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Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research

A World of Opportunity

April 16, 2018

Nerisa Taua doesn’t believe in waiting for opportunity to come knocking, it’s time wasted. Instead, she hunts it down.

Taua – who will graduate from Chaminade University in May with a bachelor’s in Environmental Studies – has knocked on a few of opportunity’s doors during the past four years.

On the academic front, she found her true passion through Chaminade’s Summer Research Program. While other students soaked up the sun, Taua spend her summer at Purdue University collaborating with experts in the university’s bat lab. Alongside Associate Professor of Wildlife Science Patrick Zollner – who became one of her mentors – she was able to get up close and personal with long-eared bats. Using acoustic monitors and echolocation, her research involved finding efficient and cost-effective ways to capture the animals.

With graduation on the horizon, Taua dreams of returning home to American Samoa to research the fruit bat, one of the country’s few native mammals. But before she does, there’s another stop on her journey before she returns.

She’ll be making a round trip back to Purdue University to further pursue her newly found passion at the graduate level, seeking a master’s degree in the Wildlife Science program, and continue working with Zollner and his team.

Paying for graduate school is never easy, but the cost for Taua isn’t a factor. Again seeking out opportunity, she found the Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership grant and applied for its scholarship program. Taua was accepted, she is now a Sloan Scholar.

“I was beyond excited,” she says. “This was another step closer to opening a pathway for my people. As a Samoan, this is such a huge opportunity. The first thing that came to mind was ‘if I can do it, anyone from American Samoa can do better.’”

Although she’s been busy with her studies during her time at Chaminade, Taua has kept her culture alive in her heart and shared it with other through her experiences performing with her brothers and sisters of Lumana’i O Samoa.

There’s been personal growth as well and Taua says she’s grown immensely during her time at Chaminade. She now considers herself to be better at public speaking, more social, open-minded, approachable and professional.

A PERSONAL CHEERING SQUAD

It takes a village – and an enthusiastic cheering squad – to raise a child and Taua found hers since arriving in Honolulu four years ago. She’s has a team of dedicated and caring professors, advisors and staff encouraging her success and guiding her to individualized opportunities.

“I’ve received help from a lot of mentors who guided me toward a passion I didn’t know existed,” she says. “Their encouragement and belief in me is what motivated me to set and accomplish goals. Without mentorship, I would probably be lost and still searching for the next step to a brighter future.”

Taua leaves Chaminade with many great memories. She says she’s humbled and honored with the opportunities she’s been provided and that she’s proud to represent her home, family and those who’ve helped her along the way. Now she wants to give back to others as a mentor to help them grow and succeed in the ways she did. She especially wants to channel her energy toward the youth in America Samoa.

When Taua leaves Chaminade with her degree in hand, she’ll take with her a world of experience and lessons. She’s built a solid foundation at Chaminade and this is just the beginning.

The Environmental Studies minor offered by the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics focuses on policy and environmental law to prepare students for careers in environmental science, ecology and conservation biology.

The Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research (OHPAUR) assists students interested in healthcare careers, regardless of their major. Services include: advising, test preparation, summer programs, guest speaker presentations, professional seminars, community service activities and internship/shadowing opportunities. OHPAUR also maintains articulation agreements with four ATSU campuses, as well as Boston University School of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pacific University, Samuel Merritt University, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, University of Dayton and Western University School of Health Sciences.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Students Tagged With: Environmental Studies, Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research, Office of Student Activities and Leadership, Scholarship

Environmental Studies Major Nerisa Taua Interns at Bat Lab (the Real One) on Purdue Campus

December 1, 2017

Comic book fans and TV watchers know all about the secret bat lab at fictional Wayne Manor in Gotham City.

But Nerisa Taua, a Chaminade University Environmental Studies major, knows about a real bat lab. It’s housed at Purdue University in Indiana, where she focused on three species of the flying mammals through the national Summer Research Opportunity Program.

Nerisa Taua“Spending the whole summer catching bats was fun, mostly because of the people I got to do it with,” according to Taua, who interned with Associate Professor of Wildlife Science Patrick Zollner and his Hoosier “bat crew.”

“Working with them has been a great experience,” said Taua, who plans to apply for graduate school at the West Lafayette campus.

Encouraging Taua to pursue the internship were Environmental Studies Director and Associate Professor Gail Grabowsky, along with Associate Provost Patricia Lee-Robinson from Chaminade’s Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research.

“I was interested in working with endangered species or wildlife conservation,” Taua said. “I found a couple of interesting internships. However, most of them didn’t provide board and/or transportation, which was a problem for me.”

Fortunately for Taua, the Purdue program fit her needs.

Taua’s research centered on the detection rate of bats using acoustic monitoring equipment and the subsequent capture rate of bats using mist nets. Similar to volleyball nets, mist nets catch birds and bats in flight so they can be tagged and studied by scientists.

“I found a significant relationship between detection rate and number of captures was only present for Indiana bats and not Big brown bats and Eastern red bats,” Taua explained. This can be because Indiana bats have specific habitat requirements, while Big brown bats and Eastern red bats are omnipresent in the landscape.”

