Chaminade University of Honolulu

Featured Story

Our Capacity For Hope

Dr. Carolyn Woo bowed her head in prayer before addressing the audience gathered in the Mystical Rose Oratory. Then she began simply: “I’m here to talk about hope.”

As the latest guest in the Marianist Lecture Series, Woo offered far more than reflection. Through personal experience and global perspective, she challenged listeners to recognize both their responsibility and their capacity for hope—even amid devastating news and uncertainty in the United States and around the world. Her speech aligns with the University’s commitment to community partnership and impact, one of the commitments of the Strategic Plan.

Drawing from her years of humanitarian leadership, Woo shared vivid stories and metaphors. She recounted how a Guatemalan corn farmer, facing the loss of his land, adapted by cultivating papaya and ultimately built a thriving livelihood. She described how Chinese Christians, confronted with the destruction of religious statues, responded creatively—crafting an image inspired by a folk legend of a peasant woman carrying a light on her head, symbolizing Mary and the Christ Child. In each example, adversity became an invitation to resilience and renewal.

“The biggest blessing of my work at Catholic Relief Services is realizing that problems can be solved in significant ways,” Woo said.

Woo served as president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS)—the official humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community—from 2012 to 2016. Founded in 1943 by the Catholic bishops of the United States to assist survivors of World War II, CRS has grown to serve more than 200 million people in over 100 countries across five continents.

Before leading CRS, Woo built a distinguished career in higher education. From 1997 to 2011, she served as dean of the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Under her leadership, the college earned national recognition, including top rankings for undergraduate business education and consistent distinction for excellence in ethics education and research.

Acknowledging today’s social and political tensions, Woo reminded the audience that history, too, has known periods of darkness, including World War II. Yet resilience, she emphasized, is the signature of hope. Drawing from the theological virtues, she explained that hope emerges when faith is joined with charity—when belief is put into action.

Her international impact has been widely recognized. In 2013, Foreign Policy named Woo among its 500 Most Powerful People for her global leadership, identifying her as one of 33 individuals considered “a force for good.” In 2015, she was one of five speakers at the Vatican press conference introducing Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, and she later co-coordinated the Vatican’s Energy Transition Dialogues in 2018 and 2019.

Woo concluded with a call to personal responsibility: “Agency is the offspring of responsibility and capacity,” she said. When individuals recognize both, they can “build back better.”

At the close of the lecture, Woo was presented with the Mackey Award for Catholic Thought, named in honor of Fr. Robert Mackey, S.M., the first president of Chaminade University.

The Marianist Lecture Series—sponsored by The Marianist Center of Hawaiʻi, Chaminade University, and St. Louis School—fosters inclusive dialogue on Catholic thought and social responsibility. Gathered on the Kalaepōhaku campus in a spirit of community and shared purpose, attendees were reminded that hope is not passive optimism, but a call to resilient action.

Gratitude Celebrated at Scholarship Luncheon

“We’re grateful for you.” 

“We’re inspired by your generosity.” 

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” 

“We celebrate you.” 

“Mahalo nui loa and thank you so very much.” 

Those were the sentiments celebrated at the annual Chaminade Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon held February 13 at Clarence T. C. Ching Conference Center on campus. More than 115 donors, students, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate how financial support opens doors for students to reach their goals, go out in the world, and give back to the community. 

Fr. Martin Solma opened the luncheon with a prayer followed by remarks from President Lynn Babington, who shared that 346 students at Chaminade benefit from donor-funded scholarships and that 98 percent of all students receive some form of financial aid. Fifty-one percent of students are the first generation in their family to attend college. Vice President of Advancement Jill Higashi noted that none of this would be possible without the support of donors. 

Donor Keven Matsuura attended the lunch with his mother Diane Matsuura and spoke about how he did not know all that nurses do when caring for patients, until his father needed nursing 24-hour care until he passed away in 2024. Today the Kenneth and Diane Matsuura Foundation supports two scholarships for nursing students, which is his family’s way to give back to the community and to help alleviate the local nursing shortage. 

“We saw what nurses do and, thus, wanted to support local nursing students who plan to stay in Hawaiʻ’i,” Matsuura said. “We are proud to support students at Chaminade University and their lifelong commitment to hard work and advancement in the nursing field.”

Students Jason Edric Ulep ʻ27 and Tessa Stanley ʻ27 also spoke and shared their personal stories about why attending Chaminade has been a life changing dream come true, and expressed their gratitude for the scholarships they receive. The small class sizes, individualized attention, secure and safe campus have made the Chaminade experience fulfilling and meaningful as they pursue their studies and plan their careers after graduating next May. 

