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School of Nursing and Health Professions Launches Parish Health Program

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One of the biggest obstacles to health education and prevention screening is access.

And a new Parish Health program at Chaminade University is focused on addressing that.

The program, unique on Oahu, gives Chaminade Nursing students the opportunity to work one-on-one with parishioners after Mass or via telehealth appointments to offer blood pressure, nutritional or other types of screenings, make assessments on determinants of health and connect them with resources.

The students receive critical hands-on experiences with members of the community. And parishioner participants, who are 55 and older, are equipped with tools they can use to improve their wellness.

“We really wanted to develop a Parish Health program to serve the needs of the community with education, health promotion and even healthcare,” said Dr. Pamela Smith, School of Nursing and Health Professions associate dean. “Many of our students enjoy the fellowship and ministry part of school, and this was an opportunity to blend it into nursing-related education and public health-related education.”

Smith said a Marianist Sponsorship Ministries Foundation grant helped cover costs for the program’s launch, including health promotion items for participants like pedometers, blood pressure monitors and gift cards farmers markets. The program was also made possible in part, by Kaiser Permanente through the Catholic Care Coalition.

After conversations with community stakeholders, the program officially kicked off in the Fall Term in partnership with the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Kalihi. Nursing students offered screenings and health education to parishioners at the co-cathedral after each Mass. They also connected with parishioners via telehealth appointments—over the phone and through virtual meetings.

The program was expanded in the Spring to include a focus on exercise—a virtual Walk to Jerusalem that focused on the importance of movement to overall health. Participants signed up for the walk online and then tracked their progress with others along the way.

The next step for the program, Smith said, is growth.

Chaminade nursing student taking a parishioner's blood pressure for the Parish Health Program

There’s hope it can be expanded to more parishes on Oahu and even to the Neighbor Islands. The School of Nursing and Health Professions is also focused on increasing the number of students offering Parish Health services, including through one-on-one telehealth screening appointments.

Nursing student Zane Biscocho was among those who participated in the program. As part of the telehealth rotation, he held 30- to 60-minute screening interviews with parishioners to discuss everything from healthy eating to the importance of taking prescribed medication on time.

“One thing that I enjoyed most about being a part of the Parish Health program was learning how to be adaptable, utilize telehealth and education fairs, and also getting the chance to educate my patients about their appointments and concerns they may have had,” Biscocho said, after completing the experience. “My biggest takeaway is that healthcare expands far beyond the hospital.”

He added that Parish Health is not only making a difference, but adapting to meet participant needs.

That’s what Nursing student Tyler Insillo appreciated the most.

“It is always so important to meet people where they are,” she said. “We have to listen to what the community feels their needs are and address those needs accordingly, with consideration to not only their resources and time but their readiness to learn and accept the education we are sharing.”

As part of the program, Insillo delivered telehealth surveys along with in-person lessons on cardiovascular health. She said working one-on-one with participants was a rewarding experience. “I enjoyed working the community and helping them see the importance of a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

For details on the Parish Health program, click here.

Inaugural President’s Innovation Award

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Two faculty members who spearheaded out-of-the-box programs aimed at expanding educational opportunities to more members of the community and broadening the university’s positive impact were honored recently with the inaugural President’s Innovation Awards at Chaminade.

The recipients were:

  • Dr. Rylan Chong, assistant professor of Data Science, for his student-powered computing program that seeks to put data analytics in the hands of community members. Through a pilot program, his students worked with grassroots groups on the Waianae Coast to develop a community sentiment dashboard aimed at measuring well-being and health metrics.
  • Dr. Janet Davidson, vice provost and professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, for overseeing the successful design and launch of a Chaminade associate’s degree program at a Hawaii prison—the only Second Chance Pell Program currently offered in the state.
Dr. Rylan Chong posing with Dr. Lynn Babington

Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington said all of those nominated for the awards, and especially those who won, underscore how innovation is woven into Chaminade’s DNA. “The pandemic has added no shortage of challenges to our work at Chaminade, but it has also shown the power of innovation in helping us to meet our social service mission and expand our important work,” Babington said.

“I am so honored to say our campus is full of innovators—members of our Silversword ‘ohana who understand that today’s new ideas and new approaches are tomorrow’s successes and best practices.”

