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Designed for What’s Next: Chaminade’s New Ethics & Leadership Degree Program Launches Fall 27

Many colleges and universities train leaders, but few set out deliberately to forge the next generation of ethical leaders. Now, at least one institution in Hawai‘i will.

Chaminade University of Honolulu is introducing a new major under the College of Arts & Sciences focused on ethical leadership and thoughtful, humane business practices. The new Bachelor of Arts in Ethics & Leadership degree will launch in Fall 2027; meanwhile, the university is accepting applications to the program now.

The new degree program aligns with the university’s strategic vision of enhancing academic excellence, prioritizing education that meets communities’ and societal needs.

College of Arts & Sciences co-Dean Cheryl Edelson, Ph.D., said this unique business-oriented degree program trains leaders to put people first. “Understanding the human-first approach to all things makes a difference,” she said.

Combining courses in business operations and administration with philosophy and religious studies, the Ethics & Leadership program is designed to train students not only on how to run a business, but how to operate a business in a way that benefits society in a broader sense, said Chaminade Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Philosophy Dustyn Ragasa, Ph.D.

The program is also well-suited for those interested in pursuing careers in nonprofit management and charity work. Ragasa said the new major fits perfectly with “the intellectual heritage, philosophy, and theology of a Catholic university.”

“We want our graduates to be agents for good,” he said, explaining how he and his colleagues in the College of Arts & Sciences designed the new undergraduate degree program. “We realize that no matter what the students are doing, we want them to be able to be beneficial for people who might fall through the cracks.”

The program, Ragasa stressed, is a practical, career-oriented degree designed to train business leaders for a rapidly changing workforce.

Courses on business management, marketing, accounting, and finance are complemented with coursework in philosophy, theology, ethics, and environmental and social responsibility. Legal and ethical matters are covered in the program’s curriculum, as are justice and human rights.

Edelson said the degree program is designed to pair well with a wide variety of other educational pursuits, should students choose to add a minor or second major field of study.

“We really wanted it to be something that’s going to partner really nicely with other majors,” she said. “For example, someone could do Ethics & Leadership and Marine & Oceanic Sustainability.”

The program also includes a required internship, reflecting the importance of students gaining practical, real-world experience before graduation. Students will complete Chaminade’s general education requirements, building a solid academic foundation that prepares them for the major’s curriculum and training.

Ragasa said the Ethics & Leadership degree is suitable for students interested in not only breaking into the business world, but also for those interested in sculpting it. In other words, “people who want to be thought leaders, who want to be in management, people who want to go into politics,” he said.

“One of the things that I love about this new program is it takes the traditionally very abstract 40,000-foot view of philosophy and religious studies, and it answers the question: What is somebody going to do with it? How is it going to be put into practice?”

The hope is that graduates of the Ethics & Leadership program will emerge fully ready to devise ethical solutions to business, environmental, and social problems. Graduates would be taught to place the needs of people, especially vulnerable populations, front and center in their business leadership and decision-making.

Students will be taught how to thoughtfully contemplate core issues vexing society and how to navigate the corporate world through strategic thinking rooted in values and morals.

Ragasa said training in Ethics & Leadership is capped off with two seminars led by practitioners of ethical leadership, whether based at Chaminade University or in Hawai‘i’s larger business community. Individuals invited to lead seminars will be free to structure their lessons however they see fit.

New course offerings will be added over time. Meanwhile, existing courses are being reoriented toward the needs of the new Ethics & Leadership major, in particular courses on philosophy and religious studies. Emphasis is on building knowledge and skills applicable to the business world, not just scholarly theories.

Students will also be trained in ethical entrepreneurship.

Ragasa said he’s excited to launch the new Ethics & Leadership undergraduate degree and looks forward to introducing its eventual graduates to the business community.

“My hope is that this program will develop into something larger that will be known for producing socially responsible, forward-thinking, entrepreneurial leaders,” he said. “We are ready to journey with them as they undertake their vocation to transform the world in all possible ways.”

Chaminade MFT Student Headed to India After Winning Scholarly Award

Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) graduate student Eden Nasher has been on a long journey throughout his life and career, and that path eventually led him to Chaminade University.

It was a road worth traveling, he said.

In recognition of his scholarship in Chaminade’s MFT graduate program, Nasher was awarded an esteemed prize that will take him to a major conference in India this week.

