Nursing & Health Professions

Chaminade University Receives $75,000 Grant from Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation

August 31, 2022

Chaminade University of Honolulu recently received a $75,000 grant from the Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation for student scholarships. The grant will be split to fund physical and behavioral health majors for the 2022-2023 school year. Scholarships will range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on financial need.

The scholarships will target students entering high value majors with a focus on physical and behavioral health professions as key to Hawai‘i’s recovery and economic resilience. These majors include Chaminade’s new 20-month accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program that allows students to complete their nursing degree in five back-to-back terms and its Community and Public Health program that prepares students for careers including as a community health worker, health educator, and public health investigator.

The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation has provided funding for student scholarships to Chaminade University since 2014. The Foundation was established in 1993 by entrepreneurs Mamoru and Aiko Takitani, founders of Hawaiian Host, to assist the youth of Hawai‘i with their goals. Since its establishment, the Foundation has donated $2.3 million in scholarships and provided educational opportunities to students in Hawai‘i.

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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.

Pre-College Summer Institutes 2022

August 30, 2022

“Cooking with Chemistry”

“Think Like a Champion”

“Psychology of Happiness”

Those might sound like great reads—or fascinating TED Talks.

But they were actually some of the engaging and hands-on courses offered at Chaminade University over the summer to groups of Hawaii high schoolers. The students were participants in Chaminade’s Summer Institutes, made possible at the university thanks to a partnership with the federal GEARUP program.

The workshops are designed to give high school students a taste of college—and get them hooked.

Participants this year for the seven, two-week sessions included ninth to 12th graders from Farrington, Kaimukī, Ānuenue and McKinley high schools. And in addition to going on field trips and tackling fun projects, they got the chance to attend co-curricular sessions on college readiness. The topics covered everything you’d need to know as you prepare to graduate from high school and plan for college, including applying for financial aid, navigating admissions and student life.

Pure Imagination

Aaron Williamson, assistant professor of Accounting, taught a session called “The Successes of Pure Imagination: Business Development and Entrepreneurial Mentorship.” He said the course was designed as “an immersion into the world of entrepreneurship”—from business plan development, brainstorming sessions, strategic thinking skills-building and the application of “principles of success” in daily life.

“The entire process of teaching the course was memorable—from idea inception to business plan presentations,” he said. “Having a small part in assisting students to see how an idea can impact the world and developing theoretical businesses that will be on the streets of tomorrow is so enjoyable.”

Cooking with Chemistry

In Dr. Francis Sakai-Kawada’s “Cooking with Chemistry” course, students tie-dyed their lab coats to better understand the chemistry of dyes, made their own bars of soap as they explored the properties of saponification, and took chemistry into the kitchen to make butter, mayonnaise, boba and ice cream.

“The goal was develop activities that were hands-on and engaging,” he said. “We had the creative license and flexibility to tie underlying scientific and chemistry concepts to every activity. Our priority was to incorporate an element of fun. We wanted our students to see that so much of what we deal with in our daily life can be related to chemistry, from food to household cleaning products.”

Kawada added that students started the course a little shy, but slowly opened up.

And the highlight of the session: visiting the IL Gelato Factory to talk story with owner Dr. Dirk Koeppenkastrop (a fellow chemist), who discussed his path from a chemistry lab to studying the art and science of gelato in Italy and the “perfect ratio of ingredients” that goes into the sweet treat.

Psychology of Happiness

Dr. Abby Halston, an assistant professor of psychology at Chaminade and clinical director of the university’s Marriage and Family Counseling program, taught the “Psychology of Happiness” course—which incorporated everything from guided meditation and breathing to personal journaling.

Students also put together personal stress management plans, worked to identify their hopes and dreams for college and beyond, and participated in mock career development interviews. The group also got to go on a field trip to Beyond Monet, an immersive experience into the artist’s works.

“I wanted to create a fun and life-changing institute where high school students could gain deep personal insight into their psychological wellbeing while learning personal management skills that could be utilized throughout their lifespan,” Halston said. “We focused on understanding the keys to happiness … and the power of our mindset to achieving our hopes and dreams.”

She added, “I cannot wait until next summer’s institute!”

For the Love of Math

For the Summer Institutes course on “Creating Number Sense to Increase Love of Math,” Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Travis Mukina wasn’t just teaching math fundamentals, but un-teaching some bad math habits. “Most days consisted of mental math activities that forced students to view numbers in ways their elementary school teachers did not allow,” Mukina said. “We broke numbers apart, changed their values and accommodated for the change at the end of the problem.”

“Hands-on manipulatives were also used daily to allow students to visually see how the numbers were working with each other in multiple different strategies. Every activity ensured the students were learning from each other rather than from me. It was amazing to witness!” Mukina added.