The Center for Strategy and Innovation created the President’s Innovation Award program and announced a call for nominations in September 2021. Winners were announced at a Spring Kickoff event for faculty and staff members celebrating the beginning of the new term.

Dr. Helen Turner, vice president for strategy and innovation at Chaminade, described the selection process as rigorous and said a five-member committee reviewed nominations and chose the recipients.

Both awardees said they were honored and humbled by the recognition.

Dr. Janet Davidson with her certificate for the inaugural President's Innovation Award

“I am truly grateful,” Chong said. “Receiving this award acknowledges how data science can unite communities, break down silos and social stereotypes about STEM disciplines, and be a field to catalyze social good. I want to personally thank the Waianae Coast community for their support.”

Chong added that he was particularly proud of the hands-on experiences students got throughout the course of the project—from interviewing community members to presenting their findings and continuously adding to and revising the dashboard as a “living tool” for stakeholders.

“Students made connections on how and when to use the data science and project management skills and tools they learned in their classes toward a real and relevant project,” Chong said. “They also learned a lot of soft skills, networking and working with a diverse group of people with various backgrounds to get real-world experience. And our shared work on this project continues.”

Davidson said the innovation award is a “rewarding validation” of all the work that’s gone into the Second Chance Pell Program, whose first cohort has 14 students. “This award is a reminder of the team behind this. It reminds me of how thankful I am that there has been university support all around. So many people support the mission of this program and its alignment with Chaminade’s values.”

She noted the COVID pandemic meant that faculty members and staff delivering the program were required to quickly pivot so they could continue to meet student needs and program expectations. “This honor means a lot,” she said. “And I look forward to seeing who is honored next year.”

Partnerships and $15M Grant to Improve Health and Wellbeing in Hawaii

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Research has shown Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos and other medically underserved populations in Hawaii have disproportionately higher rates of physical ailments and mental health conditions. And the pandemic has only exacerbated those issues — and spotlighted a lack of community resources.

Addressing these health disparities will require everyone’s help.

That’s exactly the idea behind the newly-formed Center for Pacific Innovations, Knowledge and Opportunities (PIKO) — an innovative collaboration of Hawaii universities, including Chaminade, and organizations that will support critical areas of study and seek to turn research into positive change.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded the University of Hawaii PIKO a five-year, $15 million grant in which Chaminade University is a partner of the initiative. The funds will be distributed to researchers, especially those at the beginning of their careers, but will also go to professional development opportunities, outreach programming, and other opportunities.

The PIKO partnership includes the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Chaminade University and Hawaii Pacific University — along with the statewide network of organizations. PIKO is led by two UH professors: Dr. Joseph Keaweaimoku Kaholokula, who is chair of Native Hawaiian Health, and Dr. Neal Palafox, whose focus at the John A. Burns School of Medicine includes community health.

Kaholokula said PIKO is focused on improving the health and wellbeing of Hawaii’s people and supporting new research. “This is an unprecedented partnership and initiative in Hawaii to support talented junior researchers in doing culturally responsive and community-engaged research,” he said.

Faculty from Chaminade University who are part of this PIKO project include:

  • Dr. Jonathan Baker, assistant professor of Biology, who is one of the leads for tracking and evaluating the grant,
  • Dr. Rylan Chong, assistant professor of Data Science, who is the data science lead for the biostatistics, epidemiology and research design core, and
  • Dr. Claire Wright, an associate professor of Biology at Chaminade, is the lead who oversees the grant distribution and broadening the center’s reach.

Dr. Claire Wright said the pandemic has magnified the impacts of health disparities on underserved communities and underscored the need for action-oriented research.

“With this grant, we really wanted to focus on where the rubber meets the road,” she said.

In particular, the center and its partnering institutions will be working to recruit and fund more emerging researchers who come from the communities they hope to serve — and give them support along the way. There is also a strong emphasis on engaging community members, Wright said, by partnering with them for research projects and then communicating the results.

She added the center’s goals and the overall grant align with Chaminade’s mission to help build stronger, more resilient communities and to support projects that pursue social justice, peace and equity. “There is a lot of positive impacts you can make in this type of research,” Wright said.  

Funding for the first year of the grant is already rolling out, and projects for year two are being sought.

Wright said a call for abstracts is set for December.

