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New Data Science Scholarships

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Chaminade University recently received a $1M grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide 20 scholarships for new first-year and transfer students who are majoring in data science.

Data science is one of the most in-demand and fastest growing careers in the Pacific region. As industries collect more data, they need more people who can analyze and interpret those data. This new program is part of a larger initiative to build a cohort of data science professionals in the Pacific to help support decision-making across Hawaii’s economic sectors.

“This program is all about access to high-paying in-demand jobs,” says Dr. Alexander Stokes, assistant professor at Chaminade University. “Every business sector in Hawaii, from healthcare to finance to energy and nonprofits, needs professionals in data analytics to provide decision support.”

Data science students at Chaminade participate in hands-on, project-based courses and internships that use real data provided by local businesses, agencies and community organizations. In addition to learning the necessary technical skills like coding and data visualization, students also learn about decision-making, data ethics and how to communicate complex datasets in a clear and concise way, ensuring they are well-versed in all aspects of the career.

“This project will empower students from across the region to find data-driven solutions to challenges in Hawaii and the Pacific region,” says Dr. Helen Turner, vice president for Strategy and Innovation at Chaminade University. “The Pacific faces unique challenges, and we need local students who can use local data to help us understand and address those challenges.”

The grant is part of NSF’s Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. The scholarships will be available for new students who are majoring in data science, and preference will be given to students from Hawaii and the Pacific region who meet academic and financial requirements.

The new project aims to accomplish three things: 1) Mitigate the financial and academic barriers for low-income students from the Pacific; 2) acknowledge and address the cultural and non-academic barriers these students face when pursuing an education in STEM; and 3) develop new ways of teaching and supporting student needs, strengths and cultural expectations.

“There is a national need for well-educated STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds and experiences,” says Dr. Lynn Babington, president of Chaminade University. “The support from NSF will help strengthen the career pathway for low-income students and will ensure these future STEM workers receive a high-quality, values-driven education.”

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of Chaminade faculty members and students who are selected to participate in the program will receive a $10,000 per year scholarship. Program participants will also have access to academic navigators, cultural programming, life coaching, professional tutoring, paid internships, retreats and careers preparation.

Chaminade University Receives $100,000 Grant

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Chaminade University of Honolulu recently received a $100,000 grant from the Mamoru and Takitani Foundation for student scholarships. The grant will be split to fund Chaminade’s Legacy Scholarship and the STEM and Nursing Scholarship for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.

The Legacy Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students who demonstrate a commitment to community service and are in financial need. The STEM and Nursing Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students studying any Bachelor of Science or Nursing degrees. Both scholarships are given to full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Hawaii and demonstrate leadership qualities and innovative skills.

The Mamoru and Aiko Takitani Foundation has provided funding for student scholarships to Chaminade University since 2014. The Foundation was established in 1993 by entrepreneurs Mamoru and Aiko Takitani, founders of Hawaiian Host, to assist the youth of Hawaii with their goals. Since its establishment, the Foundation has donated 2.3 million dollars in scholarships and provided educational opportunities to students in Hawaii.

For more on scholarships and financial aid, visit chaminade.edu/financial-aid.

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Chaminade University of Honolulu provides a collaborative and innovative learning environment that prepares graduate and undergraduate students for life, service and successful careers. Established in 1955, the university is guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, which include a commitment to serving the Native Hawaiian population. Chaminade offers an inclusive setting where students, faculty and staff collectively pursue a more just and peaceful society. For more information, visit chaminade.edu.

Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon 2020

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Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon 2020 event

One of the most rewarding parts about donating is seeing your donation in action. As more than 70 donors witnessed on February 20, a donation to Chaminade has tangible benefits and changes the lives of our students.

Each year, the Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon brings together donors who have supported our scholarship fund with students who have received a scholarship. It’s an opportunity for the students to thank their scholarship donors personally, and let them know just how much their support has made a difference in their educational journey.

