HPU Today Fall 2010

Looking Ahead

Aloha alumni and friends, In preparation for President Chatt G. Wright’s June 2011 retirement, the Board of Trustees appointed a presidential search committee to find the best candidate to lead HPU into the next phase of its evolution.

They have engaged the services of Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, an executive search firm that specializes in finding qualified higher-education prospects. The firm has met with HPU trustees, alumni, students, faculty, and staff to identify the strengths, qualities, and experience that are important to the University’s culture and continuing development.

HPU President Chatt G. Wright (far right) with past and present Paul C.T. Loo Distinguished Alumni Awardees at the 2010 awards banquet

The Board of Trustees has made plans for a 2011 spring transition program to ensure a smooth changeover and continued momentum toward University goals. In the meantime, HPU is moving forward with plans for greater alumni engagement, an exciting academic vision for the future, and expansion of the Hawai‘i Loa campus. As we progress, we will keep you updated and involved.

President Chatt G. Wright Associate Vice President Institutional Advancement Margi Ulveling

FEATURES

2 The Ultimate Win Fall 2010 Volume 11 Number 2

Managing Editor Lianne Yamamura

4 The Wright Years

Associate Editor Susie Contreras

HPU Today interviews President Chatt G. Wright, who retires in June 2011, on the HPU milestones achieved during his 40 year tenure

Alumni Editor Kris Smith

6 The Mysterious Life of Tangs

Story Editors Crystale Lopez Britt Yap

In the effort to preserve ornamental fish and protect reef ecosystems, HPU Natural Science students and interns learn alongside research scientists at HPU affiliate Oceanic Institute 8 Oceanic Institute Celebrating 50 Years 9 A Fish Farmer, An Environmentalist Alumnus Richard Xie raises ornamental fish and exports to 27 countries

Sports Editor John Barry Junior Editors Stephen Chun Marcie Kagawa Shari Matsudo Database Managers Nancy Chancellor Ethan Wung

DEPARTMENTS 10 On Campus 15 Alumni Spotlight 18 University Friends 19 Sea Warrior Sports 20 Class Links 24 Back Page

University Graphic Design Kay Kasamoto Robert Kenny University Photography Crystale Lopez Steven Lum Britt Yap

HPU Today is published three times a year by Hawai‘i Pacific University, 1060 Bishop Street, Suite 400, Honolulu, HI 96813. It is distributed at no charge for alumni and friends.

This is the Fall 2010 issue, Volume 11, Number 2.

If you are receiving duplicate copies of the magazine, please notify the editorial office.

Phone: (808) 356-5210 Fax: (808) 543-8079 E-mail: hputoday@hpu.edu Web site: www.hpu.edu/hputoday

The 2010 Lady Sea Warriors make Hawai‘i softball history with the win of its first NCAA Division II National Title

On the cover: The national championship softball team; right: Nicole Morrow photos by Dayne Teves, D-Tech Hawaii

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he 2010 HPU Lady Sea Warrior softball team could not have written a better script for itself, with a 50–8 winning season, fourth consecutive Pacific West Title, first Super Regional Title, and first NCAA National Title at the College World Series in Missouri.

“This was a banner year for our program,” says Head Coach Bryan Nakasone, who finished his second season at the helm of the Sea Warriors and is a 17-year veteran of HPU softball.

“I knew we had a good team, but this wasn’t something we had talked about at the beginning of the season.

For us to have gotten this far took a lot of hard work and effort.”

PacWest Supremacy From start to finish, HPU was a dominant fixture on the national scene. During the season, the Lady Sea Warriors climbed as high as #2 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) national poll, and were crowned PacWest Champions yet again.

Even with five freshmen in its starting line-up, the new team saw a spectacular start to the season with just one loss in the first half of its regular season games, and a semifinal appearance in the inter-conference Mizuno Tournament of Champions.

The team worked to keep up its winning record throughout the regular season, finishing at the top of the PacWest and the West Region with a record of 41-6, for a bid to the West Region tournament.

