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From Hawaii to Scotland: Chaminade Holds International Conference

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What connects Hawaii and Scotland?

You might assume the answer is not much. But an international conference held at Chaminade University over the summer underscored just how much the two locales share – and how indigenous writers from Scotland and its isles and the Hawaiian Islands have much to learn from each other.

From June 28 to 30, the University hosted the International Association for the Study of Scottish Literatures conference, welcoming researchers from around the globe to hear illuminating lectures around the theme, “Scotland and the South Seas: Writing the Wide Pacific.” The conference focused on how Scottish and Pacific literary works influenced each other thanks to rich cultural exchanges.

Chaminade’s Division of Humanities and Fine Arts professors Dr. Allison Paynter and Dr. Richard Hill served as key organizers for the conference, partnering with historical organizations from across the state to offer plenary sessions that took their inspiration from author Robert Louis Stevenson’s writings and travels across the Pacific, including Hawaii. The conference also featured two leading scholars of Stevenson, Roslyn Jolly (University of New South Wales) and Penny Fielding (Edinburgh University).

As part of the conference, Chaminade’s Sullivan Family Library worked to bring Stevenson’s stories to life, coordinating with Hawaii artist Solomon Enos and others to create pieces inspired by his many writings.

Paynter and Hill said the conference was so rich, they’re planning to write a book about the takeaways.

Also over the summer, Paynter was named a James Weldon Johnson Foundation artist-in-residence. The foundation seeks to advance Weldon’s legacy through educational, intellectual and artistic works. Weldon was an author, diplomat, attorney and strong advocate for social justice.

2019 Fr. John F. Bolin Excellence In Scholarship Awardee

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Dr. Junghwa Suh kicks off every semester with students by sharing this quote: “Happiness is the new rich. Inner peace is the new success. Health is the new wealth. Kindness is the new cool.” – Unknown.

Dr. Junghwa Suh

Suh, an associate professor of Environmental + Interior Design at Chaminade, said her goal is to help students understand that success in life comes from “embracing differences,” helping those around you grow right along with you, and working to be thankful everyday for all that you have.

Those are lessons Suh also takes to heart in her own work.

And her commitment to not only her research but the craft of teaching has earned her this year’s prestigious Father John F. Bolin Excellence in Scholarship award, which recognizes full-time faculty who have made notable academic and professional contributions to the University.

Suh, who received her doctoral degree in Architecture from the University of Hawaii in 2013, has an interdisciplinary background that also includes research in interior design, mathematics and fine arts.

She said in her teaching, she’s sought to challenge students to see the relationships between architecture and the urban-scape with sustainable, interdisciplinary and tech-driven design strategies.

“I encourage our students to think about design with people, culture, climate, and environmental contexts in mind,” Suh said, adding that she wants to help students become versatile designers who can connect the theory they learn with innovative practice. “It is crucial to educate our future designers to analyze and synthesize design solutions in the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way.”

Suh helps bring theory alive with innovative techniques of her own.

She uses digital and social media tools with her students, seeks to extend learning outside the classroom, incorporates hands-on and project-based learning into lessons, and looks for opportunities that allow students to learn from each other as they think through a tough problem.

Suh is also passionate about fostering empathy in her students. They have to understand that design really is about people. Once they do that, “they are better able to understand the project and clients.”

As part of receiving the Bolin award, Suh received $1,500 and her photo displayed permanently in the Sullivan Family Library. But the real reward, Suh said, is the recognition and support from her colleagues.

“My time at Chaminade University has been a period of tremendous growth as a versatile instructor, curriculum and course designer, and scholar in innovative research, creative activity, and service,” Suh said. “This recognition encourages me to do more meaningful and innovative work for our students.”

Putting Down “Roots”: PsyD Program is Here to Stay

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The next time you walk by Brogan Hall, look for the young kukui nut tree on the building’s mauka end. 

The tree — traditionally a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual guidance — was planted to celebrate the new permanent home of the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology degree program at the Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University.

The program’s faculty, staff and students attended the tree planting on November 6.

Dr. Sean Scanlan, director of Chaminade’s Psy.D. program, said the kukui nut is the perfect representation of the Clinical Psychology program at Chaminade. He added that the tree was planted following a suggestion from a student in a place where it will have lots of room to grow.

“The kukui tree was used by Native Hawaiians for candlelight and has become an emblem of the importance of seeking out opportunities for personal and academic growth,” Scanlan said. “As a symbol of enlightenment, the kukui tree we’ve planted at Brogan Hall will continue to grow and thrive in the years and decades ahead just as the Clinical Psychology program will flourish at Chaminade into the future.”