She added that she’s optimistic about the positive impact the collaboration is poised to bring about and excited about the prospect of helping to develop more researchers—across a variety of disciplines—who are focused on addressing health disparities. Those researchers will in turn serve as mentors.

“At Chaminade, we have a close relationship with our students,” Wright said. “To be able to show more faculty entrenched in this kind of research, showing their students how they can help with their community, that’s a massive win for Chaminade and for changing their perspectives.”

Chaminade University Partners with United Nations

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Nikhil Seth, Executive Director of UNITAR, and Dr. Lynn Babington, Chaminade President, signing the partnership agreement

Chaminade University is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) that will provide innovative leadership development opportunities in the islands and empower those working on community-building projects to maximize their impact.

The new UNITAR center at Chaminade is part of a global network of 21 other learning hubs worldwide.

The Chaminade center will offer education and training programs around key UN Sustainable Development Goals. The priorities for the center include climate action, advocating for the oceans, reducing inequalities, and developing programs that pursue peace, justice and strong institutions.

Dr. Lance Askildson, Chaminade provost, said the hub isn’t meant to supplant the work of other organizations in Hawaii but facilitate new conversations and bring together community stakeholders. It will also serve as a gathering place for forward-looking leadership development offerings.

“We want to engage young people. We want to engage thought leaders. We want to engage alumni,” Askildson said. “There is a tremendous amount of work to be done and everybody has a role. Our role is to do what we’ve always done: to educate young people and empower them to drive positive change.”

He added, “We are a convenor to bring people together.”

Nikhil Seth, Executive Director of UNITAR, chats with Chaminade students, faculty and staff

Askildson said the UN center is seen as an extension of Chaminade’s service-oriented mission and will put a special emphasis on inspiring and challenging students to make a positive difference in their communities with a host of unique opportunities — from individualized projects to internships.

The Experiential Honors Program at Chaminade will also be integrated with the center to maximize student engagement, and an ever-evolving sustainability curriculum will reflect student interests and needs.

The center plans to work closely with alumni and the Catholic network across Hawaii and the Pacific along with a long list of community partners — from the East-West Center to Hawaii Green Growth — to “stand on the shoulders of giants” and reach shared sustainability education goals.

“We are seeking to complement what other organizations are already doing well and not in any way duplicate or compete with good programs,” Askildson said. “One of the most important things we can do is engage with the private sector. They’re looking for ways to burnish their credentials in sustainability. They’re looking for partners who can help them with education.”

The United Nations officially invited Chaminade to establish and host the training center — whose reach includes the entire Pacific Islands region — in late 2020. The center falls under the CIFAL Global Network, a French acronym that translates to International Training Center for Local Authorities/Leaders.

Nikhil Seth, Executive Director of UNITAR, speaks to the Chaminade community

And in October, the University got the opportunity to host UN Institute for Training and Research Executive Director Nikhil Seth on campus. At a talk on campus, Seth said Chaminade was an “obvious choice when we were looking for partners in this part of the world” because of its stellar reputation, strong community partnerships, and decades of service in Hawaii and across the Pacific region.

“We want to have a bigger footprint. We want to touch the lives of many more people,” Seth said, adding that the center at Chaminade will serve as a “model for collaboration” and a place to spotlight those who share a common vision around the need for community-focused climate action.

While the center at Chaminade is still in its early days, Askildson is excited about what’s ahead.

One major upcoming planning item: Chaminade is poised to host the CIFAL Global Network annual meeting and conference in November 2022. Askildson said the event will undoubtedly bring in educators, changemakers and learners from across the globe — and across the state.

“The center is allowing us to capture a lot of the activity we’re already doing and then expand,” Askildson said. “It’s an opportunity to use that amplification and the banner of the United Nations.”

Chaminade University and Hawaii Catholic Schools Announce 2021 Ka Ho’oulu Innovation Recipients

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Chaminade University’s Center for Strategy and Innovation, in partnership with Hawai‘i Catholic Schools, has announced the recipients of the 2021 Ka Hoʻoulu Innovation Awards: St. Louis School’s Principal Devin Oshiro, EdD, and St. Joseph Parish School. The awards recognize the demonstration of substantial innovation that has greatly advanced Catholic education in Hawai‘i.

