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39th Annual Maui Invitational

Tournament officials decide to shift location to Oahu  

It’s official. The 39th Annual Maui Invitational will be played on O‘ahu, from Nov. 20 to 22. Tournament officials attribute the necessity to relocate the event due to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s current use of Lahaina Civic Center as its Disaster Recovery Center for Maui wildfire recovery efforts.  

“We understand that circumstances warrant moving the Tournament, which has been held on Maui for the 37 years,” says Dr. Lynn Babington, President of Chaminade University of Honolulu. “However, this year is like no other, and it will stand alone in history as one of the most difficult for our West Maui residents.”  

Ironically, the tournament returns to the city where it all began. In 1982, Chaminade, then a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school, shocked the collegiate sports world by defeating No. 1 Virginia, led by two-time national player of the year Ralph Sampson, in Honolulu.  

Often considered one of the premier in-season tournaments, the 2023 Maui Invitational assembled one of the strongest fields in the tournament’s history with Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, UCLA and Chaminade University, which has hosted this event for the past 36 years. Combined, the eight teams boast 263 NCAA Tournament appearances, 17 NCAA Tournament Championship Titles and three AP Coach of the Year award—Mark Few (2017), Bill Self (2009, 2016) and Shaka Smart (2023).  

“While we have to move this year’s Tournament off of Maui, we are determined to celebrate and honor the culture and traditions that make this event so special,” says Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperSports LIVE, the operator of the Maui Invitational. “Throughout this process, we’ve seen the spirit of ‘ohana in action. Thank you to Governor Josh Green, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and Mayor Richard Bissen, as well as the staff at Chaminade University of Honolulu and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa for working tirelessly with us to keep this tournament in Hawai‘i.”  

Other college basketball programs across the country are showing their support for Maui through charity games and fundraisers. Michigan State hosts Tennessee on Oct. 29 in a charity exhibition, while Kansas and Illinois will do the same in Champaign, Illinois. Saint Mary’s will visit Honolulu on Oct. 20 to play an exhibition game against Hawaii at the Stan Sheriff Center.  

Meanwhile, the Maui Invitational launched its Hoops for ‘Ohana online auction last week in partnership with Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. All the proceeds will go directly to wildfire relief and recovery efforts. Fans can bid on unique items donated by past Maui Jim Invitational basketball programs and Tournament partners.  

“Although this year’s Invitational will be held on O‘ahu, Maui will forever remain in the hearts and minds of the teams who participate in it,” Babington says. “We feel a heightened responsibility to support our Maui neighbors, and we look forward to returning home to Lahaina in 2024.”  

Environmental Leaders

Changemakers discuss their path to policymaking

One is nicknamed by her husband as the “Irresistible Force.” The other is known as “The Enforcer.” And the third has a spouse who wholeheartedly stands behind him—even if it means wielding a tire iron. Together, Althine Clark, Celeste Connors and William Aila, Jr., respectively, represent a “super power” to contend with when it involves environmental policy and activism in the islands.  

“The goal of this session is to have our guest speakers talk about how they got where they are today,” said Clark, a Chaminade adjunct professor who recently retired as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) superintendent of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. “You’ll hear real-life examples of what it’s like to live a life in environmental policy.”  

In his opening story, Aila recalled a time when he was young with a fervent commitment to do whatever it took to preserve the aina–even if it meant physical confrontation. “I saw these three guys one day and I confronted them because they were mistreating a cultural site,” Aila shared with the students. “I asked them to stop and I started to move towards them. When you’re about to get into a fight, you look at the person’s eyes and then watch their shoulder. But these guys kept looking behind me so I thought I was going to be ambushed. And when I had a second to look back, I saw my wife standing there with a tire iron in her hands.”  

Today’s environmentalists are faced with many forms of violence—and even death at times. The non-governmental organization Standing Firm has published an annual report on the killings of land and environmental defenders around the world every year since 2012, after the murder of Chut Wutty, a Cambodian environmentalist who worked with the Global Witness CEO Mike Davis investigating illegal logging.  