He said one of the big takeaways for students was that math isn’t a set of rules and procedures to memorize, but about creativity and flexibility. Mukina also wanted participants to see how math can be used seamlessly in everyday life—and how even complicated things can be broken down.

“I feel so honored to be part of this summer institute,” he said.

Living Pono

For the “Living Pono” institute, School of Nursing and Health Professions Professors Dr. Jennifer Nafarrete and Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe covered a wide range of health topics—from nutrition to human anatomy and physiology to reproductive health. Along the way, students tried their hand at cooking, engaged in some friendly competition, and put together presentations to tackle big topics.

Magpantay-Monroe said students really enjoyed the concepts of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, and especially loved their field trip to Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden—where they were challenged to strengthen their ability to “notice” and “be with nature.”

“I really enjoyed being a source of information to these students—helping them realize self-care is important but they also need to be self-aware of what is happening around them,” she said. “Being with nature helped increase their capacity to be mindful and reduce their stressors.”

Nafarrete added she was also happy to give students actionable, healthy solutions they can use everyday—like recipes. “My thought process was to find fun ways to engage students into making conscious choices about their health while considering how it affects the environment,” she said.

Think Like a Champion

Dr. Guanlin Gao, associate professor of Economics at Chaminade and director of the Economic Education Center for Excellence, focused on personal finance literacy in her course, “Think Like a Champion.” She wanted students to walk away with a better understanding of how to handle money.

“We spent one day visiting a local financial institution to learn more about how they operate and contribute to managing personal finances,” Gao said. “We spent another day on a fun team competition that involved budgeting, shopping and cooking. We even played a game that was all about inflation.”

Gao said the point of all the exercises was to help students see how better (and smarter) financial decisions ultimately lead to happier lives. “Interacting with the students was my favorite part,” she said. “For many of them, our trip to a bank was the first time they’d seen an actual vault. During our cooking competition, they all made nutritious meals. The best part: they were so proud of themselves.”

Chaminade Hosts Virtual Forum with Medical Team Who Performed the First Pig-Heart Transplant

June 24, 2022

In January 2022, 57-year-old David Bennett, Sr., was suffering from terminal heart disease when he made history—and grabbed headlines—as the first person to receive a genetically modified pig’s heart. The groundbreaking operation inspired millions and heralded a new frontier in transplant science.

Bennett, Sr., lived for two months with his donor heart before his condition deteriorated and he was administered palliative care when it was clear he would not recover. David Bennett, Jr., said his father will be remembered for his humor, his kindness, and his ardent belief in the power of education.

It was that legacy that helped make a rare opportunity a reality for the Silversword community.

On the afternoon of May 31, about 100 Chaminade faculty members and students gathered for “Advances in Porcine Xenotransplantation,” a virtual forum with Bennett, Sr.’s, medical team and his son. The event was an opportunity for attendees to unpack the latest on the first-of-its-kind transplant, while also learning more about David Bennett, Sr., the “goofy” patient and beloved father and grandfather.

“It’s an honor and privilege to do this for my dad, who helped to advance science,” David Bennett, Jr., told participants. “He was always generous with his time and he always reminded me how proud he was of me. My dad was somebody who had lots of friends and who got along with people very well.”

Dr. Bartley Griffith, the world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon who performed the surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said Bennett, Sr., was a “terrible candidate” for the operation “in the truest sense of the word.” His overall health was poor and his ability to fight infections low.

“He would be classified as almost untreatable by transplantation standards,” Griffith said.

He was also deemed ineligible for a traditional heart transplant.

“The only thing about Dave that made him a great candidate was his toughness,” Griffith told participants, adding genetically modified pig hearts had only ever before been transplanted into non-human primates. “We didn’t know if the pig heart would work for two minutes, two days, two months or two years. The testing of this was just done in animals and they have a different immune system.”

Dr. Genevieve Griffiths, Dr. Claire Wright and Dr. Sandra Bourgette-Henry, of Chaminade, moderated the conversation and presented questions gathered in advance from students and members of the faculty.

Wright, an associate professor of Biology, called the forum a great opportunity to learn about the scientific and human aspects of a massive medical innovation. “This was a human who meant so much to his family and friends and now leaves us with this wonderful legacy,” she said.

Griffith, the surgeon, agreed. “We are doing exactly what Dave Bennett, Jr., requested of us, which is to learn something and to spread that learning to those who are interested,” he said. Griffith added there is still much to discover about the transplant itself and about Bennett, Sr.’s, cause of death.

“We are still working with tissues to take a deep dive on what really happened,” Griffith said.

