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Former Student-Athlete: Endurance Key to Success

As an avid runner, Peter Jan Ramos ’24 knows a little something about the importance of endurance, hard work and never giving up. During his four years at Chaminade, he was able to balance his academic coursework with long practices and meets on the cross country team.

In fact, he was named to the Division 2 Athletic Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievements Awards four times in recognition of his participation in intercollegiate sports and his high GPA. He was among a record 85 Chaminade student-athletes honored with the award in 2024-25.

“My cross country coach, Shadrack Nabea, made sure we were a student first then an athlete,” Ramos explained. “There were some days of the week where we would run on our own instead of meeting up with the team, which gave me more time to do my classwork and assignments. Managing my time helped me make sure all the things I had to do were on time.”

Ramos, from Waipahu, chose to attend Chaminade because of the scholarship opportunities he was afforded. He majored in Accounting with a minor in Psychology, and clinched a role in accounting right after graduation thanks to a connection from a Chaminade professor.

And his supervisor at his workplace, Ground Transport, Inc., is also a Silversword.

To read the latest edition of Chaminade Magazine, scroll through the pages below or click here.

He says he is grateful for the opportunity to apply his skills and continue to grow.

In addition to serving as an accountant, Ramos is assistant cross country and track coach at Campbell High School. As a mentor himself now, he’s working to model the Chaminade coaches and professors in his life who helped support him throughout his college years.

After all, he said, every day at Chaminade required focus and discipline. His days consisted of running on his own, commuting to campus, completing coursework, and practicing with his team.

He also had to make time for a full night’s rest, essential for an athlete in training.

And on the weekends, he would try to catch up on his work at school and at home.

“It was hard at first, but I found my own day to day routine to do and I eventually got used to it,” said Ramos, who graduated with a 3.82 GPA. He added that for him, the key to keeping his grades up as a student-athlete was good time management, dedication and smart study techniques.

Now in coaching, he shares those same lessons with the students he works with. “I want to give back to high school student-athletes who have found a passion in running,” Ramos said. “I was once like them and I want to help them in some way with what I’ve learned through my experiences.”

His advice to current student-athletes at Chaminade embodies his ethos of perseverance and sticking to it. “Find your own day to day routine and be disciplined with everything you do,” Ramos said. “Things can always come up in our lives so you always have to be ready to be adaptable.”

Chaminade to Launch New Nutrition Degree

Chaminade University will launch a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition program in Fall 2026, inviting students to delve deep into the science of health and wellness and then challenging them to apply their knowledge with hands-on projects that tackle public health challenges.

Pamela Smith, Ed.D., vice dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, called the Nutrition program a perfect complement to the University’s existing strengths in nursing and public health and said the addition will help create pathways to interdisciplinary collaboration.

“Nutrition plays a vital role in every stage of life and in every aspect of health,” Smith said.

“By combining rigorous coursework in biology, chemistry, and nutritional science with hands-on experiential learning, the new program equips students with the knowledge and practical skills to guide individuals, families, and communities toward healthier futures,” Smith said.

Students will explore areas such as food systems, cultural influences on diet, chronic disease prevention, and the relationship between nutrition and social determinants of health. Rooted in Chaminade’s service-focused mission, the program will also emphasize the importance of addressing social disparities in the Pacific through culturally responsive initiatives.

School of Nursing and Health Professions Dean Lorin Ramocki, DNP, said that the Nutrition major and minor will stress versatility, giving students the opportunity to pursue health topics and personal projects they’re interested in. “It’s absolutely a hands-on curriculum,” she said.

Ramocki added Nutrition students will work closely with those across the school, mimicking the interdisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals they would encounter in hospitals, not-for-profit organizations and elsewhere in community settings.

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“It’s pulling all those pieces together so we can prepare our workforce,” she said.

Smith noted that Chaminade is launching its Nutrition program as the demand for trained nutrition professionals continues to grow in the islands and nationwide. “When we’re talking about disease prevention and treatment, nutrition plays a key role,” she said.

Smith said in addition to a curriculum that stresses experiential learning and real-world application, students in the Nutrition program will benefit from personalized academic planning, faculty mentorship and opportunities to work with community partners.

“At its heart, the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition reflects Chaminade’s mission: to foster education that is transformative, community-oriented, and deeply rooted in the values of justice, peace, and service,” Smith said. “By integrating nutrition into its academic offerings, the university is nourishing not just bodies, but communities—and cultivating future leaders.”

There’s also a shortage of registered dietitians in Hawai’i, a role that requires a master’s degree. Chaminade University plans to begin offering a master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2027 so that students can further their studies and better Hawaii’s workforce needs.

