HPU & HCFL: Eleven-year Friendship Going Strong!

Submitted by Barbara Hannum, HPU Director of Intercultural Education Programs

Hawaiʻi Pacific University recently provided students from Hiroshima, Japan a special custom-designed study-tour experience, the eighth since our inaugural program in 2006. From November 13 to December 1, 2017, a group of 17 students from Hiroshima College of Foreign Languages (HCFL) enjoyed a challenging yet rewarding three-week intensive Hospitality and English Program prepared and coordinated by Intercultural Education Programs Director Barbara Hannum with support from the TESOL Programs and the Dept. of English and Applied Linguistics.

A successful balance of academic and experiential learning, the program featured “English for Interaction” classes designed to build fluency in speaking and listening, customized classes in hospitality, tourism, language, and culture, special topics lectures on hospitality marketing and business strategies in Hawai‘i and the U.S. by Hospitality & Tourism Management faculty Dr. Wendy Lam and Dr. Dae Woo Park, observational visits to HPU classes in business, marketing, and Japanese, cultural presentations by HCFL students to HPU students, fluency-building workshops, and conversation sessions with HPU students and Center for Academic Success tutors. A special cultural lesson and hula workshop was provided by Kumu Tracie Lopes, who taught the group a meaningful hula about Aloha Tower and how to make ti-leaf lei.

The HCFL students also enjoyed a guided tour of historic downtown Honolulu, a visit to the State Art Museum, and a “Waikiki scavenger hunt” to the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Moana hotels led by Dr. Lam. The two cohorts of students also shared a full day of experiential learning and site visits: one group, comprised of hospitality and tourism majors, received an extensive tour of the Four Seasons Resort, where they learned about strategic branding/target marketing and were also treated to a delicious lunch! From there they traveled to the airport for a guided tour and presentation by Hawaiian Airlines marketing and sales management staff. The other group, comprised of English majors, enjoyed a morning at Hawaiʻi Baptist Academy sharing cultural presentations with HBA Japanese classes and observing other special HBA classes as well. They, too, were treated to a very special lunch and cultural exchange session by HBA administrators, staff, and selected students.  

The HCFL students all stayed with local families through the Hawai‘i Homestay Program, so they spent evenings and weekends learning about and experiencing American and local culture, especially enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday. The program culminated in a memorable HPU Completion Ceremony and Aloha Luncheon on Friday, December 1. We look forward to welcoming the next group in 2019 for another memorable and meaningful educational exchange between two universities and long-time friends. 

HPU United Nations Club Attends National Model United Nations Conference in Canada

On Friday, Nov. 17 through Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, HPU United Nations (UN) Club members participated in the 2017 National Model United Nations (NMUN) Conference in Banff, Canada. Eleven HPU students (pictured above from left to right): Essi Korhonen, Isabelle Klewstigh, Hunter Burrows, Gabriela (Victoria) Ristikangas, Kristine Kivle, Sharon MacAllan, Ashley Ubben, Lesly Valdez, Emily Macri, Cherie Soria and Nicole Masulit, along with the UN Club faculty advisor, Serge Marek, Ph.D., participated in the conference. 

At the NMUN Conference, university students from around the world represented various countries in committees to discuss international issues relevant today. The HPU delegation represented two countries in various committees. The Uruguay team consisted of six HPU students in the General Assembly (GA), Security Council (SC) and UN Environment Assembly (UNEA). The Vietnam team consisted of five students in the GA, UNEA and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) committees. The Uruguay UNEA team won the award for Outstanding Position Paper, making this the first HPU delegation to win the position paper award. HPU was also recognized as an Honorable Mention during the closing ceremony. 

The NMUN Canada Conference was a success, as each student did their utmost to represent HPU, the UN Club and their respective countries in the best way possible.

Applications are currently available for the next Model United Nations Conference, to be held in New York in March 2018. For more information on the HPU UN Club, please contact the Secretary General/Club President, Haven McKay, at hmckay@my.hpu.edu or the UN Club faculty advisor Serge Marek, at smarek@hpu.edu.