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) recently awarded Nasher the Diversity Award for Emerging Leaders, which earned him a coveted role and participation at the Global Systemic Therapy Summit in Bengaluru, India, from November 10-13.

Nasher said he’s looking forward to learning more about advancements in therapeutic work at the India conference, only this time from multiple cultural perspectives.

“A lot of the issues we face in the present day are very complex. They’re very multifaceted, and we cannot forge them from one place or from one angle, one perspective,” Nasher said in looking ahead to his India adventure. “There have to be multiple approaches, and that means being able to join forces with other communities, other spaces across the globe, to be able to tackle these.”

AAMFT’s Diversity Award for Emerging Leaders recognizes Nasher’s compelling international and diverse life story, as well as his success in Chaminade’s MFT program.

Born and raised in Sanaa in northern Yemen to parents of West and North African descent, Nasher traces his true roots to southern Yemen and the port city of Aden–the origin of his first name, Eden, where his parents first lived.

Nasher said Aden is known as a more multicultural and multiethnic city given its proximity to Africa, whereas Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, is home to a more homogeneous population and culture.

Raised by diverse parents but living in an undiverse city, Nasher said he’s always felt a desire to better understand himself and where he comes from, and this yearning has, ironically, sent him on a journey far from home.

“I have to occupy a lot of identities where there are so many pieces that don’t quite fit in,” he explained. “So I basically ended up going on that journey for it. I wanted to leave where I grew up because I wanted to understand myself better and really be able to connect.”

Nasher’s first stop overseas was Egypt and the American University in Cairo, to study anthropology.

While living in Cairo, Nasher said he worked with refugees, mainly people fleeing parts of Africa, his first exposure to therapeutic work.

Trained in anthropology and gaining experience supporting vulnerable populations, Nasher again looked west for a new adventure; a Fulbright scholarship led him to the University of San Diego to pursue graduate studies.

His time in San Diego frequently took him to Hawaii for further study and research. Steeped in academic therapy work, Nasher said he eventually came across Chaminade University’s dual-track Master’s and Doctoral program in Marriage and Family Therapy.

He was sold.

“I was born and raised in a country and corner of the world that has really dealt with a lot of challenges,” he said. “Chaminade stood out. And in understanding that there is a program that does exist and that I might be able to find, that I fit in, I reached out.”

He said Chaminade’s staff immediately responded to his request for information.

“That, to me, is probably the reason why I ended up in the program,” Nasher added.

Nasher said the dual-track MFT program–working on his master’s and Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at the same time–is a perfect fit for his interests, research tempo, and study style.

One day he’s taking foundational courses, learning theories and practices that underpin the relatively young MFT discipline. Next, he’s diving into work that encourages him to propose new ideas and new insights, contributing to the field’s ongoing growth.

Now he’s looking forward to his travels in India, where he will be recognized for his academic achievements.

Nasher credits Chaminade and his Marriage and Family Therapy instructors for helping him get this far. He says he would recommend Chaminade’s dual-track MFT program to anyone looking to walk a similar path.

“You’re not only going to be part of a really unique experience, but you’re also going to be part of a community where there is a hub, and there are all sorts of offshoots, people who are doing really cool work,” he said.

“I would encourage folks to reach out and ask if they can connect with others who have gone through this experience, who are familiar with Chaminade, and speak to them about what that’s like.”

Chaminade Drama Club Entertains the Island With ‘Much Ado’

Chaminade University students and community members are invited to enjoy a quirky modern play based on a William Shakespeare classic.

‘Much Ado’ opens on November 14, and the box office is already busy. Tickets for opening night have sold out, but the Chaminade Drama Club is staging five more performances at the Vi and Paul Loo Theatre on campus, with chances to view the show during the week and on weekends.

The play is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ the 14th Century romantic comedy that’s as funny and relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago.

This modern rendition, ‘Much Ado,’ features a smaller cast, shortened script, and some revised dialogue, while keeping true to the source material.

“It’s a bit shorter than the original,” said Patrick Block, an Instructor at Chaminade University’s Department of Visual & Performing Arts and Advisor to the Drama Club. “Characters have been edited out or merged to suit the cast size that is right for Chaminade, and the dialogue has been trimmed or gently modified in places to make it clearer.”