While stationed in Greece as an economics officer with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Celeste Connors once remembered seeing a bullet lodged in her office window. “There was so much anti-American sentiment at the time,” said Connors, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Green Growth, which is a United Nations Local 2030 hub that brings together diverse stakeholders committed to economic, social and environmental priorities. “But when I told them I was from Hawaii, everyone started reaching out because they can connect with Hawaii.”

Indeed, Hawaii holds a special place with Connors who decided to come home in 2015 after serving as a diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Greece, Germany and U.S. Mission to the UN. She later was named the Director for Environment and Climate Change at the National Security Council and National Economic Council in the White House (2008-2012), where she helped shape the Administration’s climate and energy policies, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Connors also worked with the United Nations on the Paris climate agreement that was signed in 2016, which she sees as inspiration for Hawai‘i Green Growth’s goals.  

“The world is at a point where we desperately need solutions,” Connors asserted. “Since I left home, there has been a cultural renaissance, and other nations are now looking to indigenous models, such as Hawai’s ahupua‘a system, to become sustainable and independent. Think locally but act globally.”  

With a background in urban and regional planning, Clark understands the complexity of environmental law and policy, a class (ENV 300) that she is currently teaching to sophomores and juniors. Her introductory course outlines environmental policy and law—specifically its nature, development, flexibility, and growth, and to the ethical dimensions surrounding the creation of state, national and international environmental policy and law.  

“No is not an option nor an answer,” Clark said. “I’m now seeing lots of communities get engaged. One of the reasons I agreed to teach at Chaminade is because the University encourages students to get involved in projects that benefit society.”  

Asked by a student how to deal with climate change deniers, Aila said try to first reason with them. “And if that doesn’t work, go around him, go above him, go below him,” he advised. “Don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t. Instead, use those words as a motivator, and go out and make a difference.”                

Community Service

Catholic Charities Hawaii renders aid to Maui residents

A day after the catastrophic Maui wildfire, Tina Andrade was already anticipating a groundswell of pleas for assistance. As the Chief Operations Officer of Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Andrade is no stranger to emergency crisis. After all, the aftermath of COVID-19 still lingers among some residents who continue to struggle financially, physically and emotionally.

“I am on Maui right now, and we are meeting with families on the west side,” says Andrade, who joined Catholic Charities Hawai‘i in 2003 as its vice president in mission integration and was appointed earlier this year to serve as the nonprofit’s Chief Operations Officer. “We’ve been giving them gift cards and solar lights, which also serve as phone chargers. We’ve distributed food, water and personal items. And we’ve placed families in Airbnb rentals, and will be helping with rental assistance/housing stability. We’ve also had counselors meeting with individuals.”

Serving Hawai‘i since 1947, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i has rendered aid to local residents of all faiths and cultures in previous disasters, including Hurricane Iniki, the recent Kīlauea eruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the worst natural catastrophe in Hawaii’s history.

Tina Andrade has been with Hawaii Catholic Charities since 2003, and is currently the nonprofit's Chief Operations Officer.
Tina Andrade has been with Hawaii Catholic Charities since 2003, and is currently the nonprofit’s Chief Operations Officer.

“We typically serve approximately 40,000 individuals per year,” says Andrade, who engages the local community in Catholic Charities Hawai‘i’s mission through its Social Policy efforts and with the neighboring islands advisory boards. “We provide more than 40 social services and programs, ranging from rental assistance and mental health to immigration and senior advocacy to assist our kūpuna.”

Born and raised in Honolulu, Andrade graduated from Kamehameha Schools, and received her bachelor’s degree in religious studies (2005) and master’s degree (2014) in pastoral theology from Chaminade University.

Prior to joining Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, she was an educator at several Hawai‘i Catholic schools and worked within the Catholic community in the area of religious education and social ministry. Additionally, she has an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Transformational Leadership from Notre Dame University and a Professional Certificate in Human Resource & Workforce Development & Management from Michigan State University.

