Chaminade University of Honolulu

Students

Honorary Luncheon

Students share the meaning of their scholarships with donors

Her voice quivering with emotion as she described the meaning of being awarded a scholarship during an annual honorary luncheon for donors, Audrey Pilar ’24 cited her mom and dad for instilling a belief in herself, sharing her parents’ story as a young couple struggling to make ends meet but never giving up and wanting more for her and her brother. Graduating in May with a major in Forensic Sciences, and minors in Chemistry and Data Science, Analytics and Visualization, the Mililani native admitted that, without her Dr. Feung Lee and Mrs. Mew Sin Lee Endowed Scholarship, she probably would have had to work three or more part-time jobs just to pay her tuition.

“When my mom wanted to come to America to have a better life for me and her, she did,” Pilar said. “When my dad was belittled for having a young family, he and my mom hustled, got an education, and successfully raised my brother and me. What I am trying to get across here is that someone gave them a chance in their lives. Someone gave my mom and dad a chance to succeed in life, and they took it. This is what receiving a donor scholarship means to me. Hope and a chance for a better future.”

In the pursuit of higher education, many students face formidable barriers, with financial constraints being among the most prevalent. For many individuals from low- to even middle-income backgrounds, the dream of attending college or university often seems like an unattainable aspiration. However, scholarships serve as beacons of hope, illuminating pathways to academic success and unlocking doors to opportunities that would otherwise remain shut.

“This year, between individual and Foundation scholarships, we supported 332 students with over $2 million, for an average scholarship award of $6,100, which is huge,” said Chaminade President, Lynn Babington, Ph.D. “Today, you’ll hear some of these students’ stories, and you’ll get a sense about their ambitions, their areas of academic interest and what they may have overcome to get here.”

Scholarship Luncheon attendees include, standing from left, Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Michael Monroe, Tiannah Ohta and Genie Reutirez, and, seated from left, Bella Frasure, Alyssa Mori, and Keven and Diane Matsuura.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Michael Monroe, Tiannah Ohta and Genie Reutirez, and, seated from left, Bella Frasure, Alyssa Mori, and Keven and Diane Matsuura.
Scholarship Luncheon attendees include, standing from left, Jill Higashi, Kimberly Kameshige, Brianna Gutierrez Aceves and Easton DelaCruz, and, seated from left, Jeannine Wiercinski, Estelle Kelley, Jeannie Rolles and Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington.
Scholarship Luncheon attendees include, standing from left, Jill Higashi, Kimberly Kameshige, Brianna Gutierrez Aceves and Easton DelaCruz, and, seated from left, Jeannine Wiercinski, Estelle Kelley, Jeannie Rolles and Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Janice Glade, Peter Jan Ramos and Anastasia Tangatailoa, and seated from left, Leila Casison, Caitlin Bocobo and Paige Garcia.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Janice Glade, Peter Jan Ramos and Anastasia Tangatailoa, and seated from left, Leila Casison, Caitlin Bocobo and Paige Garcia.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, William Bernaldez, Amber Milsap and Greg Lagapa, and seated from left, Natasha Flores, Nicole Tanabe and Kelsey Nakagawa.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, William Bernaldez, Amber Milsap and Greg Lagapa, and seated from left, Natasha Flores, Nicole Tanabe and Kelsey Nakagawa.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Tyanna Hemmings, Leah Carrington and Kaimipono Abella, and seated from left, Keila Anderson, Tessa Stanley, Aniyah Hazen and Ana Isabel Aranda.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Tyanna Hemmings, Leah Carrington and Kaimipono Abella, and seated from left, Keila Anderson, Tessa Stanley, Aniyah Hazen and Ana Isabel Aranda.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Adrienne Aquino, Katherine Liu, Erica Tiwari and Alani Meltel, and seated from left, Jessica Schlais, and David and Christne Arita.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Adrienne Aquino, Katherine Liu, Erica Tiwari and Alani Meltel, and seated from left, Jessica Schlais, and David and Christne Arita.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Kendra Sia, Nicole Kegine, Aleeyah Lemons and Heidi Bow, and seated from left, Sally and Michael Coovert, and Susie and John Field Jr.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Kendra Sia, Nicole Kegine, Aleeyah Lemons and Heidi Bow, and seated from left, Sally and Michael Coovert, and Susie and John Field Jr.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Debbie Ng Furuhashi, Michalla Burtado, Aloha Lei Garo, Bro. Alan Pacquing, Jodi-Anne Yoshida and Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington, and seated Bernard and Lolita Lum Hoy.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Debbie Ng Furuhashi, Michalla Burtado, Aloha Lei Garo, Bro. Alan Pacquing, Jodi-Anne Yoshida and Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington, and seated Bernard and Lolita Lum Hoy.
Debbie Ng Furuhashi and Cathy Ching share a laugh before the start of the Scholarship Luncheon.
Debbie Ng Furuhashi and Cathy Ching share a laugh before the start of the Scholarship Luncheon.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Angelica Tangatailoa, Nathaniel Leomiti, Wayne Tanna, JD, and Jazzy Yasuda, and seated from left, Dorie Sanborn, Bro. Thomas Jalbert, Jasmine Mondelo and Pono Riddle.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Angelica Tangatailoa, Nathaniel Leomiti, Wayne Tanna, JD, and Jazzy Yasuda, and seated from left, Dorie Sanborn, Bro. Thomas Jalbert, Jasmine Mondelo and Pono Riddle.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Nagem Uiagalelei, Patricia Takamiya, Bro. Allen Pacquing and Richard Uiagalelei, and seated from left, Napua Rosehill, Carol Gouveia, Kawila and Kyla Castro.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Nagem Uiagalelei, Patricia Takamiya, Bro. Allen Pacquing and Richard Uiagalelei, and seated from left, Napua Rosehill, Carol Gouveia, Kawila and Kyla Castro.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Lauren Moriarty, Constance Keao, Huong Pham and Mame Hideyos, and seated from left, Alyssa Torres, Junelle Tangalin and Diane Peters-Nguyen.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Lauren Moriarty, Constance Keao, Huong Pham and Mame Hideyos, and seated from left, Alyssa Torres, Junelle Tangalin and Diane Peters-Nguyen.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Heather Kate Jarmillo, Marlon Francisco and Audrey Pilar and seated, from left, Kryzandreah Espanol, Tertia Freas, Elizabeth Hokada and Dr. Janet Davidson.
Scholarship Luncehon attendees include, standing from left, Heather Kate Jarmillo, Marlon Francisco and Audrey Pilar and seated, from left, Kryzandreah Espanol, Tertia Freas, Elizabeth Hokada and Dr. Janet Davidson.