At the podium, Stanley opened her remarks by sharing two simple yet meaningful words: “Thank you.”

Watch this video that was shown at the Luncheon.

Criminal Justice program awarded $1 million grant for new training institute

Legal and law enforcement professionals from throughout the Pacific region will soon enjoy additional training and support thanks to one of Hawai‘i’s senators in Washington.

Chaminade University’s Criminology and Criminal Justice program, part of the School of Education & Behavioral Sciences, is receiving a $1 million federal education grant. The money will be used to establish a new institute for training criminal justice professionals from the Pacific Islands, especially South Pacific island nations and territories.

The new institute will be housed at Chaminade.

Kelly Treece, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and director of the program, said the name of this new institute hasn’t been decided yet. Whatever it’s called, the new institute will serve as “a hub for training and development for every aspect of the justice system,” Treece said.

“There’s nothing like it in the whole state and of course nothing like it in all the South Pacific.” Treece said the funds will be used to offset costs for professionals to travel to Hawai‘i to receive specialized training “so it makes it much more affordable.”

Chaminade University is home to the state’s oldest and largest criminal justice education program. The program already hosts students from Guam, Saipan, and other Pacific islands.

Chaminade University’s Criminology and Criminal Justice program is renowned throughout the Pacific.

The grant was secured as an earmark to a spending bill thanks to the legislative work of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. Schatz has been serving in the Senate as Hawai‘i’s senator since 2012.

The $1 million grant is part of a larger appropriations package that Senator Schatz negotiated for the state as whole.

“Despite some challenges in Washington, we secured nearly $34 million in new earmark funding for Hawai‘i and expect more to come,” Schatz said in a statement. “These earmarks will give local non-profits and infrastructure projects more resources to serve communities across Hawai‘i.”

His office said additional earmarked funds for the state could be announced within weeks.

Catholic School Fifth Graders Go to College

Fifth grader Ireland Baum waited on the lanai of the Sullivan Library, anticipating a day of college life with her classmates and peers from Catholic schools across the state. 

“I think coming here to Chaminade is a great experience so I can learn more about college life,” Baum said. “I think college is going to be fun because we get to learn new things and go to fun classes.” 

By the sights and sounds of active, engaged, and happy youths on Chaminade’s grassy, beautiful and safe campus, FUN is absolutely correct. 

Baum is one of approximately 350 fifth-graders who spent or will spend a day at Chaminade University this month, attending classes taught by university professors and then receiving a “diploma” presented by Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington in a special graduation ceremony in Mamiya Theatre. The first day was held yesterday, February 12, and will happen again on February 23. The “I Go To College” program is a partnership between Hawaiʻi Catholic Schools and Chaminade, immersing students from Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Hawai‘i island to college life at an early age and providing them with a fun, enriching day. 

In the “Amazing Brain Class,” students discussed the brain’s amazing abilities, its limitations, and its dysfunctions. Then talked about the field of psychology with a final message of patience and acceptance.  Students attended the “Catching Morphology Concepts through Pokemon” class to learn word parts (morphology) through Pokemon names and how those names align to abilities. Dr. Denise Dugan taught a class called “Mini Science Lab: The Invisible Ink Mystery” in which students engaged in a fast-paced, hands-on science experience. In the 30-minute lab, students acted as scientists by writing secret messages with an “invisible ink” and then revealing them using a color-changing indicator. 

Students also enjoyed a pizza lunch and took home their brand new diplomas and mortar boards which they received upon “graduating” from Chaminade. 

Thursday, Feb. 12,  the schools participating included: 

St. Joseph’s School, Hilo

Sacred Hearts School, Lahaina

St. Anthony School, Maui 

St. Theresa School, Kauai 

Our Lady of Good Counsel

St. Theresa School

St. John Vianney School 

St. Michael School

St. Louis School

On Monday, Feb. 23, these schools will vist: 

Sacred Hearts Academy 

St. Anthony School, Kailua

St. Elizabeth School 

St. Joseph Parish School

Maryknoll School

Holy Family Catholic School

St. Patrick School 

Mary, Star of the Sea School  

A seven-year longitudinal study* a college prep program for middle school students showed that “college visits were an integral part of the program.” Students who went on a campus visit had more positive perceptions of college than those who did not. Research also shows the importance of starting college and career planning, and awareness in middle school. Early exposure to a college campus makes a difference, especially among first-generation college-bound, and other underrepresented groups, which are an integral element to increase college enrollment and diversity on campus. 

