Chaminade University of Honolulu

Institutional

Chaminade University Names Jennifer Creech as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success

Jennifer Creech, Chaminade Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success (1)

Chaminade University has named Jennifer Creech as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, where she will oversee the school’s Admissions, Financial Aid and Student Success teams.

Creech brings more than 15 years of experience to the position. Prior to her new position, Creech has served as Chaminade University’s Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Registrar since 2020.

“Jennifer has played an integral role in student success and retention,” said President of Chaminade University Lynn Babington, PhD. “With a strong background in academic affairs and student recruitment, her operational expertise and leadership will help Chaminade attract and support students who come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.”

Prior to joining Chaminade University, Creech served as Assistant Vice President and Registrar in Strategic Enrollment Management at the University of Dayton and served as a Graduate Assistant for Greek Affairs and Graduate Assistant for Union and Facilities Office at the University of Central Missouri.

Active in professional affiliations, Creech is a member of the American Talent Initiation (ATI) Transfer, Equity & Inclusion, Veterans, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), Ohio Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (OACRAO), Southwest Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE), and National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

Creech earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Heidelberg University and a master’s degree in College Student Personnel Administration from the University of Central Missouri.

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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.

Chaminade University Announces New Board of Governors and Regents Members

Chaminade University has named three new members to its Board of Governors and two new members to its Board of Regents.

Newly named to its Board of Governors are:

Bob Eisiminger
Bob Eisiminger was a Co-founder of Knight Point Systems (KPS) and served as Chief Executive Officer until its sale in 2019. He led KPI to the Inc. 5000 list and Washington Post’s Top Workplaces. In 2018, he was named one of the Distinguished Members of the West Point Society of DC and was named The EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the Government Contracting for Mid-Atlantic in 2019. Additionally, he serves on the Board for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, and Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund. Eisiminger earned his bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and later served as an Air Defense Artillery Officer with tours of duty in Texas and Germany.

Joseph McClelland, Jr., U.S. Coast Guard RADM (Ret.)
Retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, Rear Admiral McClelland was commissioned through Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in 1966. He served as a surface operations specialist having served five sea tours, including command in icebreakers and command of the Coast Guard’s oceanographic research ship. He received a master’s degree in Physical Oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School and qualified as a Ship Salvage Diving Officer and Helium-Oxygen Diving Officer. He is a Rotarian and a Life Member of the Navy League. He served as the president of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu and as president of the Honolulu Council. McClelland was awarded the Coast Guard’s Distinguished Public Service Award for his service as Chairman of commissioning committees in Hawai‘i between 2017 and 2019 for five Coast Guard cutters.

Matthew Morgan, MEd ‘02
Matthew Morgan is the Chief Business Process Officer and a member of the Global Management Committee of Teneo, a global CEO advisory firm headquartered in New York. Morgan began his career as an Army intelligence officer and is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star, and served as a company commander and in various staff and leadership roles. He is a prolific author and speaker and has published several books, including A Democracy Is Born (2007), The American Military after 9-11 (2008), and the six-volume series The Impact of 9-11: The Day that Changed Everything? (2009). He earned a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduate degrees from Harvard Business School (MBA), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (MA Political Science), and Chaminade University of Honolulu (Master of Education). In addition to serving on the Advisory Board for the University of Montana Mansfield Center, Morgan also serves on the Board of the Capital Classics Theatre Company.

Newly named to its Board of Regents are:
Eric Fujimoto

Eric Fujimoto, MBA ‘94
A proud Chaminade graduate, Eric Fujimoto is the Principal for Ho‘ea Wealth Advisory Group and a member of Ameriprise Financial Services. He was awarded the US Small Business Administration’s Small Business Person of the Year for the City and County of Honolulu in 2020. He was also named the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Professional Advisor of the Year and Chaminade Alumni of the Year. He volunteers at Drug Free Hawai‘i, Rotary Club of Pearlridge, Central Union Church, and for University of Hawai‘i athletics with ‘Ahui Koa Ānuenue and Na Koa.