“I started with Catholic Charities Hawai‘i years ago as a receptionist until I decided to enroll at Chaminade,” Andrade says. “I really believe in our mission and our values—which are similar to Chaminade’s— that were first established by the Maryknoll Sisters. We seek to help strengthen families in the community and, to do so effectively, we partner with government agencies, hospitals and parishes, and we’re also part of Aloha United Way’s 211 helpline.”

With affordable housing as the number one priority in Hawaii—especially on Maui right now— Andrade has collaborated with community partners in securing $200 million to build affordable housing. As part of Catholic Charities executive team, she helped oversee the distribution of more than $150 million in federal rental assistance to tenants during the pandemic.

“Tina has been a trusted and collaborative member of our executive team for the past 20 years, helping us identify the priorities of our agency’s social policies to address poverty and social justice,” says CEO and President Robert Van Tassell, in a released statement. “With her extensive knowledge of our organization’s history, programs, personnel, partners and future potential, she is a natural fit to run CCH’s day-to-day operations.”

Celebrating its 75th anniversary last year, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i continues to serve as a beacon of hope for the state’s most vulnerable populations. It all started in 1859 when the Catholic Women’s Guild provided food, clothes and medical aid to immigrant plantation workers. The association was later reorganized by Bishop Sweeney as Catholic Charities in 1942. Recognizing that Hawai‘i was in dire need of social services following World War II, Sweeney contacted the Maryknoll Sisters, a group of New York women who exemplified their faith by devoting their lives to others.

“The Maryknoll Sisters’ primary emphasis was putting their faith into action,” Andrade explains. “That faith is what brought me here. It’s what keeps me here. We have one mission—to provide compassionate care—but there are many ways to carry out that mission.”

New Student Orientation

Incoming class of freshmen familiarize themselves with campus resources

Across the nation, thousands of freshmen will mark a rite of passage this month, standing in that liminal space between what lies behind and what awaits ahead—between the familiar past and the unpredictable future. As Davis and Rian Wakefield helped their daughter, Shalei Parong, check in to the Hale Pohaku dormitory during New Student Orientation, they felt a mix of emotions: sadness, worry and excitement.

“At least she’s close to home,” said Davis Wakefield, a firefighter with the Hawaii Fire Department based in Kona. “This is her choice to come here, and we support her decision; it’s a new chapter of her life.”

Writing their own stories was a key theme in Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington’s welcoming message to incoming students during the Academic Convocation at the Mamiya Theater. Another one of her keynotes involved the principles of a holistic, Marianist education, focused on service, justice, peace, adaptation and change.

“You’ve chosen to attend a warm and welcoming liberal arts University,” Babington told students. “You will form bonds here, and you’ll delve new ways of thinking and discerning who you are and who you want to be.”

Students write their names on tags.
Incoming freshmen received a lanyard for their student ID cards.
Checking in for New Student Orientation.
Signing in for New Student Orientation.
Waiting for the app Canva to open.
Faculty members stood outside of Mamiya Theater.
Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington to address students.
It was a full house at Mamiya Theater.
Trying to navigate the Kalaepohaku campus.
Faculty members gather for the Academic Convocation.
Faculty members gather for the Academic Convocation.
Fr. Chris Wittmann led the group in prayer.
Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington and faculty members welcomed new students during the Academic Convocation.
Chaminade Provost Lance Askildson explained that higher education is an intellectual exercise in application and reflection. 
Students applaud the words of Dr. Lance Askildson.
Chaminade Student Government Association President, Pamela Oda, advised new students not to fear change.
Students walk out of Mamiya Theater after Convocation.
A group of freshmen explored the Kalaepohaku campus.
Learning about campus resources.
Orientation leaders flash their shaka of approval.

Mandatory for all freshmen and transfers, the New Student Orientation (NSO) is designed to acquaint new students with the campus and the many available campus resources that enhance both academic success and personal development. Orientation activities focus on several important areas, including the curriculum, academic advising, college success, scholarships and financial aid, campus activities, student services, student organizations, Silversword Spirit and campus facilities.