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Sherise Musquiz

Sea Warriors at Home in West Regional The confines of Howard A. Okita Field on the Hawai‘i Loa campus have been friendly to say the least. Heading into the West Region tournament, HPU had lost only six home games in four years. But winning the tournament proved to be as challenging as it was rewarding.

“I knew we had a good team, but this wasn’t something we had talked about at the beginning of the season. For us to have gotten this far took a lot of hard work and effort.” head coach bryan nakasone

The Sea Warriors won their first two games, defeating Central Washington 6–1 in the opener and Cal State Monterey Bay 3–2 in game two. On the final day, the Sea Warriors again faced Central Washington, who had risen from the loser’s bracket to play HPU for the Super Regional bid. The Sea Warriors needed just one win and had two tries to get it.

Central Washington proved to be up to the task, taking game one to advance to a winner-take-all final. Nakasone handed the ball to senior pitcher Sherise Musquiz again, asking her to pitch back-to-back games for the first time in her career.

She shut down the Wildcat lineup for a 1–0 win, propelling HPU to the Super Regional.

“What a way to go out in my last year. I can’t imagine a better way.”

Season Accolades

Casey sugihara

• 6 players selected All-PacWest: Maile Kim, Sherise Musquiz, Ciera Senas (B.A. Psychology ’10), Casey Sugihara (B.A. Psychology ’10), Kozy Toriano, and Ashley Valine

“That was a pretty amazing feeling,” says Musquiz, who tossed a total of 16 innings that day. “We came out really flat in the first game, and every player wanted to redeem themselves.”

• Pitcher of the Year: Sherise Musquiz; Freshman of the Year: Nicole Morrow; Coach of the Year: Bryan Nakasone

HPU Advances to College World Series The Sea Warriors advanced to their first NCAA Super Regional, and a trip to the College World Series was visible on the horizon. But lurking on the other side of the bracket was Chico State (CA), who entered the postseason as the lowest West Region seed. Chico State had been the surprise of the tournament, earning a trip to Hawai‘i to play the top-seeded Sea Warriors. The teams played a three-game series starting with a single game on a Friday.

Despite the mismatch, HPU played its flattest game of the season, dropping a 5-0 defeat.

The Sea Warriors had been shutout for the first time in the postseason and needed two wins on Saturday to advance to the College World Series.

HPU came out and played like champions on day two, winning both games to clinch a trip to St. Joseph, Missouri, for a chance at the National Title. “We were a different team,” says freshman Nicole Morrow. “Everything was on the line and we dug deep to get the wins.”

Musquiz shared Morrow’s sentiment, saying, “Sometimes we get so antsy and don’t hit like we usually do. Today we just came out and played our game.”

Sea Warriors Take the Title It was tough enough getting to the Cham­ pionship tournament, let alone winning it.

But HPU did just that.

The Lady Sea Warriors played their first road games in nearly six weeks after two flight delays and a lengthy 27-hour journey from Honolulu to Missouri. It was an unfamiliar stage against unfamiliar teams in an unfamiliar setting.

But none of that seemed to bother the resilient Sea Warriors.

• 4 players selected NCAA All-Tournament: Nicole Morrow, Sherise Musquiz, Ciera Senas, and Casey Sugihara • NCAA Division II Most Outstanding Player: Sherise Musquiz Casey Sugihara

In the double elimination College World Series, HPU easily won its first game 3-1 against Wayne State (MI), but needed to fight hard for a 1-0 win over Angelo State (TX) in 10 innings. With a decisive 7-2 semifinal win over Metro State (CO), HPU found itself in the Title game against the Valdosta State Blazers (GA). The second-ranked Blazers had dominated their bracket, ousting top-ranked and previously undefeated North Georgia College.

Through the first four innings of the Title game, HPU seemed outmatched. They trailed 2-0 and barely posed a threat. But in the fifth inning, the Sea Warriors’ bats awoke, giving the team four runs for a two-run lead. However, the win did not come so easily.