Set in Messina, Italy, during the Renaissance, the play tells the story of a group of friends returned from military victory and in the mood for celebration. The group’s attention quickly turns toward rumors of love surrounding two couples: Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero.

Supporting characters spend the play trying to either fan the flames of romance or snuff them out entirely.

“The play revolves around these two couples and various schemes to either get them together or break them apart,” Block explained.

Andrew Erwin, a member of the cast and graduate student in the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy program, said the play will appeal to modern audiences despite the root material.

“It’s been translated by our wonderful director, Patrick Block,” he said. “Patrick translated it so the audience will get the jokes. It’s funny.”

‘Much Ado’ has been in production for months; the first rehearsal was held September 4. The cast is composed mainly of Chaminade Students, members of the Drama Club who have worked tirelessly around their busy schedules, rehearsing lines, studying choreography, and hitting their marks on cue.

Two community members are also lending their talents to the production.

“These students are really outstanding,” Block said. “They are bringing their A-game to this production, and they are joined by two community actors who are incredible talents. The production environment has been so positive thanks to the cast’s innate positivity.”

“I think the audience will feel the joyfulness and the love,” he added.

Members of the Chaminade Drama Club rehearsing a scene for the forthcoming production ‘Much Ado’.

Opening night is scheduled for Saturday, November 14 at 7 pm at the Loo Theatre inside Clarence T.C. Ching Hall.

Curious members of the Chaminade community and the public will have further chances to see the play on Sunday, November 15 at 2 pm; Thursday, November 19 at 7 pm; Friday, November 20 at 7 pm; Saturday, November 21 at 7 pm; and finally Sunday, November 22 at 2 pm.

Tickets to ‘Much Ado’ are on sale now.

Addie Nash, a cast member and freshman majoring in English, said she’s looking forward to taking the stage and entertaining the crowd in her debut performance.

“This group has really brought me out of my shell,” she said.

Wellness Week is a Wrap!

The first-ever Wellness Week at Chaminade University ended Friday with positive reviews from the campus community and calls for another one next year.

Organized as a way to help students reduce stress and recharge halfway through the Fall Semester, Wellness Week featured dozens of campus events organized by colleges and departments.

Instructors also organized mini wellness-themed activities with their classes, taking a break from regular lectures and instruction.

Cheryl Edelson, Ph.D., co-Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, said she heard very positive things about Wellness Week from students attending the wellness sessions. Her college organized a handful of events, including a “sound bath” in Loo Theatre, a lunch at the Conference Center featuring games and a scavenger hunt, and movie screenings.

“They appreciate the break,” Edelson said, sharing the reactions she’s been receiving from students.

“We were prepping for the midterm exam but also talking about their papers,” she added. “And so, for them, a slower pace, I think, is giving them a little bit of time to catch a breath. The idea is to basically help them kind of recharge.”

The week kicked off with guided meditation sessions at the Mystical Rose Oratory and Zuberano Lawn. Yoga lessons were on offer, along with cooking demonstrations, including lessons on making the perfect onigiri and Spam musubis hosted by Aramark Dining Services.

Carlson Fitness Center guided students on how to design suitable workouts depending on their fitness goals.

Meanwhile, the campus chapter of the Psi Chi honor society of psychology majors organized the “Plant, Paint, and Pause” event on Wednesday. The hour-long gathering was held “to support student wellness by creating an intentional moment to slow down during the semester,” Psi Chi explained.

Pizza was also offered at that special Psi Chi event.

Other Wellness Week activities were more educational in nature. “We tried to put together some arts and humanities-related and science-related activities throughout the week,” Edelson explained.

Wellness Week also saw the return of therapy dogs to Chaminade University. Organized by Campus Ministry, students were invited to the “Puppy Love” therapy dog session held over the Thursday lunch hour, an opportunity to unwind with the official therapy dogs while enjoying rock painting.

Shannon Sheehy, a junior Sports and Event Management major, said she and her friends really appreciated the week-long opportunity to unwind.

“I think it’s been very beneficial,” Sheehy said. “I play volleyball here, so I feel like for our team, it’s been nice to get out and see puppies and have time to take care of ourselves and put the students first.”

Sheehy admitted that a busy first half of the semester had her feeling a bit overwhelmed earlier, but Wellness Week was a good fix for that. “It’s been pretty stressful, but after this week, I feel that it was a good reset to have,” she said.