“As I look into the audience, I see the many incoming college students who are unsure about what the future holds, already starting to feel homesick, thinking whether you made the right decision or not,” said Chaminade Student Government Association President Pamela Oda in her address to fellow students at the Academic Convocation. “College is a chapter in your life that involves the word that many people dread—change. Be open to the change and new experiences, don’t fight it!”

Freshman Jordan Ponsar ’27 said he was “stoked” when he was offered a soccer scholarship to attend Chaminade. The Long Island, N.Y., native was quick to make friends on move-in day, helping resident assistants, Kelsey Sablan ’23 and Micah Sanders ’24 at the check-in desk in the lobby of Hale Pohaku co-ed dorm.

“I’m going to make the most of my four years here,” said Ponsar, flashing the shaka sign. “This is all new so I look forward to all the future opportunities and experiences.”

In his opening comments, Senate Faculty President Dr. David Carter rhetorically asked, “Do you know what you’ve gotten yourselves into?” His question elicited some nervous laughter from the audience, but his answer was simple. “You’ve enrolled in a university where we want to get to know you,” said the Director and Professor of Forensic Sciences. “Being in the classroom with students is my happiest time of the week. I hope you learn from me as much as I learn from you.”

Navigating a successful collegial life is not always easy, especially during freshman year when everything seems foreign and unfamiliar. Yet Chaminade’s ‘ohana spirit provides a comfortable and safe environment that makes it easier for students to explore. Students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, to be curious, to embrace adaptation and to try something new. 

“You are here because we see in you the potential for transformation through higher education and the opportunity to live an examined life in service to yourself and your community,” said Dr. Lance Askildson, Chaminade Provost and Chief Academic Officer. “This is, in truth, an exhilarating yet also quite challenging inflection-point in your life.  You will struggle and even fail at times to achieve your goals—and that is OK. We are all here, as a community of faculty, staff and administrators, to support you and your journey.”

In her concluding remarks, Oda offered some sage advice. “As you start this new chapter in life, be open to experiencing new things and opportunities because you never know what could happen,” she advised. “As you meet new people, keep in mind that everyone comes from different walks of life and may not have experienced the same things you have. Each of you has your own unique story, embrace it. Once again, welcome to the Silversword ‘Ohana and SWORDS UP!”   

Celebrity Emcee

’96 alumna and former Miss Universe to host Silversword Reunion

How a young wahine who rode the #53 Bus from Pearl City every day to get to school landed on the international stage is a Cinderella story. At 26 years old and 128 days, Brook Meahealani Lee became the then-oldest woman to be crowned Miss Universe in 1997. It was as much a surprise to her, as it was to a worldwide audience of more than 600 million viewers.

“It was a lot to process at the time,” said Lee, a ’96 alumna who majored in English with a minor in Communication. “One moment I was in Shreveport, Louisiana, the next I’m in Miami, Florida. Next was Toronto, Canada and then back to Los Angeles. It was a whirlwind that year.”

Of mixed Hawaiian, Korean, Dutch, English, French, Portuguese and Chinese ancestry, Lee became the first indigenous person and Asian American to wear the crown. It was a sparkling moment, for sure, preceded only by equally memorable answers to two of the Miss Universe Final questions.

However, before getting to what made Lee’s remarks so memorable, there’s a bit of backstory. At that time, Lee’s predecessor, Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado, came under public scrutiny for her weight gain, drawing considerable press attention. So when host George Hamilton asked, “Miss Universe has recently been the subject of a lot of press attention about her weight. If this happened to you, how would you handle it?”  

Lee perfectly offered up one of the best answers in pageant history. “I would take a good hard look at myself and I’d look from the inside out and I’d know that I was the same girl that was crowned that day,” Lee said. “So if I go up or go down—I get taller, I get shorter. My nose gets bigger… smaller. I’m still who I was when that crown was on my head and I’m a good representative no matter what.”

Yet, it was her response to the Miss Universe Final Question #3 that drew the loudest cheers and hysterical laughter from the audience and Hamilton. If social media existed then, her answer surely would have gone viral. And not for the unfortunate reasons most pageant answers make the social media rounds these days—Lee’s was amusing, frank and completely authentic in a very Hawaiian sense.