Based on these preliminary results, Taua and her Indiana colleagues decided to expand their study with the goal of publishing a paper.

“So while I am here in Hawaii, the bat lab is sending me data to analyze,” Taua said. She also reunited with her colleagues recently through Purdue’s Graduate Diversity Visitation Program “to talk about where we are with the project and manuscript.”

Nerisa TauaTaua, who’s from American Samoa, learned about Chaminade when a team from the university visited her high school during senior year.

“I was attracted to the small classroom size because it made it possible for students to have a positive interaction with their professors,” she said. “I spoke with alumni and they all said great things about the Chaminade community.

“This was something I looked for in an institution – a university with a community that is home away from home.”

Taua said her professors – notably Dr. Grabowsky – “taught me a lot of important lessons that are not only useful in the classroom but also life in general.”

“Dr. Gail has helped my passion for wildlife, environment and my culture grow,” Taua emphasized. “Her enthusiastic personality always reminds me why it is important to love what you do and do what you love.”

Chaminade University’s Environmental Studies undergraduate program within the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics employs a multidisciplinary approach in exploring issues such as policy and law, science, economics, ethics and values.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Students Tagged With: Environmental Studies, Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research

Chaminade Students Present Abstracts at National Conference on Undergraduate Research

August 7, 2017

Three Chaminade University students – Madison Choi, Alexander Jankowski and Kawehiokekai Moefu – were among the presenters at the 2017 National Conference on Undergraduate Research. The 31st annual event, held at the University of Memphis, promotes research, scholarship and creative activity in diverse fields of study.

Choi, whose faculty mentor is English Professor Allison Paynter, gave an oral presentation entitled: “A Critique of American Reality T.V. in Collins’ The Hunger Games.”

“The entire process of preparing, editing and delivering my speech – both methodical and emotional – was a learning experience I definitely could not have received in a classroom setting,” Choi said.

“The pressure to deliver to an audience of people I don’t know was daunting, but now I know that I’m capable to doing it so next time I won’t be as nervous or apprehensive,” Choi continued.

“The positive feedback I got from other students and faculty was also encouraging to hear and gives me a newfound excitement not only for research, but also for the specific topic of pop culture, film and literature.”

Moefu, whose faculty mentor is Dr. Cheryl Edelson, gave a presentation entitled: “Disney’s Moana (2016) and Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke (1997): The Depiction of the Female Heroine in Film Spanning over Twenty Years.”

Moefu pointed out that the conference is “not just about research work” but also “acts as a stepping stone for graduate school.”

“I had the opportunity to talk with representatives from some universities that I have an interest in attending for graduate school – like Purdue University, University of Georgia and NYU – to gather contact and program information,” Moefu said.

Madison Choi, Professor Amber Caracol Noguchi, Professor Eva Washburn-Repollo, Kawehiokekai Moefu, and Alexander Jankowski
Madison Choi, Professor Amber Caracol Noguchi, Professor Eva Washburn-Repollo, Kawehiokekai Moefu, and Alexander Jankowski

“I would recommend that every undergraduate student take the opportunity to do research on a topic that they are interested in, and then go and present it to an audience,” Moefu added. “It will forever change the trajectory of their life’s course and possibly guide them to travel even further in their academic journey.”

Jankowski, whose faculty mentor is Communications Associate Professor Dr. Eva Washburn-Repollo, gave a presentation entitled: “The Kids are Alt-Right: A Cultural Window Into the Disenfranchised.”

Choi and Moefu developed their abstracts through Chaminade’s Title III-funded Undergraduate Research Mentor Program, which helps students in the humanities and social sciences strengthen their applications to graduate schools.

Information is available at: https://chaminade.edu/undergraduate-research/

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Business & Communication, Humanities, Arts & Design, Students Tagged With: Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research

Medical School Honors Chaminade Graduate Jacquelynn Pratt with ‘Diversity Excellence Award’

June 16, 2017

Jacquelynn PrattChaminade University alumna Jacquelynn Pratt has received the “Diversity Excellence Award” from A.T. Still University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, where she graduated this spring. The annual award recognizes her commitment to diversity and inclusion in graduate healthcare education.

Born and raised on Oahu, Pratt majored in Biology and English at Chaminade. She earned both bachelor’s degrees in May 2006, while receiving the “Outstanding English Graduate” award.

Pratt participated in numerous research programs at Chaminade in the fields of psychology, cancer biology, ecology and epidemiology. She was also highly involved with campus clubs and organizations, including the Delta Epsilon Sigma and Sigma Tau Delta honor societies.

After graduating from Chaminade, Pratt worked with the Ministry of Health on the Cook Islands to computerize patient data and thereby more accurately calculate the incidence and prevalence of cancer among the native Maori population.

She later returned to Chaminade and served as the Assistant to the Associate Provost in the Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Diversity and Inclusion, Natural Sciences & Mathematics Tagged With: Alumni, Biology, English, Honors and Awards, Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research

Vidinha and Baldauf First Alumni to Graduate from Medical Schools Through Articulation Agreement

June 15, 2017

Chauntelle (Maduli) Vidinha and Ashley Baldauf recently became the first Chaminade University alumni to graduate from medical school through an articulation agreement with A.T. Still University (ATSU). These women, both born on Oahu, studied osteopathic medicine and plan to practice in Hawaii after completing their residencies.