Conference Team:

Hunter Burrows, Freshman, Marine Biology major from New Jersey
Kristine Kivle, Head Delegate/Secretary General, Senior, Diplomacy and Military Studies major from Norway

Essi Korhonen, Senior, International Studies major from Finland

Isabelle Klewstigh, Junior, International Studies major from Sweden
Sharon MacAllan, Junior, Marine Biology major from Germany/U.S.A.
Emily Macri, pursuing a master's in Global Leadership and Sustainable Development, from New York
Nicole Masulit, Sophomore, International Business major from Kauai
Lesly Pamatz, International Business major from California

Viktoria Ristikangas, Junior, International Studies major from Finland

Cherie Soria, Sophomore, Nursing major from Oahu
Ashley Ubben, Freshman, International Studies major from Texas  

News submitted by Nicole Masulit, UN Club PR Officer

American Advertising Federation Scholarship Awarded to HPU Student

Senior Mass Communications major Katrina Hicks is the 2^nd place recipient of the Fall 2017 American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hawaii Shining Star Scholarship. She was recognized on Friday, Sept. 29 at the AAF’s Brand Bash, a fundraising initiative for the Shining Star Scholarship program and other educational opportunities for professionals and students alike.

Hicks is an officer of the Akamai Advertising club, and she has been actively involved in the Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board, Student Alumni Council, and International Vocal Ensemble.

“I would like to sincerely thank AAF Hawaii for continuously providing me with wonderful opportunities to continue my education and pursue my dreams of entering the advertising industry,” shares Hicks. “I am truly honored to have been selected as one of the Shining Star recipients for 2017!"

The AAF Hawaii Shining Star Scholarship is open to current full-time students of a Hawaii college or university and majoring in Advertising or an Advertising-related field such as Graphic or Web design, Marketing, Journalism or Communications. Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic achievement, need, demonstrated leadership, participation in school and community service activities, honors and other awards or recognition, work experience and statement of goals and aspirations, and unusual personal and/or family circumstances.

Mass Communication Students Launch HPU Chapter of Her Campus Online Magazine

By AnnMarie Manzulli, Her Campus Faculty Advisor

Mariah Castro and Amanda Kowalski

 Her Campus, an online magazine targeted at the female college student demographic launched as one of Hawaii Pacific University’s newest registered student organizations at Club Carnival at Aloha Tower Marketplace on Friday, September 8.

Her Campus is the #1 new-media brand for the empowered college woman. Written entirely by the world's top college journalists – with 10,000+ contributors and counting – HerCampus.com features national Style, Beauty, Health, Love, Life, Career, Entertainment, News, DIY, LGBTQ+, High School, and After College content supplemented by local content from 350 campus chapters nationwide and in ten countries.

Mass Communication seniors Amanda Kowalski and Mariah Castro, initiated the HPU chapter last year, enlisted a core of writers, and have achieved official RSO registered student organization club status this semester.

"I joined Her Campus as a place where I can write freely on topics I love and share it with others who are able to relate or learn from my writing, which is really rewarding for me,” claims Mariah Castro, Her Campus President and Marketing Director.

Her Campus serves as a career launching point for its team of college journalists. Since joining the Her Campus Team, members have been offered jobs and internships with Glamour, Vogue, Buzzfeed, Vanity Fair, Seventeen, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, People, The Huffington Post, Teen Vogue, InStyle, Esquire, O magazine, MTV, The Washington Post, Digitas, Ogilvy, and many more.

“Being the editor-in-chief I have developed many leadership skills that I would have never obtained if it wasn't for Her Campus,” shares Amanda Kowalski, Her Campus Editor-in-Chief. “ I love that it gives women in college the opportunity to empower other college women and gain real life work experience. I look forward to sharing some of the fun recruitment events we brainstormed this summer!”

Campus correspondents will be seeking out new contributors throughout the semester.

Check out the HC at HPU website: http://www.hercampus.com/school/hpu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HPUhercampus/            

Instagram: @hercampushawaiipacific             

Twitter: @HPUHerCampus

Q&A with the New Dean of the College of Liberal Arts

— As Told to Tameron Hodges

Human Resources turned the spotlight on Allison Gough, Ph.D., the new Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Gough has been a vital member of the HPU ‘ohana for nearly 17 years.  Dr. Gough hails from England, where she completed her undergraduate studies in history, politics and geography, receiving a B.A. (Hons) in Modern History from the University of Durham.  Moving to the U.S., she received her M.A. and Ph.D. in American History from the Ohio State University.