Seated with students, Adrienne Aquino ’26, Katherine Liu ’26, Erica Tiwari ’24 and Alani Meltel ’25, donors David and Christine Arita with daughter Jessica Schlais discussed each one’s goal, inspiring them to continue their education even long after they’ve graduated. The Aritas’ and Schlais’s American Floor and Home Foundation Scholarship is specifically earmarked for majors in the Environmental + Interior Design program.

An aspiring elementary education teacher, Aquino believes that early schooling provides a strong foundation for future learners. “Our graduation rates are getting lower and lower,” said the Kaneohe native. “We need more teachers if we want a better future for our keiki.”

Applauding Aquino for her dedication to becoming an elementary teacher, David Arita dispensed a bit of advice to her: “If you inspire them, they will always remember you,” he told her. “I still remember the teachers who made a major impact in my life, and I will never forget them.”

A sophomore Communication major, Easton DelaCruz ’26 has taken advantage of all the opportunities afforded to him since arriving on campus two years ago. He has been fortunate enough to engage in experiences that have enriched his education and broadened his perspective.

“Your commitment to financial assistance has allowed students like me to engage in transformative experiences, shaping us into well-rounded individuals prepared to contribute to society,” DelaCruz said in his address to donors. “With the wealth of past and current experiences, and the ones to come at Chaminade, I plan to return home and become a public servant to help my home become a better place for my parents’ generation, my generation and generations to come.”

In this landscape of financial uncertainty, scholarships emerge as powerful catalysts for change. These financial awards, often based on academic merit, financial need, or a combination of both, play a pivotal role in dismantling barriers to higher education. By providing financial assistance, scholarships enable deserving students to access resources, facilities and opportunities that would otherwise remain beyond their grasp.

Beyond financial assistance, scholarships also offer myriad opportunities for academic and personal growth. Many scholarship programs provide mentorship, networking opportunities and career development resources, empowering students to thrive both inside and outside the classroom. Furthermore, scholarships may fund internships, study abroad experiences and research projects, allowing students to broaden their horizons and cultivate valuable skills that enhance their employability and competitiveness in the job market.

“We know education transforms lives; our students set out to change the world, and they are making a difference,” said Babington. “Our reach is all over the world. And we are proud of our Chaminade students and alumni.”

