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Kosasa Foundation Awards Grant for Emerging Scholars Program

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Notables

Notables

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VISUALIZING THE FUTURE

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The fifth offering over the summer was called “Visualizing the Future.”

Dr. Junghwa Suh, an associate professor of Arts and Design at Chaminade, led the course— modeled after ART 103: Visual Design. Students were introduced to the power of visualizations and used problem-solving skills and design tools to create models.

After learning the basics of hands-on modeling tools, Suh set the students to work in groups to create a zombie safehouse—yes, you read that right. Suh said the engaging project required students to think about space planning while trying to figure out how to protect the safehouse’s occupants from a decidedly horrific fate.

“I wanted my students to get a clear and dynamic overview of arts and design, see the connection of arts and design to various disciplines … and use their creativity and logical processing to execute design solutions to given problems,” she said.

Suh added that the students’ final safehouse designs were impressive.

“I hope these creative minds gained some new perspectives in arts and design and understand various possibilities they can pursue with this study,” she said.

And she’s already looking forward to next summer’s courses.

“It is so beneficial for students to see how different disciplines come together to solve world problems,” she said. “These types of institutes help high school students in making decisions on what they want to study.”

CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY RECEIVED A $25,000 GRANT FROM

THE KOSASA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT ITS EMERGING

SCHOLARS PILOT PROGRAM AIMED AT PROMOTING PATHWAYS

TO COLLEGE FOR RURAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON KAUA'I.

THE FIRST COHORT OF STUDENTS BEGAN THE YEAR-LONG

PROGRAM THIS PAST AUGUST.

Prior to the pandemic, Chaminade offered a number of early college programs as part of the statewide Hawai'i P-20 initiative promoting pathways to college. When the University pivoted to online learning, dual-enrollment and pre-college courses were canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Chaminade has revamped and redesigned its college readiness programs to be offered online or through a mixed online/in-person format.

There will be two types of Emerging Scholar programs. The first is a non-credit Summer Institute for high school students, which will mostly be paid for by the federal college-readiness initiative, GEAR UP. The second is an academic year dual-enrollment program for high school students to take courses and receive both high school and college credits that can be used toward a college degree.

“We are excited to initiate this pilot program for Kaua'i students this fall,” said Chaminade President Lynn Babington, PhD. “The pandemic has created significant educational challenges for those residing in rural areas, including the neighbor islands. A lack of technology and broadband access has made online learning difficult for many students. The Emerging Scholars program will ensure students who are disproportionately disadvantaged by distance learning will have everything they need to excel online.”

Program administrators have identified a basic technology package—laptop, headphones, storage and backup—that will be provided on loan to its high-need college students, including those in the Emerging Scholars programs.

The inaugural cohort of 40 students from Kaua'i high schools are taking four dual-enrollment introductory courses each semester. The courses will be enhanced by guest speakers who will participate in each course. Faculty are flying to Kaua'i to physically meet the students prior to each semester start. At the end of the year, Chaminade will fly the participating students to O'ahu to stay overnight in the residence hall. During their stay, they will meet with advisors and faculty from each division, and participate in college prep workshops.

Chaminade is reimagining the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to adapt to changing learner needs, and to rethink and transform approaches to higher education. This program seeks to provide students on Kaua'i with new opportunities and to help ensure success in their pursuit of learning.

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