Chaminade has applied to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to open a program to prepare registered dietitian nutritionists in early 2027.

The University’s eligibility application was accepted by ACEND* and is in the candidacy process for a proposed Future Education Model Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics. The program is not accepting applications at this time but will do so upon successful completion of the eligibility application process if the program receives candidacy for accreditation status from ACEND.

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) released the Future Education Model Accreditation Standards for programs in nutrition and dietetics. These accreditation standards integrate didactic coursework with supervised experiential learning in a competency-based curriculum designed to prepare nutrition and dietetics practitioners for future practice.

For more information on Chaminade’s candidacy, contact Smith at [email protected] or 808-735-4862.

Chaminade Magazine: 70th Anniversary Issue

The latest edition of Chaminade Magazine, available electronically now, celebrates the University’s seven decades of service to the community and looks ahead to new opportunities for advancing social justice, making a positive difference and uniting to solve shared challenges.

You won’t want to miss our featured story, which includes voices from across Chaminade’s ʻohana, including students, alumni and faculty, talking about what the University means to them.

To read the latest edition of Chaminade Magazine, scroll through the pages below or click here.

Also in this issue:

• In a touching remembrance, Men’s Basketball Head Coach Eric Bovaird pays tribute to the one and only Merv Lopes, who lived the University’s mission of service on and off the court.

• Read about how a new partnership between Chaminade’s School of Nursing and Health Professions and Hawaiʻi Catholic Schools is advancing public health and nursing practice.

• Meet Christine Baleto ’91, president and CEO of a large telecommunications firm on Guam, who says she is modeling servant leadership for her team members and her island.

Entrepreneur Seeks to Inspire Tomorrow’s Leaders

Connie Kramer, MBA ’24, EdD ’28 craves new projects—and her resume proves it.

For more than two decades, she worked in the fast-paced world of media production, film and television before launching her own event planning company, collaborating with local businesses to put together high-end destination weddings, corporate and nonprofit events.

She took her company far and then, as a young mother, sold it to return to marketing and a more predictable work schedule. In 2013, she landed a role as director of sales and marketing at a Hawaii hotel chain—a position she held until 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was an unexpected departure.

But it gave Kramer a chance to do what she does best: Find a new challenge to take on. “Getting a master’s degree was always in the back of my mind,” she said. “And then the opportunity came up.”

She enrolled in the Professional MBA program at Chaminade, a year-long program designed for experienced professionals that includes online and in-person instruction and an international study trip. Kramer said she was nervous about going back to school, but quickly found her Chaminade classes were a perfect fit.

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“The classes really pulled from real-world case studies,” Kramer said. “That allowed me to bring my own experiences while broadening my leadership skills. That was one of the big sellers for me.”

Kramer said she not only enjoyed learning from her professors, but collaborating with her classmates. She was also challenged to think about the next steps in her career. “I thought I was going to use the MBA for director-ship roles,” she said. “But the faculty at Chaminade inspired me by making learning relevant in the classroom. I realized I wanted to give back through education.”

Kramer said she realized that she had trained teammates throughout her business career.

Why not, she asked herself, use her skills to prepare the next generation of leaders?

That’s why Kramer now finds herself pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership for Adaptation and Change at Chaminade. She started her first doctoral classes in July, while also tackling a lectureship role at the University. Her ultimate goal is to become a professor.

“I never thought this would be something that would be on my radar,” she said. “But because of the warm relationships I’ve established with my professors at Chaminade and joining the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, it’s inspired me to pursue this new passion.”

At the same time, Kramer is still juggling other roles, including as an entrepreneur.

Coming from a family of avid golfers, she started a business selling fun plush golf covers with Hawaii themes. Golf Plush Paradise sells almost exclusively online, but Kramer also makes time to get to a few fairs and markets as she’s looking to build the brand.

“There’s so much golfing in Hawaii, but these speak to the female golfer like me,” she said.

At the same time, Kramer is looking to expand her volunteer work. She said while her resume reflects a diverse set of skills, at the core of all of her work has been a desire to give back.

For 20th Anniversary, Student Center Gets New Look

There are many favorite gathering places at Chaminade.

But there’s just something special about the Vi and Paul Loo Student Center, said Victoria Zembik ‘27, Chaminade Student Government Association president for the 2024-25 academic year.

So in celebration of the center’s 20th anniversary, the association decided to go big.

The student leaders oversaw and funded a major makeover of the space, replacing the old look with a sleek new one and making sure there were spaces for socializing, studying and fun.

