Chaminade University of Honolulu

Institutional

Land-based Pedagogical Approach

Associate Professor of Arts and Design Junghwa Suh, D.Arch, is throwing caution to the wind and subverting the dominant paradigm. Ever since she took an ʻāina-based education workshop conducted by Cultural Engagement Specialist, Kahoalii Keahi-Wood, the Arts Program Coordinator has questioned her pedagogical style, drawing into particular focus her epistemology of interior design and the entire academic process.

“I was inspired by his teaching,” said Suh of Keahi-Wood. “His workshops were free-flowing and discussions came naturally, especially about respect of place and the ʻāina.”

In collaboration with then-visiting University of Maryland architecture professor, Ming Hu, Suh helped develop a new course themed, “ʻĀina-based Design Solution for Indigenous Communities in Hawaii.” The goal of the new course is to propose, test and validate an integrated ʻāina-based design approach that is intended to serve indigenous communities in Hawai‘i.

“The traditional pedagogical approach is process- and goal-oriented, meaning the structure of a course is linear—going from Point A to Point B,” Suh explained. “And because design education is very structured in the process, we sometimes lose the sight of meaning. Yes, content needs to be delivered, but it needs to be delivered meaningfully and beyond a set of skills.”

Associate Professor of Arts and Design Junghwa Suh, D.Arch presented her new course, "Āina-based Design Solution for Indigenous Communities in Hawaii," at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Associate Professor of Arts and Design Junghwa Suh, D.Arch presented her new course, “Āina-based Design Solution for Indigenous Communities in Hawaii,” at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) Conference in Reykjavik, Iceland.

While teaching the Studio Commercial course for seniors’ capstone Environmental + Interior Design project, Hu tasked the students to come up with a design to restore the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center in East Oahu, keeping true to the natural elements of the environs. Students had to understand the importance of the Center’s Kānewai Spring, which is “where the mountain gives birth to the ocean.” They also had to take into account the many cultural sites surrounding the spring, including the mākāhā (fishpond sluice gate) and kū‘ula (fishing stone shrine) with an upright Kū stone balanced by a low Hina stone where the fishermen of old would have given offerings asking for a plentiful catch.

“In the client briefing, we learned that the Center is dedicated towards passing down the Hawaiian culture to the next generation through education sessions and volunteer opportunities,” said newly-minted graduate, Maria Bernaldez ’23, who presented her design concept to leaders at the Center. “With that in mind, I implemented traditional Hawaiian hale aspects, keeping open entrances with no doors in places for public accessibility and wood slat ceiling and beams to imitate exposed wooden rafters and roofing made of coconut thatching.”

For her Materiality Interior Design Studio course, Suh assigned sophomores the project of re-conceptualizing the space at The Institute for Human Services’ Women’s & Family Shelter, giving the dormitory areas a more welcoming, inviting design, while mindful of the context and the community.

“They got to know the space, especially the sleeping areas,” Suh said. “I appreciated their research into understanding people, and learning how textural and tactile elements interact with the environment in this particular setting.”

The project spawned a discussion among Suh, Hu and E + ID program coordinator Matthew Higgins, and eventually evolved into an innovative research project that will be presented at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) Conference on June 22-24, in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Titled, ‘Āina-based Design of Emergency and Homeless Shelters for Indigenous Communities, the project’s premise is to address the need for a novel design approach and socially-rich data on native Hawai‘i housing to guide future projects, and to avoid mistakes of the past. According to the abstract, the project tests two design principles that have been overlooked in the development of emergency housing initiatives: the integration of Hawaiian values with respect to the land (ʻāina) and people; and community engagement to generate solutions that are informed by local need.

“The beauty of being in an education environment is that it allows you to explore the meaning of an ʻāina-based design,” Suh said. “You get to know the actual place and not just the physical structure on the property. It’s placing the land in a historical and cultural context, and learning its significance; the overall approach to the design is dictated by the ʻāina and not the place.”