Dr. Gough joined HPU as a Visiting Assistant Professor of History in 2001, became a regular faculty member in 2002 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009. She has served as Chair of the Department of History, Faculty Assembly Chair and was the founding Dean of the Honors Program.

To find out something we didn’t know about Dr. Gough, we recently posed the following questions:

Q: What led you to higher education as a profession?

A: The journey was a long one.  Since I can remember, I was fascinated with history.  It is difficult to grow up in England, I think, without an appreciation for the past.  I loved my grandfather’s, probably rather tall, tales about his exploits as a young man—riding horses to market, as a member of a traveling theater, learning baseball from American troops in Scotland in WWII.  Some of my earliest memories involve burying my cousin’s Barbie dolls in the backyard with full regalia, in the manner of Egyptian Pharaohs.  I think they are still there under the strawberry patch.  I was also incredibly fortunate to have inspiring and encouraging teachers, even as far back as elementary school, who encouraged me early to go to university.  No one in my family at that time had ever attended college.  But I remember quite distinctly deciding to do that while standing in the line for a school dinner when I was seven!  It was probably a more inviting prospect than contemplating the cabbage they were serving that day.  Skipping forward to university, I again had some wonderful mentors who first encouraged me to attend Ohio State as a graduate student, and then to remain for my Ph.D.  My advisor at Ohio State, Pulitzer Prize nominated historian Warren Van Tine, nurtured my belief in history as a public service and as a vocation and was formative in helping me to embrace interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning, something I advocate very strongly today.

Q: What has been the biggest challenge in your life?

A: Taking U’s out of words and learning American English…

Q: What are you most proud of?

A: That I have carved my own path in life and that I stay fast to my principles even if my circumstances change.

A: Why have you chosen to be part of HPU for nearly 17 years?

A: I have remained at HPU for 17 years because of the people.  I realize that might sound cliched.  But there are many staff and many faculty who have been here as long and longer than I have.  They are fully committed to HPU and to the community.  They believe in what they are doing, and it is impossible not to get swept up by that belief.  For them, the idea of ohana is not just a marketing tool: it is a commitment.  I am incredibly lucky to have found a place where I can be counted as part of a family and where every day I see acts of selflessness and kindness that sustains my faith in the essential goodness of human beings. 

Q: What led you to seek the administrative position of dean?

A: I see the position of Dean as just an extension of my life thus far.  I am passionate about education:  that is what has led to all of the great things in my life, including my jobs.  I want to ensure that others have that opportunity and I see Dean as another way of continuing to do that.  On my journey from student to teacher to Dean I have discovered different muscles.  I like to stretch those muscles and engage in challenges while at the same time having a comprehensible continuity in my life.

Q: How will you measure success as a new dean?

A: I am not sure that I can answer that question in a quantitative manner.  Rather, I think as a college, as a university, as a community we will all be successful when we are engaged, enthusiastic, and able to fully express our joy in what we are so fortunate to be doing.  That is what we need to convey to our students who are going to be our legacy to the world. 

Q: If you were not an educator, what you be?

A: Musician, poet, astronaut, vineyard owner?

Q: What books are waiting on your bookshelf to be read?

A: So many!  Black Holes and Time Warps by Kip Thorne, The Unwinding by George Packer, Lincoln in the Bardo by George Sanders, and anything John Le Carre has written lately.

Q: What is at the top of your bucket list?

A: Going into space. 

Q: What is your ideal vacation?

I love travel, and Hawai‘i has given me the opportunity to travel to Asia and to the South Pacific, which I don’t think I would have ever done if I had remained in England.  But one of the places on my bucket list is Antarctica.  Antarctica has captured my imagination since I was a child when my father, an amateur photographer, introduced me to the work of Henry Ponting and Frank Hurley who took stunning images of the region during the expeditions of Scott and Shackleton.   I would love to take a kayaking tour of the region, which seems like a really intimate way to see the most remote of continents.

