Chaminade University of Honolulu

Faculty

Economic Education

Including indigenous cultures and values into education is not about making the Indigenous populations stronger. They are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”

Guanlin Gao, Ph.D., adapted from G.D. Anderson’s famous quote about feminism

Economics professor promotes financial literacy

Guanlin Gao, Ph.D., likes to play games. And during the recent National Association of Economic Education (NAEE) Conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Chaminade Economics associate professor and Director of Economic Education Center for Excellence devoted part of her presentation playing the Public Goods Game (PGG), in which players are given tokens—in this case Kona coffee beans—and given the opportunity to anonymously allocate them in either private or public funds.

“The purpose of the game is to let participants experience the indigenous culture through a hands-on game,” Gao explains. “The game is also related to the shared natural resources and land management of ahupua‘a, where people have shared responsibility and contribute to the common good with their expertise.”

This fundamental economic game has become a classic laboratory environment for studying collective group decisions in which participants decide how much to contribute to a common pool. The countervailing effect, however, is that there is an incentive for group members to “free-ride” on individuals who contribute positive amounts to the common pool. 

Guanlin Gao presents at the National Association of Economic Education Spring Conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Those who invested in the private fund could keep the funds, and divide the shares among its members. However, for those who invested in the public fund, they could either share the return among all the groups or simply keep the yield within their own group.

“On the East Coast, players would largely invest in private funds,” Gao says. “But in Hawaii, most players contribute to public funds, which evenly distributes the return among all members. We have a more inclusive culture in Hawaii, as opposed to individualism.”

The NAEE’s three-day Spring Professional Development Conference was attended by economic educators at the state and federal level, as well as educational institutions that house the equivalent to Chaminade’s Economic Education for Excellence. One of NAEE’s primary missions is to provide professional development programs and training for educators to promote economics, personal finance and entrepreneurial education in the classroom.

“Right now, the country is having a movement about economic literacy, and it starts at an early age,” Gao says. “We want the younger generation to have a foundational understanding of personal finance and economics. We want to provide them the tools they need to make informed financial decisions, and create a better life for themselves and for those around them.”

The overall goal of the three-day conference was to promote economic and personal financial education from K-12 through college. Various departments of education around the country already stipulate that students take an economics or personal financial class in order to graduate. Gao is working on this with Hawaii Department of Education but, in the meantime, she’s sharing her knowledge with other teachers.

“I wanted the participants to walk away knowing more about the unique, yet diverse cultures, in this country, and promote economics and personal finance education in a way that relates and speaks to the populations we serve,” Gao notes. “I also talked about the traditions of sharing, not owning in Hawaii (for example, abundance means we have a lot to share, not how much we own), and why the conventional economic assumptions of ‘everyone is self-interested’ and ‘the only goal for a firm is to maximize profit’ do not resonate with our students’ identities and beliefs.”

Consider the Facts*

Many young people lack the basic financial knowledge and skills to prosper in life. Like many educators, the Council for Economic Education cares about equipping students with the knowledge they need to improve their futures.

40% of Americans have less than $300 in savings
24%
of Millennials demonstrate basic financial literacy
50%
of America’s youth will earn less than their parents

2 Million+
Students reached by CEE programs and teachers
Over 50,000
Teachers reached worldwide
1,000+
Lessons, guides & activities for teachers

*Council for Economic Education

HPA Board Appointments

Psychology faculty members gain HPA board seats

The Hawai‘i Psychological Association (HPA) members have elected several Chaminade University faculty to its 2023-2024 Board. Sean Scanlan, Ph.D., becomes the society’s next president-elect. Also appointed to the HPA Board are Lianne Philhower as Secretary, Katie Chun as Clinical Division Representative and student representative Kendyl Oshiro.

Dr. Scanlan is currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and is the Director of the Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology. He earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, and is licensed as a clinical psychologist in Hawai‘i. He has held several psychology-related administrative positions since 2000 and has served as the program’s director since 2014. His interests are in child and adolescent psychopathology, assessment and treatment. For more than 20 years, Scanlan has worked with hundreds of Hawai‘i’s children and adolescents as a therapist, behavioral consultant, parent trainer, treatment program director, teacher and coach. His specialty is in autism spectrum disorder and externalizing behavior disorders.