Asked: “If there were no rules in your life, for one day, and you could be outrageous, what would you do?” Lee unhesitatingly responded with: “I would eat everything in the world. You do not understand. I would eat everything twice.”

“It was a little bit of a jab at the President of Miss Universe Organization, who was the one who criticized the weight gain of my predessor,” said Lee, recalling that moment on stage. “But I don’t think he ever got it.”

Prior to winning Miss Hawaii USA and then being crowned Miss USA, Lee had minimal pageant experience. She said the first Miss Hawaii Competition she competed in, she lost big time. She would go on to win the title in 1997, which earned her a scholarship to Chaminade University. Walking through Henry Hall, Lee reminisced about her time on campus, pointing out Room 227 as the classroom where she sat for her English classes.

“I feel like I’m Jane Jetson; everything is so new,” quipped Lee, who will emcee the Silversword Reunion in October. Gesturing to the Sullivan Family Library, she pointed out that it didn’t exist when she was around, nor did the Athletics Coaches’ Office Complex below the parking structure.

While a lot has changed and improved since Lee’s time at Chaminade, some things remain the same. The Kalaepohaku campus is still as inviting, and students still need to climb all the steps to reach “Mount Kiefer.”

Brook Lee with her son Fynnegan, daughter Bailey and husband Tory Mell.
Brook Lee with her son Fynnegan, daughter Bailey and husband Tory Mell.

After her reign as Miss Universe, Lee made several cameo appearances in movies and television shows, and has hosted many television shows in Asia and the United States. She has also been a judge at Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, and served as a color commentator for past Universe Pageants.

After permanently returning to Oahu from Los Angeles three years ago, Lee now juggles her time between being a mother of two, a supportive spouse and three gigs. She is the host of KHON2’s “Modern Wahine Hawaii;” she is the co-host for the Podcast “It’s a Hawaii Thing;” and she dances hula at Halekulani’s House Without a Key.” She also believes in service to the community, taking on the Artistic Director role with the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, where she produces the annual Lei of Stars installation of Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame inductees, and serves as the secretary for the nonprofit BEHawaii.

“My work with BEHawaii has been deeply meaningful as we started around a simple dining room table in Kapālama committed to elevating musicians in Hawaii and branching out in ways I would have never imagined,” Lee said. “BEHawaii is committed to finding solutions for our Lāhui in diverse ways, and holding fast to our Kūpuna and their wisdom.”

The group also launched the Lei Poinaʻole Project, which aims to revitalize, strengthen and support the Hawaiʻi lei industry. Lei Poina‘ole means “the never forgotten lei,” and the project is committed to this vision, so that the Hawaiʻi lei industry and its people are never forgotten.

To increase awareness and generate demand for locally grown flowers, materials, and lei, program leaders said the message is simple: “When you buy locally produced lei, you are nourishing our ʻāina, supporting Hawaiʻi farmers, preserving local traditions, and sharing aloha throughout our community.”

And aloha is what Lee has shared and breathed ever since she was a keiki riding the #53 Bus to school.    

Making Dollars & Cents

Demystifying Financial Literacy

Chaminade president Dr. Lynn Babington is flanked by, from left, Andrew Rosen, president and CEO of Hawaii State FCU, Greg Young, president and CEO of HawaiiUSA, Dr. Annette Santos, interim dean, School of Business and Communication, and Dr. Guanlin Gao, director of Chamiande’s Economic Education Center for Excellence and associate professor.
Chaminade president Dr. Lynn Babington is flanked by, from left, Andrew Rosen, president and CEO of Hawaii State FCU, Greg Young, president and CEO of HawaiiUSA, Dr. Annette Santos, interim dean, School of Business and Communication, and Dr. Guanlin Gao, director of Chamiande’s Economic Education Center for Excellence and associate professor.

For a couple of hours on a Tuesday morning, Hale Hoaloha’s R301 became a trading floor, with buyers and sellers brokering deals during a stock market simulation game. Waving a card in the air—like a trader would do on a Stock Exchange—Waipahu High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher Russell Park walked around the room, booming, “Who’s selling? I’m buying!” The exercise was all part of the Economics and Personal Finance Literacy Summer Institute, led by Dr. Guanlin Gao, Director of Chamiande’s Economic Education Center for Excellence and an Associate Professor of Economics with the School of Business and Communication.