Community Garden

Students tend to the māla as part of EN102

Pushing a wheelbarrow in the māla, Zachary “Pono” Narcisco was learning how to garden—not exactly what he had in mind when he enrolled in his English class. The “cultivating” effort is all part of Dr. Koreen Nakahodo’s mandatory service-learning component of her EN102 Composition and Rhetoric course.

“We have to do at least six hours of service learning,” said Narcisco, a freshman and an aspiring nurse. “Dr. Nakahodo asked us to write about our experience at the māla, and what value we can bring out from gardening.”

Many universities offer some form of service-learning, which is an educational approach that combines community service with academic learning to provide students with a holistic and hands-on learning experience. This experiential learning approach also helps students deepen their understanding of course material and how it applies to the everyday world.

“Unlike community service—which might include something like a one-day beach clean-up and then you go home—service learning directly connects service-to-course content,” said Mitch Steffey, Chaminade’s Associate Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement Service. “Learners try to apply aspects of the course while simultaneously working to satisfy the needs of the community.”

Nakahodo’s pedagogical approach to teaching is based on three principles: place, space and transactional writing. For this Fall’s EN102, she initially themed it “Food Insecurity,” which would have involved Christina Klimo, University of Dayton’s Write Place Coordinator with the Office of Learning Resource.

“Two years ago, we met while participating in the Marianist Educational Associates formation program, and we shared similar ideas,” said Nakahodo, who has taught at Chaminade since 1998. “Then we started having weekly Zoom meetings and it just progressed from there.”

After numerous Zoom conference calls, Nakahodo and Klimo had coordinated to collaborate on a course this term that would be based on the two universities’ community gardens, hence the theme. The first session was hosted by Silverswords who held up their laptops to capture the views of Diamond Head and the ocean to show the UD students.

“It was a get-to-know-each-other meeting,” Nakahodo said. “The second session was going to be hosted by UD and the third session would have been a collaborative effort. But unfortunately, Christina got sick and we had to postpone the session.”

Shoveling mulch into the wheelbarrow, sophomore Maka‘ala Ng said it’s difficult to grow plants and vegetables in this garden because of the quality of the soil, but they’ll persist, as long as students keep helping to tend the garden.

“When vegetables do start growing, we’re going to give them away,” said Ng, an Environmental Science and Environmental Studies double major. “Right now, we’re planting corn, peas, cucumbers and indigenous plants. We also apply three different methods to compost waste: tumbler, which looks like a cement mixer; vermicomposting or worm farm composting; and in-ground composting.”

 Steffey has spearheaded the garden endeavor for the past couple of years with the help of students like Narcisco and Ng, and professors like Nakahodo who want to address the disconnection between island residents living in today’s fast-paced, consumer-oriented society and their lack of awareness of food origins and production.

“Eighty-five to 90 percent of our food is imported,” Steffey said. “We need policies and actions to increase the amount of locally grown food consumed by Hawaii’s residents. And we’re trying to do our own little part for our community.”

Hogan Speaker Series

Panelists share their insights into entrepreneurship

What guides you? How do you find mentors? How do you overcome failure? What advice would you give your younger self?

These questions and many more were posed to three diverse and accomplished community leaders who served as panelists during the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program speaker series on Nov. 15 in a packed Keifer Hall Room 9. Panelists Haelee Tallett ’18, Shane Hanson ’16 and Julie Morikawa navigated the questions with ease and decorum, freely sharing their personal and professional experiences with students, alumni and faculty, all eager to soak in knowledge and insight. 

Tallett is the founder, owner and lead designer of Ocean Creations, which she started as an online business and now has several brick-and mortar-locations. Alumnus Shane Hanson is founder and owner of Freedom Fiduciaries. Morikawa, a hospitality industry executive, is the president of non-profit ClimbHi, which creates bridges between high school and college students from education to career paths, and is dedicated to workforce development in Hawaii.

Hogan program director Roy Panzarella opened the discussion by asking the panel, “What is your ‘Why?’” or “Why do what you do?” 

Hanson shared that being an entrepreneur is something innate, that he would rather work 80 hours for himself than 40 hours for another corporation. He also shared that he came to Chaminade to play basketball and eventually participated in a competiton in which student groups created their own products and marketing plans. The fulfilling and exciting experience has remained with him and sparked his entrepreneurial spirit. 

Being an entrepreneur is more important than being a jewelry designer to Hallett. While her company’s product is jewelry, what really motivates her is bringing a sense of confidence and beautiful design to customers who wear or give jewelry as gifts. Jewelry is the means to achieving that goal of the entrepreneurial journey of ideation to product to customer satisfaction. 