Dr. Philhower, Psy.D., M.P.H., is an Associate Professor and licensed clinical psychologist. Her diverse professional background includes working in public health environments, outpatient community mental health programs, private practice, school consultation and education. She utilizes a developmentally-informed, Cognitive Behavioral perspective that is highly compatible with Health Service Provider in Psychology’s (HSPP) aim to educate and train students employing a practitioner-scholar model. As a scholar, Philhower has provided community trainings, consultation and presentations, and has supported the research projects of countless students. She continues her own education and scholarship by pursuing a Ph.D. in Integrative Medicine.

Jeff Stern, Ph.D. has been appointed to the State Board of Psychology.

Dr. Chun is an Associate Professor who earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, San Francisco Bay campus. Upon returning to Hawai‘i, she worked in child maltreatment and family trauma as a Hawai‘i-licensed clinical psychologist. After working at a nonprofit community mental health center, she went into private practice, providing assessment and therapy services to children, adolescents and adults in individual, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy and family therapy, as well as emotional and behavioral consultation. She also worked as the psychological evaluator at a K-12 independent school. Chun is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the APA Division 5, and HPA.

As the leading resource for psychological health, research and policy in the state, HPA’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for the people of Hawai’i by encouraging, integrating, applying and communicating the contributions of Psychology in all its branches. The organization also seeks to strengthen public relations, advocate for a psychologically healthy community, develop solutions for mental health care, be responsive to the multiple cultures in Hawai’ i, promote the highest standards of professional ethics, and to diffuse psychological knowledge through meetings, conventions and publications.

In other faculty news, Dr. Jeffrey Stern was recently appointed to the State Board of Psychology, which oversees licensing laws and professional conduct among other issues. Stern received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa and has been a licensed psychologist in Hawaii for more than 15 years. He is a past president of the Hawaiʻi Psychological Association and has been an HPA board member for more than a decade. Besides maintaining a clinical practice and teaching full time, Stern is the clinical director of the Hawaiʻi MCHLEND (Maternal Child Health – Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) program, supported by a Federal training grant. He has served as an expert witness in due process hearings, frequently writes testimony as a member of the HPA Legislative Action Committe, and chaired the committee that drafted the continuing education statute for psychologists in the state. His research interests and current activities are focused on children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, and their families and workplace well-being.

Scholarship Luncheon

Students thank donors for their continued support

More than 80 donors, students and staff attended this year’s Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon on February 9, 2023, in-person and online. Dr. Lynn M. Babington, President of Chaminade University of Honolulu addressed the audience and expressed her gratitude for the support of our students. Dr. Babington shared how Chaminade offers more than 100 scholarships that have been generously established by individual donors and foundations. Many of them are endowed, and several are renewable investments that are replenished each year. This year alone, students received nearly $2.3 million in donor-funded scholarships.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to thank and to let donors know how much their support has made a difference in their educational journey,” said Jimmy Tran, Stewardship and Scholarships Manager in the Office of Advancement. “Our donors see how their support helps fulfill our students’ dreams of obtaining a quality college education and to go on to successful careers.”

Chaminade juniors Caitlin Bocobo and Aleeyah Lemons shared their appreciation for their scholarship. “Words are not enough to express how grateful we are for your gifts that made our scholarships possible. I am here today to offer my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to you all,” said Bocobo ’24.

“Donors allow students, like me, to get the most out of their college experience—to grow, mature and make a difference in this world,” said Lemons ’24. “The Silversword ‘ohana is grateful to have you all. I am grateful to have your support and faith.”

Dani Masuda, Assistant Vice President for Student Success shared with the gathering how the scholarships can be the difference between attending college or not. “Scholarships contribute to a student’s wellness and the reach goes far beyond just the individual student. Mahalo nui loa to our donors for your continued generosity, commitment, and investment in our students,” said Masuda.

If you would like to support a student attending Chaminade University, contact Jimmy Tran at [email protected]

Dr. Lynn Babington Address Scholarship Luncheon Attendees

Donors, faculty, staff and students gathered for the annual Scholarship Luncheon.

