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‘Native Voices’

January 4, 2024

Traveling exhibit makes its first Hawaii stop at Sullivan Family Library

Among medical librarians, the “Native Voices: Native Peoples Concepts of Health and Illness” art exhibit is its own version of Taylor Swift’s “The Era Tours,” having traveled across the U.S. for more than a decade now. Officially opened at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) on October 5, 2011, the multi-media interactive exhibition explores the interconnectedness of wellness, illness and cultural life for Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.

With a keen and long-held desire to help improve public understanding of Native American health challenges and honor the culture, tradition and healing ways of Native Peoples, Donald A.B. Lindberg M.D. (National Library of Medicine’s director from 1984-2015) interviewed more than 80 Native American health and community leaders, resulting in over 250 video clips, the largest such collection of Native American videos known to exist.

While the exhibition’s usual iPad stands didn’t make the trip to Hawaii, you can still watch the videos online. The traveling exhibition that’s on display at Sullivan comprises six free-standing banners: the title banner introduces the exhibition; and each of the other five banners focuses on one of the main themes of Individual, Community, Nature, Tradition and Healing. The categories touch upon such topics as Native views and definitions of health and illness, Native views of land, food, community, the earth/nature, and Spirituality as they relate to Native health and illness, and contemporary and historical roles of traditional healing in Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native and Native American cultures.

Krystal Kakimoto stands in front of the free-standing panels that make up “Native Voices: Native Peoples Concepts of Health and Illness.”

“I think this exhibit will resonate with Chaminade students, and the community in general, because they might see parts of themselves reflected back to them in the panels of the exhibit,” says Krystal Kakimoto, ’22 (MBA), Sullivan Family Library’s liaison librarian and director of library technical services. “For too long, Native knowledge surrounding health has been dismissed. This exhibit gives viewers a chance to reflect and critically think about health and wellness while learning about the resilience and adaptation to change inherit to Native communities.”

Stories drawn from both the past and the present examine how the determinants of health for Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives and American Indians are tied to community, the land and spirit. Through personal interviews, Native Peoples describe how individual and community wellness were affected by the political and cultural events of the 19th and 20th centuries. Individual reflections show the impact of epidemics, federal legislation, the loss of land and the inhibition of culture on the health of Native individuals and communities today. Collectively, these stories convey how Native people use both traditional and Western methods to enhance wellness, ultimately presenting an inspiring account of renaissance, recovery and self-determination.

Indeed, indigenous art often serves as a powerful medium for expressing cultural values, beliefs and experiences related to health and illness. Many indigenous cultures also hold holistic views of health that encompass physical, mental, spiritual and community well-being. “Native Voices” lays bare these interconnected aspects, emphasizing the importance of balance and harmony.

“I think the special twist on the Native part is that it’s so embedded in the land,” says one of the exhibit’s early key collaborators Marjorie Mau, M.D., physician and Chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, in one of the 250 video clips. “It’s like if the land is abused or misused or not cared for, the people are reflected by that. Hopefully, future generations will understand at least when Native people are talking about who they are, and how they can take ownership of their wellness, that they’ll understand their wellness can spring from their homeland and from where they come from.”

“Native Voices: Native Peoples Concepts of Health and Illness” will be on display at the Sullivan Family Library until January 19.

“Chaminade University connects academic learning with the local community, environment and culture, creating a unique college experience for our students,” says Kakimoto, chairwoman of the Hawaii-Pacific Chapter of the Medical Library Association, an organization of consisting of professional librarians, individuals and institutions in health sciences libraries. “This philosophy takes learning beyond the traditional classroom and aims to make learning more relevant, engaging and applicable to the real world. I hope this exhibit continues our tradition of place-based learning to contextualize health in relation to the ʻāina.”

Budget Analyst

December 19, 2023

Carol An Nacario ’23 to start new position with the Legislature

He had her at pizza. While walking past a classroom at Kieffer Hall, Carol An Nacario was swayed by School of Business and Communication assistant dean, Asoke Datta, Ed.D., to come in for some lunch. Not one to turn down free food — what college student does — Nacario willingly ambled through the door. Only then did she realize that she had just been recruited to enter the Silversword Business Competition.

“I only came in for the pizza,” laughs Nacario ’23, a business administration major. “I knew about the competition, but I had no intention of entering.”

Not only did she enter the competition, but on Nov. 16, she and her team members, Kelsey Sablan ’23, Epifania “Epi” Petelo ’23 and Elizabeth “Liz” Devine ’23, walked away with the grand prize of $1,500 for their “Re-Thread” entrepreneurial concept, which “sews new life into unused fabrics and transforms them into stylish and sustainable pouches.”