*Research in Middle Level Education, Rich A. Radcliffe & Liz C. Stephens, 2008

$1.25 million grant for early intervention education

Chaminade University has been awarded a five-year, $1.25 million federal grant aimed at bolstering Hawai‘i’s early intervention workforce so that infants and toddlers with developmental concerns have greater access to high-quality and timely services. 

Elizabeth Park, Ph.D., who is a professor and director of Chaminade’s Early Childhood and Montessori Programs, said the islands face a critical shortage of early intervention professionals. The lack of early intervention services is especially acute in rural or Neighbor Island communities.

And the greatest cause of the shortage? A gap in higher education programming. Park said no university-level academic program in Hawai‘i previously focused on preparing early intervention (birth to age 3) professionals—and those who sought training on the mainland didn’t always return. 

With the grant funding, Chaminade plans to launch an Early Intervention Certificate and offer generous scholarships to cohorts. Project MĀLAMA (Mentoring and Advancing Local Access for Meaningful Achievement), as Park’s initiative is dubbed, will also work to build partnerships with local organizations so that students can get hands-on opportunities and job placement.

Park said the hope is to help build a stronger ecosystem for early intervention in the islands.

The inaugural cohort is slated to include 10 to 12 students with Jonathan Alexander (also pictured) serving as project co-director.

Early intervention services are delivered by a range of  professionals focused on cognitive development, including social workers, speech pathologists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. Park said early interventionists train on neurodiversity, inclusion and much more.

And, she added, early intervention can sometimes make all the difference. “Especially for those children who are really at the borderline, with a little bit of early intervention like speech therapy or physical therapy, they can really transition to the mainstream for education,” Park said. 

The early intervention grant comes as Chaminade continues to collaborate with the state Department of Health, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Kamehameha Schools and other entities to increase the number of highly-trained early childhood educators in the islands.

Park said a strong focus on serving Hawai‘i’s youngest keiki will pay big dividends.

And through Project MĀLAMA at Chaminade, “graduates will be well-equipped to deliver inclusive, equitable early intervention services across Hawai‘i,” Park said, in the grant application.

“The project strengthens long-term workforce sustainability,” she continued,” by fostering a pipeline of professionals who reflect the communities they serve and are committed to improving developmental outcomes for young children and their families.”

Park said she decided to apply for the grant after conferring with other professionals and academics focused on improving the pipeline of services to young children. She added the grant was a collaborative effort and was made possible with technical assistance from Chaminade’s Sponsored Programs and Research Integrity team and grant specialist Andrew Perez.

Additionally, Park said she received support from the state Department of Health, Executive Office on Early Learning, Hawaii Pacific University, University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, and Early Childhood Action Strategy.

Grant number H325M250147 .

Opening Doors to Early College

After registering for a day of college experiences at Chaminade University, twin brothers Lawrence and Andrew Robello sat patiently as other high school students trickled into Ching Hall for the third annual Early College Summit. The brothers say they felt genuinely welcomed by Chaminade. Seniors at St. Louis School, they are among the 92 high school students currently enrolled in the program’s fall 2025 term which culminated with the Summit on December 11th. 

“I like how the people are really welcoming here,” Lawrence says. “The college students don’t isolate us because we’re in high school but they welcome us in. If you also need help, the counselors, Ms. Kim (Baxter), Noe (Tugaoen), are there for support.” 

In addition to St. Louis School, students from Sacred Hearts Academy and Kapa’a High School attended the Summit that included interactive workshops and opportunities to connect with other students, Chaminade faculty, and Chaminade academic support programs. Students also engaged with peer mentors and participated in sessions on leadership, time management, and college selection, and were introduced to professors for their spring courses.

Students were impressed with tours of the dormitories, visits to the nursing labs and seeing the high-tech manikin (full-body patient simulator). A visit to the “Crime Scene” house with Professor Carlos Gutierrez of the school’s Forensic Sciences program was also a hit. Also on the day’s agenda: Discussions with Chaminade student-athletes on their athletic programs. Students also had the opportunity to speak with Chaminade admissions and the counseling center. 

“I love this program because it gets me ahead of the game and it opens doors for me, ” says Carlee Lomabita of Sacred Hearts Academy.

Chaminade University’s Early College Program allows high school students to earn college credit, as well as be eligible for high school credit. The program provides a college education to a diverse group of Hawai’i high school students, in line with the University’s mission to prepare leaders for tomorrow, ready to make impactful contributions to their communities and professions. 

Studies show that Early College students are better prepared for full-time college entry, college life and expectations. Students also tend to exhibit higher grade point averages, retention rates and graduation rates.

For more information on how to enroll in the Early College program at Chaminade, visit https://chaminade.edu/earlycollege/