Chaminade University of Honolulu

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Alumni Office Hosts San Diego Reunion

More than 80 alumni and prospective families gathered on a beautiful San Diego waterfront for a special Sunday brunch on March 8 that brought the Chaminade spirit to the mainland in a meaningful way. Against the backdrop of the harbor, the event offered a warm and welcoming space for Silverswords to reconnect, share stories, and celebrate their enduring ties to the University.

Attendees traveled from across the region—and beyond—to be part of the occasion. Many alumni made the drive from throughout California, while one dedicated alumna even flew in from Arizona specifically to attend. Their efforts underscored the strength of the Chaminade community and the lasting impact of the relationships formed on campus. Whether reconnecting with classmates after years apart or meeting fellow alumni for the first time, there was a shared sense of pride and belonging throughout the gathering.

President Dr. Lynn Babington joined the group and spent time connecting personally with alumni and guests. She offered updates on the University, highlighting continued growth, new academic initiatives, and the ways Chaminade is evolving to meet the needs of today’s students while remaining grounded in its mission and values. Her remarks reinforced the University’s commitment to fostering a close-knit, purpose-driven community—one that extends far beyond the shores of O‘ahu.

The event also created opportunities for prospective families to engage with alumni and learn firsthand about the Chaminade experience. Conversations flowed easily between generations, with alumni sharing stories about their time on campus, the friendships they built, and how their education has shaped their personal and professional journeys. For prospective students and their families, it was a chance to see the lasting value of a Chaminade education come to life through these authentic connections.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, attendees enjoyed Chaminade-themed swag and participated in a drawing for prizes, bringing an element of fun and excitement to the morning. Chaminade magazines were also available, offering a deeper look at campus developments, student success stories, and the continued momentum of the University community.

Events like this serve as a powerful reminder that the Chaminade connection does not end at graduation—or at the edge of the island. Instead, it continues to grow and thrive wherever alumni gather. The San Diego brunch was more than just a reunion; it was a reflection of a vibrant and engaged alumni network that remains deeply connected to the University and to one another.

A Calling to Counsel

Taylee Miyamura

Taylee Miyamura, MSCP ‘23 has been awarded the 2025 Hawaiʻi Milken Teacher of Promise Award. A counselor at Mililani Middle School, she was selected for this honor based on her exceptional leadership, commitment to student wellbeing and innovative work developing restorative, student-centered support for Hawaiʻiʻs largest middle school. Taylee is a graduate of Mililani High School, the Oregon Institute of Technology, and Chaminade University. 

The Chaminade communications and marketing team reached out to Taylee recently. 

Q: When did you decide to become an educator?

A: I decided that I wanted to pursue school counseling during my final year of getting my undergraduate degree. While interning at a high school in a small town near my college, I realized how meaningful it was to support students and help them navigate challenges. That experience inspired me to pursue school counseling so I could make a positive impact in students’ lives and help them develop the skills and confidence needed to be successful.

Taylee Miyamura

Q: Why did you choose to earn a master’s degree from Chaminade?

A: I knew that I wanted to return home and become a school counselor in Hawaiʻi to give back to the community that helped raise me. I felt that Chaminade would be the place to help me fulfill that goal, as its mission and purpose strongly align with my commitment to service and making a positive impact.

Q: What was your experience as a master’s student like?

A: I began my master’s program at Chaminade right in the middle of COVID, but the professors still found creative and meaningful ways to continue supporting our learning despite the challenges. During that time, I built strong relationships with faculty and classmates who I know I can turn to for guidance and support till this day. Chaminade helped prepare me for my career and equipped me with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in my role as a school counselor. I would not be where I am today without Chaminade University.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your work?

A: The most rewarding and meaningful part of my job is building strong connections with my students and making them feel supported through their middle school years. It is also those small moments where you see them becoming more confident, hopeful, and resilient!

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring teachers?

A: My advice to aspiring educators is to always remember your “why” in everything that you do. There will be both high days and low days, but keeping your purpose at the forefront will help guide you and remind you of the impact that you are making for these kids. Focus on building connections, being patient and kind, and creating a warm and supportive environment where all students feel valued and encouraged.

Q: Any final thoughts on receiving this award and your education at Chaminade?

A: Receiving the Milken Teacher of Promise award for the LMW (Leilehua, Mililani, and Waialua) complex was truly an honor, and I am very grateful for the education and experiences I received at Chaminade. My time there has helped shape who I am both personally and professionally,

and it has given me the knowledge, skills, and values that guide my work today. I am extremely thankful for the mentors, professors, and my awesome cohort who supported me through my graduate school journey. I am very proud to be a Chaminade Alumna!  