• Musquiz and Kim named to the NFCA All-America Team (First All-Americans since program went to the NCAA) • National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year: Head Coach Bryan Nakasone and assistant coaches Jon Correles, Roger Javillo, Richard Nomura, and Howard Okita • Musquiz ended with 90 career wins; tops in HPU history • HPU ended the season as the #1 ranked team in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association national poll, and with the most team wins in program history (50)

It was the bottom of the seventh, and Valdosta State, now trailing by just one run, had the bases loaded with one out. The next batter hit a line drive to HPU third baseman Caira Pires, giving the Blazers one more chance to make a comeback play for the win. But their next batter turned out to be their last when HPU right fielder Chante Tesoro caught a pop fly for the third out.

A wild celebration ensued as the players hoisted their trophy and were donned with leis by family and friends who had traveled so far to witness the historic event.

“What a way to go out in my last year,” says senior Casey Sugihara. “I can’t imagine a better way.”

Ciera Senas

“This win was so big for our program and even the state of Hawai‘i,” says Nakasone. “For all the years of service our seniors have given, for them to go out like this is fantastic.”

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The

Wright Years The legacy of Chatt G. Wright’s HPU presidency

The Board of Trustees elects Chatt Wright Hawai‘i Pacific’s third president

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hen Chatt G. Wright retires at the end of June 2011, he will have been one of the longest serving college presidents in the nation. He joined HPU (then Hawai‘i Pacific College) in 1972 as founding dean of business administration. In 1976, the Board of Trustees elected him Hawai‘i Pacific’s third president.

President Wright, known for his entrepreneurial spirit and sound business practices, has guided the University’s growth and expansion, and helped to fulfill its mission to prepare graduates to live, work, and learn as active members of a global society.

HPU Today interviewed President Wright in his office at the University’s downtown Honolulu campus.

What milestones achieved during your presidency will become your legacy to HPU? One is the establishment of our endowment in 1980. The first year we raised $100,000, and we felt we had leapt an enormous hurdle.

Three years later we raised $1 million, and that was another remarkable achievement.

Today the current market value of the endowment is about $70 million.

Our merger with Hawai‘i Loa College in 1992 introduced new academic programs to the University, including nursing and natural sciences, and added a 130-acre residential campus on the windward side of O‘ahu.

Another milestone was our affiliation with Oceanic Institute (OI) in 2003. It allowed us to expand a small marine sciences program from Hawai‘i Loa into our natural sciences

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college. We are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, so that is a natural advantage for Hawai‘i. The OI affiliation allowed us to emerge as a comprehensive university, one involved not only in teaching but scholarly work and research too.

We also have an extensive military education program that began at Schofield Barracks in 1973 and has grown from less than 100 students to about 3,000 on the O‘ahu military installations and globally online. We have become the largest provider of education to the military of any university in Hawai‘i. Our military students take over 60 percent of their coursework online.

Significantly, HPU’s student population using GI Bill education benefits has increased from about 400 last fall to currently just over 1,200 students as a result of the Post 9-11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon program that became effective last year.

How do you perceive your legacy from the alumni standpoint?

There is great satisfaction in helping young people better their lives and careers. That is our business in higher education. Our alumni are global citizens. They have become civic and business leaders, and they have learned to adapt to the rapid changes in contemporary life. Our success is recognized through the success of our alumni.

I think it is significant that many of our alumni make a point of staying in touch with HPU. Of course, we do our best to keep connected through Alumni Association activities and the President’s Host for Life organization. But when I announced my retirement, I received dozens of e-mails from alums. They give me more credit than I deserve. It gives me a great feeling of pride and accomplishment when I consider that we have touched so many lives.

HPU acknowledges that our alumni are the future of the University, and we have committed to expanding our alumni engagement efforts.

What has been HPU’s impact in the Hawai‘i community?

We have established a strong private uni­ versity to complement the University of Hawai‘i. In the early years it was hard to sell the concept of a private college in the Islands.

But in higher education, plurality, free enter­ prise, and competition are embedded in American life. The competition has been good for everyone.