David Underriner

David Underriner
David Underriner is the Executive Vice President of O‘ahu Operations and Chief Executive Officer of Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Pali Momi Medical Center and Straub Medical Center for Hawai‘i Pacific Health. Prior to his appointment, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Health Officer at Hawai‘i Medical Service Association (HMSA); President of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals for the Hawai‘i region; and as the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive of Providence Saint Joseph Health (PSJH) Oregon. Underriner is a graduate of Oregon State University and holds a master’s degree in Healthcare Management from the University of Washington. He has served on many boards with a focus on behavioral health, children, economic development and poverty reduction. He currently sits on the Oregon State University Foundation Board, and is Board Chair for Credena, a specialty pharmacy subsidiary of PSJH.

Chaminade’s Board of Governors and Board of Regents serve to create and authorize school plans and policies and to ensure that they articulate the vision and mission of the university system.

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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.

Chaminade Launches EdD in Educational Psychology Program

teacher with a student

As part of an exciting partnership with the Hawaii State Department of Education (DOE), Chaminade University is gearing up to welcome its inaugural cohort for the new Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology program.

The EdD program, which is offered fully online, is designed for mental health professionals serving in educational settings and driven to build their skills as leaders, mental health counselors and scholar-practitioners. Dr. Darren Iwamoto, program coordinator, said the degree’s cutting-edge curriculum includes a wealth of hands-on experiences, including around psychological test administration.

He added the doctoral program was developed to help Hawaii meet a critical and growing need for advanced clinical professionals in educational settings. And while the Fall 2022 cohort will be restricted to Department of Education employees, Chaminade plans to open seats to the public within two years.

“We worked incredibly closely with the DOE and other key stakeholders in designing this program so it was a pure partnership from the very beginning,” Iwamoto said. “It’s about a meeting a need that’s currently a gap in the Department of Education system and the community more broadly.”

Iwamoto said the program was specifically tailored to meet the rigorous Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs academic requirements for mental health licensure. Participants also complete 600 internship hours and a dissertation that’s woven into coursework.

After finishing the 60-credit hour program, students will be fully qualified to serve as educational psychologists in Hawaii PK-12 schools or in related sectors, such as with nonprofits that deliver services to youth. Iwamoto added the doctoral degree puts a strong emphasis on cultural awareness and considering the whole student as part of a push to broaden key support systems.

“This program is all about helping students with the highest needs,” he said. 

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, PhD, said the program underscores the university’s tireless commitment to meeting community needs head-on—with quality, innovative and relevant programming designed to prepare students to serve others and drive positive change.

“The COVID pandemic and its fallout have not only highlighted the shortage of mental health professionals in Hawaii, but worsened it,” Babington said. “We know the new Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology is part of the solution and look forward to seeing graduates of this program taking on the challenges they see around them and helping build healthier, happier communities.”

Coursework in the program helps students to build a strong foundation for their direct service and leadership opportunities. It includes explorations of legal, professional and ethical issues, techniques for advanced counseling and group facilitation, and special education identification and assessment.

“This program—years in the making—was made possible thanks to the invaluable support, insight and expertise of our valued collaborators at the Hawaii Department of Education,” said Dr. Dale Fryxell, dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “We are proud to be partnering with them on a multi-year effort to strengthen the psychological support framework in Hawaii’s public schools.”

In an added benefit, Iwamoto said the Department of Education was able to secure federal grant funding to cover tuition, fees and other expenses for members of the inaugural cohort. Chaminade hopes to have 20 members in the first class, and they will begin their coursework in October.

2022 Hawaii Catholic Schools Teacher of the Year

The COVID pandemic has been tough on kids—and Rica Velasco knows that better than most.

As the guidance counselor at St. Joseph’s Parish School in Waipahu, Velasco has grappled with soaring demand for counseling services among students over the last two years. She’s sought to not only meet those needs but give kids new tools to appropriately express their feelings and manage them.

That’s why she worked with St. Joseph’s Principal Beverly Sandobal to roll out an innovative social-emotional learning program across all grade levels that’s already had a positive impact on young lives.

“When we opened after the COVID lockdown…students and parents were afraid to return to school. Students were anxious and depressed, having difficulty with organizations and coping,” she said. “Since this program was implemented, students are more willing to talk about their feelings.”

Velasco’s dedication, her compassion and her service have been noticed.