“Carol has been a highly driven student who values self-learning and entrepreneurial opportunities for growth in the world of business,” says Assistant Professor and MBA Director Eddie Merc. “This business plan competition event was an ideal opportunity to showcase her passion for teamwork and giving back to the community through service and sustainability efforts. I’m very proud of Carol and her team to represent School of Business and Communication so well at this important entrepreneurial venue.”

Re-Thread members (Elizabeth “Liz” Devine ’23 is missing) from left, Carol An Nacario, Kelsey Sablan and Epifania ‘Epi’ Petelo, won the $1,500 grand prize. The competition’s judges included, from left, David Oyadomari, Dr. Gail Grabowsky, Eric Fujimoto, Sharon Weiner and Hogan program director Dr. Roy Panzarella.

This was just the first victory for Nacario, who will end her collegiate experience on a winning streak. The second has even greater consequences. After seeing a flyer advertising that “The Hawaii State Senate is HIRING,” the Guam native decided to apply for one of the openings.

“I got a call asking me to choose an interview date,” Nacario says. “I chose Nov. 2 and a couple of weeks later, I found out I was hired, and I received an offer letter signed by Hawaii State Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.”

Starting in January, Nacario will be a budget analyst with the powerful Senate Committee on Ways and Means (WAM), which oversees programs relating to overall state financing policies, including revenue enhancement, taxation, other revenues, and cash and debt management; statewide implementation of planning, programming, budgeting and evaluation; and government structure and finance.

“The day before the interview, I approached Dr. Merc for some advice about what to expect,” Nacario recounts. “He told me to relax, and to be prepared to be asked about my strengths and weaknesses.”

Nacario also summoned the STAR method—a lesson that she had learned from visiting assistant professor, Pamela Estell, Ph.D.—which is an interview technique that gives interviewees a straightforward format they can use to tell a story by laying out the Situation, Task, Action and Result.

“I was very nervous at first,” Nacario says. “They asked me a lot of questions about budgets and if I had ever worked on government budgeting. I had mentioned VLOOKUP, which is an Excel function that I learned from Shari Young (Director of Finance & Operations for Make-A-Wish Hawaii) during my internship, and they were impressed.”

For the 21-year-old Chamorro, the opportunities afforded to her by Chaminade almost never happened. She was initially enrolled to attend the University of Guam until a close friend convinced her to apply to Chaminade. Two weeks before the start of classes in Guam, Nacario finally received an acceptance letter from Chaminade University.

“For some reason, the letter was delayed and it was never delivered when it should have been,” Nacario recalls. “It was the year of COVID and I had to quickly make a decision.”

She made the right one. As she finishes her final exams and celebrates her 22nd birthday on Dec. 16, Nacario reflects back on her four years at Chaminade with a wide smile on her face.

“When I came to Hawaii, I had never been to any other mainland state,” Nacario says. “I don’t think I would have grown in Guam, like I have here. I was an introvert and intimidated with titles, but now I am able to work in a professional environment, like the State Legislature.”

Iceland Beer Spa

December 11, 2023

E+ID students enter International Architecture/Design Contest

E+ID students’ presentation board for the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture/Design Competition.

After electronically submitting their final design concept to the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture Competition, Katherine Liu ’26, Farrah Dinh ’25, Jazlynne Williamson ’25 and Soraya Ortiz ’25 were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. For the past several weeks, the Chaminade Environmental + Interior Design majors were busy conceptualizing an eco-friendly space that would include a brewery, café snack bar, souvenir shop and full-service day spa facility.

“I asked them if they wanted to enter the competition, and they jumped at the chance,” says associate professor of Arts and Design Junghwa Suh, D.Arch, of the four students in her EID 384 class that focuses on sustainability in design. “It’s really impressive what they’ve been able to come up with in such a short amount of time.”

The overall competition was to replace an existing building on the property of the Sel Hotel, a family-run establishment, which is situated right in the Lake Myvatn area next to the legendary Skutustaoagigar craters, offering a prime location for a groundbreaking multi-purpose facility. The competition sought to create a landmark destination that reflects the spirit of the region and provides an unforgettable experience for both tourists and locals alike.

Katherine Liu ’26, Farrah Dinh ’25, Jazlynne Williamson ’25, Soraya Ortiz ’25 and Dr. Junghwa Suh take a selfie before submitting their final design concept to the Iceland Beer Spa International Architecture Competition.

“Dr. Suh informed us that during her trip to Iceland, a tour guide explained how horses huddle and have formations to maintain warmth,” explains Liu, who initially wanted to pursue a degree in industrial engineering. “We wanted to integrate this idea into our design somehow since Icelandic culture values horses a great deal, and our project was strongly based off of organic forms and the idea of ‘life emulating nature.’