Building HPU would not have been possible without the help and support of a lot of individuals, corporations, and foundations.

One of my mentors was Robert E. Black, who was chairman of the board when I became president. Bob approached everything in a common-sense way, and that was a real advantage to me. Another mentor of mine was William E. Aull, chairman of the board from 1988 to 2009 when he passed away.

Bill was a can-do man with a passion for community service.

The list of donors is a long one, because so many have helped us to grow and make the changes we needed to make: Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, Atherton Family Foundation, Bank of Hawaii, Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, Samuel N. & Mary Castle Foundation, Henry Clark, Cooke Foundation, First Hawaiian Bank, Frear Eleemosynary Trust, McInerny Foundation, Strong Founda­ tion, HPU trustees Martin Anderson and Allen Zecha, and many others.

And I must mention Paul C.T. Loo, who was one of Hawai‘i Pacific’s founders. He was a great supporter of education. He joined our board and encouraged other members to think in a philanthropic way. Paul might have

had the single most positive effect on the culture of what is now HPU. One of his strongest beliefs was that you need to balance the technical side, or the business side, of your education with a cultural or creative side.

He was a visionary.

HPU has also had impact in the way we have responded to the needs of the local commu­ nity. Our health sciences, social work, and teacher education programs have filled gaps in their respective fields.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

There are two. One is helping to raise support from a generous donor community.

It allowed HPU to grow in our early years, and more recently, it is enabling us to make transformational changes in the way we fulfill our mission. Our donors have made it possible for us to recruit outstanding faculty, provide financial aid, and expand our facilities and programs.

But most important are our alumni, the more than 30,000 men and women who have benefited from HPU’s programs. Our alumni give me the greatest pride. They are why we exist, our raison d’etre.

In closing, what are your plans after retirement?

I look forward to doing some fly fishing, traveling, and reading. Also, I want to see the mission of HPU go forward, so I will be helping as a volunteer. We have added young people to our Board of Trustees, campaign committees, and advisory councils; with their leadership and guidance we are poised and ready for the future.

Above: HPU’s 40th anniversary celebration, September 2005, Fort Street Mall Right: William E. & Dawn G. Aull Award for Leadership recipient Travis Mount (B.A. Economics ’10); Robert E. Black Award for Excellence undergraduate recipient Daniyal Saud (B.A. International Studies ’10); and Robert E. Black Award for Excellence graduate recipient Gintare Janulaityte, pursuing M.A. in Diplomacy and Military Studies; and President Wright at the 2010 HPU Academic Awards Dinner

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The

Mysterious Life of Tangs getting from

Courtesy of Oceanic Institute

micro to Macro

[ ]

Above: Adult copepod with eggs Left: Yellow tang

At Hawai‘i Pacific University affiliate Oceanic Institute, students and interns learn aquaculture development from renowned research scientists.

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hile recycling, conserving water and electricity, and other sustainable actions can have a positive impact on the envi­ ronment, some HPU students and faculty are taking their contributions to a higher level by actively developing technologies that will provide solutions to world problems.

become polluted, the bountiful fish and thriving bird populations declining over time. He is a specialist in fish physiology, reproductive endocrinology, and environmental toxicology.

OI has successfully produced aquaculture technology for moi (Pacific threadfin) and kahala (amberjack), enabling Hawai‘i companies to produce disease- and parasite-free fish for the food industry while sparing their wild cousins. But ornamentals’ small size makes them a greater challenge. “Whole suites of coral reef fish could not be reared with existing methods,” says Laidley.

“Our job is to develop more environmentally sustainable tech­ nologies for rearing them in captivity.”

At HPU’s affiliate Oceanic Institute (OI), for example, student interns earn academic credit while learning from research scientists to perform tasks involved in the development of aquaculture technologies. The hands-on experience is not only stimulating, but might give them an edge in the job market and may even save them some looking. Several HPU students who started as interns at OI are now staff members helping with the research and routines involved in culturing ornamental fish.

