Chaminade University of Honolulu

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Dr. Babington Honored for Leadership, Service

The Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC) honored Chaminade University President Dr. Lynn Babington on May 19 at its 72nd annual gala at The Kahala Hotel & Resort, presenting her with the Paul S. Bachman Memorial Award. The award recognizes outstanding Hawaiʻi leaders for distinguished contributions to strengthening relations between the United States, Asia and the Pacific.

For decades, PAAC has been dedicated to educating and empowering Hawaiʻi students through programs that promote leadership development, cross-cultural learning and global engagement, with a special emphasis on Hawaiʻi’s role in the Asia-Pacific region. More than 200 guests attended the gala, which included tributes and remarks honoring Babington’s leadership and service.

“Dr. Babington is an exceptional community leader committed to providing quality, accessible higher education,” wrote U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono in the gala program. “I extend my congratulations to Dr. Babington and thank her for her contributions to the social, cultural and economic development of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands.”

Since being named president of Chaminade University of Honolulu in 2017, Babington has worked to foster a caring and academically rigorous environment that encourages excellence, expands relevant and industry-informed programs, and creates opportunities for hands-on learning and personal growth.

“It is my profound honor to accept the Paul S. Bachman Memorial Award, recognizing leaders passionate about strengthening ties between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region through educational opportunity,” Babington said in her remarks. “Mahalo to the Pacific & Asian Affairs Council for this truly singular recognition. I also extend my deepest gratitude to the entire Chaminade University ʻohana, whose unwavering support of our mission, unmatched innovation and creativity, and embrace of our social justice initiatives are crucial to our students’ success.”

During the program, Kalani High student Jayden Tran shared how PAAC opened doors and transformed his life by exposing him to global issues and opportunities for personal and professional growth. He completed the PAAC Global Issues Certificate, a United Nations-certified program recognizing student leadership on some of today’s most pressing global challenges.

“PAAC changed my personal values by making me more appreciative of my own circumstances and helping me realize how important it is to help others and the impact that I can have,” Tran said.

The award was presented to Babington by PAAC Board Chairman Warren K.K. Luke and PAAC Board Member Dr. Lance Askildson. PAAC Executive Director Niki Shishido and PAAC Board President-elect Bryan Luke also spoke about PAAC’s impact in engaging more than 100,000 students in international issues and global citizenship in an increasingly interconnected world. Hawai’i State Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi also presented Babington with a certificate of distinction.

Congratulations to Dr. Babington on this well-deserved honor recognizing her commitment to education, service and creating opportunities that make a lasting difference for students and communities across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.

2026 Golden Pine ‘Apple’ Awards

This year’s Teacher of the Year and Administrator of the Year were announced at the Hawaii Catholic Schools’ Recognition Luncheon, held at Natsunoya Tea House on May 8.

The apple has long been a symbol of educators and knowledge. The Golden Apple Awards program was created to honor exceptional individuals dedicated to teaching in Catholic schools, while the pineapple symbol adds a local spin to the award. The Augustine Educational Foundation gifted each awardee’s school $1,500 for staff development, and each recipient also received a check for $500.

Dr. Dale Fryxell, dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Chaminade University, presented the awards.

Dr. Glenn Medeiros of St. Louis School received this year’s Golden Pineapple Award as Hawaii Catholic Schools Administrator of the Year.

“For nearly 25 years, Glenn has dedicated himself to Catholic education and has spent the last 11 years leading Saint Louis School as the longest-serving president in the school’s 180-year history,” Fryxell said.

Annicelia Agbayani of Our Lady of Good Counsel School received the Golden Pineapple Award as Hawaii Catholic Schools Teacher of the Year.

“Beyond her outstanding teaching, Mrs. Agbayani is deeply committed to faith formation, weaving prayer, kindness and Catholic values into the everyday experiences of even the youngest learners,” Fryxell said.

Most Reverend Clarence “Larry” Silva, Bishop of Honolulu, served as the keynote speaker for the event. He led the opening prayer and shared part of his journey to becoming bishop of Honolulu.

“About this time, 21 years ago, it was still a secret that I was going to be the bishop of Honolulu,” Silva said. “I found out May 5, 2005, but the public announcement wasn’t until May 17.”

Exiting Diocesan School Board members were applauded for their support of Catholic education.

Mahalo to Fr. Frankie De Los Reyes, Mrs. Betsey Gunderson, Dr. Elizabeth Park and Msgr. Terry Watanabe ’73, who served as chair of the board.

“I am so grateful for my 20 years of continuous Catholic school education,” Watanabe said. “Chaminade was so fabulous because you had tremendous access to the teachers, faculty and staff.”

