Office of the President

On January 20, 2018, Dr. Lynn Babington was officially inaugurated as Chaminade University of Honolulu’s tenth president after years of proven leadership at institutions of higher education. At the very outset of her tenure, Babington positioned Chaminade as a university committed to excellence, innovation and relevance and has collaborated with her leadership team, key Chaminade and community stakeholders, Silversword alumni and others to realize that ambitious vision.

Since beginning at Chaminade, Dr. Babington has spearheaded a significant expansion of academic programming aimed at meeting workforce needs while putting the university’s mission of service into action. Under her leadership, Chaminade has launched high-demand degrees, rolled out signature programs of academic excellence with an emphasis on community building, streamlined online undergraduate offerings, and strengthened leadership development programs for students.

Importantly, Dr. Babington sees every student today as a community-minded leader for tomorrow—prepared to drive positive change that reflects the university’s Marianist values and robust mission to pursue projects of social justice in the service of Hawaii’s communities. As such, Dr. Babington has underscored the critical importance of educating the whole student, including with important university-organized opportunities for spiritual formation, growth, and service learning.

Chaminade’s focus on excellence and putting students first is reflected in its strong reputation and national and peer rankings. The university is proud to deliver on its four-year graduation guarantee with the highest four-year graduation rate in the state. It is also recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings as a top regional university in the West, a “best value” school and a high performer for the percentage of low-income students or Pell Grant students who graduate.

Dr. Babington is proud to shepherd Chaminade into a bright future by building on the university’s foundational commitments to Hawaii and its rich legacy in the Catholic intellectual tradition. As part of her own service, Dr. Babington is honored to be on the boards for the Hawaii Business Roundtable and Chamber of Commerce and as an American Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities member.

Dr. Babington also volunteers her time by serving on the boards of several Hawaii organizations, including Girl Scouts of Hawaii, St. Francis Healthcare Systems, and the Pacific Asian Affairs Council.

Before her selection as Chaminade’s president, Dr. Babington served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Fairfield University. She has also held leadership roles at Northeastern University and at leading healthcare providers, and is also respected for her academic contributions to nursing. In 2011, Dr. Babington served as a Fulbright Scholar at Ben Gurion University in Israel and in 2012, she was selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as an Executive Nurse Fellow.

Dr. Babington received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan, and completed her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Nursing from the University of Washington. She remains an esteemed voice in the field of Nursing, including as a member of the American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, and International Society for Urban Health.

Curriculum Vitae
Presidential Inauguration