Chaminade University of Honolulu

Student Life

Scholars Need ‘Eight Eyes’: Kristiana Kahakauwila Shares Her Story at Inaugural Lecture

“I hate everything I write, but I write anyway.”

Those were just some of the unexpected words of encouragement author and English professor Kristiana Kahakauwila offered to Chaminade University freshmen earlier this week.

She meant that aspiring writers should write as much as possible, even if they worry that their prose or storytelling isn’t particularly good. It’s not meant to be perfect the first time, she said. The point is to pour your thoughts out–perferably on paper the first time, she recommended–and later craft the language more carefully. Over time, this exercise will hone one’s writing skills.

Prof. Kahakauwila was the featured speaker for the inaugural CUH 100 guest lecture series. She spoke in front of a packed, standing-room only audience of mostly freshmen students enrolled in the CUH 100 course.

CUH 100 is a single-credit course open only to first-year students. The class is designed to be a general introduction to college life oriented toward helping students develop better academic skills.

Currently the director of UH Mānoa’s Creative Writing Program, Kahakauwila is the author of two books: This is Paradise: Stories (Hogarth 2013) and Clairboyance (HarperCollins 2024). The latter title is about a young girl who gains the power to hear what boys are thinking.

Kahakauwila covered a lot of ground. In her lecture, titled ‘Ways of Seeing: Becoming a Scholar,” Kahakauwila retold stories of her time in Maui, Long Beach, California, and at Chaminade.

She noted how her career trajectory involved a series of twists and turns, at times working as a bar tender, other times teaching as an adjunct. She went on to study literature at Princeton University and creative writing at the University of Michigan.

Kahakauwila seemed to particularly enjoy recounting tales of her time taking The Bus back and forth across the island between jobs. She told the student audience that they should all try to take the bus to the North Shore and all around Oahu at least once. “It will take you all day,” she admitted, but she argued that it would be worth it for the chance to meet some interesting characters who would tell them fascinating stories during the ride.

On the larger theme of her talk and the CUH 100 course, what it means to be a scholar, Kahakauwila said students should strive toward achieving Makawalu, ‘eight eyes’.

She explained that Makawalu is a traditional Hawaiian expression that means people should aspire to broaden their horizons, learn to see things differently, and gain new perspectives on their journeys through life.

“The liberal arts education is one aimed at giving you more ways of seeing,” Kahakauwila explained.

In other words, you chose to become a scholar “so you can grow more eyes.”

“I added a lot of new eyes during my time at Chaminade,” she recalled.

However, aspiring for Makawalu should not end at graduation from Chaminade, Kahakauwila cautioned.

“If all you do is leave with Makawalu you haven’t done enough”

Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee is More than a Promise; It’s a Pact

When Nanea Chu was gearing up to graduate from Parker High School on Hawaiʻi Island, she knew she wanted to continue her education at college but didn’t necessarily have a school in her home state in mind. Nanea was actually considering going someplace much farther away, unsure if she could bear the cost of studying in her home state.

“I was going to go to Rhode Island for school,” she said.

Nanea said she was considering attending the Rhode Island School of Design, an institution with high tuition rates but in a state with a lower cost of living. Depending on the aid package, traveling all the way to Providence for college could have ended up being cheaper than staying in Hawaiʻi. 

“I didn’t think that I would be able to afford it if I chose to stay here,” she said.

Layla Becker also knew she wanted to go to college following her graduation from James Campbell High School. She initially zeroed in on two private universities on Oʻahu. It was a toss-up, but a trusted advisor recommended she give Chaminade a closer look.

“I only applied to two schools originally,” Layla said. “I had an environmental science teacher in high school who was talking to me a bunch about college and he recommended Chaminade to me because he had family that went.”

There were, of course, a lot of other factors to consider, yet both Layla and Nanea ultimately chose to study at Chaminade University of Honolulu, in part due to the university’s new Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship, a commitment the university launched the year they both applied.

Now in its fourth year, the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship is helping new generations of Hawaiʻi students afford a Chaminade University education.

The Guarantee is a promise the university makes to resident first-time college students graduating from local high schools. The admissions and financial aid offices work with enrolling students to ensure that the tuition rate these incoming students pay matches the institutional in-state tuition rate residents would pay to go to public universities.

It’s one way Chaminade University is striving to be as accessible as possible, understanding why it’s important that Hawaiʻi high school graduates have the option to pursue a Chaminade education regardless of means.