New members Fr. Lusius Nimu and Mr. Mike Hernandes were recognized for joining the board.

Congratulations to the 2026 Golden Pine “apple” recipients!

Chaminade University’s 68th Commencement Ceremony

Friends and family gathered to celebrate their loved ones at Chaminade University’s 68th annual commencement ceremonies at the Waikīkī Shell on May 8 and 9.

This year’s undergraduate commencement address was delivered by Hawaiʻi Governor Josh Green, M.D., who offered graduates both congratulations and realistic advice about the future.

“The curvy road ahead should be exciting for you, but it is unpredictable,” Green said.

“Embrace the fact that this curvy road has gotten off to a great start for you tonight through your degree,” he continued.

More than 500 students with unique journeys and stories walked across the stage during the two-day celebration. Among them was undergraduate student speaker Trachelle M. L. S. Iwamoto ’26, who reflected on her experience at Chaminade.

“As a first-generation graduate, Chaminade has provided me with wonderful opportunities of growth within myself,” Iwamoto said. “Who knew this small-town girl would be able to break statistics, travel the world, transform into an outspoken woman, and be humble yet bold at the same time.”

Iwamoto received her Bachelor of Science in Criminology & Criminal Justice on Saturday.

At the ceremony for master’s and doctoral students on Friday, Retired Army General David A. Bramlett addressed graduates, encouraging them to harness the values they learned at Chaminade.

“You carry with you the reputation and the future of Chaminade University,” Bramlett said. “Use what you have learned from the classroom, whether on campus or online.”

Friday evening’s student speaker, Lauren Brooke Remular ’26, recognized the hard work and perseverance of her fellow graduates.

“Today is not just a celebration of our achievements,” Remular said. “It is a recognition of our capacity, who we have become, and who we are prepared to be.”

Remular earned her Master of Arts in Teaching on Friday. She reminded graduates of the lessons instilled in them throughout their education, from integrity and kindness to imagination and innovation.

Most Reverend Clarence “Larry” Silva, Bishop of Honolulu, was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. Silva serves as the spiritual and legal leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaiʻi and oversees 66 parishes and 28 mission churches across the islands.

Dr. Lynn Babington, president of Chaminade University, introduced Silva during the ceremony.

“Bishop Larry has been a partner and good friend of Chaminade University for many years,” Babington said. “Since 2010, Chaminade University has provided academic formation for men preparing for ordination to the permanent diaconate, along with their wives.”

Celine Mesiona-Perez ’22 graduated Friday with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Studies. She first enrolled at Chaminade in 2018 and previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Sciences. In addition to being an alumna, she is entering her third year working in the university’s Office of Admissions.

“A lot of people are wondering if I’m going to do my doctorate here as well,” Mesiona-Perez said. “I love learning here.”

Teachers also appreciate the advantages of a Chaminade education. Javein Nishihara, who graduated from the Master of Educational Leadership program Friday, said the program provided experience he could immediately apply in real life.

“It was very practical,” Nishihara said. “Everything that I learned in the classroom, I see in person and in action. I think that was the strength of Chaminade.”

Nishihara said his long-term goal is to move into a leadership role at a K–12 school.

“I’m continuing at Chaminade with a doctorate in education, so I’m really excited about that,” he added.

Laica Joy Cenence earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing on Saturday. Cenence said observing her family in the healthcare field made her want to further her education. Her mother works as a caregiver and growing up in that environment, inspired Cenence to pursue the healthcare field.

After graduation, Cenence plans to study for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

“I’m already working at the hospital, but hopefully I can get into the new grad [residency] program after I take the exam,” Cenence said. “If I pass — I will pass!”

Chaminade nursing graduates achieved a 96.97% NCLEX pass rate in 2024, more than five percentage points above the national average of 91.2%.

This year also marked the graduation of Chaminade’s inaugural EdS in School Psychology cohort. This is a groundbreaking achievement for the state, as it marks the first university program to produce our “homegrown” school psychologists here in Hawaii. The cohort included ten graduates representing a significant step forward for the local educational and mental health community.

Another milestone was the accomplishment of 16 Sacred Hearts Academy students enrolled in Chaminade’s second cohort of the Early College Program, who participated in the commencement ceremony and were recognized for earning their Associates of Arts degrees. These students, many who attend Sacred Hearts Academy, were enrolled in classes at Chaminade while still in high school, and now have earned enough college credit to begin their journey at a four-year university as a third year student. 

Congratulations to all Chaminade University spring 2026 graduates!