Q: What is one thing that people would be most surprised to know about you?

A: I am not sure if this is a surprise, but I was trained as a classical guitarist.  When I was 16, I was encouraged to join the Royal Academy of Music in London.  I have lost a lot of my skills, but I still enjoy playing and have been lucky enough to study with David Yamasaki in Hawai‘i. He has been a great encouragement to my picking up the instrument again.

HPU ‘English for Nurses’ Program Held July 3-28

By Barbara Hannum, Director, International Education Programs

When it comes to helping others and possibly saving lives, some human qualities appear to be universal: empathy, compassion, willingness to assist, and the ability to respond in a medical emergency with appropriate skills and knowledge. But could you do this in a language other than your own?!

Twenty-seven courageous young nursing students from four different Korean universities were willing to try! For one month this summer, from July 3-28, these 26 women and one man participated in a customized, content-based “English for Nurses” short-term group program designed to increase knowledge in areas of nursing and, at the same time, build fluency in English language skills.

The program consisted of classes taught by HPU TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) faculty in medical vocabulary, nurse-patient interaction, and special topics in health and nursing. TESOL student assistants and Center for Academic Success tutors provided support and encouragement in afternoon fluency-building workshops and conversation sessions all related to topics of health, wellness, and the nursing profession.

Several HPU Nursing faculty shared presentations on topics such as Ethnicities in Hawai‘i and the Impact on Health, Transcultural Nursing, and Nursing Education in the U.S. and at HPU. The students also observed an advanced HPU Nursing course where they had the opportunity to experience what it might be like to be a nursing student here. They also enjoyed interacting over a pizza lunch with members of the HPU Student Nurses Association. A highlight of their immersion experience was the chance to work in the Simulation Lab with HPU faculty and staff; for most of them, this was their first exposure to such simulation technology and the various medical scenarios such as respiratory distress, childbirth, tracheotomy, heart defibrillation, and even the urgency of a “code blue”! HPU Head Athletics Trainer, Kelly Wescott, also provided a presentation about sports medicine with hands-on exposure to various athletics training tools and rehab equipment.

In addition to their classes and special events on campus, they enjoyed experiential learning and memorable off-campus site visits to Kuakini Medical Center, Castle Medical Wellness Center, Pearl Harbor, and Hawaii State Hospital where they participated in a day-long certification course in CPR, AED, and Basic Life Skills (BLS). They also enjoyed cultural activities like a hula workshop and ukulele lesson as part of their exposure to Hawaiian language and culture.

This is the third annual summer program for participants from Seoul Women’s College of Nursing, and the first for students from Kwangyang Health College, U1 University, and JEI University.

The program is offered through the Dept. of English and Applied Linguistics in the College of Liberal Arts under the direction of Barbara Hannum. Please contact Barbara at bhannum@hpu.edu for more details about this or other short-term group programs at HPU.

Political Science Faculty Receives Fulbright Award to India

Carlos Juarez, Ph.D., adjunct faculty and retired Professor of Political Science (1997-2016), has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in Political Science/International Relations. Juarez will lecture on Development Studies at the Birla Institute of Technology & Science in Goa, India, during the fall 2017 semester. His work is part of a project to also explore global learning initiatives in India’s higher education system.

Juarez has had previous Fulbright grants to teach and do research in Mexico (2000), Czech Republic (2003, 2005) and Austria (2015), and has also been a visiting professor in Colombia and Mexico, most recently at the Universidad Iberoamerica in Mexico City.

At HPU, Juarez is scheduled to teach International Relations online during the fall 2017 semester. He has served as the university’s Fulbright Program Advisor, helping to mentor students and faculty interested in Fulbright grant opportunities.

Congratulations, Spring 2017 HPU Graduates!

Hawai‘i Pacific University held its Spring 2017 Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 11. The University proudly and warmly welcomes its newest graduates into its global network of alumni, comprising more than 45,000 individuals.