When asked how to create sustainable products that are not as profitable, Morikawa replied, “Why do they have to be separate, sustainability and profitablity?” She described a federal grant that ClimbHi recently received that involves partnering with local environmental and sustainability-focused organizations to maintain and improve an important ahupuaʻa (land division) on Oʻahu.

The 90-minute panel discussion served its purpose. The community leaders on the panel thoughtfully answered questions. Students respectfully asked questions. And all left the room with an understanding and insight into how following one’s dream is what it takes to be fulfilled and to have a meaningful impact.

The next Hogan Program speaker will be Gary Hogan on Wednesday, Nov. 29 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Kiefer Hall Room 9. Hogan is the CEO of Hogan Hospitality Group and Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts, as well as CEO and Board Chair of Pleasant Travel Service. 

Triennial Aircraft Disaster Exercise

First responders put skills to the test during emergency response drill

Imagine an aircraft explosion on landing and the immediate aftermath. The moments after an airplane crash are undoubtedly critical, as nursing student Sigfried Halili ’23 learned firsthand during the Triennial Aircraft Disaster Exercise. This every-three-year, mandatory certification requirement by the Federal Aviation Administration tests airfield disaster preparedness and response by simulating a full-scale aircraft emergency disaster. The drill tests and evaluates the operational capacity of emergency response in a stress environment.

Mock patients in moulage (make-up) are treated by Chaminade nursing students during the Triennial Aircraft Disaster Exercise.

Divided among four groups colored Red, Green, Yellow and Black, Chaminade nursing students treated patients with varying injuries, with the Red group receiving the most seriously injured, the Green team tending to those with superficial abrasions and contusions, the Yellow team looking after patients in between Red and Green, and Black team announcing mortality.

“The firefighters and EMS would perform triage and assess where the injured passengers would be taken,” explained Halili, the senior representative of the Student Nursing Association. “Of the five patients I treated, one was mortally injured, another belonged to the Green category and the three others were in critical condition.”

This triennial, multi-agency exercise involved hundreds of volunteers—including 175 nursing students from Chaminade University—and airport personnel who acted as injured passengers. Participating agencies included Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Airports Division staff, HDOT Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) units, Securitas, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, City & County of Honolulu Fire and Police Departments, Emergency Medical Services, American Medical Response, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Federal Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Hawaii Department of Public Safety and airline personnel.

Volunteers portrayed passengers who were injured, uninjured, unresponsive, fainting, deceased, family, friends, responders, medical personnel and other miscellaneous roles. Make-up (moulage) was applied to simulate varying injuries, from deep lacerations to serious tissue wounds. Participants were also asked to “role play,” pretending to cry, scream with injuries and yell confusedly. Others acted grief stricken, angry and demanding information. All these roles were to simulate a real-life event to help responders to be better prepared. This exercise is an opportunity to get an on-scene and behind-scene view of a real-life emergency simulation.

The main focus for the nursing students during the exercise was to practice use of the Incident Command System— a systemic tool used for the command control and coordination of emergency response—and perform disaster triage and treatment skills. The event was a great opportunity for nursing students from three local nursing schools—including Chaminade—to work cohesively in an intense and stressful environment, an experience most of them had never encountered.

“This was the first triennial exercise that I participated in,” said Halili, who will graduate in December and take the National Council Licensure Examination to become a fully licensed Certified Nurse. “It was amazing to see how many people get involved when an emergency happens on an airport tarmac.”

Amy Thompson of Mattel

’98 alumna shares her role with a leading global toy company

A word of advice from Amy Thompson: be open. Open to new ideas. Open to diversity. And open to equality and inclusion. As executive vice president and chief people officer for Mattel, the ’98 Chaminade alumna oversees all global human resources functions, including compensation and benefits, organizational design and leadership development for the company.

Speaking virtually to students during the Dean’s Speaker Series, Thompson shared her impressive employment history. Before joining Mattel, she served as chief people officer for TOMS Shoes, where she successfully developed and implemented organizational plans to scale the company globally by elevating talent and direct-to-consumer capability. She also founded TOMS Leading Ladies, an organization dedicated to empowering and inspiring women leaders.

Prior to TOMS, she held several global HR leadership roles at Starbucks Coffee Company, as well as led HR teams and departments at Ticketmaster Corporation and Citysearch.com.

Amy Thompson addressed students during the Dean’s Speaker Series.