Environmental + Interior Design’s new program coordinator challenges students to think outside the box

The essence of interior design will always be about people and how they live. It is about the realities of what makes for an attractive, civilized, meaningful environment, not about fashion or what’s in or what’s out.
– Albert Hadley

Matthew Higgins with students

Working with his students, Tina-Marie Dust, Alyssa Hofilena and Amisha Singh, on the interior space of a Chinatown restaurant, Matthew Higgins carefully reviewed their choices of color and textiles, reminding them that a room is a behavioral space that sets the mood.

Higgins started at Chaminade University as a visiting professor with the Environmental + Interior Design program a year ago and only recently accepted the position as its program coordinator. In his new role, he will help set the vision for the department and ensure that it retains its Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) accreditation.

“I never take anything for granted,” says Higgins, referring to the program’s CIDA accreditation. “It’s a rigorous process, which requires a three-day on-site review by a visiting team to determine whether a program meets the standards for interior design education.” 

A significant element in this peer review process is evaluating student work to determine achievement levels as an indicator of the adequacy of the required curriculum. Additional factors include academic and professional qualifications of the faculty in relation to the purposes and objectives of the program; adequacy of the facilities for the educational program; administrative structure of the program and its relationship to the institution as a whole; and program assessment methods, and the program’s continued development and improvement as a result of assessment.

“The scope of design has expanded and much broader now,” Higgins explains. “Here at Chaminade, the program added ‘Environmental’ to the curriculum in attempt to breakdown barriers, and to think beyond windows and doors.”

A licensed Realtor, Ruth Simmons decided to attain her BFA at the university, citing that she wanted to be able to offer her clients interior design recommendations. “I see it as complementing my skills as a Realtor,” she says. “The more you can provide your clients, the better.”

Also in their last semesters, Angela Huber and Laura Flor both hope to land jobs with an interior design firm when they graduate. The two seniors agreed that they’ve learned real-world skills that will help them execute the design process.

Matthew Higgins, E+ID program coordinator

“Students can consider a room as behavioral space and change the mood of that room with interior design,” Higgins explains. “They can play with different materials, forms and hues. They get a really good grounding on the principles of interior design in this program.”

Higgins also appreciates the fact that Chaminade students are working toward a BFA (Bachelor’s of Fine Art) instead of a BA, distinguishing that the former demands more diligence and detail, and encompasses a host of topics, including color theory, textiles, sustainability in design, the history of furniture and much more.

“Chaminade has the only CIDA-accredited interior design program in Hawai‘i,” Higgins points out. “And, if for some reason, you didn’t want to stay in Hawaii, the next closest programs are in California or Japan.”

Bringing Filipino Language and Culture Back to Hawaii

Cebuano Language and Culture Program

It was a trip of a lifetime for a group of Hawaii educators and teachers-in-training.

And Communication Professor Eva Washburn-Repollo, Ph.D. was overjoyed to be their guide.

Over the summer, Washburn-Repollo led participants of her Cebuano Language and Culture Program on a six-week adventure to the Philippines, offering them an immersive experience designed to broaden their perspectives and understanding of the country’s diverse languages and rich cultures.

The teachers visited indigenous herbal gardens, mangroves and coral reefs, attended language workshops, and participated in educational sessions at local universities and other institutions. But they weren’t just there to learn. Along the way, they developed cultural-based resource materials and curricula for their own classrooms—lessons aimed at weaving in their students’ perspectives.

Roughly a quarter of Hawaii public school students identify as Filipino.

“We all need to lift each other up,” said Washburn-Repollo, whose academic scholarship includes a focus on the positive impacts for students of cultural appreciation in classrooms. “When a student has a teacher who values their culture, they feel as if they can be anything they want to be.”

The trip was made possible thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program. Washburn-Repollo took the group of eight participants to the islands of Negros Oriental and Cebu in the central Visayas region of the Philippines. That’s where the Cebuano language is primarily spoken—Washburn-Repollo’s first language and one of more than 120 found in the Philippines.

Those on the trip included current educators with years of experience and those just starting out.

Brittni Friedlander began her third year of teaching this fall and jumped at the chance to make the journey to the Philippines. She said she’s passionate about weaving science and technology education into her classroom and recently wrote a children’s book called Puff Saves Paradise.

Cebuano Language and Culture Program

“About 70% percent of my classroom last year were students of Filipino descent and I’m also half-Filipino,” Friedlander said. “It was an amazing opportunity to not only truly connect with my students, but learn a bit about my cultural heritage as well and incorporate that into my classroom genuinely.”