Summer Research Opportunities

La‘a Gamiao ’25 hopes to get a head start on his master’s degree at Purdue University, where he wants to eventually pursue a doctorate in ecology. His first step toward this goal was to accept an eight-week, Undergraduate Summer Research Program at Purdue’s flagship campus in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Laa Gamiao is participating in a research program at Purdue.
La’a Gamiao was accepted accepted to an eight-week, Undergraduate Summer Research Program at Purdue’s flagship campus in West Lafayette, Indiana.

“I leave on June 2 and I have orientation on June 4,” said Gamiao, who will be among the five student-research participants from across the country. “I’ll be conducting research on Aquatic Ecology, studying predator-and-prey interactions in response to chemicals.”

Gamiao is among a group of Chaminade students who have been able to kick-start their graduate studies, thanks to agreements between Chaminade University and fellow esteemed institutions of higher education.

“Chaminade is a member of The Leadership Alliance, a consortium of 32 academic institutions dedicated to addressing the shortage of diversity in graduate schools and academia,” said Amber Noguchi, Ph.D., Chaminade’s Program Director with the Undergraduate Research & Pre-Professional Programs. “Through the program, we’ve built partnerships with universities that want to admit our students into their summer research programs.”

In the past, Chaminade students have participated in programs at Harvard, Yale, Purdue and UCLA—to name just a few. This early exposure to research is invaluable and greatly enhances a student’s graduate school application, particularly for medical schools.

This summer, Alexandra Boyce and Kaila Frank will both participate in Michigan State University’s Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP). According to the MSU website, the SROP is a gateway to graduate education at Big Ten Academic Alliance universities. The goal of the program is to increase the number of underrepresented students who pursue graduate study and research careers. SROP also helps prepare undergraduates for graduate study through intensive research experiences with faculty mentors and enrichment activities. Boyce and Frank also plan to take short courses in various subjects prior to the start of the research portion of the program.

“We also have at least one student, Tia Skaggs, who will be participating in the Cancer Research Experience for Undergraduates (CREU) program at the University of Colorado Anschutz,” Noguchi said. “This program is focused on projects related to cancer, whereas Purdue and MSU offer a wide range of disciplines and faculty expertise.”

Amber Noguchi, Chaminade’s Program Director with the Undergraduate Research & Pre-Professional Programs, encourages students to participate in summer research programs at various universities.

CREU’s primary goal is to engage scientific curiosity in the next generation of scientists, challenging qualified college undergraduates to consider a cancer-related career in the future. Only 23 college undergraduate students have been selected to spend 10 weeks in the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus’ laboratories.

“Our office encourages students to apply for experiential opportunities like summer research both here at Chaminade and at other institutions,” Noguchi said. “We also encourage our pre-health students to apply for clinical experiences and also pre-health enrichment programs.”

This summer, two pre-health juniors were accepted to the Summer Health Professions Education Program: Joshua Dumas ’24, a pre-med student, who will be attending the UCLA program; and Alexis Martinez ’24, an aspiring dentist, who has a choice between UCLA and Western University of Health Sciences.

To expose students to clinical experience, Chaminade works with the COPE Health Scholars Program at Adventist Castle. Through COPE, students are able to gain 280 clinical hours by volunteering in various departments at the hospital. Students enrolled in healthcare programs require these hours to demonstrate that they understand the field they plan to pursue, and it also helps them be competitive applicants when they actually apply.

“Many Chaminade students—who have pursued health careers in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, nursing and others—have participated in COPE,” Noguchi said. “We currently have Kelsey Nakagawa ’23, a nursing major, who started the program last year, and has risen to a leadership position there. We also have Kobe Young ’23, a recent Biochemistry graduate, who will be starting this summer.”

Scholars at Sea

Students immerse themselves in culture and history

Seven days. Seven ports. And a lot of history, foreign cultures and sites to absorb in between. These were the main takeaways that Chaminade students, Remo Merlo, Hannah Dyer, Nicole Vontsolos and Kevin Dean, gleaned from their short-term study abroad program this past spring.