The Guarantee works in tandem with the university’s efforts to ensure students graduate in four years, keeping costs down while helping everyone in the Chaminade family pursue their dreams and goals without unnecessary delay or expense. Today, Chaminade University boasts the state’s highest four-year graduation rate.

Both Nanea and Layla said Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee program played a significant role in swaying their decisions to stay in the state and attend the university. They agree that the next wave of graduating high school seniors in Hawaiʻi should give the Guarantee a closer look.

“I would definitely recommend Chaminade,” Layla said.

A private university education at an in-state public price

Chaminade University is Hawaiʻi’s only private Catholic university. We fulfill the Marianist mission of promoting personal and community well-being through education, and we are particularly committed to serving Native Hawaiians and residents of the state even as we welcome students, staff, and faculty from everywhere.

The school’s devotion to serving Hawaiʻi is what ultimately inspired the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship program. Both Nanea and Layla are on course to graduate at the end of the current academic year. Now seniors, they are among the first cohort of students to receive Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship.

As noted earlier, the Guarantee is a sort of pact Chaminade makes with qualifying students. Through the Guarantee, Chaminade University will work to match Hawaiʻi’s in-state tuition rate for any qualifying local first-year student.

Incoming students apply for the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship by first submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Via the Guarantee, Chaminade will adjust students’ tuition rates after institutional aid is factored in to ensure that what the students pay matches in-state public university tuition costs. The adjusted tuition rate only rises when the in-state tuition rate goes up.

It’s a big deal–the Guarantee can bring annual tuition costs down by as much as two-thirds.

All Hawaiʻi graduating high school seniors, incoming university freshmen, and first-time Hawaiʻi college students are eligible for Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship. Applicants must be seeking their first bachelor’s degree and enroll as full-time students.

In addition, all majors are eligible, with the exception of Chaminade’s nursing degree programs. The scholarship is also renewable for three years.

For Nanea, the Guarantee meant she could choose to stay close to home and avoid relocating thousands of miles away to study her chosen field, which was graphic design at the time she was shopping for colleges. She later switched her major to interior design, impressed by Chaminade’s tough but excellent interior design program.

“It takes a lot of discipline and you can’t procrastinate whatsoever really, or it’ll really catch up to you,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Layla said the Guarantee helped convince her to choose Chaminade over other universities to pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Nanea said Chaminade’s Hawaiʻi Guarantee “definitely was a big factor in staying here” versus flying off to the mainland.

Layla said it was the same with her, even after she learned that she could couple the scholarship with Veterans Affairs benefits she qualified for through her father’s service in the military.

“It piqued my interest and I definitely was more persuaded to choose Chaminade because at the time I didn’t know I qualified for VA benefits,” Layla shared.

Peace of mind in pursuit of knowledge

With an up to two-thirds decrease in tuition costs, the Guarantee is significant and designed to give every Hawaiʻi resident a chance at being a part of the Chaminade University community.

As the university says on its Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship website, “We’re giving you and your family financial peace of mind, so you can focus on achieving your goals and stepping into your future with confidence and purpose.”

Abigail Hurgo, Chaminade’s assistant vice president of enrollment management, told KHON TV in a recent interview that the Hawaiʻi Guarantee Scholarship is an important program the university is proud to offer because “it makes it affordable for students to have a great private education here at Chaminade.”

As some of the first students to receive the award, both Nanea and Layla wholeheartedly agree.

“It’s helped me a lot because, besides tuition, I did choose to dorm for two years on campus and that actually brought down the overall cost by a lot for me,” Layla said. “So, I got to experience more as a college student.”

Likewise, Nanea said the new opportunity to pursue her studies at Chaminade at the in-state tuition rate saved her from having to make a very tough decision–leaving the state. It’s a decision she said a lot of graduating high school seniors in Hawaiʻi are forced to consider if they choose to continue on to college.

“I didn’t want to have to go away, obviously,” Nanea explained. “I was really avoiding it, but when it really comes down to it, I feel like a lot of locals are pushed out towards the mainland because of money costs, especially when it comes to school.”

The Guarantee completely changed the equation for her, Nanea said. “Having an opportunity like that is super important.”

A Head Start on Life: Chaminade University’s Early College Program 

While still finishing high school, Tiare Wong earned her associate’s degree at Chaminade—and discovered she was ready for college.

For most high school students, graduation means closing one chapter before beginning another.

For Tiare Wong, it meant earning two diplomas at once, something not all high school students are prepared to do.

