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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.”

Chuuk Commencement Ceremony

CCPI graduates give back to Federated States of Micronesia communities

Chuuk has been previously called many names—officially and unofficially. It was previously named Truk until 1990, and labeled as the Imperial Japan’s “Gibraltar of the Pacific” and even the Pearl Harbor of the Japanese during World War II. But today, the tiny island of just 49 square miles—smaller than Haleakala National Park—is known as one of the four states that comprises the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM); the others being Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap.

Chuuk is also where Chaminade University entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Caroline College and Pastoral Institute (CCPI) in Weno. Since 2010, Chaminade has played an outsized role in educating not only Chuukese, but also island residents in the five different regions within Chuuk State—Northern Nomwoneas, Southern Nomwoneas, Faichuuk, Mortlocks and Northwest.

Graduates during the Commencement Ceremony at CCPI in Weno.

In his opening remarks during the CCPI Commencement Ceremony, Chaminade Provost and Senior Vice President, Lance Askildson, Ph.D., told the graduates that this moment is a recognition of both their success in completing their college degree, and an important inflection point in their lives and the future possibilities that are now available to them.

“Now is the time to reflect upon not only how far you have come, but why you began this important journey in the first place,” Askildson remarked. “Your degree means more opportunity and independence; more career and professional advancement possibilities; greater financial autonomy and self-determination; and the potential for new responsibility and leadership in both your professional and civic lives.”

In total, 11 students earned their Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (BAEEO) and 49 graduated with their Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts (AALA) this year. It’s a noteworthy achievement, given some of the obstacles that students have had to overcome.

“Many of our students lack the necessary technology or internet access to participate and complete their courses,” said LJ Rayphand, Dean of Outreach Education at CCPI. “CCPI and Chaminade provide the technology and the physical spaces that our students can access and participate in their courses. 

“Even though these are online courses, a distance course facilitator is assigned to each of the classes to provide additional support to both students and instructors,” Rayphand added. “Evening transportation is also provided to afternoon/evening students who reside outside of town.”

Caroline Islands Bishop Julio Angkel addresses graduates during the Commencement Ceremony.
Caroline College and Pastoral Institute President Fr. Rosendo Rudolf addresses graduates during the Commencement Ceremony.

Chaminade’s support of CCPI for the past 13 years has helped, not only increase the number of individuals with college degrees, but also produce knowledge and skillful individuals who contribute to the local economy. Most of the graduates now work with the Chuuk State Department of Education as classroom teachers, specialists and program coordinators. And a good number of them have been hired in health-related fields, social services, finance, legal services and, of course, the private sector, like United Airlines.

“As a developing state or nation, these new graduates have a lot to offer to their community, the state of Chuuk and to FSM as a whole,” Rayphand said. “They will fill job opportunities that will make a huge difference in our community. Many of them work on the frontlines in areas that matter most to our people and our places in Micronesia.”

In his closing remarks, Askildson shared a quote from the personal journal of American poet and environmental writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once wrote, “The things taught in schools and colleges are not an education, but the means to an education.”

“What Emerson meant was that a true education is not (only) what you learn with us, it’s what you learn about yourselves and take with you to embark upon a lifetime of learning and growth thereafter,” Askildson said. “That is the legacy that we gift to you today … and one that will continue your human journey to greater insights and contributions far into the future. In you, we invest our great hope and aspirations for your success and a better future for us all!”

NOAA B-WET Grant

Managing Hawaii’s Watersheds

The first field site to Paiko Lagoon provided a chicken-skin moment when a longtime resident of the area, Kai Hoshijo, a volunteer crew member with the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, reminisced about the stories of her youthful days spent at the Wildlife Sanctuary in East Oahu, evoking a navigator mindset of observance and respect for the ‘aina (land).

“Kai grew up in Niu Valley and was telling a story in context of the sanctuary’s meaningful location,” recalls Katrina Roseler, Ph.D., shuddering while she remembered that exact moment. “It was the perfect start to our two-week workshop, demonstrating the reverence of place.”