Organized by Kelly Treece, Ph.D., Director and Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Lynn Haff, Director of Grants Development, the scholar-at-sea-like program offered students a glimpse into European, Islamic, Muslim, Jewish, Middle Eastern and Western Asian cultures. The seven-day itinerary aboard the Norwegian Jade embarked from Athens, Greece, and circled the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean seas, with Ports of Call in Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Jerusalem (Ashdod) and Tel-Aviv (Haifa), Israel; and Limassol, Cyprus.

The ruins of Ephesus is 11 miles away from Kusadasi, Turkey, and it is one of the best preserved ancient cities of the world.

“We received a $13,000 Sidney Stern Memorial Trust grant, and we were all set to go in 2020 to Italy, Switzerland and Germany,” Treece says. “And then COVID happened.”

As travel restrictions began to relax in 2022, Treece charted a new course. This time would be different—in location and mode of travel. Also, rather than take a large cohort of students, who would have to pay their own way, Treece would use grant money to cover 90 percent of the program’s cost for four students: two females and two males.

“Coming out of COVID, we knew the students couldn’t afford to pay because they were still recovering from the economic impact of the pandemic,” Treece asserts. “We had limited funds, but we knew we could support four students.”

To qualify, each student was required to hold a current passport, to be in good academic standing and to write an essay explaining why he or she wanted to participate in this short-term study abroad, and how it would propel their future. The answers varied among the freshman, sophomore and two senior students. What was consistent, however, is that they all believed in the educational benefits of visiting different countries and gaining the exposure to foreign cultures.

“When Dr. Treece called and asked if I was still interested in going to Europe, I screamed, ‘Are you kidding me?’” recalls, Hannah Dyer, who was initially denied because she was a sophomore and preference was given to seniors. “It was my first time outside of the Americas so I was excited to see Europe and, technically, Western Asia because of Turkey.”

In preparation for the voyage, each student was assigned a country and tasked to create a travel brochure of sorts, providing details about the respective nation’s history, culture, socio-economic policies, political stability and religion.

“I learned more in the two weeks visiting each country than I would have learned in researching each one,” says freshman Remo Merlo. “They (Europeans) have such a different way of living, and we noticed this right away when we arrived in Athens.”

The Western Wall, also known as the “Wailing Wall” or the “Kotel,” is the most religious site in the world for the Jewish people.

Treece acknowledged her overall goal was cultural immersion for the students, allowing them to explore and develop their sense of curiosity and problem-solving skills. “I’ve chaperoned previous trips to London, England, when I was at another university, but those groups were much larger,” says the one-time police sergeant. “We brought together four complete strangers, and they formed a really tight-knit bond, each relying on the other for safety and awareness.”

And at no time was this more evident when they were in Israel. As peaceful protests choked the streets in Tel Aviv, Treece and Haff were stuck on a bus for several hours after returning from an excursion to Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Dyer and Vontsolos, who were on the same daytrip, had boarded an earlier bus, and only later learned of their chaperones’ predicament once they returned to the ship. 

“We were all texting them to see if they were OK,” Merlo says. “Dr. Treece reassured us they were fine, and everything was peaceful, which was another difference between what we saw in Tel Aviv and what we’ve seen in the U.S.”

Merlo and Dyer have already said they would definitely participate in a similar program should the opportunity again arise. “After college, I plan to move to Europe or Canada,” Merlo says. “And this trip even motivates me more to finish college early, and explore the next chapter of my life.”

Dyer returned to Hawaii on a traveling high, eager to take to the skies once again and return to Israel. “I wish I could have done more,” she says. “Visiting the different religious sights and learning about all the history was an immersive experience. 

“There were no emails and texts to respond to nor phones to answer,” Dyer adds. “We just all hung out and talked about what we were seeing and what we were experiencing. It was great just to hang out and unplug.”

Catholic Schools Recognition Luncheon

The Hawaii Catholic Schools Recognition Ceremony had already started, and St. Anthony School Maui’s Head of School David Kenney and music teacher Julia Golding were stuck on the tarmac at Kahului Airport. Unbeknownst to Golding, she was to be one of the luncheon’s guests of honor, and announced as the Hawaii Catholic Schools’ 2023 Teacher of the Year.