Our Capacity For Hope

Dr. Carolyn Woo bowed her head in prayer before addressing the audience gathered in the Mystical Rose Oratory. Then she began simply: “I’m here to talk about hope.”

As the latest guest in the Marianist Lecture Series, Woo offered far more than reflection. Through personal experience and global perspective, she challenged listeners to recognize both their responsibility and their capacity for hope—even amid devastating news and uncertainty in the United States and around the world. Her speech aligns with the University’s commitment to community partnership and impact, one of the commitments of the Strategic Plan.

Drawing from her years of humanitarian leadership, Woo shared vivid stories and metaphors. She recounted how a Guatemalan corn farmer, facing the loss of his land, adapted by cultivating papaya and ultimately built a thriving livelihood. She described how Chinese Christians, confronted with the destruction of religious statues, responded creatively—crafting an image inspired by a folk legend of a peasant woman carrying a light on her head, symbolizing Mary and the Christ Child. In each example, adversity became an invitation to resilience and renewal.

“The biggest blessing of my work at Catholic Relief Services is realizing that problems can be solved in significant ways,” Woo said.

Woo served as president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS)—the official humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community—from 2012 to 2016. Founded in 1943 by the Catholic bishops of the United States to assist survivors of World War II, CRS has grown to serve more than 200 million people in over 100 countries across five continents.

Before leading CRS, Woo built a distinguished career in higher education. From 1997 to 2011, she served as dean of the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Under her leadership, the college earned national recognition, including top rankings for undergraduate business education and consistent distinction for excellence in ethics education and research.

Acknowledging today’s social and political tensions, Woo reminded the audience that history, too, has known periods of darkness, including World War II. Yet resilience, she emphasized, is the signature of hope. Drawing from the theological virtues, she explained that hope emerges when faith is joined with charity—when belief is put into action.

Her international impact has been widely recognized. In 2013, Foreign Policy named Woo among its 500 Most Powerful People for her global leadership, identifying her as one of 33 individuals considered “a force for good.” In 2015, she was one of five speakers at the Vatican press conference introducing Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, and she later co-coordinated the Vatican’s Energy Transition Dialogues in 2018 and 2019.

Woo concluded with a call to personal responsibility: “Agency is the offspring of responsibility and capacity,” she said. When individuals recognize both, they can “build back better.”

At the close of the lecture, Woo was presented with the Mackey Award for Catholic Thought, named in honor of Fr. Robert Mackey, S.M., the first president of Chaminade University.

The Marianist Lecture Series—sponsored by The Marianist Center of Hawaiʻi, Chaminade University, and St. Louis School—fosters inclusive dialogue on Catholic thought and social responsibility. Gathered on the Kalaepōhaku campus in a spirit of community and shared purpose, attendees were reminded that hope is not passive optimism, but a call to resilient action.

Opening Doors to Early College

After registering for a day of college experiences at Chaminade University, twin brothers Lawrence and Andrew Robello sat patiently as other high school students trickled into Ching Hall for the third annual Early College Summit. The brothers say they felt genuinely welcomed by Chaminade. Seniors at St. Louis School, they are among the 92 high school students currently enrolled in the program’s fall 2025 term which culminated with the Summit on December 11th. 

“I like how the people are really welcoming here,” Lawrence says. “The college students don’t isolate us because we’re in high school but they welcome us in. If you also need help, the counselors, Ms. Kim (Baxter), Noe (Tugaoen), are there for support.” 

In addition to St. Louis School, students from Sacred Hearts Academy and Kapa’a High School attended the Summit that included interactive workshops and opportunities to connect with other students, Chaminade faculty, and Chaminade academic support programs. Students also engaged with peer mentors and participated in sessions on leadership, time management, and college selection, and were introduced to professors for their spring courses.

Students were impressed with tours of the dormitories, visits to the nursing labs and seeing the high-tech manikin (full-body patient simulator). A visit to the “Crime Scene” house with Professor Carlos Gutierrez of the school’s Forensic Sciences program was also a hit. Also on the day’s agenda: Discussions with Chaminade student-athletes on their athletic programs. Students also had the opportunity to speak with Chaminade admissions and the counseling center. 

“I love this program because it gets me ahead of the game and it opens doors for me, ” says Carlee Lomabita of Sacred Hearts Academy.

Chaminade University’s Early College Program allows high school students to earn college credit, as well as be eligible for high school credit. The program provides a college education to a diverse group of Hawai’i high school students, in line with the University’s mission to prepare leaders for tomorrow, ready to make impactful contributions to their communities and professions. 