For more information or to watch the commencement ceremonies, visit:

https://chaminade.edu/commencement/

Silverswords Reunite for Fun Night

Graduating seniors in the Class of 2026 and recent alumni gathered on May 1 for ALUMNIGHT, an evening of connection, laughter, and friendly competition at Dave & Buster’s, transforming the popular entertainment venue into a hub of Silversword pride. The event drew recent graduates eager to reconnect with classmates, meet fellow alumni, and unwind over games, food, and shared memories.

As guests filtered in, the energy quickly picked up. Alumni greeted one another with excitement—some reconnecting after only a year apart, others reuniting for the first time since graduation. 

The program began with a warm welcome from Director of Student Engagement Andrew Peter Anchetta II ’21, who thanked attendees for staying connected to the university and to one another. He emphasized the importance of the young alumni community and encouraged guests to make the most of the evening—not just by enjoying the activities, but by strengthening the relationships that began on campus. Following the welcome, Fr. Martin Solma, SM offered a prayer, grounding the gathering in gratitude and shared purpose.

Guests made their way to the food line, as alumni shared updates about careers, graduate school, and life beyond campus. Alumni enjoyed classic arcade games, basketball shootouts, racing simulators, and interactive challenges. The step-and-repeat photo area was a popular feature throughout the night, as friends captured moments together. 

Door prize drawings were an exciting and fun part of the evening with prizes provided by the Office of Admissions, Office of Advancement, and Office of Student Engagement. Items included Chaminade-branded bags, a commemorative 70th anniversary Yeti water bottle, and exclusive collaboration pieces from Aloha Collection. Each prize reflected both school pride and appreciation for the alumni community.

The alumni event at Dave & Buster’s was more than a night of games and good food—it was a celebration of community, shared experiences, and the enduring ties that continue long after graduation.

Marketing Students Drive Nonprofit to Thrive

Re-Use Hawai‘i has been serving the community on Oahu for 20-plus years.

The innovative nonprofit is a living, breathing example of the circular economy put to good use. Describing itself as an “employment social enterprise dedicated to reducing waste and expanding green job opportunities,” Re-Use Hawai‘i creates meaningful jobs and community good will by rescuing abandoned construction materials from work sites or demolition projects to resell them at bargain prices for do-it-yourself handytypes across the island.

They’re “turning Hawai‘i’s waste into reusable materials and green jobs” as they say on their website, but Re-Use Hawai‘i recently ran into a problem: their newest store front wasn’t generating the kind of foot traffic they were hoping for. That’s where Chaminate University marketing students came in.

Chaminade marketing professor Wera Panow-Loui recently issued a challenge to her students: create a marketing strategy and presentation that can help Re-Use Hawai‘i re-introduce itself and its newest location to the community – revive a business model that’s been proven successful for two decades.

Her students more than met the challenge.

“I believe it was a standout student project for Re-Use Hawai‘i highlighting experiential learning, community impact, and our students’ excellence in their work,”Panow-Loui said.

Chaminade students Christopher Cody, Cory Alfred, Kyla Castro, Madelynne Knowd, and Tessa Stanley joined forces to see if they could aid Re-Use Hawai‘i using the skills they learned in Professor Panow-Loui’s class.

After talking with the nonprofit’s staff, conducting some research, quizzing store patrons, and assessing the situation, the five marketing students devised a strategy that they felt could help Re-Use Hawai‘i solve their conundrum. Re-Use is now using their presentation and training for future business planning.

First, they had to identify the problem. This was fairly straightforward: as their final presentation notes, the nonprofit was contending with “low foot traffic at the new Re-Use Hawai‘i Salt Lake location.”

The goal? Bring the customers back, and improve the experience of the customers who were visiting the new site. So, the students put their market research skills to work. 

They surveyed 97 customers to the new site, quizzing the visitors about what was working and what wasn’t. They broke the survey respondents down along demographic lines, noting gender identities, ages, and where they came from. They then asked them a set of questions designed to measure how familiar they were with Re-Use Hawai‘i, how often they relied on the nonprofit for their do-it-yourself projects, and what they thought of the newest storefront.

The research proved invaluable to Re-Use.

Overall, respondents said they were satisfied with their shopping experience. But there were issues that could use some attention, the students soon discovered.

“Many customers said the new store location took some getting used to,” they reported. That’s not all. Survey participants told them, frankly, that the parking and new store layout was somewhat difficult for them to navigate. They complained about a lack of tools on hand to use at the new store location. “Even long-time customers mentioned it took several visits to feel comfortable,” they reported.

The students’ presentation lays out in detail what the customers themselves were saying, thus informing Re-Use Hawai‘i of the likely reasons for the fall in foot traffic. In short, the 20-year old standard bearer of Hawai‘i’s circular economy had become something of a stranger to the island’s residents again.