Mahalo to the valedictory speakers, Wesley Chai (BS Criminal Justice) and Louis C. Hare III (MA in Communication), for representing the graduating class with their thoughtful remarks. (Pictured left Hare and right Chai with HPU's mascot Sharky)

HPU Board of Trustee and alumnus Ray Vara (BSBA ’93), who delivered the Commencement keynote speech, was presented with an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of his professional accomplishments, commitment to community causes, and the advancement of higher education.

Alumna Naomi Hazelton (MA in Communication ’05), publisher of Pacific Edge magazine, Green magazine, and Las Vegas Bound magazine, lead the graduates in the recitation of the HPU Alumni Pledge. The pledge signifies the official welcome of the Spring 2017 graduates to the HPU alumni community.

Professor Horgen Named Teacher of the Year

2016 Teacher of the Year Margo Bare presents David Horgen, Ph.D.,
the 2017 Teacher of the Year award

Annually in the spring, HPU graduating students are asked to nominate candidates for the Teacher of the Year award. Professor of Chemistry David Horgen, Ph.D., was named the 2017 HPU Teacher of the Year. He was presented the award by 2016 HPU Teacher of the Year Margo Bare, retired professor of social work.

Horgen, who is the chair of the chemistry and biochemistry program, joined HPU in 2000. His major research interest is in marine natural products chemistry. He is the head of HPU’s Shared Instrumentation Facility, which has been funded by the National Institute of Health since 2002. One of the research team’s accomplishments is the discovery of new biological activity for a naturally occurring marine compound, waixenicin A, which is produced by a soft coral that grows only in Hawai‘i. It may be a resource for finding new therapies for cancer and stroke.

Additionally, these biomedical research laboratories — known as INBRE — support instructional lab courses and increase undergraduate and graduate student research opportunities. Under the mentorship of this year’s teacher of the year and his biomedical faculty colleagues, nearly 100 students have participated in INBRE research projects and 40 undergraduates have coauthored scholarly presentations and manuscripts.

One of the participants in the student instrumentation-mentoring program that Horgen organizes said, “Programs like this have given students like myself not only a remarkable opportunity to get involved in what the Chemistry department has to offer, but the ability to make ourselves marketable in our field, with experience many other schools cannot offer their students.” This graduating senior has been accepted to a competitive summer research experience program at a graduate school of biomedical sciences, and she thanks Horgen for his support. This student is one of the many students he has impacted.

  

A Conversation with Dr. Ko, Long-Serving Faculty Member of Hawai'i Pacific University

By Bernard K. Nunies, Office of Human Resources

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Seung Kyun Ko, one of the longest employed faculty members. He has worked at Hawai‘i Pacific University for almost 45 years.  During our conversation, Dr. Ko shared how he started with Hawaii Loa College in 1972 and how he has seen the university evolve since that time.  Born in Seoul, Korea, and currently a professor of political science and international relations, Dr. Ko is still going strong at 80 years old.  Some of his personal accomplishments include visiting all 50 states, being knowledgeable in seven languages, and personally meeting Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Clinton.  Dr. Ko has never called in sick nor cancelled a class.

Here are some excerpts from our conversation. 

Q:  How did you become employed at then Hawaii Loa College? 

A:  By accident actually.  I received my undergraduate degree from the College of Wooster and my master’s degree and Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania.  Upon completion of my terminal degree in 1968, I returned home to Korea and worked as a commissioner at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  As commissioner, I was fortunate enough to come to Hawai‘i in 1970 for a conference.  During that time, I happened to be driving on the windward side of O‘ahu when I saw Hawaii Loa College and decided to stop in and tour the campus.  A few minutes after introducing myself to the office, the dean came out to speak with me.  We spoke for some time about my academic background and shortly thereafter he invited me to meet with then president, Chandler Rowe.  From our conversation, President Rowe explained that Hawaii Loa was looking to become a stronger liberal arts college, mirrored after the success that the College of Wooster had garnered.  Right place at the right time is an understatement as I walked away from my meeting with the dean and president with a job offer in hand!  I returned to Hawai‘i in 1972 and was hired as a tenured associate professor of political science. 

Q: Why have you chosen to stay with HPU for almost 45 years?

