Chaminade University of Honolulu

Faculty

Coming Home to Chaminade and Paying it Forward

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As part of an effort to open theological studies to more laypeople, Chaminade has significantly broadened its Master of Pastoral Theology (MPT) program to include opportunities for those interested in education, ethics, campus ministry, pastoral counseling and other direct service positions.

The MPT master’s degree at Chaminade has traditionally been geared toward a diaconate track.

But the program now welcomes those outside of that cohort—and is already seeing more students.

Dustyn Kainoa Ragasa

Dr. Dustyn Ragasa, director of the Pastoral Theology master’s degree program, said difficult philosophical and ethical questions facing our communities have driven up interest in theological studies programs nationally. He added that the MPT program at Chaminade is individualized to each student, offering a diversity of pathways and a curriculum designed to promote personal growth.

“Someone once told me that Hawaii is not a melting pot, but a mixed plate,” Ragasa said.

“Each culture’s specific contribution is not homogenized or boiled down to a set of common denominators, but preserved in their integrity so as to enrich through diversity. The MPT recognizes the specific gifts of culture that our students make to the learning experience. This kind of ‘mixed plate theology’ draws upon our heritages (and place-based theologies) so as to share them.”

Finding his way

Ragasa ‘07, who is also an assistant professor of Religious Studies at Chaminade, followed his own unique pathway to leadership at the university. He said he came to Chaminade a bit lost after dropping out of Waimea High on Kauai and then completing his GED. On his first day on campus—as the first student in his family to ever attend college—he wasn’t sure if he would be able to “hack it.”

“I thought, ‘I’m going to fail my first week.’ But the professors I had were so supportive from the beginning. When I was struggling, I knew they would be there,” he said, adding he was determined to succeed. And that’s exactly what he did—so much so that his professors encouraged him to pursue graduate studies and then helped him plot a course to a theology program on the mainland.

“They identified strengths in me that I couldn’t see in myself,” Ragasa said.

After graduating from Chaminade, Ragasa went on to earn a master’s degree from The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology and a doctoral degree from the Graduate Theological Union. He said while earning his graduate degrees, he pledged to himself to use all he was learning to do two things: “I knew I wanted to be of service to my community and I knew I wanted to help other students.”

And after receiving his doctoral degree, an opportunity at Chaminade just happened to open up.

Chaminade homecoming

He quickly applied and Ragasa joined Chaminade’s School of Humanities, Arts and Design faculty in August 2019.

For Ragasa, returning to Chaminade was an opportunity to give back—just as his mentors at the University offered guidance and inspiration to him. And he jumped at the chance to reimagine the MPT program, widening its scope and potential impact to bring in more students.

He said he wanted to focus on helping MPT students apply what they were learning to real-life problems. He also wanted to integrate laypeople in the program with those on the diaconate track, creating a rich and robust dialogue and building relationships that last long after graduation.

“Laypeople and candidates preparing for the diaconate learn side-by-side,” he said. “Contact with candidates helps laypeople to think more pastorally. Similarly, contact with laypeople helps candidates remain grounded, and many candidates will often learn from the academic insights of the lay students.”

Ragasa is also looking for new ways to expand and enrich the program.

Moving the MPT program forward

He said he’s interested in striking up partnerships with Chaminade’s Education and Data Science programs to offer Pastoral Theology students hands-on learning opportunities, such as in-classroom teaching experiences. And he wants to build relationships with theology programs on the mainland so that students who are interested could get the chance to study at another university for a semester.

Whatever the additions, Ragasa is confident the program’s faculty members—who come from a diversity of academic backgrounds—will continue to provide a rich and individualized experience for each student that includes both robust academic study and direct service opportunities.

With fieldwork and academic contemplation combined, he said, “it’s my hope that someone who reflects on theology will approach their ministry empowered by the intellectual tradition of the church.”

Dr. Joseph Allen: Reevaluating Our Criminal Justice System

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What does it look like to pursue social justice in the American justice system? 