Mahina, a freshman nursing student, said she and her fellow students were enjoying Wellness Week but that some students suggested a simple break from classes might have been better.

“I feel like it’s going pretty well,” she said.  “But from what I’ve heard, from both my classmates and also just being around, some students preferred to just have a fall break.”

Still, Mahina said Chaminade students were happy with the schedule of activities and of the opportunity to pause mid-semester. “The events have been very well received from what I have seen,” she said. “A lot of people had fun at the events.”

Wellness Week emphasized students’ academic wellness.

Organizers hoped that the mid-semester pause would help students who may be struggling to have a chance to take a break and get the help and attention they needed. With the pause in regular course instruction, faculty members were afforded chances to reconnect with their students and lend assistance to anyone who may need additional support.

Edelson said Chaminade’s leadership plans to poll students afterwards to see what worked well, what didn’t, and how Wellness Week may be operated differently should it return in Fall 2027. She said the concept of a Wellness Week is relatively new but starting to spread rapidly at college campuses across the United States.

“It’ll be interesting to see the data at the end of it,” she said.  “This is really a time of the semester where we can help students kind of turn things around if they need to, or if they’re doing great, they can continue that way and still get a breath,” Edelson added.

Sheehy said Chaminade should definitely consider holding another Wellness Week next year.

“I think it’s very beneficial for everyone.”

Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Kicks Off 24th Year

The Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program is now celebrating its 24th year mentoring students seeking independent business opportunities or leadership skills to help organizations succeed, both for-profit and nonprofit. On Wednesday evening, past and current Hogan participants, alumni, and business leaders gathered to launch another year of Hogan with an inspiring keynote address and opportunities to connect, network, share inspiring stories, and celebrate one of Chaminade’s most successful institutions.

Chaminade University President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., welcomed attendees to the celebration and thanked them for supporting the Hogan initiative over the years.

“It’s such a pleasure to be here with you this evening and again kick off the 24th year of the Hogan program,” Babington said.

“We are very proud of the Hogan program,” she said. “Linking students with community members enriches new ideas and opportunities here in Hawai‘i.”

This year’s Hogan Kick-Off Celebration, held at the Sullivan Family Library Lawn, featured music, good food, drinks, and time for attendees to mingle and socialize. The featured speaker for the evening was Melissa Crounse Kaufman, a renowned entrepreneur and Founding Executive Director of The Garage, a startup incubator at Northwestern University.

“Previous speakers have been terrific, but I think this is one of the best ones we’ve had that I can remember in my time,” said Roy Panzarella, Ph.D., Director of the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program.

Kaufman, who now lives in Maui and works as a school teacher, shared a story with the audience of how she once tested the entrepreneurial instincts of her students against artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

She split the class into two groups and asked each to develop an innovative idea for a new snack product. One group had unlimited access to AI tools; the other had to use their wits.

Upon conclusion of this exercise, the class determined that the best idea came from the “brain team” that was denied the use of any AI advantage. The winning team proposed selling hibiscus-flavored popcorn that comes in resealable bags.

Kaufman told the audience to take this lesson to heart.

“AI is a pattern matching machine,” she said. “It draws from what already exists, and it optimizes for what has worked before, in the past.

“The winning idea in my class didn’t come from a prompt. It came from a teenage girl’s lived experience.”

Kaufman said she owes her success not to building successful companies, but to building up people and helping them make personal connections they can translate into winning enterprises.

“Students cannot build judgment or persuasive speaking or interpret body language or build connections alone in their dorm rooms talking to Claude,” she stressed. “Students need to interact with real businesses and real business problems in real time.”

Panzarella said Kaufman’s message is poignant for the times as the rise of AI technology leaves everyone nervous for the future.

Kaufman pleaded with business leaders in the audience to deepen their engagement with Hogan students. The program’s long success lies not with technologies like AI, she said, but with the personal connections the program fosters.

“You have to help in this mission because we can’t do it alone,” she said. “You need to share your time, your expertise, and your network with the students by serving as a mentor or a guest speaker.”

In addition to raffle prizes, the event presented two awards recognizing present and future entrepreneurial success.

Kai Cowell was honored with the Hogan program’s “In the Arena” award for her success with Ka‘iulani Spices, a healthy foods and flavoring company selling products at major retail outlets. The $1,500 student award went to Liliyah-Joy Quel-Kaina, a Hogan junior juggling two majors and minors who recently landed a coveted internship opportunity. 