Dr. Kapil Saharia, an assistant professor of Medicine at UMMC’s Institute of Human Virology and Bennett’s infectious disease specialist, said the transplant underscores just how far transplant science has come in the last decade alone. “I think this is setting the stage for really bigger steps,” he said.

Dr. Alison Grazioli, UMMC medical director and the head of the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, added Bennett, Sr.’s, transplant was “in many regards a success. We learned so much from Mr. Bennett and will continue to do so. It is everybody’s great hope that xenotransplantation will continue to improve.”

Grazioli spent long days—for months—caring for Bennett, Sr., and said she built strong relationships with him and his family along the way. “The greatest thing we got out of it was getting to know Dave Bennett, Jr., and his family,” she told attendees. “All of those unexpected things and all the hurdles that we had to overcome, it was made so much easier that we developed relationships with such great people.”

In response to a question about what’s next for animal organ transplants, Grazioli said more breakthroughs are around the corner. “There’s talk of clinical trials where we can, in a rigorous way … really get to define who should get these transplants and save the most lives,” she said.

“Mr. Bennett energized the science and I think you’re going to hear a lot more about it.”

Celebrating the Past and Future: Nursing Pinning and White Coat Ceremonies

May 23, 2022

The journey to becoming a nurse requires hard work, endurance—and plenty of support along the way.

It’s a lot like a marathon.

And leading up to the finish line, there are milestone moments aimed at recognizing students’ achievements. That’s exactly what the Pinning and White Coat ceremonies are all about, two time-honored traditions in the field that underscore just how important nurses are to the community, congratulate students on their accomplishments, and help forge a strong nursing fellowship.

This year, Chaminade’s School of Nursing and Health Professions held the ceremonies in-person, welcoming not only nursing students but members of their families and faculty mentors to celebrate.

The Pinning Ceremony for 57 graduating seniors in Nursing was on May 7, and loved ones had the opportunity to do the pinning honors. As Nursing and Health Professions Dean Rhoberta Haley, PhD, explained at the event, the roots of the tradition date to the 1860s when Florence Nightingale—known as the founder of modern nursing—was awarded the Red Cross of St. George for her service.

Pinning ceremonies later grew to mark the beginning of a nurse’s career.

“A pinning ceremony is a time to welcome newly graduating nurses to the profession,” Haley told attendees. “We gather for this occasion to mark the transition from student nurse to graduate nurse, and to celebrate the start of a professional practice in nursing.” Haley added Chaminade’s unique Nursing pin symbolizes a life dedicated to professional health care and service to others.

“Please wear it proudly,” she told graduates, “and with our very best wishes.”

Leilani Higashi intends to do just that. She said the ceremony was the perfect conclusion to her preparation as a nurse and the perfect beginning to her life as a nurse. “Pinning to me is like the final recognition. There’s no more, ‘Let me check with the nurse.’ We are the nurses,” she said.

Higashi said she went into nursing after growing up taking care of her grandfather.

“I got to meet so many amazing nurses that were part of his care team,” Higashi said. “I wanted to provide that same care and comfort that they did for us to other people. Now I’m looking forward to new adventures and I can’t wait to get out into the workforce and help my community.”

Graduating senior Zane Biscocho was beaming after the ceremony.

“This is a congratulations and a ‘you made it,’” he said, adding that he hopes to serve in Hawaii.

Katelyn Toba also described the Pinning Ceremony as a celebration. She said the four years of nursing school have been difficult, but she has appreciated the support of her loved ones, friends and professors. “Chaminade has that family spirit and it helped me over the years,” she said.

Graduate Taryn Sagapolu said the gathering “felt like an accomplishment after all the hard work.”

Sagapolu attended the ceremony with her parents, both of whom are nurses.

“We know it’s the hardest thing ever,” said her mother, Sharon, after the event. “She saw us both come home exhausted, especially during the COVID pandemic. But she never gave up.” Sagapolu’s father, Kamaki, agreed. “We are so proud of you,” he told his daughter, giving her a big hug.

A day before the Pinning Ceremony, 122 members of Chaminade’s Nursing junior class and their relatives and friends gathered for the White Coat Ceremony. The event recognizes students’ entry into the health profession as they undertake clinical education. After receiving their white coats, students took the International Council of Nurses pledge to uphold nursing ethics and deliver the best care.

In her address to attendees, Haley pointed out that nursing is the most trusted profession in the country. It is critical to maintain that bond of trust, she added, and for every nursing student to fully understand the duties and obligations of the profession before they ever see their first patient.

“Nursing is both a respected science and a caring art,” Haley said. “Your success will depend on your ability to understand and apply ethical and professional values. Over a lifetime in nursing, you will repeatedly turn to these values, depending on them as the foundation of your practice.”