Joseph Allen

Social justice movements across the US have prompted many to ask that question—and then quickly realize the answer is far more complicated and nuanced than they initially imagined. But that, says Dr. Joseph Allen, shouldn’t deter us from doing the hard work of reevaluating our criminal justice system.

The director of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Chaminade notes that critical research into the justice system is unpacking the actions of law enforcement agencies and how they can develop policies and practices that serve to protect communities while also committing to fairness and transparency.

Unfortunately, Allen notes, there are no quick fixes in this regard.

That’s because injustice isn’t hidden in a single institution or policy—or person. But Allen, who is also an associate professor at Chaminade, believes action research and dialogue across communities can help to drive positive change and highlight constructive and proactive (rather than reactive) solutions.

Allen recently sat down for a conversation on the justice system, the long history of social justice movements in the US and recent changes to the Master of Science in Criminal Justice Studies program that reflect modern developments and academic inquiry around the justice system in America.

How has crime changed over the past few years?

It really hasn’t changed a lot recently. Overall, crime rates are down almost across the board, and they have been on a general decrease over the past 25+ years. The rates of crime we are experiencing today are similar to the rates of the 1960s-1970s. This is hard for most people to reconcile because crime is, more often than not, the lead story on much of our news and media feeds. But, it’s true. Again, everything today is generally low, to begin with. That said, we have seen a slow down in the decreases in aggravated assault and sexual assault — these have leveled off a bit over recent years.

Our official crime data (via the FBI) lags behind about a year or two due to the large data compilation and analysis efforts. So, our most recent data comes from 2019. Data and trends will be interesting to see for 2020 and 2021 when they come out. Due to the pandemic, I expect what could be a noticeable drop in crime overall (as opposed to the general gradual decreases). I then expect that this will “correct” itself a bit in 2021 and increase to “expected” levels. 

Early indicators from the recent year and a half point to potential increases in domestic violence, substance abuse, and cases involving mental health. Albeit rare, we have seen some increases in gun and mass or workplace shootings. Lastly, white-collar and computer crimes are becoming more sophisticated and put those of us who are online at increased risk of having our personal information stolen or compromised. Many large corporations, online platforms, and government agencies have been hacked in various ways and are really in a struggle to keep up with digital security concerns. We each need to do our part and be safe when online.   

How does social media play a role in criminal justice?

Social media spreads word of events far and wide, especially if the news is sensational. This is good for simple news and awareness, but I think it unnecessarily creates increased levels of fear and anxiety in all of us when it comes to extremely unlikely events. Rare events are taken out of context and we tend to feel more vulnerable. This is in spite of the probabilities of these rare events happening to us being very minuscule. It is good that we learn from these events that are often tragic, but we need to keep in perspective that, again, we’re essentially living 1960s/1970s rates of crime. 

How has accountability changed?

With increased information, we become exposed to things that we may not have had in the past. Smartphones and social media have been the driving forces behind the amplification of this effect. To this end, we are all to some extent put under more pressure to act and behave accordingly. More so now than in the past, the criminal justice field has been forced to reflect on its policies and procedures. This has been the most noticeable in law enforcement due to several high-profile national cases. To say that many or even most of these cases were as “cut and dried” as some think, I believe is an understatement, but the truth of the reality is that there is almost always something to learn about, clarify, or update professional training when it comes to policies and procedures. These unfortunate incidents have made jurisdictions and agencies reevaluate legal policy and sometimes change procedures, especially when engaging citizens physically.

As for body-worn cameras (BWC), when I last studied the topic, a few things struck me as interesting. First, there was hesitation among most officers when first using body cameras (e.g., some felt that they would not react as instinctively and that the camera may put them at risk). Second, after using the cameras and getting used to them, most officers welcomed their use (e.g., could corroborate evidence, fewer complaints, less unfounded lawsuits). Third, everyone acts a bit “better” when they know the camera is on, both the officer(s) AND the individuals being engaged by the officer; in other words, things tend to not escalate as much with cameras in use. Lastly, and probably most importantly, is that the public felt that by putting BWCs on officers, there would be more transparency. This last point is vital when it comes to the citizenry trusting those charged with enforcing and carrying out the law.