“I believe my formative experiences, including at Chaminade, shaped my future,” Thompson told attendees. “I came to Chaminade on a full athletic scholarship and, as an athlete, you have to be disciplined.”

The Dean’s Speaker Series is designed to bring private, nonprofit and public sector leaders who have achieved recognition in their respective fields to share their expertise and insights on a broad range of timely issues, as well as share the highlights, challenges and turning points of their individual career paths.

“The Speaker Series is intended to extend classroom learning,” said School of Business and Communication Interim Dean Annette Santos. “It’s a co-curricular experience where the integration between theory and practice is reinforced and realized.”

Another intention of the forum is to bring a diversity of social, cultural, economic and other business-related perspectives to the Chaminade community in order to engage in ways that inform and encourage sustainable business for good. 

“One of Mattel’s external recognitions that I’m really proud of is its standing with the Human Rights Campaign,” Thompson said. “In 2022, for the fourth year in a row, Mattel received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey that measures corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.’”

As chief people officer, Thompson is guided by several key questions: “Do employees feel supported? Can they be authentic? Do they feel that they belong?”

“We have three values that are foundational to Mattel,” Thompson pointed out in her PowerPoint slide. “Collaboration, Innovation and Execution, which leads to our pillars of leadership: build and drive culture, manage performance, support career growth, promote wellbeing and growth mindset.”

School of Business and Communication Senator and Intern, and United Nations Association of Chaminade University (UNAC) President, Jasmine Mondelo could clearly sense that Thompson immensely cares for Mattel’s culture and talent. She also believes that Mattel offers a prime business model that fosters and values employee relations.

“As a college student who will set out on my own career path after graduation, Amy Thompson and Mattel’s message of inclusivity, fairness and commitment to personal and professional growth is inspiring to me,” said Mondelo after attending the lecture. “Wherever I work, I would want to feel valued and respected as an employee, motivated to achieve success for myself and the company, and capable of continuously improving myself.”

Santos hopes that students will have several takeaways after attending and listening to these guest speakers. “1) I hope that students would be inspired by the personal and professional journey of the featured speakers in ways that enhance their educational experience,” she said. “2) Understand that personal and professional growth is a process that involves challenges and turning points on the way to wins and transformation; and 3) this event also provides opportunities for students to build their network, possibly creating meaningful connections with speakers or those in attendance.” 

Top Cop Scholarships

Three Silverswords recognized for their commitment to criminal justice

Now in its 38th year, the Annual TOP COP Award Ceremony honors law enforcement and security professionals from several sectors, including law enforcement, private security, military and non-profit agencies.

“We are excited to be together in the same space and time to celebrate the dedication of our law enforcement and security professionals in the State of Hawaii,” said Law Enforcement and Security Coalition of Hawaii president Jeremiah Pahukula, Jr., during his opening remarks. “Your presence here today demonstrates your commitment to the safety and security of our island home and we are grateful for your support.”

Equally grateful are this year’s Top Cop Scholarship recipients, including Chaminade senior Chasity McKean ’24, who will graduate with a major in Criminal Justice and minor in Psychology. Receiving the ASIS Region 1D Scholarship, the Kapolei native plans on pursuing a career with the Honolulu Police Department.

“My initial plans post-degree is to join HPD and once I get in, work my way up the ladder to become a canine officer,” wrote McKean in her essay outlining her interest in a Criminal Justice degree. “However, I’m still keeping my options open since having a Criminal Justice degree is very broad and there is much I can do with it. I’ve been doing research and applying for internships to get different work experiences within the criminal justice field.”

Earning the Bob Flatting Scholarship was fellow Silversword Benjamin Carlin, who is working towards his Master’s degree in Criminal Justice. The U.S. Army Police Officer aspires to advance from an enlisted soldier to a commissioned officer with the United States Army’s Military Police Corps, which provides expertise in policing, detainment and stability operations in order to enhance security and enable mobility.

Aligned with the goals of the U.S. Army’s Military Police Corps, the Law Enforcement and Security Coalition of Hawai‘i adopted the Hawaiian expression of “E Pupukahi,” which holds the symbolic meaning of “working together as one to make Hawai‘i a safe place to live and work.”

“Working with these talented individuals who value the accomplishments of those who protect our communities has been my pleasure,” said Pahukula, Jr. “I look forward to their continued support.”

Chaminade senior Alisha Gifford’s lifetime ambition is to serve and protect her community. As this year’s Top Cop Scholarship awardee, Gifford is currently in the selection process of being an intern with HPD. Her longterm goal, however, is to pursue a career with the United States Air Force.