She said the most memorable part of the trip was the closing ceremony, during which all the participants got the chance to share their final lesson plans. Friedlander also enjoyed learning about the customs of the region, from the delicious cuisine to the herbal remedies communities use.

“As a teacher, I think it’s so very important to connect with one’s students on a relational level,” Friedlander said. “From here, I would like to use the knowledge garnered during this journey and share it in my classroom with cultural units or ‘around the world’ day with my students.”

Participant Clarissa Torres just finished her Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Chaminade and was quickly hired to teach eighth-grade science at Mililani Middle School. She wanted to make the trek to the Philippines so she could make more (and stronger) connections with her students. “I also wanted to learn more about my own Filipino culture and wanted to gain new perspectives as an educator,” Torres said.

She added that the program wasn’t easy—by any stretch.

Torres struggled with getting out of her comfort zone and developing a lesson plan.

“I created an original Cebuano song about the collectivism of the community in Apo Island as well as how they conserve water,” Torres said. “This experience expanded my ideas on how to incorporate all of my students’ cultures in my classroom and music is one thing I would like to weave in.”

She said by learning just a few simple phrases in Cebuano, she was already making relationships with people she met. “They appreciated our efforts to learn the language,” Torres said. “My biggest takeaway was I have a greater understanding of the beauty of learning a new language.”

Cebuano Language and Culture Program

Washburn-Repollo agreed what moved her the most about the people that the group met on their adventure is just how excited they were to share their time—and wisdom. “Everyone we met wanted to share their language with us,” she said. “Every preserved language is a door to a new solution to diseases, it’s a door to alternatives to happiness and peace. We have so much to learn.”

This wasn’t the first group Washburn-Repollo has taken to the Philippines. It’s actually the fourth, though the previous treks weren’t funded by Fulbright. The professor has also accompanied nursing students for a clinical immersion and organized trips focused on community building and finance.

Her central focus is helping people realize that broadening their own perspective and learning from groups who have no voice on the world stage has the power to unearth rich gifts of knowledge. And in classrooms, she said, it can do a wonderful thing: to ensure students from all backgrounds feel welcome.

“The key is making all students feel valued,” she said.

Participant Kalika Ayin couldn’t agree more. She’s an English Learner teacher at Pearl City High School and applied to the Cebuano Language and Culture Program because she wanted to learn more about her own students. “Many of my students are from the Philippines … so I wanted to learn about Filipino culture so I could improve my teaching and my communication with their families,” Ayin said.

She added that she was particularly interested in the program’s language immersion component “because I knew it would help me understand what my students experience when they move to Hawaii. I also wanted to learn enough of their language to make them feel welcome and seen in my classroom.”

The most memorable part of the trip for Ayin was graciously being invited into her Filipino teacher partner’s home and meeting her family. “She bridged me into her culture and helped me practice the Cebuano language,” Ayin said, reflecting on the trip. “Her hospitality and patience deeply impacted me. Our partnership fostered an international teaching network—and an international friendship.”

She also said that the experience of learning a new language through immersion helped her see the world a little better through her students’ eyes. For example, when she was using the Cebuano language in conversation but couldn’t find the right word right away, her stress levels rose. “It helped me understand how my students likely feel immersed in U.S. classroom settings,” she said.

Cebuano Language and Culture Program

And Ayin is looking forward to one lesson, in particular, this coming school year.

She plans to show her students a video she co-wrote and produced with her Filipino teacher partner detailing how to make the Cebuano dessert binignit, a fruit stew made with coconut milk, sweet potato, bananas and other fruits and vegetables at hand. “The video includes a narrative about the rich symbolism between the ingredients in binignit and the Cebuano culture,” she said.

Ayin said she’ll use the video to launch into a unit of study exploring food staples across the Pacific.

And then her students will get to work in the kitchen (and classroom), producing a cookbook to share broadly with families in Pearl City that incorporates Pacific dishes. “My goal is to foster pride in multilingualism,” she said, “and help students own their languages with confidence.”

LeAndre Browne, a doctoral student in education at Chaminade who teaches first grade in Georgia, wishes every teacher could go on a trip like the one Washburn-Repollo organized. “I’m a lifelong learner and was extremely interested in learning another language and experiencing another culture,” she said.