When it comes to law enforcement, does a “bad egg” reflect that entire organization?

Law enforcement is not a profession for the weary. You must be prepared to face dangerous situations and dangerous people. When these things come together, the likelihood of someone having been victimized and there is a confrontation with police increases, and sometimes things can escalate. Mistakes can happen, whether it be the officer’s decision or following a bad policy/procedure, or something that is unclear or leaves a lot to interpretation. The leaders in our law enforcement field definitely feel the pressure to “get it right.” And I think that the vast, vast majority of the rank and file feel the same way, too. So, going back to the question, “does one bad egg [or incident] reflect the rest of the force?” To this, I say unequivocally, “Absolutely not.” No field is perfect, and you will always have bad actors or unfortunate incidents. To some extent, and rightfully so, I think that law enforcement gets put under the microscope at a higher magnification due to the core elements of being representatives of the law who are charged with protecting the public and property and serving the citizenry. In terms of government agencies and performance, the criminal justice system/field needs to continue to evolve and change so that integrity and trust are maintained, and results are shown. The police and other law enforcement agencies are not “off-the-charts bad” when it comes to efficiency, decision-making, and leadership. Like any other government agency and oversight, some cases bring about much-needed change and we all should agree that the law should apply to everyone equally, with law enforcement being held to the highest standard.         

Over the past few years, there has been more interest in criminology and criminal justice programs—why do you think that is?

The main thing that I see from students and those entering the criminology and criminal justice field is a desire to help make communities safer and our society a better place. The range of positions run the gamut from law enforcement to legal work to corrections and treatment to things like working with underserved or marginalized populations (e.g., children, impoverished, homeless, substance abusers, offenders looking to get back on the right path). Also, there is always the presence of preventing people from becoming victims of crime and to help them if they do end up being victimized. So, prevention and treatment efforts across-the-board and increased investigation/legal efforts are stressed in order that we have less crime to begin with, that the crime we do have is accounted for and there is a proper balance of treatment and justice for offenders in order to have less repeat offending in the future.

Those who are looking at the field nowadays I think feel a bit more extra pressure to hold their positions with the highest level of integrity. Additionally, I feel some who have entered the field recently or are looking to enter the field in the future are also looking to be part of changing things for the better. For what it’s worth, I think now and going forward is a great time for going into the field. There will continue to be bumps in the road, but our students will undoubtedly be part of needed changes in the system.    

Chaminade’s Criminology and Criminal Justice department updated its master’s program (M.S. Criminal Justice Studies). How does the new curriculum respond to the current criminal justice environment and community needs? 

During this past year, we updated our Master’s degree program in CJ. Previously, it was known as the “Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration.” It is now the “Master of Science in Criminal Justice Studies.” In general terms, we’ve made our curriculum more contemporary with a focus on not just the advanced pillars of the field, but also on contemporary issues that are entrenched in the criminal justice landscape today—ethics, research, civil rights, forensic psychology, terrorism, cybercrime and trauma and crisis intervention. The field is broadening from law and order to a sort of safety net for a host of social issues; those in the field, especially on the frontlines, dealing with a wider array of matters than in the past. This also includes more emphasis on the front-end (prevention efforts) and the back-end (treatment and reintegration). We feel that our curriculum better reflects these shifts in the field.

Lastly, on a practical note, a master’s degree gives students a leg up when they enter the field and during their careers. As things in the field open up as the mass exodus of the Baby Boomer generation continues to occur, advanced degrees will separate one from their peers even more. For entree into the field, a master’s degree will often help in terms of being able to substitute for years of experience (e.g., common is equivalent to 2-3 years of experience). Then, once in the field, opportunities that require or desire a master’s degree will come up; moreover, advancement and promotion in certain fields can get pushed up or given advantages because of the advanced degree. As time goes on and one becomes more entrenched in their career, a master’s degree in today’s work field is seen as a must if one is being considered for higher-level positions (e.g., director, supervisory, managerial). I feel that the “payback” or return on investment from obtaining a master’s degree is high in the long run for graduates; roughly a little over a year of studies will put the graduate in an advantaged position for the rest of their careers.