“It was a comedy of errors,” said Golding, referring to the hours-long delay at the Kahului Airport, which jeopardized her attending the luncheon. “Our first scheduled flight was cancelled because the plane that was supposed to come from Oahu never arrived. So, we got on another flight and that was delayed because of a medical emergency, which further delayed our arrival on Oahu because we lost the window of time to get to the Honolulu airport gate.”

St. Anthony School Maui’s music teacher Julia Golding with her Golden Pineapple.

Since 2019, Chaminade University and the Hawaii Catholic Schools have added an island twist to the national Golden Apple Awards, renaming it—fittingly—the Golden Pineapple Awards. “The Teacher and Administrator of the Year event would not be possible if it were not for our strong relationship with Chaminade,” said Llewellyn Young, Ph.D., superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools. “Chaminade is a Hawaii Catholic School, and we are tremendously grateful and blessed to have them as part of our Catholic schools ‘ohana.”

According to School of Education and Behavioral Sciences Dean, Dale Fryxell, Ph.D., nominations for Teacher and Administrator of the Year can be submitted by a fellow teacher or an administrator, and parent or student. A panel comprised of Chaminade and Hawaii Catholic Schools representatives then review the candidates on the following criteria:

1.  How the nominee has made a difference in the life of a student(s).

2. The nominee’s accomplishments as they relate to leadership.

3. The nominee’s accomplishments as they relate to service to the school and community.

4.The nominee’s accomplishments as they relate to spiritual development.

“Today’s winners exemplify everything that these awards stand for—a celebration of the impact teachers and administrators have on the lives of their students,” Fryxell said. “Their commitment to their students and to their Catholic faith are admirable, and certainly warrant recognition.”

In her address to the group of Hawai’i Catholic educators, Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington discussed the challenges that our K-12 education system faces, and how Catholic education, with its unique position, can effectively address many of these challenges.

One of the main challenges Babington identified was the emphasis on standardized testing, which can often lead to a narrow curriculum that neglects critical thinking, creativity and character development.

“Catholic education can offer an alternative approach by fostering a holistic education that values the whole person,” Babington said. “Catholic schools emphasize the development of character, moral values and social responsibility alongside academic excellence. By instilling these values in students, Catholic education prepares them not only for academic success but also for a meaningful and fulfilling life.”

Golding said she imparts three key values to her students: faith, respect of self and each other, and gratitude. “If you don’t have a deep sense of faith, you don’t have that central character,” said the Australian native, who has taught at St. Anthony’s for the past two years. “I try to instill in my students that where they live and where they go to school are privileges.”

Kenney described Golding as thoughtful and insightful, and an incredible support to him and the entire administrative team. “Julia has made a tremendous impact and has initiated multiple programs, including the return of musical theater to the school for the first time in many years,” he said. “Additionally, the plays she has chosen allow for all of our students—young and old—to participate together, underscoring our charism and focus on unity and ‘ohana. We are truly blessed to have her as part of our ‘ohana.”

Drs. Dale Fryxell and Chaminade President Lynn Babington, along with superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools, Dr. Llewelynn Young, far right, present Hawaii Catholic Schools’ Adminstrator of the Year to Margaret Rufo from Mary, Star of the Sea School.

This year’s Catholic Schools Administrator of the Year went to Margaret Rufo from Mary, Star of the Sea School. A dedicated and passionate administrator who has made a significant impact on her school community, Rufo regularly interacts with the students, even making herself available for one-on-one chats during lunch and recess. She’s also deeply involved in school events, such as International Day and the 24 Math Challenge Day.

“She is engaged in all aspects of the school, whether it’s a school dance, a basketball game, a parent meeting, an international festival or a poinsettia sale—she is there,” said Fryxell in announcing Rufo as this year’s Administrator of the Year. “In addition to her focus on academic achievement, Margaret also excels as a leader, serving as a role model for her staff and working tirelessly to create a supportive and collaborative environment.”