“No takers,” said Park, after the first round. “What I’ve learned so far I wish I had known years ago. I have also realized the importance of sharing this information with kids—to prepare them for the real world.”

According to Gao, this summer institute offers students essential knowledge and skills on how to allocate limited resources they have in life, such as time and money, in the most efficient way to satisfy their wants and needs. It also prepares them to better understand and respond to the events that shape their economic environment and financial well-being.

“We’re all natural-born economists,” said Gao, while looking around the classroom. “You might not just realize it … for now.”

Initially intimidated by graphs and charts, DJ Woodard of Waianae High School, grew comfortable with the classes after the first day. On the trading floor, she used her savvy and some recently-learned buzz terms to clinch a deal and made a profit.   

Dr. Gao's Economics and Personal Finance Literacy Summer Institute curriculum included such topics as market operations and government interventions, environmental economics, personal finance education and financial wellness.
Dr. Gao’s Economics and Personal Finance Literacy Summer Institute curriculum included such topics as market operations and government interventions, environmental economics, personal finance education and financial wellness.

“This shows us how to give our students a financial foundation,” says Woodard, a transition coordinator. “It gives them exposure to financial literacy, such as budgeting and saving.”

According to Gao, this institute is taught in a combination of lectures (with an emphasis on real-life examples and situations), in-class games and group activities, hands-on projects and field classes. The curriculum includes the economics and personal finance concepts based on the Hawaii Department of Education (HDOE) Social Studies Common Core standards, including such topics as market operations and government interventions, environmental economics, personal finance education and financial wellness. 

“I wish this was available when I was young,” Woodard lamented. “I would have had a better financial foundation. But I guess at 60 years old, it’s never too late.”

Through the training, participating teachers received access to teaching resources, including ready-to-adopt lesson plans—which Woodard said she plans to use—and one-on-one assistance in adopting and adapting lesson plans for specific grade levels.

A 10th grade health teacher at Farrington High School, Jan Halpenny was part of the first cohort from last year’s institute. So, too, was Kalelani Ogata, a special needs teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School.

“Students are so ill-prepared financially,” said Halpenny, who attended this year’s luncheon finale. “They don’t even understand the most basic of finances, such as supply and demand.”

Hale Hoaloha’s R301 became a trading floor, with buyers and sellers brokering deals during a stock market simulation game.
Hale Hoaloha’s R301 became a trading floor, with buyers and sellers brokering deals during a stock market simulation game.

For her part, Ogata set up a class store, where the only accepted currency is good behavior. “These are special need 3- to 5-year-old kids,” she said. “They learn to count, and they quickly learn that needs and wants aren’t the same thing. The kids go home excited to talk about what they learned.”

The Nation’s Report Card on Financial Literary gave Hawaii a D grade, but cited some significant accomplishments, including the establishment and maintenance of a financial literacy website by the HDOE. Available is the HDOE Standards with Opportunities to Integrate Financial Literacy Concepts with financial literacy concepts matched to multiple English Language Arts, Mathematics, CTE, Social Studies and Science standards for K-12. The website also provides robust financial literacy resources and programs for teachers to help implement financial literacy instruction in their classrooms. In 2021, Hawaii’s legislature passed a resolution “urging the Department of Education to coordinate with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to implement a graduation requirement of at least a half credit in financial literacy during the junior or senior year.”

However, according to the report, although Hawaii has made efforts toward increasing its financial literacy instruction, mainly through establishing the Hawaii Public Schools Financial Literacy Task Force, it still receives a “D,” as it does not provide any substantial financial literacy instruction.

“We know we have work to do when it comes to financial literacy in Hawaii, but we are proud to be making a difference and serving as a hub for economics education,” Gao said. “Financial literacy doesn’t have to be hard and unreachable. In fact, financial literacy should be accessible to everyone.”