Dr. Kate Perrault Receives John B. Phillips Award

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Katelynn Perrault

Dr. Katelynn Perrault, an associate professor of Forensic Science and Chemistry at Chaminade, is celebrating special recognition for her hard work—in the classroom, in the lab and in the community.

In June, Perrault was honored to learn she’d received the John B. Phillips Award at the annual International GCxGC Symposium. The award recognizes early career researchers making significant achievements and advancements in the field of two-dimensional gas chromatography.

Perrault received the award after presenting a lecture at the symposium titled, “A Secret Guide to Learning, Using and Teaching GCxGC.” Two-dimensional gas chromatography is a sophisticated method that allows researchers to separate what type of chemicals are present in complex samples.

In her case, Perrault is studying odors produced by bacteria associated with decomposing bodies.

She says the research could better identify which chemicals are released from a body after death, something that ultimately could help in search and recovery efforts and one day “help to bring closure to families who may not have known how, where or why their loved one passed.”

Perrault was also recently recognized for a very different type of work.

The American Chemical Society named her a 2021 Outreach Volunteer of the Year for her work to organize National Chemistry Week events in Hawaii. The week includes hands-on activities at Kahala Mall and a statewide illustrated poem contest that garners hundreds of entries each year.

Dr. Kate Perrault teaching her forensic science students

“Science outreach is so important to me,” Perrault said, speaking about the recognition for her work with the society’s Hawaii group. “I believe it helps people to understand the world around them through a scientific lens. We are living through an age where being able to assess information and events around us is greatly helped by a basic understanding of science and technology.”

Perrault brings that same enthusiasm to the classroom, and was recently able to see three undergraduate researchers (Kyle Furuta, Danson Oliva and Hunter Yamanaka) from her lab—the Laboratory of Forensic and Bioanalytical Chemistry—present posters at an international conference that she also chaired. More than 300 researchers, experts, students and newcomers from around the world attended the virtual, three-day Multidimensional Chromatography Workshop in February.

“The conference gave me motivation and great ideas for the next work we will perform in my own research group,” she said, “and I am grateful for the ability to have been able to share these three days with everyone in the field. It is so important, now more than ever, that we are able to remain connected to our global network within research, even if we aren’t able to gather in person.”

Learning and Growing by Doing

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Dr. Lorin Ramocki believes in the power of learning and growing—by doing.

The School of Nursing and Health Professions professor has gotten high praise from her students, colleagues and community stakeholders for her innovative use of simulations—centered around hands-on, project-based learning—that help bring her curriculum to life and underscore its relevancy.

With clinical opportunities limited because of the pandemic, over the last academic year alone:

  • To prepare more than 60 Nursing students for work in COVID vaccination clinics, Ramocki created a mock clinic of her own and handed it over to participants to manage. Students learned about the varying roles at vaccination clinics, along with the patient education and monitoring.
  • Ramocki created a mock homeless camp (complete with volunteer actors) on campus for a simulation that gave Nursing students vital experience “treating” patients who are living on the streets, coordinating care with a treatment team and overcoming barriers to helping them.
  • Ramocki even had students put on their public health detective hats for a fast-paced epidemiology “unfolding case study” that tasked them with working out the source of a simulated Hepatitis A outbreak with 25 mock patients, each with unique back stories.
School of Nursing and Health Professions homeless simulation

Dr. Rhoberta Haley, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, said these types of simulations are obviously more engaging than lectures or rote memorization. And engaged students learn more. But their real power, she said, is in their immersive nature. In a simulation, students are embracing their roles as critical thinkers, as leaders and as team-based collaborators.

“Every step of the way in these simulations, Dr. Ramocki is asking her students to apply what they’ve learned and then build on it as they also work with their peers—whether it’s puzzling out a public health problem that impacts an entire community or ensuring that a single patient gets quality care,” Haley said. “Her students emerge from these simulations much more prepared for success.”