Studies show that Early College students are better prepared for full-time college entry, college life and expectations. Students also tend to exhibit higher grade point averages, retention rates and graduation rates.

For more information on how to enroll in the Early College program at Chaminade, visit https://chaminade.edu/earlycollege/

Entrepreneurship Soars in Silversword Competition

In the spirit of entrepreneurship and creativity, business and community leaders gathered in Chaminadeʻs Ching Conference Center on November 20 to hear and judge five student business pitches in the annual Silversword Business Competition. Director of Chaminadeʻs MBA Program, Masahisa “Masa” K. Yamaguchi, and Dean of the School of Business and Communication, Annette Taijeron Santos, as well as President Lynn Babington greeted guests. Program. 

As part of the Business Strategy Class in the School of Business and Communication, student businesses provided goods and services that ranged from  baked goods to menʻs hair cuts to fitness. All of the student presentations and business plans were well-done. 

1st Place: Open Oven – Team Members: Kyla Castro, Daniella Bali, Lrae Anne Pungtilan

2nd Place: C.U.H. Cuts – Team Members: Jace Tsutomi, Cade Fujii, Max Patterson

3rd Place: Fuel Soda – Team Members: Adrianna Nichols, Marianna Carpenter, Owen Malone

Wags for Wishes – Team Members: Isabella Minaudo, Nathan Medina, Delaney Poling

Step Wealth – Team Members: Eli Loebll, Kira Ferguson, Killen Kawelo

Following each presentation, judges asked students about their finance and marketing strategies as well as provided guidance and advice for their  emerging businesses. 

Judges included: Eric Fujimoto, MBA ʻ94 member of the Chaminade University Board of Regents and President of Hoʻea Wealth Advisory; Jerry Garcia ʻ82, former Chief Financial Officer of Aria Home Health in Dallas, Texas and and owner of Consolidated Sports Products Hawaii; Alana Iuga, co-owner of Voyage Rental Cars; Stacey Katakura, Chief Financial Officer of Accumulus: Lisa Kracher, Vice President at Array Corporation; Lori Lum, Senior Vice President at Anthology FINN Partners; and Tim Moore, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Hawaii at Republic National Distributing Company. 

Mahalo to all of the judges who shared their wisdom, insight and served as role models for students. Special thank you to Eric Fujimoto, MBA ʻ94 who provides the prize money to encourage students to gain real-world experience while applying what they’ve learned at Chaminade to an actual business plan.

Mom and Daughter Graduate on Same Day

Leila Morinaga and her daughter, Maelia Thomas, share a lot.

They both believe in hard work and they both have a passion for business and finance.

And at Chaminade’s Commencement on May 3, they both got to share the stage—accepting their respective degrees on the same memorable day. Morinaga graduated with her MBA and Thomas accepted her associate’s degree, earned through Chaminade’s Early College partnership with Sacred Hearts Academy.

She was among 17 Sacred Hearts students who completed their associate’s degrees this Spring—and part of the first cohort to achieve the milestone.

Maelia, 17 and a senior at Sacred Hearts, said her mother inspires her every day with her example.

For Morinaga, the feeling is mutual. She decided to go back to school and get her MBA after watching her daughter juggle the dual obligations of high school and college work.

“I’m just so glad that I get to share this special moment with her,” Morinaga said, before the Commencement ceremonies on May 3.

Added Maelia, “I’m really happy that I get to graduate with my mom. What really kept me going with this program was seeing my mom every night working on homework, staying up late. Seeing how she can do all this and still manage to get a master’s.”

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Morinaga is chief operating officer at KÉCO CAPITAL, an investment firm. She opted for Chaminade’s Professional MBA given her years of experience, and said she knew she’d made the right decision after meeting her fellow cohort members and professors.

“Everyone I’ve met in the program has been amazing,” she said. “They bring all kinds of strengths.”

She said networking was a weekly opportunity with her fellow students, executives from a diversity of fields. “Pharmacy, medical, tourism. It’s been very interesting to hear and see the way everyone works while we’re all trying to achieve the same goal,” Morinaga said.

Maelia said she decided to pursue the Early College program at Chaminade because of its cost-effectiveness, allowing her to graduate from high school with two years of college under her belt.

At Chaminade, she also found professors who challenged her to delve into ethics and social justice—topics that she believes will offer a strong foundation in her business career.

For now, though, her focus is on taking a moment to celebrate.

Her graduation party later in May will also mark another special occasion: Her 18th birthday.