The Right Conditions

Affiliate HPU professor Charles Laidley, Ph.D., director of OI’s finfish department, is leading his team, which includes several HPU students, in developing the means to breed and rear two high-demand species of ornamentals, yellow tang and flame angelfish. Laidley, who grew up on the Ontario shores of the Great Lakes, was drawn to science after watching their waters

Courtesy of Oceanic Institute

According to OI, more than 30 million tropical reef fish are captured for sale to marine aquarium hobbyists each year. Many of these fish are from Southeast Asia, however, most commercially sold yellow tangs originate in Hawai‘i.

Flame angelfish and yellow tangs feature completely different spawning patterns. Flame angelfish form small harems (two to four fish per harem) in the wild and can spawn 365 days a year.

Yellow tangs, in contrast, live in groups and tend to spawn primarily with the cycle of the full moon. Currently, OI has 24 pairs of flame angels in separate tanks, and 100 yellow tangs living in larger groups.

Fish only procreate under the right conditions. “You have School of captive reared flame angelfish juveniles

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Right: Scanning electron micrograph of newly hatched copepod nauplius

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Far right: Scanning electron micrograph of adult copepod

to have the right tank size, lighting, temperatures, and correct ratio of males to females,” says Chad Callan, Ph.D., finfish department research scientist and adjunct HPU professor.

“Even then, sometimes the eggs they produce don’t get fertilized or develop normally.” Callan, who began his work in broodstock nutrition to improve egg quality, is now working in the hatchery, researching the larval stages of fish.

When the eggs hatch, the surviving larvae are reared by the early development team, including HPU Master of Science in Marine Science (MSMS) student Melissa Carr. Carr, previously worked in California’s biotechnology industry before moving to Hawai‘i

“As a graduate student, I’m fortunate to already have the job I want. Aquaculture research, especially with new species, allows me to explore, modify, and try new things.” Melissa Carr

to focus on marine biology.

She first interned at Sea Life Park before becoming a full-time emplo­yee with OI while also pursuing her master’s degree with HPU. She will graduate after completing her thesis research, examining early development and first-feeding of yellow tang larvae.

“As a graduate student, I’m fortunate to already have the job I want,” she says.

“Aquaculture research, especially with new species, allows me to explore, modify, and try new things.”

When ornamental fish eggs hatch in the wild, the tiny eye-less, mouth-less larvae drift with the ocean currents, nourished by their yolk sac for the first few days.

Once the yolk is gone, they must eat immediately or they will die.

In the ocean, a majority of them will die, prey to larger organisms in the food chain. In captivity, their odds are better if researchers can provide the correct food before they exhaust their yolk supply. But identifying a nutritious, live food source small enough for ornamentals’ tiny mouths is the current bottleneck in the entire ornamental aquaculture process.

OI has succeeded in breeding and rearing several dozen flame angelfish in captivity and is now aiming to increase production.

The yellow tangs are another story. They have proven very difficult to spawn in captivity. In addition, their size has been a major hurdle. “Due to their extremely small mouth size, the yellow tang larvae are very difficult to rear,” says Carr. “Most research to date has been on adult tangs and their population dynamics, so the specifics of the larval yellow tang are largely unknown.”

(Continued on page 8)

Right (from left): Charles Laidley, Ph.D.; Master of Science in Marine Science student Melissa Carr; and Chad Callan, Ph.D.

Courtesy of Oceanic Institute

Below: Flame angelfish larvae at 15 days old

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“If we can learn to use aquaculture the way we use agriculture, we can feed the world, take the stress off the natural environment, and stop depleting the ocean’s fisheries.” Gwen Wedow Life Under the Microscope

Master of Science in Marine Science student Dean Kline (B.S. Marine Biology ’08)

OI seems to have made a breakthrough using a specific species of copepod, tiny crustaceans that, under a microscope, look something like shrimp. A subgroup of zoo or animal plankton, copepod species number in the tens-of-thousands.