Haley added that she is especially impressed with how Ramocki has stressed not only the key foundational elements of her curriculum in the simulations, but important soft skills—like how to work with a patient to understand their unique needs or how to overcome the stigma of homelessness.

School of Nursing and Health Professions students participate in a vaccination clinic simulation

“That’s what learning by doing really means—doing the real work to understand its many facets.”

Dr. Ramocki said that she designed the simulations to engage students and provide critical clinical hours during the COVID-19 pandemic. Placements in the community for Public Health Nursing clinical course students were limited in 2020, with strict health protocols in place, so Ramocki improvised. “I wanted to give students the best experience possible during this time period,” she said, “when we were restricted to providing clinical experiences only on campus.” And so innovation was born out of adversity.

Dr. Ramocki’s simulated homeless camp was especially intricate.

School of Nursing and Health Professions homeless simulation

The realistic camp was built on campus and included eight case studies, with “patients” who had divergent backgrounds, back stories and health issues that were representative of the broader homeless population. In addition to helping students consider the psychosocial, financial and common medical problems among homeless residents, it also sought to help students develop empathy and reduce stigma as they worked comprehensively to serve a unique and high-needs patient population.

Dr. Ramocki also developed a tuberculosis clinic simulation that included modules for contact tracing, screening and testing, precaution protocols and various treatments. Each patient had a back story that students had to sift through in order check them in assessment and triage them to the appropriate service.

She said while the pandemic created the need for these simulations, she’ll continue to use them.

After all, she’s gotten her own hands-on learning in creating the simulations and rolling them out.

Students Showcase Work at Annual Na Liko Na‘auao

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Na Liko Naauao virtual event 2021 screenshot

Chaminade undergraduates across all disciplines gathered virtually in early April to present their ongoing research across a broad array of exciting areas, from Native Hawaiian traditional medicine to data science database development to the microbiome, coral bleaching and cancer cell research.

The undergraduate conference, Na Liko Na‘auao, is an annual event at Chaminade to showcase exceptional original work by students seeking bachelor’s degrees and underscores the breadth and depth of academic scholarship at the University. Fields represented at this year’s conference, which included 23 presentations in all, ranged from Biology to Data Science to the Forensic Sciences.

The Na Liko Na‘auao symposium was first held at Chaminade in 2002.

Among the impressive topics students tackled this year:

  • “Modeling The Microbiome Of Aa In Vitro Taro Digestion Model,” from Ava Dysarz
  • “Seasonal Difference In Carcass Decomposition On Oahu,” presented by Marietta Lee
  • And “Keawawa Water Analysis And Restoration,” from Dorie Sanborn and Trinity Young

Organizers say Na Liko Na‘auao not only gives undergraduates an opportunity to offer the broader University community a glimpse into what they’re working on. It also gives them a chance to hone their presentation and speaking skills, synthesizing their research for a general audience.

The public forum also gives students an opportunity to take questions, giving them insight into their research strengths along with potential areas for improvement, further exploration and collaboration.

Also at Na Liko Na‘auao, the recipients of two prestigious Chaminade awards were announced.

Dr. Lynn Babington, Darian Balai and Dr. Rylan Chon

The President Sue Wesselkamper Prize, which recognizes a student who has displayed academic scholarship beyond the classroom and has a record of service learning volunteerism and leadership, was awarded to Data Science student Dairain Balai, who is also minoring in Biology and Criminal Justice.

In nominating her for the award, Data Science program Director Dr. Rylan Chong said Dairain has participated in a host of leadership and research growth opportunities—and excelled in each of them.

And her work is already getting noticed. To continue her research on Native Hawaiian women’s health, Dairain was selected for a competitive spot as a paid research assistant at the University of Texas in Austin Texas Advanced Computing Center, where she is also serves as a mentor to other students.

Chong said Dairian, who graduated from Waianae High and is a Ho’oulu Scholar, “represents what Chaminade is all about locally, in her community, and on the mainland by going beyond the expectations of her service to community and education, development of her moral character, personal competencies, and commitment to build a more just and peaceful society.”