The solution? Reintroduce themselves to the DIY crowd, a community in need of a centralized home or hub, one that Re-Use is well positioned to become.

Having identified the problem, Christopher, Cory, Kyla, Madelynne, and Tessa were in a good position to identify good solutions, as Professor Panow-Loui explained.

Her students were assigned “to help the client identify effective promotional strategies to increase foot traffic at a newly opened retail location, using data-driven insights to inform strategic marketing decisions,” she explained.

Their presentation lays out in careful detail proposed strategies that Re-Use should adopt.

They proposed Google Ads, a relatively inexpensive way to improve local customer engagement and re-establish their brand. They also recommended targeted marketing focused on those parts of the island where most of their customer base seems to be located, in particular Kaneohe, Kailua, and Honolulu.

Their boldest recommendation was that Re-Use Hawai‘i create a specialized Facebook page designed to organize the island’s community of DIY enthusiasts. Currently, there isn’t one. Thus, Re-Use Hawai‘i is in a unique position to organize that community and support it through the nonprofit business model that it’s already pioneering, the students discovered.

“It became evident that there were not very many DIY Hawaii Facebook groups despite demand,” the student marketing team noted. “Creating a Facebook group would allow Re-Use Hawai‘i to connect with the DIY community.”

Panow-Loui says that the five students’ market research and consulting initiative has become far more than just a class project. Re-Use is putting their recommendations into practice.

“The client indicated that their leadership team is using the report to actively guide their current marketing decisions,” she said.

The students’ marketing research results are professional, insightful, impressive, and useful.

Re-Use Hawai‘i has been creating jobs and saving Hawai‘i residents money for over 20 years, and thanks to Chaminade University students, they’ll continue their important work for many years to come.

As Panow-Loui put it, her students “completed a professional-grade marketing research project for a real community client, applying strategic marketing and consumer research methods,” and the client and Hawai‘i are grateful for their hard work.

Wilde’s Comedy Comes to Loo Theatre

Chaminade University’s Loo Theatre welcomed audiences this past week for the opening of The Importance of Being Earnest, offering a thoughtful and engaging take on Oscar Wilde’s well-known comedy. The production brought the play’s humor and characters to life with audiences laughing and cheering.

Set in Victorian England, the story follows two young men who assume alternate identities to navigate social expectations, leading to a series of misunderstandings and witty exchanges. The Chaminade cast leaned into both the humor and structure of the script, focusing on timing, character development, and collaboration.

Andrew Erwin played John Worthing, J.P., also known as Jack, portraying the character’s sense of responsibility alongside moments of uncertainty. Kevin Mayorga took on the role of Algernon Moncrieff, bringing a relaxed and conversational approach that complemented the rhythm of Wilde’s dialogue. Together, the two leads established a steady foundation for the production. (In Sunday’s matinee Ava Cuellar Bettray played the role of Algernon with a brilliant performance.)

Supporting roles were shared across a range of student performers. Victor Rivas-Ramirez appeared as Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D., while Emily Cooper and Ava Cuellar Bettray portrayed Merriman and Lane, the household servants who observe much of the action. Each contributed to the overall pacing and tone of the performance.

Randrielle Yola’s portrayal of Lady Bracknell stood out for its clarity and control, capturing the character’s firm presence in key scenes. Jayde-Emaree Ramos played Gwendolen Fairfax with confidence, and Nathalie David’s Cecily Cardew brought a lighter, more playful perspective to the stage. Amalee Magallon rounded out the cast as Miss Prism, helping to carry several of the play’s more reflective moments.

The production also reflected the efforts of students working behind the scenes. Costumes and staging were kept relatively simple, allowing the dialogue and performances to remain the focus. The Loo Theatre’s close setting gave audiences a chance to experience the play up close, emphasizing the actors’ delivery and interactions.

For the students involved, the production offered an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in a live performance environment. Rehearsals focused on developing consistency, understanding character motivations, and working as an ensemble—skills that are central to theatre but also transferable to other areas.

Chaminade’s staging of The Importance of Being Earnest is part of the university’s broader commitment to providing opportunities in the arts. Productions like this give students a chance to engage with classic works while developing their own approach to performance and storytelling.

Opening week drew a supportive campus audience, with friends, faculty, and community members coming out to see the show. The production provided a chance to experience a familiar play through the perspective of student performers, while also highlighting the continued activity of the university’s theatre program.

The production also extends a heartfelt mahalo to Diamond Head Theatre, The Actor’s Group, and Manoa Valley Theatre for generously opening their costume shops and prop stores. Their spirit of collaboration and support was invaluable to the production. In addition, proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Palolo Chinese Home, further connecting the production to the broader community.

Bravo to all who make this production possible. Tickets are still available for shows.