In her closing remarks, Babington congratulated Golding and Rufo, acknowledging their commitment to educating young people in the Catholic tradition.

“I commend you for the good work you do for these K-12 students,” Babington concluded. “You prepare them to be productive members of society, and to be successful in furthering their academic journeys through higher education.”

Hawaiian Leadership Values

’19 MBA graduates co-author book for future leaders

Dressed in a tank top, shorts and slippahs, Nolene Gega ’19 scouted the streets of Kalihi, shopping around for a commercial printer. She finally found one that agreed to print a book, which she and nine other then-MBA Chaminade students co-wrote for their Island Business Po‘okela capstone project. “Hawaiian Values for Future Leaders: Definitions & Stories” was born from the idea that no reference book exists that highlights the importance of Hawaiian leadership values.

“The intent was to make a book that could be shared and approachable,” says Gega, a military veteran who was deployed to Kuwait from 2011-2012 and embedded as a civilian in Afghanistan from 2012-2014. “Every single book on Hawaiian values is so dense, and we wanted ours to be a sort of quick guide.”

Spearheaded by Gega, the 50-page book covers a series of key Hawaiian values, including Aloha, Cooperativeness (Kūpono), Humility (Haʻahaʻa), Helpfulness (Kōkua), Generosity (Lokomaikaʻi), Patience (Hoʻomanawanui), Hospitality (Hoʻokipa), Unity (Lōkahi), Courage (Koa), Responsibility (Kuleana) and Dignity (Hanohano). According to Gega, these 10 values were chosen based on the commonality of Lili‘uokalani Trust Trustee Thomas K. Kaulukukui’s journal Hūlili Vol. 10 and George S. Kanahele’s book Kū Kanaka–Stand Tall: A Search for Hawaiian Values.  

Shawn Uehira, left, and Nolene Gega co-wrote a book about Hawaiian leadership values.
Shawn Uehira ’19, left, and Nolene Gega ’19 co-wrote a book about the importance of Hawaiian leadership values among local businesses.

“It’s a tool for storytelling,” said Gega’s fellow MBA graduate and co-author Shawn Uehira ’19, who tapped retired Hawaiian Electric executive and current President of the Collaborative Leaders Network, Robbie Alm, for his mo’olelo about Aloha, Lōkahi and Pu’u (sharing with future leaders). “We didn’t want our book to turn into a MLA-style manual. We even included blank pages in between the chapters so people could write down their own stories to share for future generations.”

In addition to Gega and Uehira, other contributing MBA cohort members included Tiana Brede ’19, Auli‘I Mafi ’19, Jeffrey Pi‘imauna ’19, Cliffton Pires ’19, Dan Scroggins ’19, Faisha Solomon ’19, Kim Spring ’19 and Xiao Yi ’19. Each was responsible for choosing one of the values and finding a storyteller who would be willing to share his/her perspectives regarding that particular value. Among the storytellers and community leaders are Cindy Asada, Director of Guest Relations at Four Seasons Hualalai;  Esben Borsting, Chaminade’s Director of Native Hawaiian Partnerships; Ed Demello, owner of Emerald Isle Plumbing; Kristiana Kahakauwila, “This is Paradise: Stories” author; Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, O‘ahu Island Burial Council; Anne Matute, Cromwell owner; Elizabet Sahtouris, Chaminade professor; Lilette Subedi, Director of Resource Development for the Whitmore Economic Development Group; Ramsay Taum, owner of Life Enhancement Institute of the Pacific; and Michael Toyama, Senior Principal with Bowers & Kubota.

“I contacted Lilette, a Native Hawaiian practitioner and Indologist, whom I met while she was a Navy contractor,” Gega said. “We met in ‘Aiea under a tree, and we just talked for hours about what it meant to be a Native Hawaiian. It was truly inspiring.”

When asked about the meaning of Haʻahaʻa, Subedi offered an anecdote, relating to a past event during which she was asked to speak about her role as the Sex Equity Coordinator for the state of Hawai‘i.

