Largusa, have taken several synchronous online courses with Chaminade University professors, earning college credit while simultaneously fulfilling their high school requirements. The hours of studying and discipline paid off. Learning she just got into Columbia University, Harper was ecstatic.

“It’s my dream school,” said Harper, during Chaminade’s inaugural Early College Summit, which was attended by a mix of 70 students from Kapaa High School, Sacred Hearts Academy and Saint Louis. “Participating in this program has really prepared me for college.”

Largusa echoed the same sentiment, adding that she expects to hear from Syracuse University soon. “When I took the virtual campus tour I fell in love with it,” says the first generation, soon- to-be-college student. “This program has given me confidence in knowing that I can handle the demand of college courses.”

Early college programs can provide several benefits, including the opportunity for students to accelerate their education, which can lead to the completion of college degrees at an earlier age. There’s also the perk of cost savings, reducing tuition costs for future higher education.

Sacred Hearts Academy counselors Ashley Luke and Sharlene Chock both agreed that Chaminade’s early college program will help students become familiar with the expectations and rigor of college-level coursework, easing their transition to full-time college later on.

Students circled the room to fill out their bingo-like cards.
Students circled the room to fill out their bingo-like cards.
Saint Louis and Kapaa High School students mingled during the Early College Summit.
Saint Louis and Kapaa High School students mingled during the Early College Summit.
Sacred Hearts Academy students played a bingo-like game, with the first one to fill all 25 boxes with the right answers winning the grand prize.
Sacred Hearts Academy students played a bingo-like game, with the first one to fill all 25 boxes with the right answers winning the grand prize.
Chaminade’s Early College Director, Kim Baxter, addressed the students at the T.C. Ching Conference Center in Eiben Hall before they set off to visit other campus locations.
Chaminade’s Early College Director, Kim Baxter, addressed the students at the T.C. Ching Conference Center in Eiben Hall before they set off to visit other campus locations.
Sacred Hearts Academy juniors completed their first semester of college courses.
Sacred Hearts Academy juniors completed their first semester of college courses.

“Some struggled initially with the transition because of the extra studies involved in taking college-level courses,” said Luke, who counsels 10th and 11th graders. “Even our top students were stretched because they didn’t understand process versus perfection, which they’re used to achieving in high school.”

With this first cohort of 17 Lancers, Chock believes the college exposure will help them navigate the waters of post-secondary education. “They have already been individually challenged,” said the 12th grade counselor. “I think the experience shows them that college is attainable.”

Saint Louis School students Landon Dimaya, Cash Acorda and Kevin Simmons will begin their college courses next semester. The three Crusaders cited different reasons for participating in the program. Dimaya is a fraternal twin whose sister Lindsey is already a Sacred Hearts Academy participant. “I want to reduce the financial burden on my parents,” he said. “It would be really expensive to have to pay tuition for me and my sister at the same time.”

“I want to get ahead,” offered Acorda, who plans to apply to Stanford, with Simmons further noting that the experience would look good on his application.

Research demonstrates that early college programs show strong and lasting evidence of effectiveness for all students. It promotes both post-secondary access and success. The data is undeniable that students who participate in such programs will be ahead of their peers and graduate from a four-year university either debt-free or with very little federal student loan debt. The latest data further supports the claim that students who participate in these programs are better prepared to transfer to a four-year university than students who attend the university without prior college experience. 

Moreover, encouraging students to attend college improves individuals’ earnings over a career, increases the amount of taxes the government collects, and reduces government spending on federal assistance programs. 

“This program is such a great opportunity for these high school students to earn dual credits,” said Kim Baxter, Chaminade’s Early College Director. “And it gives them that real college experience.”

I Go 2 College

Fifth graders experience campus life for a day

Trying to explain Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ (“Praise be to you,” a quotation from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures”) to 12-year-old kids in a university environment is no easy task. Yet, Bro. Ed Brink, S.M. comfortably stood in front of a group of Sacred Hearts Academy, and St. Theresa and St. Elizabeth students and started his discussion with a simple question: have you ever received a birthday card in the mail? 

Raising her hand, Charlie Yim screamed out “from my auntie.” Sitting next to Yim, fellow Lancer, Camryn Abe, echoed the same response. In fact, every student had received a card, either from an auntie or a grandparent. Some even said they had received letters, which was the perfect segue for Brink to ask his second question: Why do we send cards and letters?

Surely enough, students answered with “to let us know they care for us and they love us.” It was a response that could not have been any better scripted than if Brink had pre-written the answer himself. After all, the Pope’s 184-page encyclical letter—Laudato Si’— focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship among God, humans and the Earth. The encyclical’s subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home,” reinforces these key themes.

Bro. Ed Brink teaches fifth graders about Laudato Si.

“Pope Francis’ encyclicals are letters to the people,” said Brink, Vice President of Mission and Rector. “They are letters to show his care and love for the people. Earth is God’s gift to us, and it belongs to everyone, but it needs our protection and immediate attention.”

After shuffling slides of a PowerPoint presentation, Brink handed out sheets of a word search puzzle that contained vocabulary that directly pertained to the environment and sustainability. Working together in groups of seven, students eagerly searched for words in the puzzle, circling “recycle” along a diagonal path and “earth” along a vertical column.

The exercise wasn’t lost on the students who were part of a cohort of 166 fifth graders who visited campus to experience college life. Now in its second year, “I Go 2 College” is a partnership between Chaminade University and Hawaii Catholic Schools.

“The I Go 2 College event exceeded my expectations,” said Llewellyn Young, Ph.D., superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools. “Our preliminary surveys showed that all stakeholders including teachers, parents and students were very satisfied with the experience.  

“Anecdotally, several parents called my office when we did our first event last spring to tell me that they thought the program was brilliant and inspiring,” Young continued. “Parents spoke with such enthusiasm. One parent told me that her son talked about it for a few weeks. He never mentioned college before the experience, but now he can’t wait to go.”

St. Theresa students, Heaven Lee and Katelin Nitta, and Sacred Hearts’s Lauren Schofield and Kiara Cruz all plan to attend university, and Chaminade may be their choice. The four fifth graders said this college experience was “fun—even with all the up-and-down hikes.” 

Attending for a second year, St. Theresa fifth-grade teacher Alyssa Yabes said last year’s students “really enjoyed it a lot.” “They kept talking that they loved going to college,” she said. “All the hiking, they told me, was worth it.”  

Started approximately 16 years ago, the “I Go To College” program aims to introduce 9-12-year-old students to higher education, even before they step onto a middle school campus. “The purpose of this program is to expose the students to college life at an early age and to provide them with a day that is fun and eye-opening,” said Kim Baxter, Director of Early College programs at Chaminade. “Additionally, one benefit to offering visit opportunities for younger students is that when they return as juniors or seniors, the students will be better prepared to participate in traditional campus visit programs.”

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.