Llewellyn Young, PhD (Superintendent, Hawaii Catholic Schools); Keith Yoshida (VP of Planning & Business Development, Par Hawaii and Vice Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education); Rica Velasco (awardee), Dale Fryxell, PhD (Dean, School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Chaminade University)
Dr. Llewellyn Young (Hawaii Catholic Schools), Keith Yoshida (Par Hawaii), Rica Velasco (awardee) and Dr. Dale Fryxell (Chaminade University)

And at a ceremony May 19, Chaminade University and Hawaii Catholic Schools named Velasco the Hawaii Catholic Schools Teacher of the Year for 2022, presenting her with the Golden Pine“apple” Trophy along with $1,000 from Chaminade and John C. and Mary Lou Brogan, $1,000 in gas cards from Par Hawaii’s Hele Gas and $1,500 for St. Joseph staff development from the Augustine Educational Foundation.

The honor left Velasco beaming—and humbled.

“I was shocked to receive this recognition since I work alongside many innovative and outstanding teachers at St. Joseph who inspire me every day,” she said. “I am passionate about my work and grateful for this acknowledgment. Our team allows us to move mountains. I’m blessed to be part of this school.”

In addition to serving as the guidance counselor at her school, Velasco is the technology director and even steps in as a substitute teacher when needed. Her technology director hat has kept her particularly busy during the pandemic, with launching online and hybrid learning platforms and troubleshooting.

She also oversees her school’s one-on-one distribution of digital devices to students.

“Online learning was a challenge and an opportunity for our teachers to leap into digital learning,” Velasco said. “Today, I’m proud that all our teachers use technology to engage and enhance learning. Technology is constantly changing, and it challenges me to be open to change in all that I do.”

But it is her role as guidance counselor, watching students develop into “empathetic, confident and collaborative individuals,” that Velasco most enjoys. “Meeting with students who have difficulty making friends and then seeing them on the playground laughing with others is a joy for me,” she said.

2022 Hawaii Catholic Schools Teacher of the Year awardee Rica Velasco of St. Joseph's Parish School

Colleagues who nominated Velasco for the award said her implementation of the social-emotional learning program has made a significant difference at the school, especially as students and teachers alike navigate the “new normal” of the pandemic. “It helped both teachers and students cope with the uncertainties of living with COVID,” one colleague wrote. Another said that Velasco has created an environment that fosters empathy, understanding, and strong and healthy relationships.

Sandobal, the school principal, said she couldn’t agree more.

She related the case of one kindergartner who had difficulty speaking to peers and teachers alike. Velasco, she said, helped create safe places so the student could begin to confidently express herself.

“The student is now in third grade and is not afraid to articulate her thoughts and ideas inside and outside the classroom,” Sandobal said. “We and her parents are so proud to celebrate her progress.”

Sandobal added that as school counselor, Velasco has also helped address bullying by working with teachers and students, conducting classroom observations, and creating a daily report card to accomplish specific goals. She has also provided teacher training on behavior plans.

“Living out the school’s mission is the central point and focus of all the work that Rica does as counselor,” Sandobal. “With her focus on relationship building, she has provided significant ways for us provide a safe, caring, family-oriented environment that is centered in Jesus Christ.”

Velasco said she looks forward to continuing the growth of her social-emotional learning program, including by facilitating new conversations with parents and community members. “Our school faced many challenges over the past couple years,” she said. “We grew and changed together and walked away more competent, resilient and faith-filled. I look forward to what God has in store for us.”

Chaminade Launches Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy Program

couple holding hands during marriage therapy

To help meet a critical need for mental health services, leadership and program administration in Hawaii, Chaminade University has launched a new Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT) program and is already receiving applications for the inaugural cohort—whose members will begin instruction in Fall 2022.

The doctoral degree received WASC accreditation, in recognition of the high quality of academic preparation and rigor for participating students, said the program’s director Dr. Blendine Hawkins.

Hawkins, an assistant professor of Psychology at Chaminade and a licensed marriage and family therapist, said the graduate degree will welcome students with diverse educational and professional backgrounds, including in psychology, counseling, social work or marriage and family therapy. Applicants must have a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy or completed coursework sufficient for MFT licensure. They also must be clinically active or be working to achieve licensure.

“We want to take their skills to the next level as they become expert clinicians, serving Hawaii in a culturally sensitive way,” she said, adding that the degree will prepare students for leadership, supervision and consultation, teaching in higher education, and for program administration.