“I thought, ‘Oh my God! I need to sound smart,” Subedi recalled. “I prayed on it and went up and spoke. It didn’t matter the number of people because you start don’t look at that, you speak from the heart and just be who you are. It was well received.”

After giving this talk, Subedi learned not to be shy. “I fought and changed my path,” she added. “I learned to be assertive, not aggressive. I learned to stand and be who I am, as who I always was. Not in the mindset of being Hawaiian, just being me!”

A common question posed among all the interviewees was: Is there anything you feel is important to share today with future leaders? While the answers varied, from individual kuleana to community lōkahi, all believed in sharing aloha.

“Aloha means so many different things for each person,” Gega noted. “There’s no one true definition. I believe Aloha is that thing when all of the right things happen at the right time, and the right place for our good and the good of others, which means it comes from within you. It is something you have to bring to the situation as much as you receive in the situation.”

BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program

Discussing ‘Spirit in the Time of Radical Change’

What is faith? What is spirit? And, how do you approach climate change from the different spiritual traditions? These were the three primary questions addressed during a discussion sponsored by the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program, which marks its 20th anniversary this year at Chaminade University. Originally named the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai Reverend Fujitani Interfaith Program, the curriculum’s purpose is to bring together the Buddhist community with all other religious communities in Hawaii to promote interfaith dialogue, and to provide opportunities for understanding and action for peace and justice in our communities.

In a conversation themed, “Spirit in the Time of Radical Change,” panelists included Native Hawaiian practitioner Manulani Aluli Meyer, Buddhist David Atcheson, Indian Vedic specialist Akhilesh Tiwari and Mary Anne Magnier of Honolulu Friends Meeting, which is an open and affirming congregation that welcomes everyone.

“I’ve never moderated anything in my life,” says Chaminade sophomore La‘a Gamiao ’25, who was tasked to lead the discussions. “I was really nervous, but I knew I had to be myself.”

Chaminade sophmore La’a Gamiao ’25 moderated the discussion themed “Spirit in the Time of Radical Change.”

Established in 2003 and named in honor of Yoshiaki Fujitani, a past president of BDK Hawaii, the program in the past has featured lectures, which were either usually based on a single speaker or based on panel discussions during which each panelist is given the floor to present his/her religious perspectives. The presentations would be followed by discussion among the panelists, and later opened to the audience for a Q&A session. 

“I was involved with the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith program years before Brother Bernie (Ploeger, Chaminade’s fomer President) stopped me in the hallway of Henry Hall and asked me to take over the program,” recalled Sr. Malia Wong, D.Min, Program Director for Chaminade’s BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program. “He knew of my long involvement with the interfaith community in Hawaii and globally, but I felt I wasn’t ready to assume the position—especially moderating—and I deferred the position to Regina Pfeiffer.

In 2017, Cheryl Edelson, Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts and Design, asked associate professor Pfeiffer, D.Min., to fill the role as the head of Religious Studies. “Thus, I formally became program director of the BDK-Fujitani Interfaith Program, finally fulfilling Bro. Bernie’s wishes,” Wong laughed.

Upon the suggestion of Manulani Meyer, a moderator would be appointed to ask the question to the panelists, who would then be given a chance to respond. Wong explained that this format took a lot more preparation on the back end, not being quite sure how to organize the program so that it flows.

“Thus, I designed it with La‘a as the host and at the helm asking questions, and allowing discussions to grow organically.” Wong said. “The last part of the program included networking and continuing the conversation on the lanai with vegan pupu. It was like being with family and friends with the ease of interaction among guests of the different faith traditions. This will be our new format going forward—open to adaptation and change, a Marianist characteristic of education.”

For someone who has never moderated a discussion, La‘a was grateful that he was chosen as the first student host, despite his initial fears and nervous shakes.

“If you don’t answer, you’ll never know your character,” said Gamiao of agreeing to be the discussion’s moderator. “I put myself out there and the fact that I said yes, I think, says a lot about my character.”