On Sept. 10, an official grand opening was held at the redesigned space to mark the 20th anniversary milestone.

Students, faculty members and staff attended the bash, which also included a blessing.

Zembik said the redesign was based on student surveys and other input.

“We wanted to take on a project that really mattered to us. Our goal was to create a space on campus where our peers could truly enjoy themselves,” she said. “The Loo has always been a hotspot on campus, and it just needed a little revamping.”

She added, “We kept the desk with the whiteboard tabletop, but everything else was upgraded with newly refurbished furniture. Outlets were added in different areas, the layout was refreshed, and overall, it has become exactly what it needs to be—a thriving, welcoming space for students.”

The center is named after the late philanthropist, businessman and Chaminade Regent Paul Loo and his wife, Vi, also a strong supporter of education and the arts. The two supported the University in countless ways, including in helping make the student center a reality.

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Junghwa K. Suh, D.Arch, associate professor at Chaminade and co-chair of the Environmental + Interior Design program, said what makes the Loo Center redesign so special is that students and graduates were instrumental in making it happen—and executing a vision from start to finish.

Suh said she was also honored to add her own direction and guidance to the project.

“I recommended several aspects of interior design, including updated wall colors, improved lighting, varied seating options, spatial reconfiguration, and new furniture and accessories,” she said. “My primary goal was to bring vibrancy and meaning to this space for the students.”

One particularly meaningful touch: Ceramic leis crafted by students were integrated into the center’s sconces. The leis were created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the bridge to the Kalaepokahu campus and represent collaboration, creativity and community.

“This feature brings new life to the space and infuses it with the spirit of aloha,” Suh said.

She added, “What stands out most to me is the spirit of collaboration that made this project possible. Art and Design faculty and students, the Student Engagement directors, and our incredible facilities team all worked together with openness and enthusiasm.”

Air Force Honors Silversword for Leadership, Service

Yazmine Esquivel, MBA ’24 is accustomed to wearing many hats.

As a maintenance management analyst for the Department of Defense in Honolulu, she helps supervisors and senior managers improve unit performance, equipment condition, fleet health and personnel skills. The Air Force veteran also has nearly a decade of experience in supply chain management, logistics planning, inventory forecasting and import/export compliance.

Perhaps most importantly, Esquivel is a leader—and she’s thankful to Chaminade for that.

She says her MBA studies at the University and her participation in Chaminade’s Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program helped her build confidence, broaden her perspectives and translate her extensive knowledge into opportunities for innovation and process improvement.

That dedication is now getting noticed.

This summer, Esquivel was recognized as among the “best and brightest” of the Pacific Air Forces with a Civilian of the Year Award, which honors those who exemplify excellence in their work, participate in educational opportunities off the clock, and give back to their communities.

Esquivel says the award was “deeply meaningful,” reminding her of the long hours she put in and moments of self-doubt she overcame to achieve her education and career goals. “I am grateful that others see value in the work I care so much about, and I feel encouraged to keep growing,” she said.

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An average work day for Esquivel is, well, anything but average.

“I help the U.S. Air Force keep nine Boeing C17 cargo jets ready to fly,” she said.

“My role is part planner, part problem-solver. I pull data from our maintenance system, double-check every detail lines up, make sure the right parts are on the shelf before work is due, and map out each aircraft’s maintenance schedule up to a year ahead. Then I brief our production team so everyone knows what is coming next. It’s a behind-the-scenes job … but it never stops being exciting.”

She said her MBA experience at Chaminade was like a “rehearsal” for her day job.

The courses in human resources, leadership, finance and marketing helped build a “technical toolkit” to rely on, she said. But her biggest takeaways from the program came from the leadership values that her professors instilled, including bringing a solutions-oriented attitude, always showing up prepared and remembering that people always come first in every project.

Yazmine Ezquivel, MBA ’24 says her experiences at Chaminade helped her develop as a leader.

“Beyond that, the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program took those lessons beyond the classroom,” Ezquivel added. “Through volunteer projects and mentorship in the local community, I learned to connect business goals with service, to listen before acting, and to stay adaptable at all times.”

She said she’s grateful to many of her mentors at Chaminade, including Marketing Senior Lecturer Wera Panow-Loui, M.B.A., who recruited Esquivel into her Women in Leadership Development program, and School of Business and Communication Interim Dean Annette Santos, D.B.A.

Esquivel said Santos connected her with the Soroptimist International of Waikiki, a volunteer organization where she now serves as a delegate, “paying it forward” by working to empower women and girls to reach their goals of economic empowerment through higher education.