Dean Kline (B.S. Marine Biology ’08), an OI employee and HPU MSMS student, is breeding a species so small that 500,000 of them in a small glass of seawater appear as a brownish haze.

Kline says the world’s largest copepods, living deep in the Arctic, are about three quarters of an inch in length, but most are between 1 and 5 millimeters—so small, you would never suspect they are all around you when you swim in the ocean. The species he is culturing is 0.5 millimeters, like a speck of dust.

Even-tinier nauplii (newly hatched copepods), proved to be an ideal first food for flame angelfish. So far, the yellow tang larvae have had mixed results feeding on copepod nauplii and eggs, but it is a start.

Undergraduate marine biology student Gwen Wedow

Oceanic Institute

Celebrating 50 Years H

awai‘i Pacific University affiliate, Oceanic Institute (OI), kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration with an employee beach cleanup at Kaupo Beach Park in July. The employees who took part in the successful cleanup each pledged to maintain 50 yards, representing 50 years of research and innovation at OI. The event was the first in a series under the “Adopt-the-Beach” program OI is employing to manage its neighboring beach.

“As a marine research organization, the health of the ocean and its beaches is close to our heart, and we look forward to developing more community initiatives such as this one as we move into our next 50 years,” says Anthony C. Ostrowski, Ph.D., OI president.

www.oceanicinstitute.org

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OI was founded in 1960 as an institution for marinebased education, science, and industry. Originally part of the Oceanics Foundation, which also included Sea Life Park and the Makai Pier, OI became a separate entity in 1972, and joined HPU as an affiliate in 2003.

Today, OI plays an important role in the development of commercial aquaculture technologies to help resolve world food problems and preserve the ocean and its inhabitants. The HPU affiliation with OI enhances the University’s position as a global leader in coastal marine science research and education.

To have enough eggs and copepod nauplii available when needed, OI researchers must get the copepods to multiply abundantly in limited space approximating that available in most commercial aquaculture faci­lities, no easy task. According to Kline, copepods reproduce well at one adult per milliliter of water, but at two per milliliter female fertility decreases. Do they crowd each other? Use up the food supply? Send out pheromones? It is detective work on a microscopic level.

A Fish Farmer, An Environmentalist

HPU alumnus Richard Xie knows business and conservation are not mutually exclusive.

And the copepods must eat, too. Zooplankton eat phyto (plant) plankton— microalgae. Phytoplankton are the first link in the marine food chain and, through photosynthesis, produce most of the world’s oxygen, more than the rainforests.

HPU student and part-time OI employee Gwen Wedow is helping to cultivate multiple phytoplankton species: including two specific ones currently used to feed copepods, along with other algaes for feeding zooplankton.

“Single-cell organisms are oddly compli­ cated,” Wedow says. “When the algae density is too low, the light shocks them and they die. At too high a density, they don’t get enough light and stop reproducing.” Starting with a test tube of an isolated species, she transfers the algae to gradually larger containers as the culture grows.

In time, methods will be developed for microalgae mass production—indoors to keep the plankton free from contamination and in a more controlled environment.

“It’s a mistake to underestimate life,” she says. “A jellyfish is mostly water and has no brain, but moves, feeds itself, and communicates. How? As a scientist, you keep asking.”

For her undergraduate thesis project, Wedow is culturing phytoplankton under LED lights, which produce the light they need with less heat build-up than fluorescent bulbs. She will complete her undergraduate degree in marine biology in the fall.

“If we can learn to use aquaculture the way we use agriculture, we can feed the world, take the stress off the natural environment, and stop depleting the ocean’s fisheries,” Wedow says.

The stakes are high and the challenges significant. However, she adds, “I have a burning feeling inside me that we’re going to make it happen.”

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n dark, moonless nights, Richard Xie (M.B.A. ’95) ventures out in a small boat to place top-lit, cone-shaped nets in the ocean.

Baby fish, attracted by the lights, mistake the nets for reefs and settle there. Later that night, he returns and takes the tiny ornamental fish to his warehouse to nurture them to market size. “It’s much more eco-friendly than normal capture methods,” Xie says.