“The showers and bathrooms, for example, represent a cell or ecosystem within the organic crater shape of the building,” Liu adds. “Since we needed a modular element in our design, we decided to have our terrace furniture mimic the horse formations, showing the different groupings, which could be easily rearranged.”

According to organizers, the competition was a rare opportunity to contribute to the evolution of hospitality and wellness in one of Iceland’s most enchanting regions. Designs had to be innovative and environmentally sensitive with the potential of making a lasting impact on the Myvatn Lake area and the world of architecture and design.

“This was the first time that Chaminade design students entered an international competition of this magnitude,” Suh says. “They’ve worked really hard and I’m proud of the final presentation.”

Praising Dinh, Williamson and Ortiz for their contributions, Liu says there was a lot of trust among them. “Jaz even let me take her laptop home because mine didn’t have some of the functions I needed to edit the design,” adds Liu, a student representative with the American Society of Interior Designers and a former intern with G70, a Honolulu architecture firm. “I even had her remotely take over my computer so we could finish this project on time.”

The finished design, “Da Crater Spa’t” creates a cohesive, functional and inviting space that caters to the various needs of guests. More importantly, the final product harmoniously incorporates the environs of Lake Myvatn, featuring basalt lava rock, natural ventilation, and eco-friendly finishes and materials that balance the serene beauty of the environment with the functional requirements of the project.

“They were super motivated and ambitious,” Suh says. “For three juniors and one sophomore, the level of their work is beyond impressive, and I hope they win.”

However, Liu, Dinh, Williamson and Ortiz acknowledge it’s going to be a difficult path. The competition, after all, is open to international licensed architects and designers who have years of experience in their respective fields. Still, the four Siverswords remain optimistic.

“If we win, we get to go to Iceland,” says Liu who plans on participating in a study abroad program in Florence, Italy next year. “After completing this project, my biggest takeaway was understanding the balance of adhering to a competition project timeline while continuously evolving design concepts through rigorous collaborative efforts.”

Cybersecurity Workshop

December 8, 2023

Expert warns of maintaining healthy online hygiene

Similar to what you would hear at a dentist office, Liam Wesley dispensed advice about the importance of daily hygiene during a Cybersecurity Workshop at the Data Science Center in Tredtin Hall. But for the cybersecurity expert, this means never using the same username nor the same password ever! Just like you would never keep using the same strand of floss.

In an era dominated by digitization, Wesley described the importance of robust cybersecurity measures that cannot be overstated. As online users navigate an increasingly interconnected world, the guardians of our digital realm are facing new challenges and adapting strategies to protect against evolving cyber threats. Wesley is among them fighting the digital perils.

The 90-minute Cybersecurity Workshop was hosted by the National Science Foundation ALL-SPICE Alliance, which includes the United Nations CIFAL CENTER of Honolulu, Information Technology and Services Department (senior director Jules Sukhabut), the Networking Department (director Joseph Rosario), Data Science, Analytics and Visualization Program (director Rylan Chong, Ph.D.) and the Computer Science Department.

Liam Wesley—a penetration tester and cybersecurity engineer with High Tech Hui, LLC and Cyberruptive—demonstrated some of the tools that professional hackers keep in their arsenal.

“We brought in Liam to demonstrate real cyberattacks, and discuss how a student can protect themselves for educational purposes and build awareness,” said Chong, Co-Principal Investigator of the National Science Foundation’s Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence (ALL-SPICE) grant. “Joe and I plan to pilot this cybersecurity workshop to Natural Sciences and Mathematics students to gauge interest. This will help us understand if there is interest for future workshops, larger workshops and/or a need for a cybersecurity course or program.”

Cybersecurity experts, like Wesley—a penetration tester and cybersecurity engineer with High Tech Hui, LLC and Cyberruptive—warn of the escalating sophistication of cyber threats, ranging from ransomware attacks that cripple essential services to targeted phishing campaigns exploiting the remote work landscape. The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices—AI voice assistants like the Amazon Echo and Google Home—coupled with the rise of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks, adds a layer of complexity to the battlefield.

In the face of these evolving threats, organizations are doubling down on best practices to fortify their defenses. This includes regular employee training to recognize and thwart phishing attempts, implementing multi-factor authentication, and keeping software and systems up-to-date with the latest security patches.

“Patching is absolutely necessary,” Wesley said. “But wait a few days to avoid the potential for buffer overflow, which are memory storage regions that temporarily hold data while it is being transferred from one location to another.”