“Despite being from different places, people can share similar interests bringing them closer, like a love of plants,” she said, adding that she is particularly grateful for all of the relationships she was able to forge with people the group learned from over the course of six weeks.

Jessica Watkins doesn’t have a classroom of her own yet but said she can’t wait to bring what she learned in the Philippines to her future lesson plans. Watkins is majoring in Elementary Education at Chaminade and said there were so many memorable moments on the trip, that it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Learning Cebuano songs and then singing them at their final presentation. Staying on Apo Island, which has no cars and limited hours of electricity service. Getting to enjoy the region’s stunning coastlines. “I now know enough of the language to have basic communication with someone,” Watkins added.

“And that could help my students feel more comfortable in my future classroom.”

2022 Faculty Awardees

Three faculty members were recently honored for their outstanding contributions to academic scholarship, teaching excellence and creating a community that embraces teamwork at Chaminade.

Tracy Trevorrow

Psychology Professor Dr. Tracy Trevorrow was recognized with the Fr. John F. Bolin Excellence in Scholarship Award for his tireless pursuit of knowledge and his novel approaches to research that not only seek to build on broader psychological work but on his own clinical practice.

In fact, Trevorrow’s strategy for committing to research projects is three-fold: He looks for work consistent with the direction of his past works, that will help address a gap in literature, and that is novel and broad enough to maximize the likelihood of noteworthy findings.

Trevorrow previously was awarded the Excellence in Scholarship Award in 2007.

A colleague who nominated Trevorrow for the latest recognition said the professor’s timely, ever-evolving and dynamic approach to scholarship underscores his commitment to helping the field grow. His latest research focus includes studies of epilepsy, attention deficit disorder and applied psychophysiology along with behavioral sleep science and impacts on health.

As the nominator writes, psychology’s emerging interest in sleep could yield important findings applicable to a diversity of people and to a better understanding of overall physical and mental health.

Blendine Hawkins talking to a group of students

Meanwhile, this year’s recipient of the CUH Excellence in Teaching Award is Psychology Assistant Professor Dr. Blendine Hawkins, who is director of Chaminade’s Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy program. The recognition celebrates teaching that has “lasting, positive impacts on students, deepens student learning and demonstrates overall excellence in teaching at the university.”

Hawkins certainly ticks all those boxes, says Psychology Assistant Professor Dr. Abby Halston.

In her nomination of Hawkins for the award, Halston said the professor seeks to assess students’ educational gaps in knowledge and skills—and then fill them. Hawkins is also a mentor to students as they seek to form their professional identities and develop an individualized pathway to their careers.

Indeed, Hawkins says her main passion for teaching is student empowerment.

With her undergraduate students, she seeks to help them critically analyze information, support their arguments with evidence, and develop into confident consumers of scholarly research. With her clinical master’s students, she challenges them to connect with clients while using best practices for effective care. And with her doctoral students, she demystifies each step of qualitative study design.

“Dr. Hawkins expects a higher level of performance from her students,” Halston said.

Sr. Malia Wong

Finally, Sr. Malia Wong received the inaugural Dr. Joseph Allen Collegiality Award, which seeks to recognize a faculty member who demonstrates values of collaboration, mentorship, and teamwork. Those who nominated Wong for the honor said she embodies Chaminade’s mission in her work.

Most notably, Wong spearheaded the “Marianists and the Arts: A Sense of Spirit, A Sense of Place” program, which tapped into the talents of peers to connect hands-on learning with Chaminade’s early Marianist founders. Participants said they were able to share experiences with people across departments while engaging with Chaminade’s history and strong focus on public service.

A colleague who nominated Wong said she embodies the central values of the university and its embrace of social justice and inclusivity. Another nominator, Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe, said Wong “puts the school’s mission in the forefront of whatever she does in teaching, service and scholarship.”

She is also known for random acts of aloha—from gifting flowers to sweet treats to notes of encouragement (and brightening days along the way). As Magpantay-Monroe put it, “Sr. Malia’s collegiality is beyond emulating the Marianist and Native Hawaiian values. She is spilling her acts of kindness and responsibility beyond Chaminade … and into our island community.”