Chaminade University of Honolulu

Campus Event

Silverswords Kick Off New School Year

Chaminade kicked off its new academic year August 25, officially welcoming more than 600 new students for fall term—and welcoming back undergraduates from across day and online programs.

Jennifer Creech, Ed.D., Chaminade vice president for Enrollment Management and associate provost for Student Success, said the newest Silversword class shows Chaminade is maintaining strong enrollment numbers despite a highly competitive local and national market.

To prepare for the new school year, Chaminade welcomed new students and their families to campus on August 22 for informational sessions, a resource fair, campus tours and great food.

    • New Student Orientation began with a convocation symbolizing the launch of each student’s unique Chaminade journey. Following the gathering, faculty created a “cheer tunnel” for attendees. The day also included academic advising and financial aid information.

    “New Student Orientation is where your Chaminade journey begins,” Creech said. “It is an introduction to campus, but it’s also your first chance to meet faculty, staff, and fellow students, explore resources and start living the values that shape the Chaminade community.”

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    Creech added, “Being part of NSO helps you hit the ground running both in the classroom and beyond.”

    The fun continued into the weekend with a shopping mall excursion and Diamond Head hike with Chaminade President Lynn Babington. Welcome Mass in Mystical Rose Oratory and Brunch with the Brothers at Hale Malia were both held and warmly received on the Sunday before the first day classes. There are also a series of “Welcome Week” activities planned for all students, including a popcorn party, picnic, and Waikiki beach trip.

    For the full online event calendar, click here.

    Chaminade Hosts Nonprofit Financial Seminar

    Chaminade University hosted its 22nd annual Nonprofit Financial Seminar on August 7, welcoming scores of professionals from more than 50 different not-for-profit Hawaiʻi organizations to campus for a day of collaboration, networking, and growth.

    Speakers and panel discussions covered a wide range of topics, including the current government tax and funding landscape.

    Also covered: fundraising, successful grant writing, and what nonprofits can do to succeed in a changing economy.

    Annette Taijeron Santos, DBA, interim dean of the School of Business and Communication, said the event showcases Chaminade’s deep commitment to the state’s nonprofit sector.

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    “More than just a seminar, this gathering is a space for collaboration, capacity-building, and community,” she said.

    “For over two decades, we’ve welcomed nonprofit leaders to our campus to learn, share, and uplift one another. In strengthening those who serve others, we live out our shared kuleana to foster a more just, compassionate, and thriving Hawai‘i.”

    Major sponsors of the event included OCCPA LLC, First Hawaiian Bank and Sacred Hearts Academy.

    Undergraduates Showcase Summer Research

    For many undergraduates, summer means spending lots of time at the beach or the mall.

    But for a group of Silverswords, this summer offered the perfect opportunity to sink their teeth into a complex research project under the mentorship of a Chaminade professor. The undergraduates presented their work in July at the Summer Research Institute Symposium on campus.

    Among the areas they explored: AI, healthcare, architecture and financial literacy, to name a few.

    Shania Lindsey R. Gervacio ’27 presented her research on using artificial intelligence as a creative tool in interior design concept development. The Environmental + Interior Design student at Chaminade conducted her research under Associate Professor Junghwa Suh, D. Arch.

    • “I chose to take up this summer research opportunity because I wanted to utilize my free time expanding my knowledge in this career field of interior design while developing my skills in research and public speaking,” she said, adding her goal is to become an interior designer.

    “I was very excited that I had the chance to present my findings and results to the University community. I honestly was unsure of who would be attending, so it was definitely a unique and memorable experience to have presented in front of diverse audiences.”

    Gervacio hopes to refine her research paper for an upcoming national conference.

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    Jax Wong ’26, who is majoring in psychology, presented research on potential psychosocial interventions for adults with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). His research was conducted under Associate Psychology Professor Abby Haltson, Ed.D.

    Wong said he chose the topic because he has autism and ADHD, and wanted to investigate support available to people like him in the community.

    “I consider myself very lucky and fortunate to have a strong support system, but many other folks do not and are left to fend for themselves,” he said.

    “My research findings confirmed my predictions: there is a very concerning lack of research on my communities and the evidence for potential interventions is also lacking.”

    Wong added it was “intimidating” to present his research to the University community, but the experience gave him more confidence in his work and his research skills. He now looks forward to pursuing a career in academia to improve the state of research in his areas of interest.

    The annual Summer Research Institute is coordinated at Chaminade in partnership with Kapiʻolani Community College.

    Amber Noguchi, Ph.D., who is assistant provost for Undergraduate Research and Pre-Professional Programs, said the grant-funded initiative offers important research experiences to undergraduates. In a new aspect this year, each student also selected a community partner to work with in addition to a mentor.

    The community partners, including nonprofits, informed the research work, provided background information on fields, and directed students to available resources and information.