The latest Hogan kick-off celebration comes at the midpoint of the semester and also lands in the middle of Chaminade’s first Wellness Week, a series of events aimed at helping students pause and reset.

Panzarella said the timing for the 24th Hogan Kick-Off is deliberate. He finds participants are more engaged and primed for action at this point in the academic year compared to the beginning of the semester or in the summer.

“We wanted to take time to let the semester sort of breathe a little bit,” he said. “We found that people are much more amenable to celebrating, to community building.”

He said the 24th year of the Hogan program won’t be delivering any major new surprises, but the year will still feature plenty of exciting gatherings and inspiring speakers. He said the team is planning new leadership initiatives, including one that may happen at Pearl Harbor.

Much of this year will be spent planning for the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program’s 25th anniversary year, coming up in 2027. Panzarella promised great things to come as the Hogan program rings in 25 years of incubating new business ideas and preparing young entrepreneurs for success.

“25 is going to be big,” he said.

Chaminade’s First-Ever Wellness Week Begins

A full week at Chaminade University is set aside to help students rest, reflect, and recharge, priming them to finish the semester strong.

Wellness Week, which lasts through Friday, features a series of events focused on instilling better physical, mental, spiritual, and academic well-being within students. Chaminade’s leadership was inspired to organize and launch the university’s first Wellness Week to give students an opportunity to pause and consider where things stand in their lives and studies at this point in the semester.

To help students rest and rejuvenate, the university has set aside quiet spaces for silent reflection, meditation, and prayer. The Mystical Rose Oratory’s doors are open, with students invited to use the space for quiet contemplation, introspection, and seeking inner peace.

The week will feature guided meditation and yoga, along with fitness and nutrition demonstrations. Meanwhile, the Vi and Paul Loo Theatre in Clarence T.C. Ching Hall has been transformed into a “sound bath” for students to enjoy.

Each class is holding only one session this week, with faculty using the time to guide students through tailored Wellness Week activities they’ve arranged.

Chaminade University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Lance Askildson, Ph.D., said he initially conceived of Wellness Week after noticing how students could begin feeling a bit overwhelmed by early October.

“The idea was to intervene intentionally before relatively manageable challenges become much harder to reverse,” he said.

Planning for Wellness Week began back in February. The Office of the Provost, Academic Affairs, Student Success, Campus Ministry, and all four Colleges collaborated on planning and preparations. The concept was accepted unanimously by both the Academic Council and Senior Leadership Council.

Askildson said Wellness Week is organized with students’ academic wellness first and foremost in mind. “The overarching goal is to give students a chance to reset and reengage.”

“The week has been intentionally designed to focus on academic support, first and foremost, and alongside broader wellness activities and opportunities for reflection,” he added. “Basically, we want to give everyone a chance to catch their breath and take stock of where they are at in the semester.”

The Mystical Rose Oratory is serving as an open meditation, reflection, and prayer space during Wellness Week.

The week’s schedule is filled with activities organized to appeal to all tastes and desires.

Wellness Week kicked off with guided meditation at the Mystical Rose Oratory and on Zuberano Lawn. Aramark Dining Services hosted a demonstration on the art of crafting the perfect onigiri, or Japanese rice balls. Not to be outshone, the Marianist Center and College of Nursing & Health Professions invited students to its “Nacho Normal Taco Tuesday” event, where participants can learn how to master dorm cooking.

The Carlson Fitness Center will show students how to design a safe and satisfying workout routine through demonstrations happening there Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

Therapy dogs are even returning to campus for Wellness Week. Students are invited to unwind with the pups and perhaps enjoy some rock painting with the Student Affairs office and Campus Ministry.

Wellness Week closes with a mid-day live concert featuring The Racket Brothers & The Rackettes. Friday also features a crochet workshop and a special discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies on society, led by guest speakers Kyle Ballarta and Louis Kim.

Askildson said now is the perfect time to offer some space for students to unwind, rest, and have fun.

“We see this as a targeted and useful pause at the midpoint of the semester and an intentional time for academic and personal reflection,” he explained, adding that he hopes the very first Chaminade University Wellness Week will leave students “ready to be successful for the second half of the term.”

Wellness Week may be repeated next year, creating a new annual Chaminade tradition, based on receptions from students, faculty, and staff.