Danson Oliva, Dr. Kate Perrault and Dr. Lynn Babington

Also announced at the event: the recipient of the President Mackey Prize, which recognizes a faculty member at Chaminade with a record of student mentoring and a strong, ongoing commitment to providing students with research or creative experiences that go beyond the classroom.

This year’s awardee: Dr. Kate Perrault, an assistant professor of Forensic Sciences and Chemistry.

Undergraduate researcher Danson Oliva nominated Perrault for the honor, saying the professor is “extraordinarily passionate about the course material and wants every student to succeed.” Oliva added that working in a lab under Perrault has been a wonderful growth experience, allowing her to flex her scholarship muscles while also getting helpful and instructive feedback and mentoring.

“As a research mentor, she guides us but also helps us troubleshoot problems when they arise,” Oliva wrote. “With the help of Dr. Perrault, I have gone on to give two conference presentations on my project. It wouldn’t have happened if Dr. Perrault didn’t truly believe in our ability to succeed.”

Returning Home to Chaminade

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Lupita Ruiz-Jones

Dr. Lupita Ruiz-Jones, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Chaminade University, wants students to plan their careers with intention, so they end up doing work they love.

The key, she says, is pursuing and doing the things you are interested in, even when you don’t know where they will lead. After all, that’s what worked for her.

She was in high school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, when she learned about Chaminade University at a college fair. “I don’t think I ever would have heard of Chaminade except for that booth.”

She wanted to study human impacts on the environment, and she wanted to move away from the desert. Chaminade offered a major in environmental studies, and she was sold.

Seeking out opportunities and going after them has been a life-long pattern for Ruiz-Jones. It’s especially impressive when you learn she was raised by parents who didn’t complete college in a family without the trappings of success.

Her mother was always supportive but struggled with bipolar disorder. Ruiz-Jones’ father went to prison when she was 12, which she says had a significant impact on her. “I really appreciated the ability to choose where I put my attention,” she says.

Luptia Ruiz-Jones and Gail Grabowsky

In one of her first classes, Dr. Gail Grabowsky, now dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, told the students it was great they were there. “She told us, ‘You’re going to love what you do, you’ll make an impact, but you’re not going to become rich.’”

“That was fine with me,” says Ruiz-Jones. “I felt like as long as I loved what I did and made an impact, that was what was important to me.”

During her freshman year, she applied and was selected for a five-week summer program in India. “The goal of that trip was to see what small non-profits were doing in India,” she says. “It was really about human well-being and the different ways people were contributing by doing service to the really poor. It was an incredible experience.”

But the summer after her sophomore year at Chaminade, she started doing undergraduate research at Kewalo Marine Lab. That’s where she first got excited about biology and organisms in coral reefs.

Dr. Lupita Ruiz-Jones, professor and alumna

At the end of her summer research at Kewalo Marine Lab, her advisor Dr. Mike Hadfield invited her to continue there in an internship. He also encouraged her to take all the science courses she could, which pushed her into a fifth year of college.

She didn’t mind, though, because she wanted to participate in a Sea Education Association summer-at-sea sailing program that focused on environmental studies. She spent four weeks sailing from Hawai‘i to San Francisco on a tall ship sailboat.

“Wow, that was a really powerful experience,” she says. “We did biological oceanography research. I focused my project on invertebrates that live on the surface out in the middle of the ocean.”

Dr. Lupita Ruiz-Jones, professor and alumna

After graduating from Stanford University with her PhD, she received the Thinking Matters Teaching Fellowship and spent four years team-teaching there. That, she says, is where she developed her identity as a teacher and her love for teaching.

During the summers, she started collaborating with scientists at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology.

That’s how she ended up back at Chaminade, as an assistant professor this time, in Fall 2020.

Right now, she says, her goals are to find ways to integrate her passion for research, coral reef ecology, and restoration into her teaching. And she’d love to take students on field trips to neighbor islands or other Pacific islands. “If we could do something like that where we took students to more remote Pacific Islands for environmental education, that’d be very cool.”