“Our students really understand and appreciate the choice every one of our donors made to invest in them,” says Dawn Johnson, scholarship manager at Chaminade and organizer of the luncheon. “Most of them have shared that they intend to one day ‘pay forward’ the gift of scholarship they received while at Chaminade.”

The event started with an oli from the students to the donors. Following, the students draped lei on the donors in gratitude, and then sought out the individuals who created the scholarship they received to join them for lunch.

Leslie Blount attends the event each year representing the Richard T. and Leslie N. Blount Scholarship for military students and dependents. The scholarship was established by her late husband, Richard, right before he fell ill. “This event is one of my major highlights,” says Leslie. “I just love interacting with the students. They never seize to impress me with all of their accomplishments and I’m just so grateful that they are living my husband’s dream. It gives me such joy to know that his wish to help students connected to the military is being fulfilled.”

Chaminade University has more than 100 scholarships that have been generously established by individual donors and foundations. Many of them are endowed, and several are renewable investments that are replenished each year. This year alone, our students received nearly $2.3 million in donor-funded scholarships.

Ke‘alohi Canady '20 speaks at the Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon 2020

Ke‘alohi Canady, a fourth-year business administration major and first-generation college student from Honolulu, spoke first-hand about how much her scholarship has impacted her time as a student.

“I am beyond grateful and so fortunate to have been awarded a scholarship,” said Ke‘alohi. “I’m really lucky that I don’t have to struggle or work crazy hours just to finance my education. It allows me to have a sustainable work-study life balance, meaning that I can devote my time to soaking up all the information in my studies. I was able to have this opportunity because of you all.”

Edward Adachi, a third-year environmental science major, spoke to the individual transformation he has undertaken while at Chaminade. He was raised on the island of Oahu by his maternal grandmother, and he has always sought to become a person that would make her proud.

Edward Adachi '20 speaks at the Mahalo Scholarship Luncheon 2020

“I came to college thinking I had life all figured out,” he began his address to the room. “I had made a list in high school of what college I wanted to go to, what degree I wanted to pursue, how I would obtain my career and what I would do in retirement—at the age of 18, I had 50 years planned out. My friend once told me, if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. Well, God must have been rolling on the floor when he heard mine.”

Edward entered Chaminade as a business administration major. Within the first year and a half, after rethinking that decision several times, he finally landed on environmental science. He’s now planning a graduate degree in public health, and looks forward to a career educating communities across the pacific on how to be healthy.

His time at Chaminade has introduced him to a world full of possibilities and opportunities. He has met friends from all over the world, from all walks of life, and he’s traveled to the mainland and throughout the Pacific. He also discovered his faith at Chaminade, and now identifies proudly as a Roman Catholic.

“To be at a school that is so dynamic motivates me to be just as dynamic,” said Edward. “To live, is to change. Thank you for changing my life, and the lives of all of our students.”

To learn more about how you can support a student at Chaminade, contact Dawn Johnson at dawn.johnson@chaminade.edu.

Chaminade University Now Accepting Applications for Four-Year Scholarship Program

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HONOLULU (January 23, 2020) – Chaminade University is now accepting applicants for its Ho‘oulu Scholarship program for Native Hawaiian students. Developed in partnership with Kamehameha Schools, the program was designed to grow the number of Native Hawaiians graduating with science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees.

The four-year scholarship is open to first-year and transfer applicants seeking degrees in Biology; Biochemistry; Chemistry; Data Science, Analytics and Visualization; Environmental Sciences; Environmental Studies; Forensic Sciences; and Nursing. The scholarship provides:

  • Full tuition (100 percent of tuition not to exceed the published amount) assistance for four years
  • Consideration for partial housing subsidy for on- or off-campus housing for neighbor island or rural students
  • Wraparound academic support services to promote on-time graduation
  • Participation in Chaminade’s four-year graduation guarantee
  • Access to post-graduate career paths via Chaminade’s suite of articulation agreements with medical and graduate schools
  • Paid internships for professional development
  • Financial support for career development activities, such as MCAT and GRE preparation

Now in its fifth year, the Ho‘oulu Scholarship gives preference to applicants of Native Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. To date, 125 students have received Ho‘oulu scholarships at Chaminade.