A:  It is only when people remind me that I realize I’ve been here for that long.  It truly feels like I’ve been here only a short period of time. It is probably because of the nature of the subjects I teach, which keep me busy with different things and all kinds of challenges.  Political science, international relations, and comparative politics are very dynamic topics that are constantly changing.  In order for me to be an effective professor, I must study, read, and keep informed of what’s going on in the ever-changing global landscape of politics and international relations.  The need to prepare my students for what’s going on in the world and to encourage and inspire students to perform to their highest standard is what continues to fuel my drive after all these years. 

Q:  What has been the biggest challenge in your life?

A:  Attaining my undergraduate degree probably was my biggest challenge.  As a Korean native with limited comprehension of the English language, I missed 80 percent of what was taught in class.  Not for lack of effort, but my grades suffered, and I performed poorly my freshman year.  Despite all of that, the College of Wooster believed in me and felt I could succeed with a little bit of help.  I was assigned an English professor as a personal tutor and over the course of the next two years, I was able to improve my English skills.  The highlight of my undergraduate studies was when I received an invitation to the White House to meet with President Eisenhower.  I am proud to say that I received the Lincoln Prize in political science from the College of Wooster, the highest honor in senior thesis.  I credit my success to the instructors and deans of the College of Wooster and professors at the University of Pennsylvania who were so supportive of me. 

Q:  If you could have dinner with anyone past, present, or future, who would that be?

A:  There are so many people to choose from that it is hard to pick just one.  However, if I had to pick only one person to have dinner with, it would be my father.  I miss him dearly, and I would like to buy him dinner one last time.  My dad passed in 1999 at 87 years old.

Q:  So what is keeping you busy these days?

A:  Well, I want to write more books.  I am the author of over 40 articles and three books with a fourth book currently in the works.  My plan is to write at least 10 books!  I am currently conducting research on the topic, “work beyond 80, live beyond 100,” looking at foods that help to cure common ailments. 

Here are some of Dr. Ko’s personal preferences:

• Android or Apple?                   None – Samsung flip phone
• Coffee or Tea?                        Tea – Chinese tea
• Cats or Dogs?                         Dogs
• Early Bird or Night Owl?         Night owl, I usually work
                                                  until 2 or 3 a.m.
• Phone call or Text?                 Both, though texting is
                                                  harder on a flip phone.

Faculty and Staff: Join the Hānai Program

Beginning in Fall 2017, the Office of First Year Experience, in partnership with the Office of Human Resources, is rolling out a new way to engage first-time freshmen with HPU faculty and staff!

Currently, first-time, full-time freshmen are placed into groups with a Peer Mentor (previously Peer Academic Coach), who provides support and guidance during the student’s first year at HPU. Faculty and staff are now invited to support a group of new students through the Hānai Program.

The Hānai Program and the Peer Mentor Program will work in tandem to formulate for each first year student their HPU 'Ohana (1 Peer Mentor, 1 Faculty/Staff, 15-20 students). This new volunteer position is designed to help bridge the divide students often feel when engaging with professionals, by making faculty and staff more accessible in a casual setting.

So, what will you do? Great question!

We are looking for between 30-35 volunteers who will volunteer about 6-8 hours of their time per semester. This will include:

·         Having lunch with their assigned group during Orientation week

·         Emailing the group a few times during the semester to check in

·         Being willing to have a holiday meal with students who stay in town during holiday periods like Thanksgiving and the winter break (either by hosting them at your home or eating with them near campus)

However, volunteers are welcome to do more. Engaging with your HPU 'Ohana can also include things like:

·         Attending events the group is doing together (like bowling, a hike or snorkeling trip, typically organized by the Peer Mentor)

·         Inviting students to sit as a group at an athletic event

·         Participating in a community service project together

·         Encouraging the group to attend a Hawaii Spotlight service learning trip

The ideas are only limited by your imagination.

The Office of First Year Experience wants to create an environment for first-year students that shows them that we are a small community where engaging regularly with faculty and staff in a casual way is natural and encouraged. Please join us in making that vision a reality for new freshmen attending HPU in Fall 2017.

Sound like your kind of deal? Sign up at http://bit.ly/HPUHanai.