This past spring, Wong graduated from Sacred Hearts Academy while simultaneously  earning an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts degree through Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Early College Program. Now, she is preparing to head to the University of Oregon—with enough college credits to enter as a third-year student.

She already has an early jump on college, but Wong’s journey was about more than getting ahead academically.

Chaminade’s Early College Program, she said, taught her how to manage her time, take responsibility for her own education, and navigate the expectations of college-level coursework—all while she was still balancing the busy life of a high school student.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a head start on what being a college student feels like,” Wong said. “I wanted to learn what it was like to be responsible and to have good time management.”

That lesson happened to come at a busy time in her life.

At Sacred Hearts Academy, Wong played volleyball for three years before switching to cheerleading as a senior. She served as president of the school’s Life Team, danced hula, and stayed active in numerous other ways throughout her high school years.

Somehow, she still found time to earn a college degree.

Wong first learned about Chaminade’s Early College Program when Sacred Hearts announced the opportunity near the end of her sophomore year. The program allows eligible high school students to enroll in college courses and earn Chaminade credits while completing their high school requirements.

“Tiare is one of many success stories at Sacred Hearts,” said Kimberlee Baxter, Director of Chaminade’s Early College program. “She learned a lot even outside academics, such as time management and life skills. The idea of the program is to get ahead with college, earn college credit, and experience more.”

Kapaʻa High on Kauai was the first high school to partner with Chaminade’s Early College program in the fall of 2021. Since then, Sacred Hearts Academy and Saint Louis School joined, and several cohorts have already risen through the program, with 108 students between all three schools currently enrolled. 

Students from any Hawaiʻi high school are eligible to participate. Enrolled high school students take a variety of general education courses, including English, communications, business, psychology, and religion.

For Wong, the program became an opportunity to experience the increased independence that comes with college and, in her case, earning a college degree.

“I feel like I got a little taste of what being a college student is like and what the expectations are, especially from my professors,” she said. “I had to learn how to be responsible for myself.”

Assistant Professor of English Justyn Wyble has been teaching for the Early College Program for two years. He said  students in the program are adept at rising to the occasion, taking college level courses all while maintaining positive and joyful attitudes. 

One of his courses involves reading “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyashi, “Night Watchmen” by Louise Erdrich, and “House of Many Gods” by Kiana Davenport, works selected because of their introspective storylines that intersect generations while drawing connections to students’ own journeys.   

“They are eager for that kind of rigorous curriculum and they want to be treated like college students,” Wyble said of the Early College students. “They are ready to be mature students who can engage in advanced material.” 

When a question arose in a course, Tiare learned she had to reach out. If an assignment was due, there was no one waiting to remind her repeatedly. She learned to be proactive in her own education.

“I really had to step up and grow up to learn how to do things myself,” she said, noting how she used study halls and breaks after school before heading to practices and then setting aside additional time to study at home.

The experience also challenged some of her assumptions about college.

Wong had heard stories about intimidating professors and demanding college classrooms. At Chaminade, she found something quite different. Her professors, she said, took the time to interact with their students and get to know them.

She admits to feeling some nerves about moving so far from home this fall–and she has never been to Oregon. But she is also excited about what comes next—and about continuing hula and joining the university’s Hawaiʻi Club.

Wong said her long-term goal is to start her own business and maybe become the  CEO of a company, expanding her enterprise internationally.

For high school students considering Chaminade’s Early College Program, Wong has one simple piece of advice: Go for it.

“I think it’s so much more than the diploma,” she said. “It taught me so many life lessons that I will not only use in college, but in the future.”

Convocation Opens a New Academic Year

The sound of an oli delivered by Chaminade University Director of Campus Ministry Tasha Castro resonated throughout the newly refreshed Mystical Rose Oratory, opening the University’s annual Spiritual Convocation and marking the beginning of a new academic year.

The gathering was also the first major event held in the beautifully renovated Oratory, providing a meaningful setting for a Chaminade tradition that brings together students, faculty, staff, administrators and members of the Marianist community to reflect on the University’s Catholic and Marianist mission.

The Most Rev. Michael Thomas Tupou Castori, S.J., Bishop of Honolulu, served as celebrant and homilist, delivering a message centered on the importance of educating the whole person—both mind and heart.

That commitment, he noted, lies at the heart of Catholic education. While students come to a university to gain knowledge and prepare for careers, education also offers an opportunity for spiritual growth, deeper reflection and connection with others.