Chauntelle Maduli Vidinha
Chauntelle Vidinha (B.S. Biology ’11)

The articulation agreement, negotiated by Chaminade’s Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research (OHPAUR), permits early admission to ATSU for qualified students. Chaminade also maintains articulation agreements with seven other mainland universities.

Chaminade President Bernard Ploeger, SM., said Vidinha and Baldauf are “a source of pride for our campus ‘ohana.”

“I’m delighted that these compassionate, hardworking young women will share their medical talents with Hawaii residents, especially those living in underserved communities,” Bro. Ploeger said.

Vidinha, who enrolled at ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri, graduated from Chaminade in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. She competed on the Silversword volleyball team for three years, and participated in biomedical research programs at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas and the University of California, San Diego.

Ashley Baldauf
Ashley Baldauf (B.S. Forensic Science ’12) with family

Vidinha will complete her residency in family medicine at Kingman Regional Medical Center in Arizona.

Baldauf majored in Forensic Sciences and minored in Chemistry at Chaminade, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2012. She began her medical studies in 2013 at ATSU’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Mesa, Arizona, then was allowed to spend the following three years studying and working at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center on Oahu.

Baldauf will serve her residency in family medicine through a University of Hawaii program in Mililani.

In addition to two ATSU school campuses, Chaminade maintains articulation agreements with Boston University School of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pacific University, Samuel Merritt University, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, University of Dayton and Western University School of Health Sciences.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Natural Sciences & Mathematics Tagged With: Alumni, Articulation Agreements, Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research

Chaminade Marks Its 15-Year Anniversary of Na Liko Na’auao–The Celebration of Student Scholarship

April 24, 2017

More than 100 Chaminade students participated in the 15th Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship – Na Liko Na’auao.  Held on April 21, the conference provided a place for the exchange of research ideas and afforded participants a time to celebrate a culture of diversity and scholarship. Open to students from all divisions, the event exhibited 62 projects which demonstrated student learning and research covering a range of disciplines. From Business to Russian politics, from the sciences to the fine arts, students explored in depth their fields of interests.

Available to answer questions and discuss their projects, the students showcased their exhibits in various forms. Categories included poster presentations, artwork, video and portfolio displays. Presentations were done individually and by small groups and completed in the past academic year. All Chaminade University day undergraduate students who had a faculty sponsor to mentor them through the process were eligible to present.

At the closing ceremony, Chaminade associate provost Patricia Lee-Robinson recalled the early beginnings of the Na Liko Na’auao.  She and Henry Halenani Gomes co-founded the event in 2003. Then the conference only took up half of the Clarence T. C. Ching Conference Center. This year the number of student exhibits nearly overflowed the room’s capacity.

Lee-Robinson reminded the crowd, “President Bro. Bernie and the late President Sue Wesselkamper supported Na Liko from the very beginning 15 years ago.  Since our first Na Liko on April 24, 2003, hundreds of students have participated in this event.” Then turning towards Bro. Ploeger with a lei, she offered the school’s heartfelt gratitude, “We would all like to thank you, Brother, for your unwavering support of undergraduate research at Chaminade.” The crowd applauded in agreement.

Bro. Bernie Ploeger, Arielle Regis (BSN ’17), and Patti Lee-Robinson
Bro. Bernie Ploeger, Arielle Regis (BSN ’17), and Patti Lee-Robinson

Lee-Robinson praised the students for their hard work and pursuit of academic excellence. She also thanked the 21 invaluable faculty mentors and sponsors who motivated, guided and inspired students to pursue their scholarship and publically present their endeavors.

Lee-Robinson also announced the winners of the President Sue Wesselkamper Prize and the Outstanding Mentor Award.

Arielle Regis won the President Sue Wesselkamper Prize, endowed by Henry and Charlotte Clark. Nominated by faculty members Eva Washburn-Repollo, Ph.D. (Communications) and by Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Ed.D. (School of Nursing), Regis was recognized for her academic excellence, community service, leadership and work ethic.  Regis will graduate this spring with her bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

Dr. Allison Paynter and Madison Choi
Dr. Allison Paynter and Madison Choi

Chaminade associate professor of English Allison Paynter, Ph.D. was the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Mentor Award. Nominated by Chaminade student Madison Choi, Paynter continues to be instrumental in opening students’ minds to the value of the Humanities and literature.  She teaches courses on creative writing, poetry, short story and novel, women’s Literature, gender, and ethnicity, and she facilitates the Aulama (Chaminade’s student literary journal). Dr. Paynter inspired Choi’s choice of English as a major.

After the two announcements, it was time for student participants to be recognized. Students had their names individually read aloud as they received their certificates of commendation. The crowd applauded for each student individually in appreciation of the excellence demonstrated.

Posted by: University Communications & Marketing Filed Under: Campus and Community, Students Tagged With: Campus Event, Office of Health Professions Advising and Undergraduate Research

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