The Office of First Year Experience will be in touch shortly after that date with additional information.

Source: Office of First Year Experience (readysetgo@hpu.edu) and Office of Human Resources (hr@hpu.edu)

Teacher of the Year Nominations Due Wednesday April 12

Calling All Spring and Summer 2017 Graduating Students!

Each year, HPU recognizes one full-time faculty member for excellence in teaching. The teacher who is chosen for this honor is recognized at graduation and receives a monetary award. 

While you were a student at HPU, who was your most outstanding teacher? Submit your nomination by sending an email to tyaward@hpu.edu no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 12, 2017. 

Consider the following details as you compose your nomination:

·         Teacher’s First and Last Name:

·         How did the faculty member stand out in one or more of these areas?

·         Communicating effectively with students

·         Motivating and inspiring students

·         Demonstrating excellence in the classroom

·         Demonstrating excellence in course content

If you have any questions, you may send an email to tyaward@hpu.edu or contact Dr. Valentina Abordonado at vabordonado@hpu.edu or (808) 544-1143.

Congratulations on your many accomplishments! We are so proud of you!

The Teacher of the Year Award Selections Committee

Pictured above: 2015 Teacher of the Year Regina Ostergaard-Klem, Ph.D., (left) presenting the 2016 Teacher of the Year award to Margo Bare 

Penny War Event: April 10-24

The Student Alumni Council is preparing for a “Penny War” event that will take place from Monday, April 10-Monday, April 24. The purpose of the event is to promote participation between the colleges and to engage students through fundraising. During this event, jars representing each college will be placed at Sharky’s Cove downtown, and Atherton Library on the Hawaii Loa campus. Students, as well as the HPU faculty and staff, are encouraged to participate by donating pennies into their specific college’s jar. Twenty students from the winning college will be receiving gift card prize giveaways.

Rules for the Penny War are as follows:

·         Pennies are worth one point toward the respective college

·         Silver coins deduct points based on amount of coin (ex. Nickel is minus 5 points)

·         Silver coins are encouraged to be placed in other jars to provide competition

·         Dollar bills will also deduct points according to amount ( $1.00 minus 100 points)

·         A mid war point check will be announced on Monday, April  17 via social media and pipeline

·         Winners will be announced on Monday, April 24 

·         Prize Giveaway winners can collect their prizes at the University Relations office located at Aloha Tower Suite 3100

Please help us promote this event within your college. 

Yours might come out on top! 

For any questions or concerns, please contact Daryn Vorderbruegge in University Relations at dvorderbruegge@hpu.edu

First-Year Writing Anthology Released

The eight issue of Fresh Perspectives, HPU’s online anthology of first-year writing, is released. It includes essays by student contributors Carlo Paez, Jon Davis, Nakoa Gabriel, Joleen Paul, Damon Niesen, Jhumar Ray Domingo, Hajar Tazi, Austin Zmolek, Kula Kukonu, Emma Ferguson, Rachel Gonzales, Sage Bennett, Mackenzie Otto, and Lina Bengtsson. 

Outstanding essays written for Spring 2016 first-year writing courses were nominated by instructors and selected and edited by the team of student editorial interns, Marian Gentile and Jun Dennis Sadang, under the direction of Associate Professor of English and Interim Assistant Dean of Liberal Arts Kathleen Cassity, Ph.D.      

The writing in Fresh Perspectives represents a diversity of voices, topics and perspectives. The anthology has become a regular and integral feature of HPU’s First-Year Writing Program, and it is something that both students and faculty look forward to reading and that students can be proud to share with their families and friends.

Read the Editors’ Welcome by Marian Gentile, Jun Dennis Mata Sadang and Kathleen Cassity, Ph.D., on page 3.

Meet the Writers!

Lina Bengtsson is originally from Sweden and is majoring in Marine Biology. Her goal is to become a shark specialist, and her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is the sunsets.

Sage Bennett grew up in the Metro D.C. area—Silver Spring, Maryland, to be exact. An International Business major, Sage hopes to someday own a business or work for an international corporation that allows her to travel as well as tap into her creative side through digital marketing. Her favorite thing about HPU is how diverse our student population is: “Coming from a very diverse area, moving to Hawai`i and attending HPU was such a relief. There are so many students and staff from all over the world, and it is so refreshing.”

