How did your education at Chaminade University of Honolulu contribute to your professional success?
Chaminade was extremely influential regarding my personal definition of “professional success.” With the input from my peers and mentors, my definition of professional success includes values of stewardship, community and lifelong-learning. Fortunately, thanks to the support of a United Nations Sustainability Center and a $10 Million NSF INCLUDES Alliance Data Science grant, both housed at Chaminade, I have been able to thrive and accomplish some professional success since graduation.
Can you recall a specific moment or experience during your time that had a significant impact on you, either academically or socially?
The Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence (SPICE) Summer Program is a one-month intensive data science experience. I was provided with a $6,000 stipend, which is equivalent to what I would have made in an entire summer as an ocean lifeguard, along with a new laptop and essentially around-the clock-guidance from data science experts and mentors. This one month program greatly increased my confidence in coding and developing/testing hypotheses, and caused me to embrace data science as a career path. This programming is growing every summer and I am fortunate enough to now be a mentor in the program.
How did your Chaminade education shape your perspective and personal growth?
I was born and raised in New York so attending school in Hawaii was quite different than anything I had ever experienced. I feel Chaminade provides a very supportive space for students from the mainland to learn about Hawaiian culture and values. These values seem to be present in every aspect of education/life on campus, and have shaped the way that I see the world.
The familiar part of my education was the Marianist culture and identity of Chaminade. I attended Chaminade High School in New York, so the spiritual and service-oriented community on campus had an extremely positive impact on my personal growth.
How have you continued to invest in your professional development since graduating?
With the guidance of Dr. Rylan Chong and Dr. Helen Turner, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a Masters of Environmental Data Science Program at UC Santa Barbara. This was the first program of its kind in the country, and I was part of the inaugural class. My education at Chaminade prepared me to thrive in the program among students from some of the best schools across the country.
How has your education influenced your personal goals and achievements?
My degree in environmental science introduced me to the tremendous challenges and opportunities regarding the health and stewardship of our homes. My minor in data science allowed me to have a seat at the table in the ever increasingly data-driven world we live in. The overlap between these fields is limitless and I hope to spend my career in this interdisciplinary space.