Bishop Castori reflected on his own early connection to Chaminade through the late Bishop Amando Samo, the first native Catholic bishop of Micronesia, who served the Diocese of the Caroline Islands for decades. Bishop Castori said he had recently graduated from college when he met Bishop Samo who was a 1973 graduate of Chaminade.

The bishop also expressed gratitude to President Dr. Lynn Babington and the Chaminade ‘ohana for welcoming him to the Chaminade community. One of the first events he attended after arriving in Honolulu from Seattle was Chaminade’s Commencement dinner in May.

A central tradition of the Spiritual Convocation is the recognition of Chaminade’s newest cohort of Marianist Educational Associates, who publicly affirm their commitment to the University’s Catholic and Marianist mission. The new associates joined current Marianist Educational Associates in reciting their pledge:

 “As a Marianist Educational Associate, I renew my pledge to strengthen, sustain and develop the Catholic and Marianist mission and identity of Chaminade University of Honolulu. I will continue to read, reflect and collaborate with others to ensure the continuation of the programs, processes and behaviors that make us a Catholic and Marianist University.”

Bishop Castori then blessed the Marianist Educational Associates and offered a blessing for Chaminade students as they begin the new academic year. He encouraged them to approach their studies with discipline and purpose while also embracing the joy, friendships, support and opportunities that are part of the college experience.

Prayers were offered in Hawaiian, Korean, Samoan, Tagalog and Spanish, reflecting the diversity of the Chaminade community and the many cultures represented at the University.

Marianist Brothers, members of the Chaminade community and Campus Ministry staff also joined the gathering, which served as both a blessing for the academic year ahead and a reminder of the mission that has guided the University since its founding.

The Convocation concluded with a renewed sense of purpose as the Chaminade community looked ahead to a new year of learning, service, faith and formation. At the center of the gathering was the University’s enduring commitment to prepare students not only for successful careers, but also for lives of purpose and meaningful contribution.

For the Future: Chaminade Students Join Province Assembly

Chaminade University students and recent alumni joined more than 170 members of the Marianist Family this past week in Dayton, Ohio, helping shape conversations about the future of the Marianist mission during the 2026 Province Assembly.

Focusing on “Embracing Our Roots, Forging Our Future,” the Assembly brought together members of the Society of Mary, Marianist Brothers, Sisters, Lay Marianists, and youth to pray, reflect and ask “How do we carry a rich legacy forward while responding to the needs of a new generation?”

“I feel so blessed to have gained a Marianist education and the chance to attend the Assembly,” said Victoria Zembik, a current Chaminade student. “I feel an obligation to serve others in big and small ways and to carry on the traditions that our founding fathers instilled.”

That focus on young people remained at the heart of the Assembly. Panels featuring young adults, Marianist family members, and Province leaders focused on the relevance of the Marianist charism, the future of the Marianist mission and preserving traditions for the next generation.

Among the Chaminade participants were Victoria Zembik, Easton DelaCruz ’25, Alex Hernandez ’24, Temika Hemmings ’25 and other recent alumni. Together they joined students from the University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University, the nation’s other Marianist universities.

“Being able to meet and chat with Brothers, more than we usually see on Kalaepohaku, gave me a better understanding of how the Marianists in the US are doing their best to reach out to the country,” DelaCruz said. “Each Brother had a unique story on how they found the Marianists, and how they are living their vocation.”

The aloha spirit was also present during the installation of new leadership for the Society of Mary. One of the Assembly’s most memorable moments came during the installation of Bro. Ed Violett, former vice president of the Marianist Center of Hawaiʻi, as the new Provincial of the Society of Mary. Draped in Hawaiian lei, Violett’s installation reflected the close ties between Hawaiʻi and the Marianist Province.

“Our founders taught us that faith grows when we are willing to respond creatively to the needs of our time,” Violett was quoted as saying in the Family Online newsletter. “The future of our Province will be shaped by our courage to listen, to collaborate, and to walk alongside young people who are searching for purpose and community. If we remain rooted in our Marianist Charism, the future before us is filled with possibility.”

The Assembly reflected many of the same characteristics that define a Marianist education at Chaminade—faith, family spirit, service, justice, and adaptation to a changing world.

Participants honored the Marianists who came before them, celebrated jubilarians, prayed at the Province cemetery in Dayton, reflected on their personal journeys, and looked honestly at the realities facing the Church and society today.