“Hawaii has a dearth of experts in this field,” Hawkins said. “This program is about helping the next generation of marriage and family therapy clinicians build their skills. We think with the family in mind all the time and that’s really what sets us apart. Our prime purpose is to strengthen those connections, to honor families, to look at those areas of hurt and pain, and to help people build resilience.”

The Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy will be delivered fully online, with both synchronous and asynchronous classes. With 10-week terms, students can complete their degree in as few as 36 months.

The degree, the only one of its kind in Hawaii, is also practice-focused and designed for working professionals. The cohort system allows participants to make progress toward their degree as a team, Hawkins said, supporting one another and building strong relationships along the way.

As part of the degree, participants will complete a dissertation and be encouraged to select an action research project focused on hands-on learning and maximizing their positive impact. “Students will be able to conduct their dissertation research in their workplace or as part of a clinic experience, understanding how to better help their clients and evaluating programs,” Hawkins said.

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, PhD, said the doctoral degree helps to meet a strong need for marriage and family therapy clinicians operating at the highest levels of the discipline. “The Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy is all about leadership and preparing students to take the next step in their careers so they can better advocate for families and build healthier family units which in turn positively impacts our community,” she said.

“Service and social justice are at the foundation of this degree, aligning with our broader Marianist values at Chaminade that seek to educate the whole person and help students pursue positive change.”

Dr. Dale Fryxell, dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, added that the professors serving the program were hand-picked and are all experts in their field. “These faculty-mentors are not only well-versed in theory but in practice, bringing decades of experience to the program,” Fryxell said.

“They are perfectly suited to supporting our DMFT participants as they build on their professional identities in advanced levels of clinical intervention and also grow adept at systemic leadership, program building and consultation to practitioners, nonprofit organizations and healthcare entities.”

Hawkins said the program is designed to appeal to a wide range of students, including mid-career professionals and those who have just completed a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Participants, she added, will have access to a strong network of support from faculty members, program advisors and Chaminade support staff. Hawkins also said the coursework—like the dissertation—is designed to stress experiential learning, skills building and leadership development.

“They’ll have opportunities to hone their skills in real-world settings, weaving in unique challenges, complexities and nuances present in Hawaii,” Hawkins said. “And at every turn, we will employ a socially just, informed lens to working with clients while recognizing no two families are alike.”

Celebrating Our Graduates: Spring Commencement 2022

Value your ‘ohana, embrace your kuleana and remember that obstacles are meant to be overcome.

Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, president of the East-West Center, giving the commencement speech

That was the message East-West Center President Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum had for Chaminade University’s Spring 2022 graduates at the university’s 64th annual Commencement exercises on May 7.

“When you walk out of here today, remember those who walked with you, remember all those who helped you get here, and remember what it means to be a servant leader—even when it’s tough,” said Vares-Lum, in her address graduates at the Waikiki Shell. “Be a light wherever you go, learn, listen, teach, encourage. … Embrace where you come from and don’t let others define who you are.”

Vares-Lum is the first woman and Native Hawaiian to be selected to lead the East-West Center. In speaking to graduates, she described her humble beginnings and her struggles at home and at school.

“Most people who knew me then would never have imagined that I would one day be standing before you—as your commencement speaker, a retired two-star general and now the head of one of our region’s most respected institutions of learning, the East-West Center,” Vares-Lum said.

“Fortunately, I spent many of my summers growing up with my grandparents on Maui. They knew everything about hard work and commitment. I watched and learned. We have so much to learn from our kupuna. It kindled a drive inside of me that said, ‘I refuse to be defined by life’s circumstances.’”

Spring 2022 Commencement at the Waikiki Shell

The message was well-received by graduates, who were faced with a host of new COVID-related challenges and were able to tackle them all to achieve their goals. The Commencement included about 540 students in all, including 140 undergraduates who qualified for Honors recognition.

Melanie Kushi was graduating with her Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) degree, and said the graduation represented the end of a “long journey” and the beginning of a new adventure. She has been selected for a post-doctoral position at Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

“I couldn’t have done this without the love and support of my family,” she said. “It’s a lot of hard work.”