Initially limited to Rosario’s computer science networking class, the workshop was eventually opened to all Natural Sciences and Mathematics students due to the importance of the topic and the large interest from Chong’s previous presentation on the topic.

One of the workshop’s primary goals was to bring awareness and introduce education innovation. Chong explained that the topic is very important for the University’s DSAV, CS and NSM students, as many of them are doing research, working with data and sensitive data at various organizations for jobs and internships, and using computers.

“Instead of traditionally just bringing in someone to talk about cybersecurity in general, our goal was to make this relevant to the students to build awareness, address on the national security level the lack of cybersecurity education in schools, and an approach to work on better securing our campus,” Chong said. “In addition, we are planning to take an innovative educational approach by actually demonstrating how easy it is to hack and simulate how bad a cyberattack can be to an organization.”

The landscape of cybersecurity is indeed dynamic and ever-evolving. Experts agree that a collaborative, proactive approach—comprising technological innovation, regulatory compliance and ongoing education—is essential to safeguarding our digital world against the relentless tide of cyber threats.

“There was a lot of information, which was hard to keep up with,” said data science and visualization major LaVelle White ’26. “He explained pretty well how hackers get into systems, even though I can’t hack, but I understood the concept.”

Early Childhood Education

November 30, 2023

Flex program allowed Sienna Delano to work in a classroom and as a fairytale character

She has been Snow White. She has dressed up as Belle. And Sienna Delano ’23 has even donned on the wings of Tinkerbell. Her ultimate princess fairytale, though, came true in May when she slipped into her blue gown and sashayed across the stage to receive her Chaminade University bachelor’s degree at the Waikiki Shell. But, it has not always been an animated Disney fantasy world for the Kapolei resident.

“When I was in high school, I was dealing with health issues that impeded me from actually attending school,” says Delano, who received a B.S. in Early Childhood Education. “The underlying problem was gastritis, which caused me to pass out a lot, and I was throwing up everything I ate. I really hit rock bottom, but I used my mind to heal myself.”

And it worked with the help of her parents, Ken and Jacqueline, who are both psychologists. Delano ended up getting her high school degree online with Penn Foster. And when she finished her last class at 10 p.m., she recalled waking her parents up and screaming “I just finished.” She was only 16 years old, but this self-described “hustler” has always been somewhat of a wunderkind.

Chaminade University president, Dr. Lynn Babington, presented Sienna Delano with her bachelors degree.

“Even though I got better, I was already enrolled in Chaminade’s Flex program, and I decided to stay with it,” Delano says. “Plus, I didn’t have my driver’s license then, and even though I do have my license now, I still don’t really like to drive.”

Chaminade’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) bachelor’s degree is aligned with state requirements and National Association for the Education of Young Children standards. The ECE major is flexible, and is offered through online courses that allow students to fit instruction into a busy schedule.

“We did some surveys and early childhood educators indicated that their life situations don’t allow them to take in-person courses,” says Dr. Elizabeth Park, associate professor and director of the Early Childhood and Montessori programs. “So what we did was really spend the energy and time to design robust online courses, so that we could really meet the needs of our educators.”

Delano understands the importance of early childhood education, and how it lays the groundwork for a child’s lifelong learning journey, contributing to their intellectual, social and emotional development. The positive experiences and skills acquired during these formative years create a strong foundation for success in school and in life.

“I started the Flex program in 2020 and my goal was to become an early childhood educator in a couple of years,” Delano says. “I really liked Chaminade’s online modules, which allowed me to set my own pace.”

Delano decided she wanted to become a second or third grade teacher because she enjoys reading to kids, a skill that she cultivated and strengthened while working at Storybook Entertainment Hawaii, which primarily provides character entertainment for private parties.

“I’ve always loved reading,” Delano says. “When I was young, I would read with my dad in a green chair that was designated for reading. I’ve probably read six to seven books this year alone.”

Delano’s parents have always stressed to her and her three sisters the importance of the mind and how to best use it to their advantage. She believes in the importance of using one’s mind lies in its transformative impact on personal development, cognitive abilities, emotional well-being and the overall quality of life.

“Even though I didn’t have the in-person campus experience, I was still able to create a lot of memories online,” says Delano, who will finish her student-teaching requirement at Kapolei Elementary School in December. “We would have ‘Session Rooms’ and ‘Workspaces” where we could post our ideas and have peer interaction.

“Sr. Malia Wong even had us submit videos of ourselves so it felt like we knew each other,” Delano adds. “She made me cry … in a good way. She called me an inspiration and said to me ‘Maybe I’ll see you as a princess.’”

I Go 2 College

November 17, 2023

Fifth graders experience campus life for a day

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

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

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

Bro. Ed Brink teaches fifth graders about Laudato Si.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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