As students returned to Hawaiʻi, they brought home more than memories of Dayton. They returned with a deeper appreciation for the Marianist mission and a renewed commitment to live its values through leadership, service and community. As the Province begins a new chapter, Chaminade students will continue helping carry that mission into the future.

“As young adults, I think it’s important to really try and understand the charism and what it’s trying to do in our lives,” DelaCruz added. “The Marianist charism is really special and it was really nice to see how it impacts people from around the world. As young adults, we need to continue sharing the charism by spreading faith, serving others and building communities.”

Chaminade Hosted L.E.A.D. With Mary Immersion Experience

With mud between their fingers and toes, students stood at the loʻi patch taking in the fresh air, lush scenery, water, history of the loʻi and the warmth of aloha. They were part of the L.E.A.D with Mary cultural immersion experience which brought students from across the country and Hawaiʻi together in the spirit of the Marianist founders to learn more about Hawaiian culture. 

“We learned a lot about what it means to honor the land,” said one student from San Antonio, Texas as she stood in the loʻi or taro patch. “If we take care of the land, it will take care of us.”

Chaminade University hosted the week-long L.E.A.D. with Mary for the  first time this summer. Now in its third year, the program was previously hosted by St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas and the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. These institutions, along with Chaminade, are the nation’s three Marianist universities.

Each university selected four students through an application process to participate in the program. The immersion experience is designed to help students learn more about the Marianist tradition through the culture of the host school’s location. 

The Hawaiʻi experience was planned by Scarlett Ford, Campus Minister, and her team at Chaminade. The team included individuals born and raised in Hawaiʻi, to ensure that each activity and location was culturally appropriate and respectful of the islands’ sacred places and natural environment.

Each activity was tailored to Hawaii’s unique environment and the Marianist values. L.E.A.D. with Mary offered students the opportunity to deepen their faith while learning more about both Hawaiian and Catholic spirituality.

After the out-of-state students arrived on Wednesday afternoon, the program began early Thursday morning with a sunrise hike and morning prayer at Makapuʻu. The group also stopped at Halona Blowhole Lookout before making their way to Iolani Palace for a docent-led tour. The evening concluded with dinner at Kahala Hotel & Resort, a dolphin show and an evening prayer.

Friday’s main experiences were Hanauma Bay snorkeling in the morning after prayer and a guided tour in the afternoon of Hawaiian Hall at Bishop Museum, home to the world’s largest display of Polynesian cultural artifacts.

“Yes, it’s fun but there’s also a deeper purpose of growing an understanding of God’s creation and why it’s important to take care of it,” Ford said.

That focus on faith, reflection, and stewardship continued throughout the weekend. It was filled with prayer, Bible study and optional group activities from shopping to hiking Mānoa Falls and visiting Ala Moana beach park. On Saturday, the group took a trip to a loʻi patch, where they tended to the taro patch in knee-deep mud. On Sunday, there was Mass and the group prepared for one of the most anticipated experiences of the week.

At 7 a.m. on Memorial Day, the group left campus and headed for the airport to begin their journey to Kalaupapa on the island of Molokaʻi.

“We’re going on small, nine passenger planes,” Ford told the students to prepare them for the flight and landing on the short runway.

Kalaupapa is a significant place in Hawaiʻi’s history. People with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) were forcibly isolated there. More than 8,000 people, primarily Native Hawaiians, have passed away on Kalaupapa since 1866. 

Kalaupapa was also home to the two Catholic saints who helped those affected by Hansen’s disease. One was St. Damien de Veuster, a Belgian priest who arrived in Kalaupapa in 1873. He passed away from Hansen’s disease in 1889. St. Marianne Cope, a German-born Franciscan nun, moved to Kalaupapa in 1888 to assist Father Damien in caring for those affected by Hansen’s disease. She died of natural causes in 1918.

Today, Kalaupapa is home to a small number of cured patient-residents and visitation is only offered by guided tours. The L.E.A.D. with Mary group was able to include Mass on Kalaupapa in their tour before returning to Oʻahu later that evening.

Tuesday was their last full day, and they used it to help the community. They prepared care packages and lunch for people experiencing homelessness.

“It’s an opportunity to learn more about the Marianist charisms through acts of service,” Ford said. “We’re going to a homeless shelter to help out.”

They ended the day by participating in Mass with a final prayer.

As the week came to a close, students gained a deeper understanding of Marianist values and Hawaiian culture. Through prayer, reflection, service and immersion in local history, students experienced firsthand the values that unite the nation’s three Marianist universities.