Fellow PsyD graduate Daniel Kinikini couldn’t agree more and added he’s thankful to his professors at Chaminade and his fellow cohort members for helping him get through the toughest days. “I’m looking forward to the future,” said Kinikini, adding that the pandemic has underscored the importance of a robust mental healthcare system in Hawaii. “Being able to work with, especially the underserved population, that’s something I’m really passionate about. Many doors are opened now.”

Educator Brandy Wilson was ecstatic after graduating with her Master of Arts in Teaching degree, and said she’s planning to bring her new skills to her current work. “I love preschool,” said Wilson, who teaches at Mokapu Elementary in Kailua. “Being at Chaminade has helped me so much to learn strategies for working with both general education and special education students. I will continue to do that.”

Dr. Lynn Babington speaking at Spring 2022 Commencement

The Commencement ceremony began with a special invocation from Bro. Edward Brink, vice president for Mission and Rector at Chaminade. President Dr. Lynn Babington then addressed graduates, congratulating them on all they have accomplished—including in the face of adversity.

“During the past two years, we have all lived with uncertainty. You had to pivot to online learning, missed seeing some of your friends, faculty and staff, and were never able to properly celebrate all of your accomplishments in the community,” Babington said, in her speech. “You have learned the power of sacrifice because you have made necessary ones to keep yourself and your families safe.”

She added that Class of 2022 has demonstrated not only resiliency, but tenacity and grace in responding to an ever-changing landscape of obstacles. “You give us all great hope for the future,” she said. “You are our future leaders and we are confident in your ability to succeed.”

In addition to graduates, two extraordinary members of the community were honored at the Commencement ceremony: Kitty Sullivan Wo and Vaughn Vasconcellos were this year’s recipients of Chaminade’s Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree.

Kitty Sullivan Wo and Vaughn Vasconcellos receiving their Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree

Sullivan Wo, director of the Sullivan Family of Companies, is a philanthropist and previously served on Chaminade’s Boards of Governors and as chair of the Board of Regents. In her support of Chaminade’s mission, Sullivan Wo was instrumental in a major fundraising campaign and dedicated the Sullivan Family Library. Vasconcellos, who founded Akimeka LLC, has worked throughout this career to bolster opportunities for young people. He also previously served as chair for Chaminade’s Board of Regents and currently serves on Chaminade’s Board of Governors and Hogan Entrepreneurial Program Advisory Board.

The undergraduate Commencement speaker was Albert Respicio, who majored in Communication. In celebrating his fellow graduates, he asked them to remember all those who made the day possible. “We didn’t do this alone,” he said. “Thank you to all our parents, friends, teachers and everyone else in between that believed in us when we didn’t. When we struggled to think that we could.”

undergraduate and graduate commencement speakers

Graduate speaker Kiana Dizon, who received her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree, encouraged her fellow Silverswords to make big dreams and then go for them—just like she did. “I never thought I could make my dreams a reality until I pursued a passion at an institution that empowered me to do so,” she said, adding degrees speak not only to a person’s intellect but to their character.

Nursing graduate Lara Domogma said she feels the same way.

She called the day “surreal” and said she was moved to be able to share it with her family.

“This is really happening,” she said, beaming. “I’m here. I can’t believe it.”

While the Commencement ceremony was the main event of the weekend, the celebrations for graduates actually started on May 6 with a special Baccalaureate Mass at the Mystical Rose Oratory. The gathering, an annual tradition, is an opportunity for the Chaminade community to reflect on the accomplishments of the term’s graduating class and give thanksgiving for all they have.

graduates standing at the Spring 2022 Commencement

Kaimaile Leopoldo, a Master’s in Teaching graduate, said she’s most grateful for the positive impact she’ll have on young people’s lives. Leopoldo said she went into preschool teaching because she loves working with very young children and serving as one of their very first teachers. “This degree means so much,” she said. “Having students take what I teach into their lives, that’s what I’m excited about.”

Joseph Durocher was at Commencement to celebrate the completion of his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. But he won’t be away from Chaminade for long: He’s hoping to apply to the university’s One Year MBA program and is interested in pursuing a future in biotechnology.

For now, though, he’s letting his newest title—college graduate—sink in.

“Being here right now,” he said, “it definitely feels amazing.”

Watch the Commencement recap here.

Watch the full Commencement here.