Thanks to a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Roseler and Environmental Sciences assistant professor, Lupita Ruiz-Jones, Ph.D., were able “to enhance the capacity of Hawaii’s secondary science teachers to engage their students in ahupua’a education and cultivate stewardship.” Ahupua’a is a Hawaiian term for a large traditional socioeconomic, geologic and climatic subdivision of land, which consists most frequently of a slice of an island that went from the top of the local mountain (volcano) to the shore, often following the boundary of a stream drainage.

Cultural Engagement Specialist, Kahoalii Keahi-Wood points out limu near the shoreline of Diamond Head.
Cultural Engagement Specialist, Kahoalii Keahi-Wood points out limu near the shoreline of Diamond Head.

The summer workshops align with NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education (B-WET) initiative, an environmental education program that promotes place-based experiential learning for K–12 students and related professional development for teachers.

“We had our own play on acronyms with B-WET,” says Roseler, the grant’s Co-Principal Investigator. “We appropriately named our program M2M:WET, which stands for Mauka to Makai: Watershed Experience for Teachers.”

Much like B-WET, M2M:WET aims to foster the growth of new, innovative programs, and encourages capacity-building and environmental education partnerships.

During the field experience, teachers explored two primary questions: 1) How do we determine the health of our watersheds (ahupua‘a); and 2) How can educators engage students in thinking critically about the flow of water and cultivate a sense of stewardship for Hawaii’s watersheds?”

“My observation of the participating teachers was that they were super excited and nerdy in a positive science way,” says Ruiz-Jones, the grant’s other Co-Principal Investigator. “They were like kids on field trips, and eager to use some of the equipment we provided, like the GoPro, water test kits and water loggers, which is an instrument that automatically and continuously records fluctuations in water level.”

Participants visited Lyon Arboretum for one of their many workshops.
Participants visited Lyon Arboretum for one of their many field trips.

The outcome of the workshops helped inform teachers how to bring their field experiences into the classroom and their curriculum. They gained skills in environmental data collection, lab protocols, data analyses and data visualization. Water samples were gathered at the various sites and analyzed for nitrogen compounds, sulfate, phosphate and silica, using an automated spectrophotometry, as well as SEAL AQ400 chemistry and equipment. And they also collected water temperature data with the HOBO Tidbit temperature logger and learned how to use readily available water test kits.

Among the 16 K-12 teachers, Christina Chan of Highlands Intermediate School says she decided to participate in the program because she focuses on watersheds, which is one of her primary foci for her CTE (Career and Technical Education) class next year.

Chan adds that she learned about the use of five different field sites for studying the watershed; how to use a HOBO, GoPro and other devices for sampling water in the watershed; different pedagogy and Understanding by Design models; and making connections with other teachers and ideas on how to share watershed information.

Hanalani Schools’ Jessica Mountz opted in because she wanted to connect with other science teachers on Oahu and the Neighbor Islands, reasoning that in her 20 years of teaching, she found that collaboration with other teachers has been the most valuable tool in her professional growth.

Participants learned how to collect data during the M2M:Mauka to Makai workshops.
Participants learned how to collect data during the workshops.

“At the end of each day, I went home with so many lesson ideas my head was sometimes spinning,” says the high school science teacher. “From Wayfinding/ Navigation to Ahupuaʻa of Hawai’i, I plan on developing curriculum for my Biology and Advanced Placement Biology students that not only meets Science Standards (Next Generation Science Standards and College Board), but incorporates Hawaiian culture and empathy.  I look forward to continuing conversations and collaboration, not only with the other science teachers from the M2M:WET workshop, but with the faculty/staff at Chaminade University, Huli, and Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center.”

Since its inception in 2002, 929 B-WET grants have been awarded for a total of $117 million.  The B-WET program currently serves seven regions of the country: California, Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, New England and the Pacific Northwest. Regional B-WET programs provide tailored grantee support and capacity building. This allows B-WET to include place-based STEM resources and expertise, and respond to local education and environmental priorities.

“The goal is to provide support for our K-12 science teachers so they can teach their students to become the future stewards of the land,” says Ruiz-Jones, with Roseler adding that they “hope to engage the students to appreciate the mauka to makai value of their ahupua‘a.”