    Leadership, Goal Setting Stressed in ‘College Camp’

    High school students from across the state gathered at Chaminade in July for a week-long camp designed to give them a taste for the college experience and inspire them to pursue big goals.

    Chaminade partnered with YMCA for the College & Career Camp program, which included students in grades 9 to 11 and stressed leadership and the importance of building workforce-ready skills. The program is geared toward underserved teens.

    Janet T. Davidson, Ph.D., vice provost for Academic Affairs, said the camp “represents a mission-aligned partnership that inspires future college students, increases confidence, solidifies hope, and engenders incredible growth and self-efficacy in the span of a week.”

    • She added, “This is the type of work that benefits our larger community for generations to come.”

    The camp included 50 students. They got the opportunity to stay in Chaminade’s Hale Pohaku residence hall, participated in a community service project, set personal goals and toured campus.

    Jon Cho, YMCA senior program executive director, stressed the camp is geared toward students who may not have the resources to pursue college without assistance. He noted the camp also included critical tutorials on the admissions and financial aid process.

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    Plus, students met with professionals in the fields they’re interested in and worked with Chaminade mentors.

    “Students discover more about themselves, experience independent living in a college environment, and gain a better understanding of what they need to accomplish in high school to attend college or enter the workforce,” Cho said.

    Davidson said the experience is ultimately about demystifying higher education and helping students feel like they belong on a college campus. “This equips students with both the knowledge and confidence to pursue continued education,” she added.

    Competition Spotlights ‘Business for Good’

    High school students from campuses statewide gathered at Chaminade University in April for a daylong series of hands-on activities aimed at underscoring the role businesses can play in making a positive difference in communities and embracing environmentally-sustainable practices.

    Nine high schools participated in this year’s “Business Olympix” on April 25.

    Eddie Merc, Ph.D., director of Chaminade’s MBA program, said the annual gathering was first launched in 2023.

    Student participants work their way through activity stations that feature a long list of learning themes, including accounting, business analytics, marketing, economics and finance.

    • In the competition, students also collaborate in teams to tackle a challenge and present a business idea.

    “This event promotes the importance of business in our local community as well as awareness of globalization,” Merc said. “It also prepares students to explore business topics for study in college.”

    Micah Kalauli, a sophomore at Waiakea High, said the competition solidified his interest in pursuing economics or accounting as a potential career choice.

    “I also learned a lot of good life skills, like communication, collaboration, thinking under deadlines and operations management.”

    Kaiser High student Logan Leong added that the event helped him see just how critical business is to everyday life.

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    “Every decision we make is a transaction between risk and rewards,” he said, adding the group presentation challenged participants to “see flaws in our own thinking.”

    Diana Lau, a teacher at Waiakea High, appreciated how engaging the day’s activities were. “I saw my students laughing and I think that’s always a good sign,” she said. “It was also a great way to introduce the campus and the idea of college. Continuous exposure—that’s what we want to do with our students just to let them know there are many options.”

    Merc said he’s happy to say the event has grown every year since its launch.

    One key takeaway for students is the importance of doing “business for good.”

    “That’s the slogan we live by,” Merc said, “and I think today, we witnessed students are really amplifying the importance of sustainability and helping the community with business applications.”

    Nursing Students Mark Pinning Ceremony

    Graduating Nursing students at Chaminade gathered Friday for the time-honored Pinning Ceremony, which commemorates the completion of their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.

    Some 74 Silverswords received their BSN stoles and nursing pins at the gathering, held at Chaminade’s Richard T. Mamiya Theatre. They also recited the International Pledge for Nurses, “sparing no effort to conserve life, to alleviate suffering, and to promote health.”

    “It’s really important to bring these nurses into the workforce. At the moment, we have a strong need in our community and we prepare nurses for all walks of nursing,” said Lorin Ramocki, DNP, RN, interim dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions.


    • Natasha Gourlay ’25 is among the graduating students who participated in the Pinning Ceremony.

    “It’s a super important part of completing Nursing school, probably even more than Commencement. Pinning is kind of the end of the road, but also the beginning of our new chapter as nurses,” said Gourlay, who plans to pursue a career in public health nursing.

    The Pinning Ceremony symbolizes the end of students’ formal education and the beginning of their nursing careers and serving the community. The roots of the Nursing Pinning tradition date to the 1860s, when Florence Nightingale—the founder of modern nursing—was awarded the Red Cross of St. George. Pinning ceremonies later grew to mark the beginning of a nurse’s career.

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    “The pinning ceremony is a heartfelt tradition that symbolizes students, hard work and dedication throughout their coursework and clinical training,” said Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D., a nurse herself. “Healthcare is more than just a profession. It’s a calling and a passion.”

    Babington continued, “We congratulate our nursing students and hope they will become transformational and compassionate leaders in the medical community.”