It was a day of spiritual celebration.
With the kickoff of the new academic year fresh on everyone’s minds, Chaminade students, members of the faculty and staff gathered September 3 for a special Fall Convocation. This year’s gathering, which is a longstanding tradition at Chaminade, not only celebrated the beginning of the school year but marked 25 years since the University’s namesake was beatified.
It was on September 3, 2000, that Pope John Paul II designated Fr. Chaminade as “Blessed.”
Fr. Martin Solma, S.M., vice president of Mission and rector, said Fall Convocation typically happens during the first week of the new school year but was moved to include the Silver Jubilee celebration for Chaminade. He added that honoring Chaminade in this way, as a campus community united around service, values the educational project he started.
“This is a man who had a wonderful charisma of forming a community of faith and then expressing that in an educational faith,” Solma said.
Classes were canceled for two hours so all students had the opportunity to attend the convocation, which was held in the Ching Conference Center and also included a recognition of the newest cohort of Marianist Educational Associates (MEAs) at Chaminade.
Participants in the MEA program, which includes representative from sister institutions the University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University, go through a one-year formation program filled with readings and reflections. The goal is to instill a deep understanding of the University’s Marianist character and encourage faculty and staff to weave those values into their work.
Chaminade has 38 active MEAs, with seven in the newest cohort.
The newest MEAs are:
- Hubert Brown, audio video coordinator
- Kumu Kahoali’i Keahi-Wood, cultural engagement specialist
- Elisabeth Mather, MSCP ’18, mental health counselor
- Kristopher Martin, MBA ’17, director of Admissions
- Lorin Ramocki, DNP, RN, School of Nursing & Health Professions dean
- Ariz Sanchez, assistant vice president for Student Success / Office of Student Success
- Jodi-Ann Yoshida, MBA ’23, director of Alumni Relations
Martin says he’s honored to have been selected for the program.
“I want to be able to share my experience as both a Chaminade alumnus and MEA with prospective students so they feel a sense of purpose and belonging,” he said, adding that he’s greatly enjoyed the experience so far—including an MEA formation retreat at St. Mary’s University in Texas this summer.
“Also, it has reframed the way I think about my own purpose and how I can positively impact others,” he said. “I look forward to explaining our campus and community through the lens of an MEA, and seeing prospective students begin to understand and embrace our Marianist culture.”
Mather says she’s long been interested in the connection between faith and learning.
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“Personally, I believe deeply in our common human need to seek transcendence or the divine in community,” she said. “At their best, both religious faith and institutions of higher education recognize our human need to connect with a story larger than our individual selves.”
Mather added she looks forward to continuing to learn from the program, and her fellow MEAs.
“To be honest, I’m a bit of a nerd, so I absolutely love learning about history, religion, and philosophy, and the opportunity to do this kind of learning with cross-disciplinary colleagues was really fun,” she said. “I also really appreciated getting to know colleagues at the University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University who share so many experiences and goals.”
For Solma, that’s a key point.
The MEA program gives participants “a language to talk about what we do here,” he said. “They’re really collaborators with the leadership of the University and with the Society of Mary.”