During the small ceremony, the students added soil to cover the kukui tree’s roots as a symbol of being the basis for the program to grow. The Psy.D. faculty and staff then poured water from an ipu as a symbol of their role in instructing, mentoring and supporting the students.

In March, Chaminade University announced it would host the Hawaii School of Professional Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program following the abrupt closure of Argosy University. Chaminade immediately welcomed approximately 100 students and faculty members into the program as it worked to ensure a seamless transition for those working toward their doctoral degree – and those helping them get there.

Today, the Psy.D. at Chaminade is a five-year, intensive program designed to build students’ skills and knowledge as they train to become clinical psychologists. Early courses in the program provide the foundation for the field, while later classes focus on therapy, research training and an internship.

Dr. Lynn Babington, Chaminade president, said serving as a hub for high-quality mental health instruction – and a source for excellent mental health providers who will serve their communities – is in line with the University’s mission to work every day to change the world for the better.

“The planting of the kukui nut tree at Brogan Hall is a powerful symbol that underscores our commitment to ensuring the Psy.D. program at Chaminade continues to grow and meet the mental health needs of our state,” she said. “We are excited about the next steps in building out this program and can’t wait to see how psychologists trained at Chaminade impact people’s lives in positive ways.”

For more information on the Psy.D. program at Chaminade or to apply, click here.

PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree
PsyD program faculty, staff and students gather to plant a kuikui tree

Chaminade University Professors and Student Honored by Hawaii Psychological Association

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HONOLULU (October 28, 2019) – Two Chaminade University professors and one student were recently honored by the Hawaii Psychological Association at its Behavioral Health Convention. They were among six individuals to be recognized for their contributions to the field. They included:

Lunden D. Head, Dr. Steven Choy and Dr. Lianne T. S. Philhower
Lunden D. Head, Dr. Steven Choy and Dr. Lianne Philhower

Steven J. Choy, Ph.D. – The Pat DeLeon Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Choy is an associate professor of clinical psychology at Chaminade University. A licensed clinical psychologist, he specializes in the identification, assessment, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment. He was the founder and director of the Child Protection Center at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children for over 30 years before his retirement and appointment to the Hawaii School of Professional Psychology. During his tenure as director of the Child Protection Center, he was instrumental in the development of the Child Protective Act in Hawaii as well as in the development of protocols for child maltreatment risk assessments, psychological evaluations, multidisciplinary team assessments, and psychological treatment for the State of Hawaii. He serves on numerous boards and committees focused on the protection of children and strengthening of families. He is also a trainer for the State of Hawaii Child Welfare Workers and continues to provide presentations and workshops on issues of child protection at local, national and international conferences.

Lianne T. S. Philhower, PsyD – Professor of the Year Award
Dr. Philhower is an associate professor of clinical psychology at Chaminade University and a licensed clinical psychologist. She has a diverse professional background that includes working in public health environments, outpatient community mental health programs, private practice, school consultation, and education. Her knowledge, experience, and ability to integrate creativity with structure comes through in the way she teaches her courses and supports students individually. The courses she teaches regularly and the electives she offers are all directly informed by her education, training, and professional experience. She is able to bring in realistic case examples and professional situations into her teaching, and utilize instructional scaffolding techniques that allow her students to grow clinically, ethically, and professionally. As a scholar, Dr. Philhower has provided community trainings, consultation, and presentations, and has supported the research projects of countless students.

Lunden D. Head, MA – Outstanding Student of Psychology Award
Lunden Head is a doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (Psy.D.) at The Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade. Her doctoral research examines the intersection between epigenetic transmission of trauma, race-related stress, and intergenerational trauma in the African-American community. Having served as a graduate teacher assistant for multiple doctoral-level courses, Head exhibits a steadfast commitment to her campus community. She also displays an unwavering dedication to Hawaii’s local psychology community, shown in her experience providing individual and group psychotherapy services at counseling and behavioral health centers, while serving as a student representative and a volunteer at psychology conferences. In addition to carrying a full-time course load and completing practicum assignments at The Family Strengthening Center, The University of Hawaii-West Oahu, and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Head works at a counseling center in Honolulu to underwrite her tuition while maintaining a 3.9 grade point average.

The Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade is designed to prepare students for both contemporary and emerging roles in the practice of professional psychology. The school offers a five-year generalist program that supports the development of core competencies in psychological assessment, intervention, consultation/education, and management/supervision. The program emphasizes the acquisition of attitudes, knowledge bases, and skills essential for professional psychologists who are committed to the provision of ethical quality services.

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Chaminade University of Honolulu provides a collaborative and innovative learning environment that prepares graduate and undergraduate students for life, service and successful careers. Established in 1955, the university is guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, which include a commitment to serving the Native Hawaiian population. Chaminade offers an inclusive setting where students, faculty and staff collectively pursue a more just and peaceful society. For more information, visit chaminade.edu.