Among those key values: responsibility, trustworthiness, honesty and respect. “At Chaminade, we believe in these values and are committed to helping you achieve your highest level of performance and providing assistance when needed,” she said. “It is a privilege for Nursing faculty and staff to promote professionalism and share what we know and love about nursing with our students.”

The White Coat Ceremony is traditionally conducted in students’ sophomore year, but the COVID pandemic meant the event couldn’t be held last year. A ceremony for sophomores will be held this Fall.

Junior Autumn Fairall was moved after getting her white coat.

She said she has wanted to be a nurse since she was 10, when she diagnosed with leukemia and “blessed with a kind and capable medical team. The nurses who took care of me daily inspired me.”

Fairall said that day-to-day, it’s easy to focus on the challenges of nursing school.

But the ceremony reminded her of all that she has overcome and accomplished. “The White Coat Ceremony was a time of celebration, both of the hard work complete and the blessings that will come,” she said. “I am looking forward to working as a nurse and giving back what previous nurses gave me.”

Student Hannah Hovestol said she went into Nursing because she wants to serve her community, especially in the areas of mental health and psychiatric nursing. After receiving her white coat, she said she was proud and humble. “The ceremony was a confirmation and validation of the hard work that I have devoted to my studies and nursing obligations,” she said. “Attending this ceremony also demonstrated the communal nature of the profession, being there with my classmates.”

She said those classmates are like family now.

“It reminded me that even when I graduate and become a nurse, I will never be alone as there is a community in the healthcare team to collaborate with,” she said. “The end of my educational chapter is near, but my future nursing chapter is yet to be written. I am so excited to see what the future holds.”

School of Nursing and Health Professions Launches Parish Health Program

May 2, 2022

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.

Celebrating Student Research at Na Liko Na’auao 2022

April 19, 2022

Participants of the 2022 Na Liko Na'auao Symposium

Interpretation of Multidimensional Chromatographic Outputs by Non-Specialists.

Decolonizing Methodologies in Research.

Native Hawaiian Traditional Medicine and its Effects on Inflammation of WISH cells.

Those titles are a mouthful. They also represent just a handful of the hefty research topics undergraduate and graduate scholars at Chaminade discussed at this year’s Na Liko Na’auao Symposium, an annual event dedicated to showcasing student scholarship across disciplines.

Na Liko Na’auao is in its 20th year at Chaminade and gives its student participants an opportunity to showcase their academic and creative work. After going virtual for the last two years, the event on April 8 was held in person at the Clarence T.C. Ching Conference Center.

And in another twist, students got the chance to discuss their research posters and give oral presentations. Participants also came from across fields, including Psychology, Environmental + Interior Design, Data Science, Biology and Nursing—to name a few. Topics explored by students ranged from research into forensic science and body decomposition to the use of statistical models to detect malicious internet traffic.

Amber Noguchi, the director of Chaminade’s Undergraduate Research and Pre-Professional Programs, said expanding participation at the symposium to graduate students was a natural step given the numerous master’s degrees offered at the university on top of three doctoral programs.

Student presents her research poster at Na Liko Na'auao Symposium

In her opening remarks, Noguchi also gave special recognition to the founders of the event: the late Henry Gomes, who was director for Native Hawaiian Partnerships at Chaminade, and Patti Lee-Robinson, former director of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research.

“They had a vision to create a venue to celebrate student scholarship,” Noguchi said.

Also at the event, President Lynn Babington announced the recipient of the 2022 President Sue Wesselkamper Award, which recognizes a student at Chaminade who has demonstrated both outstanding scholarship and extensive service to the community and to the university.

As Babington explained to attendees, Wesselkamper was named Chaminade University’s eighth president in 1995 and was the first woman to head a four-year university in the islands. The award in her name was endowed by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Clark, and recipients are nominated by faculty members.

This year’s awardee: Nainoa Gaspar-Takahashi, a junior at Chaminade who is majoring in Nursing.

Nainoa Gaspar-Takahashi and Dr. Lynn Babington

Gaspar-Takahashi has a strong record of academic scholarship, including research into the integration of Native Hawaiian and Marianist values in student success. In 2020, he co-wrote an article that was published in the Asian Pacific Islander Nursing Journal. He is also a member of the Student Nurses Association and is a peer leader in the Kokua Kakou nursing enrichment program.

His central goal is to make a positive difference in the community, especially in the Native Hawaiian population, and so he is pursuing a career in nursing and hopes to serve in an intensive care unit or emergency room. He also wants to eventually seek a master’s degree in Nursing and continue research projects aimed at improving the healthcare system in Hawaii and the quality of care provided to all patients.

Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe, a professor of Nursing who nominated Gaspar-Takahashi for the prestigious honor, applauded his “impeccable work ethic” and said he is a joy to collaborate with.