Devin Oshiro, EdD, recipient of the 2021 Ka Ho'oulu Award
Individual Award – Dr. Devin Oshiro, principal of St. Louis School

Dr. Oshiro has led and worked collaboratively with St. Louis School’s faculty to create a diverse learning environment that addresses the needs of all students. Their six-point system, which consists of ‘aina-based learning, global learning, personalized learning, whole group learning and learning specific to young men, has resulted in stronger GPA levels, improved standardized test scores and the school’s highest enrollment in 20 years.

Institution Award – St. Joseph Parish School
Located in Waipahu, St. Joseph Parish School has integrated a community-wide Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum to address a much-needed facet for all learners. The school partnered with the Institute of Social and Emotional Learning and formed an internal SEL Committee to develop and implement the curriculum through workshops for administration, faculty and staff to develop a common language and basic understanding of the process, and reinforce the belief that SEL is essential to student achievement.

The Ka Hoʻoulu Innovation Awards were created in 2020, as a way to recognize outstanding educators from Catholic schools throughout the state. Award applicants submit projects that exemplify the Catholic world view, support quality academics, integrate technology, demonstrate data-driven decision making or promote operational vitality. Those who submit projects with the highest marks receive recognition at an annual award ceremony and a grant to continue their work.

“We are so delighted to sponsor this award,” said Dr. Helen Turner, vice president of Chaminade’s Center for Strategy and Innovation. “The winners represent Catholic education in Hawai‘i, where teachers and administrators are continuously innovating in support of their students and their shared mission to provide high quality, affordable education. Students who are benefitting from the creativity of educators like Dr. Oshiro and teams like that of St. Joseph Parish School are part of a talent pipeline in Hawai‘i that is grounded in values and strong academics. We at Chaminade look forward to seeing them as future Silverswords!”

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Chaminade University of Honolulu believes in the power of education to drive positive change, broaden perspectives and deepen our understanding of one another. With an emphasis on transformative service-learning experiences, we prepare students to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, inspiring and challenging them to use their minds and their hearts to help build stronger and more just communities. We are proud to serve as Hawai‘i’s only Marianist university, and rely on these values to guide us in delivering a high-quality education with an individualized approach and a focus on excellence, innovation and change. Established in 1955, we offer more than 30 undergraduate and graduate programs, including doctoral degrees in education, psychology and nursing practice. Learn more at chaminade.edu.

Welcoming the Inaugural Doctor of Nursing Practice Cohort

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Doctor of Nursing Practice inaugural cohort listening to a guest speaker

Chaminade’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice launched this Fall, and participants were welcomed to campus as part of a hands-on immersion experience designed to build a strong foundation of relationships with their professor-mentors, advisors and peers.

The School of Nursing and Health Professions and Chaminade administration leaders were among those who offered their greetings to students in the immersion. The sessions will be held annually for each cohort and this year’s schedule included campus tours, cultural experiences and a networking panel.

Doctor of Nursing Practice inaugural cohort listening to guest speakers

Dr. Rhoberta Haley, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, described the DNP as an innovative program designed to prepare students for the highest clinical levels of nursing—with a strong emphasis on leadership development and culturally-informed practice for diverse communities.

“There is a critical shortage of healthcare professionals in Hawaii, including highly-skilled nurses equipped to tackle diverse patient needs and help to oversee positive patient outcomes,” Haley said. “We know our DNP program will make a significant impact in the lives of Hawaii residents.”

As part of the DNP program, students choose from one of three concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or Post-Master’s Executive Leader.

In her address to new students, Chaminade President Lynn Babington said she looks forward to watching the trajectory of their academic and professional careers. “I have deep respect for all of you for the commitment you have made for extending your education and working at the highest level possible in nursing,” she said.

Doctor of Nursing Practice inaugural cohort's Hawaiian lunch spread

Babington added that what separates Chaminade’s Doctor of Nursing Practice is the University’s “partnership with our communities”—including with those that are traditionally underserved—and a team of faculty and advisors who offer support to students every step of the way in their degrees.

The first cohort for the DNP program has over 20 students.

They officially start on August 23, with instruction delivered fully online in addition to the in-person immersion sessions. The fully-accredited program additionally challenges students to take on an action-based research project, pursuing an area of professional interest that would improve patient care.