Crime Scene Investigation Camp

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Over the summer, Chaminade Forensic Sciences Professor David Carter and colleague Carlos Gutierrez led a group of high schoolers in a not-so-typical hands-on activity. After some intensive instruction, the teens spent hours poring over a mock crime scene to find “human remains.”

While the crime scene and remains weren’t real, the learning absolutely was.

And Carter believes the experience is also an innovative recruitment tool, helping students envision themselves in a forensic science career. “It’s neat for these students,” Carter said, “the hands-on activity, the experience with teamwork and documenting observations.”

The innovative exercise was part of the Maui Police Department’s 2019 CSI Camp, a unique week-long program of events aimed at giving high schoolers a taste for the work that criminal investigators do every day, from crime scene photography to blood stain pattern analysis.  

Chaminade’s Forensic Sciences department has been participating in the camp for four years alongside representatives from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Maui Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, and Maui’s Medical Examiner.

Tony Earles, an MPD crime scene investigator and evidence specialist, runs the program annually. He said students have come from across Hawaii and even the mainland to attend.

This year’s camp had 12 students selected after a competitive application process. Students submitted essays explaining their interest in the program and were required to submit letters of recommendation. And before the week even begins, the students go through training online.

“With the effect of CSI television shows, there’s a lot of interest in crime scene investigation careers,” Earles said, in an interview. “Of course, you can’t have kids in an actual crime scene.”

The CSI Camp is the next best thing.

“We try to cover everything – from what happens when the call is dispatched to 911, the investigation by the detective, beginning to end,” Earles said. “By the end of the week, the thing they always say is they would like to make it longer. They always say, ‘I learned so much.’”

Hands-on activities, like the one that Carter and Gutierrez lead, are particularly popular.

Maui Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu called this year’s CSI Camp, which ran from June 17 to 21, a “tremendous success” and said Chaminade’s presentation and hands-on activity triggered lots of questions and interest from students. “It is through collaborative efforts such as this Camp that we continue to inspire our youth to dedicate themselves to careers which support our community,” he said, in a letter to Chaminade Provost Dr. Lance Askildson.

Carter said he uses the camp to clue students in on what they need to do to pursue a career in forensic sciences. He also helps them understand the related offerings at Chaminade. But he’s quick to note that the University’s participation in the camp isn’t merely a recruitment tool.

It’s an opportunity to give back. “The camp is a really important community service,” he said. “It’s not at a high school or college campus, but a forensic science facility. And students participate in actual investigative work and experience being a scientist in the field.”

A Sustainable Campus

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When Sister Malia Wong isn’t teaching, you’re likely to find her around campus gathering, protecting and identifying native plants.

The humanities professor has made it her mission to help heal those around her using traditional Hawaiian plants and medicine. From a friend battling cancer to a colleague suffering from a skin rash, Wong has a cure.

“My teacher, Kumu Levon Ohai from Kaua‘i, kahuna la‘au lapa‘au, taught me an important lesson,” says Wong. “The creator provides us with everything we need.”

“Chaminade is a district of Kalaepohaku in the Kapalama ahupua‘a,” she continues. “On campus, everything that we need can be found right here. That’s what makes our campus so sustainable.”

But it’s not just about picking and using plants, it’s about having a relationship with them.

“If you don’t include prayer, attention and respect, then you’re just playing with plants,” says Wong as she rummages through a bag of tinctures and ointments. “It’s about having the interrelationship with the plants that makes it so special. Our plants speak to us, and share their stories with us.”

She pulls out a mason jar full of naupaka leaves that she collected from upper campus soaking in coconut oil. “This is a great natural sunscreen. You can take the plant and rub it on yourself to protect your skin from the sun.”

Wong is constantly sharing her knowledge and gift with the rest of campus and those around her—from stocking the Center for Teaching and Learning with homemade loose-leaf teas for her colleagues, to hosting a mini weekend-long summer institute workshop for the public, to teaching classes and collaborating with other professors on curricula. Her office is full of plant tags and stakes that she plans to use to label plants around campus. She’s even created an online database and a campus map identifying all of the native plants, including those of other traditions, that have medicinal uses.

Last year, in her environmental ethics class, her students got really involved in protecting the native foliage in the oval at the entrance to campus. Professors from other departments have also expressed interest in partnering, including an English professor who wanted to share Hawaiian lore about plants with students. Even participants in this year’s Montessori summer institute became involved, with groups of visiting teachers searching for and learning to identify native plants around campus.

“We all have this interconnectedness with everything,” says Wong. “And we have the wisdom of our elders within us. Why not just remember we are all a part of this earth? If we balance ourselves with nature, then we’ll be okay.”