“We’re extremely proud of the Ho‘oulu program at Chaminade,” said President Dr. Lynn Babington. “Both our persistence and four-year graduation rates are close to 100 percent for these scholars, who not only receive financial aid but more importantly intensive wraparound academic support services to help them succeed.”
The application submission deadline is March 16, 2020. For an application, visit chaminade.edu/hooulu.

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Chaminade University of Honolulu provides a collaborative and innovative learning environment that prepares graduate and undergraduate students for life, service and successful careers. Established in 1955, the university is guided by its Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational traditions, which include a commitment to serving the Native Hawaiian population. Chaminade offers an inclusive setting where students, faculty and staff collectively pursue a more just and peaceful society. For more information, visit chaminade.edu.

Graduate and Undergrad Student Recognized at “Top Cop” Event

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Two Chaminade students were recognized recently at the “Top Cop” Law Enforcement and Security Awards, an annual event aimed at celebrating those who work to make their communities safer.

L-R: Dr. Joe Allen, Dr. Kelly Treece, Jesus Moreno (MSCJA student), Dr. Ronald Becker and Andres Victoria (Criminology and Criminal Justice student)

Jesus Moreno, a Chaminade graduate student, was awarded the Anton Financial Scholarship after outlining his studies in criminal justice and detailing what he plans to do after graduation.

Undergraduate student Andres Victoria, meanwhile, took home the ASIS Hawaii Chapter award. Victoria is seeking his bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Chaminade online.

Both students received $1,000 cash scholarships.

The “Top Cop” awards banquet was held October 24 at the Ala Moana Hotel. The event is held annually to “promote, encourage and recognize excellence in the field of law enforcement and security in Hawaii.”

To be selected for the scholarships, Moreno and Victoria also had to submit letters of recommendation and be actively enrolled in a criminal justice program.

Worth noting: Chaminade’s Criminology and Criminal Justice program is the largest and oldest in Hawaii, and the University offers several degree options for those interested in pursuing careers in the field.

In addition to on-campus programs, students can seek Criminology and Criminal Justice undergraduate and graduate degrees entirely online.

Whether on campus or online, the degrees prepare students to pursue careers in law enforcement, public safety, criminal justice or graduate studies in law or criminology research.

Scholars Welcome Dinner

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With oli and inspirational speeches, a special welcome dinner this month celebrated 27 recipients of competitive Chaminade scholarships geared toward those interested in STEM-related careers.

Students and families at scholars welcome dinner

The dinner Sept. 6 honored Ho’oulu scholars and awardees of the National Science Foundation S-STEM scholarship.

In addition to the scholars and their families, attendees included previous recipients of the Ho’oulu Scholarship, representatives from Chaminade University and Kamehameha Schools, and invited guests.

The Ho’oulu scholarship was made possible thanks to an innovative partnership with Kamehameha Schools, and is geared toward helping those interested in STEM fields achieve their career goals.

Awardees receive 100 percent tuition assistance to Chaminade along with access to career-preparation opportunities and programs that help students ensure they stay on track to graduate in four years.

Current and previous recipients of the scholarship have worked toward careers in a broad cross-section of STEM fields, from data science and medicine to forensic sciences and biotechnology.

Eighteen incoming Ho’oulu scholars were recognized at the welcome dinner.

Also in attendance: Nine students who received the National Science Foundation S-STEM scholarship this school year. The $10,000 merit scholarship is distributed over four years, and also includes innovative development programs, from research opportunities to internships. Speakers at the event included Dr. Helen Turner, vice president of Strategy and Innovation at Chaminade, Kamehameha Schools CEO Jack Wong, and Lauren Nahme, vice president of strategy and transformation at Kamehameha Schools.