By Justin Siliva
When an invitation to study literature at the University of Cambridge in England landed in Momi Mae Ham’s email, the Chaminade University junior nearly passed it up.
It wasn’t until English professor Justin Wyble, Ph.D., forwarded the opportunity and encouraged her to apply that Ham began considering spending part of her summer abroad.
“I didn’t think I was gonna get in,” Ham said.
The Sigma Tau Delta–Cambridge Undergraduate Summer Program gives undergraduate members of the international English honor society a week at Girton College. Participants take two literature courses taught by Cambridge instructors, studying poetry and prose through small-group discussions, close reading, and essay writing.
About a week after submitting her application, Ham received an acceptance email for the weeklong summer program at Cambridge’s Girton College. She initially mistook the message for a confirmation that her application had been received.
“It was really nice to kind of see that what I want to do is something that was recognized and was good enough for a program like that,” Ham said.
Wyble, Assistant Professor of English and adviser to Chaminade’s Sigma Tau Delta chapter, an international honor society that recognizes students for academic achievement in English language and literature, learned about the Cambridge program through the organization. In her second year as chapter president, Ham was the first student he recommended.
A Maui native and Kamehameha Schools graduate, Ham is double majoring in English and Integrated Marketing Communications, with minors in Education and Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. Wyble said she brings her knowledge of Hawai‘i’s culture, history, and sense of place into classroom discussions.
Although Ham had secured a place at Cambridge, she still needed to cover the cost.
At the Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program’s annual kick-off the previous year, Ham received the Hogan Alakaʻi Scholarship, an award she later used to help pay for her Cambridge trip.
Roy Panzarella, Ph.D., director of the Hogan Program, said he learned about Ham’s experience only after she returned to Hawai‘i. Hogan had not helped arrange her studies abroad.
“Perhaps most importantly, she demonstrated that entrepreneurship is not always about starting a business. Sometimes it is about recognizing an opportunity, taking the initiative, and finding a way to make it happen,” Panzarella said.
Cambridge was part of Ham’s first trip outside the United States. Before arriving at Girton College, she spent time exploring Switzerland and London with her cousin.
She began preparing for the program while still taking 19 credits at Chaminade. Alongside her regular coursework, Ham read five novels and assigned poetry materials for her Cambridge classes.
At Cambridge, Ham had to get used to writing essays without the detailed outlines she was familiar with at Chaminade. Her professors wanted students to examine the literature closely, form their own interpretations, and use evidence from the readings to support them.
“We were all shocked because we’re used to everything being so structured,” Ham said. “But for them, it was really, really just show, and really look deep into it.”
Ham was particularly nervous about her poetry class. Although she was comfortable analyzing literature, she had little experience with creative writing. The class gave her opportunities to examine how history and culture influence the way people interpret poetry.
“It’s not that you’re right or wrong. It’s really just what you think,” Ham said.
During the program, Ham studied poetry under Alex Wong, Ph.D., a poet and former fellow at St John’s College, Cambridge, who spent much of his childhood on O‘ahu.
Wong, who has more than 12 years of experience teaching English Literature at Cambridge, led the program’s Poetry: Practical Criticism course. His sugarcane poetry sparked discussions about Hawai‘i’s environment, giving Ham an unexpected connection to home.
“It was really cool to be able to make that connection and see how my life here was still somehow involved all the way in Europe,” Ham said.
Outside the classroom, Ham visited a rare books collection, where she could handle historical works after washing her hands. Among the books she encountered were a parchment volume dating to the 1400s, a first edition of Charles Darwin’s work, and rare editions of Shakespeare. She examined how books were produced centuries ago and how their appearance changed over time.
Wyble hopes Ham will share what she learned with other Chaminade students and encourage more Sigma Tau Delta members to apply to the Cambridge program.
Applications for the 2027 Sigma Tau Delta Cambridge Undergraduate Summer Program are open to undergraduate members through Nov. 2.
Ham hopes to return to Kamehameha Schools as an English or public speaking teacher, giving back to the community where she received her education. Although she still wants to build her career in Hawai‘i, studying abroad made her more open to opportunities elsewhere.
“For me, it was really kind of just comforting to see everything that education can be, and to be immersed in it, because that’s something that I’ve always enjoyed,” Ham said.