Jon Davis is originally from Dothan, Alabama, where he was born and raised until leaving for the military in 2009. His major is Business Management, and his career plans are to work at the S.E.R.E, (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) school in Alabama, to train soldiers in these tactics while preparing to open his own business in the construction industry. His favorite thing about attending HPU is the small class sizes that allow students to be directly engaged with their professors: “This provides an exceptional learning experience in an ideal environment.”

Jhumar Ray Domingo is from Dumaguete Negros Oriental, Philippines. He is majoring in Criminal Justice, with the goal of working for the Department of Homeland Security. His favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is that it is like “home away from home,” with good food and friendly people.

Emma Ferguson is from Bremerton, Washington, but has lived in Belfair, Washington, for the majority of her life. She is majoring in Biology with a minor in Psychology, with the goal of becoming a zookeeper specializing in large cats. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is the extraordinary opportunity to meet so many amazing and inspiring people that she never would have had the pleasure of meeting had she not come to such a culturally and ethnically diverse location: “It has changed my life.”

Nakoa Gabriel was born and raised in Waipahu, Hawai`i, where he still lives. When not working at the pet hospital in Waipahu, he is pursuing his major in Criminal Justice with a minor in Writing. Upon graduation he plans either to work with the FBI or pursue a degree in law and start his own firm. His favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is its natural beauty: “I’ve lived here for 19 years and have never gotten tired of seeing the ocean. It is important to know your roots and where you come from.”

Rachel Gonzales is from Guam and is majoring in Public Health. Her intended career plans are to align herself with a global health community to promote understanding based on public health principles. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i and attending Hawai`i Pacific University is “feeling the aloha spirit everywhere I go.”

Kula Kukonu is originally from Honolulu and is a Communication Studies major who intends to work for the federal government. Her favorite thing about attending HPU is being surrounded by diverse cultures and peoples: “We live in a world of mixed cultures and it's amazing to have a small part of that within the HPU community.”


[Not pictured] Damon Niesen is originally from Round Valley Indian Reservation in Northern California. His major is Nursing and he plans to work in the E.R at Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital in Willis, to help his people. His favorite part of Hawai`i is “getting away from the reservation and not seeing poverty everywhere you look.”

Mackenzie Otto is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Public Health major, she hopes to join the Peace Corps. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i and attending HPU is the diversity: “I get the chance to have classes with and meet people from so many parts of the world. It is fascinating to hear about what other cultures are like. I hope to get some opportunities to travel, and hearing about all these wonderful places motivates me to work hard to be able to experience some of them firsthand.”

Carlo Paez is originally from the Philippines and moved to Hawai‘i when he was three years old. He is currently majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems. He intends to pursue a career within the realm of information technologies, and plans to someday become the CIO or CTO of a major corporation. His favorite thing about living in Hawai‘i is the different types of people he gets to meet each day: “Hawai‘i is indeed a unique place, and there really is no other place like it in the world.”

Joleen Paul is originally from Maui and is majoring in Pre-Nursing. She plans to move back home to Maui to work at the local hospital or clinics. She has also considered moving to the mainland. Her favorite thing about Hawai`i is that “it is always going to be home,” and her favorite thing about attending HPU is meeting people from all over.

Hajar Tazi is originally from Casablanca, Morocco. She is double majoring in Humanities with a concentration in Philosophy, and in International Studies with a concentration in Peace and Security. She would like to work with an intergovernmental organization or do research in ethnography. Her favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is that she can surf whenever she wants: “The waves are perfect!”

Austin Zmolek is originally from Syracuse, New York. His major is Biology – Human Health and Psychology. He changes his mind about the future every day: “Part of me wants to be a gender reconstruction surgeon, part of me wants to move to the forest and live in a tree, part of me wants to get another degree in fashion, and part of me wants to be a Cross Fit instructor; I'll figure that out later.” His favorite thing about living in Hawai`i is “when I hear people cheee-hoo.” His favorite thing about HPU would be the Kaneohe campus.

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