Staff, Faculty Attend MEA Formation

Attendees pledge to uphold Marianist-Catholic mission

After 19 years of working at Catholic higher education institutions, Jennifer Creech felt she was finally ready to commit. Her eyes lighting up as she spoke about her recent formation as a Marianist Educational Associate (MEA), the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success was eager to share her experience.

MEA Formation participants included, from left, Frederique Kandel, Ph.D., Father Martin Solma, Jennifer Creech, and Drs. Janet Davidson, Darren Iwamoto, Dustyn Ragasa, and David Carter. Missing is Dr. Tom Buning.
MEA Formation participants included, from left, Frederique Kandel, Ph.D., Father Martin Solma, Jennifer Creech, and Drs. Janet Davidson, Darren Iwamoto, Dustyn Ragasa, and David Carter. Missing is Dr. Tom Buning.

“Selfishly, this was for me,” Creech said of the formation retreat. “I often attend conferences for professional reasons, but going through the formation was personal. I wanted to learn how to be a better person to my team and our students, and the meaning and value of our Marianist mission.”

In 2005, members from Chaminade University, University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University of San Antonio responded to a call from the Association of Marianist Universities (AMU) Board to build a partnership among members of the Society of Mary, the sponsoring religious body. It would invite a cadre of lay collaborators, who would together sustain and renew the mission and identity that was Catholic, and that embodied the Marianist educational tradition. 

Since then, faculty, staff and administrators have been invited each year to deepen their understanding of and their commitment to the traditions and beliefs that make each respective university a Catholic and Marianist community.

“I’ve always believed in our mission,” said Darren Iwamoto, who also attended the formation at the University of Dayton. “The formation experience helped me to focus in what I do and not work blindly.”

The seven-day formation program consisted of readings, reflections and sharing of insights. Each participant received a binder that was divided by presentations, which covered a variety of topics, from Vocational Stories and the Catholic Story to the Marianist Story and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.

Opening her binder, Creech flipped through the colored tabs before stumbling upon a note card that contained some of her thoughts, writing down such key words as “living and working with intention, love, grace, transparency, access, persistence, empathy and understanding.”

“We are privileged in our roles, which are not self-serving,” Creech asserted. “Our mission is to empower others, to be part of a team and to advocate for our students.”

Following the initial retreat, the MEAs will then meet once a month from September to May to continue their formation by developing, strengthening and advancing the Catholic and Marianist philosophy of education.  At the end of the academic year during a special service, the MEAs will make a public commitment to sustain and enrich the University’s Catholic and Marianist character. 

Staff and faculty from Chaminade and University of Dayton gather for dinner at an outdoor patio.
Staff and faculty from Chaminade University, University of Dayton and St. Mary’s gather for an early-evening dinner at an outdoor patio.

“The Marianist Charism is a combination of faith, following Mary, community, mission and inclusivity,” Iwamoto explained. “The Charism informs how, as educators, we inspire our students and how we collaborate with our peers.”

Other Chaminade participants included Drs. Janet Davidson, David Carter, Frederique Kandel and Tom Buning.  

To ensure that Marianist universities sustain a strong Catholic and Marianist mission and identity, three vital tasks need to be accomplished, according to the Association of Marianists Universities (AMU).  First, there must be a significant number of people who are employed at the universities, and who are steeped in and appreciate the Catholic and Marianist traditions of education.  Second, these individuals must have the capacity and willingness to work together to incorporate these traditions into the culture of Marianist universities. Third, these persons would be committed to adapt and transform the traditions so that Marianist universities forge an engaging response to the challenges facing American higher education while contributing to the task of working toward global justice, so integral to the Marianist charism.

MEAs are lay persons who are, first of all, employees of the campus community who are hired to perform in a professional role in the work of Marianist higher education. Associates make an intentional choice to use that professional role to partner with the Marianist vowed religious on campus to strengthen the Catholic and Marianist mission and identity.  All MEAs are committed to using their sphere of influence to strengthen the Catholic and Marianist mission and identity in ways that are effective and appropriate. MEAs are committed to a journey of personal and professional growth in understanding and embracing the gift of the Marianist charism.

“The whole week I had what I call ‘God sightings,’” Creech said. “I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like love, you know it’s there, but it’s difficult to explain. The more you trust it, the more you hear it.”