In nature, juvenile fish are vulnerable to predators; with a small percentage surviving to adulthood. In Xie’s facility, 20 to 30 percent will live, he says, thereby sparing adult reef fish populations and helping to protect coral reefs. He raises various species of clownfish, damselfish, and angelfish at his aquaculture farm in China, and buys other species from Pacific islanders. These comprise the product line he exports to 27 countries.

Although Hawai‘i does not allow restock­ ing, Xie helps restock reefs in the Philippines, Pohnpei, and Christmas Island, while tirelessly promoting aquaculture and marine conservation. “We’re not just

Exporter and alumnus Richard Xie supplies HPU affiliate Oceanic Institute with yellow tang and flame angelfish brood stock

taking fish from the ocean. We’re also putting back,” he says.

His business, Hawaiian Sealife, Inc., has a strong education component, including teaching proper collection methods to divers who capture wild fish to sell.

“You can get a commercial diver’s license without any training,” Xie says.

“Divers unwittingly cause the most coral reef damage in their first two years of collecting fish. We hope to make training a global standard.”

Additionally, he works with international scientists on sustainable aquaculture projects, conducts group tours through the educational side of his facility, and offers marine camps for students.

In 2009, Xie was recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as state of Hawai‘i Small Business Exporter of the Year. He does not think banning wild fish capture altogether is a good idea.

“But if post-larval rearing evolves into an aquaculture industry, there will be no need for wild capture,” he says.

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ON C AMPUS

HPU Welcomes New Board of Trustees Members

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ames “Jim” A. Ajello, senior financial vice president, treasurer, and chief financial officer of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI), has been named to the Hawai‘i Pacific University Board of Trustees.

Prior to joining HEI, Ajello was the senior vice president of business development at Reliant Energy, Inc. where he led efforts to expand and grow competitive electricity markets across the United States.

He is the chairman of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Advisory Board and serves on the not-forprofit board of Enterprise Honolulu.

Ajello believes that HPU understands the issues of our community and is very

responsive to its needs. “I can’t imagine our community without the University,” he says.

As for HPU’s future, Ajello says, “HPU has dramatic expansion plans that will transform it. The University will need a great deal of financial expertise, and I hope that I can lend my efforts to making these plans a success.”

“HPU is here for the community so I should be here for the University,” he adds.

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He is a director of the Bank of the West and a member of its Audit and Investment and Loans committees.

Hewitt’s connection to HPU dates back to the 1970s when he was appointed the first adjunct accounting professor. In 2007, he established the Conrad W. Hewitt Accounting Fund Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship to assist junior or senior accounting majors.

onrad “Con” W. Hewitt, former chief accountant of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has been elected to the Hawai‘i Pacific University Board of Trustees.

Over the years Hewitt has watched the University expand its offerings with a wide range of educational opportunities. He views HPU as a leading higher education institution in an international setting.

“I am pleased to see the advancement and recognition of HPU,” he says.

Hewitt worked for Ernst & Young for 33 years, retiring as managing partner, North Bay area of California, in 1995.

“I wanted to continue to be more involved with the future of HPU, and one way to do this was to join HPU as a board trustee.”

HPU’s Dedication to Military Education Acknowledged

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he Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) Board honored Hawai‘i Pacific University with the 2010 Institution Award. This prestigious award was presen­ ted to HPU in recognition of its significant contributions to military education.

Robert Cyboron and Chatt G. Wright with the CCME 2010 Institution Award

says Amaya Davis, chairman of the Council of College and Military Educators 2010 Awards Committee.

HPU educates military-affiliated students at all O‘ahu military installations and globally through online courses. The University deli­ “In reviewing HPU’s nomination, the Board has decided to acknowledge HPU’s vers associate, bachelor, and master degree programs to the military community and dedication, leadership, and numerous offers scholarships to spouses of active duty accomplish­ments in providing quality, voluntary, off-duty education programs,” service members.

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Robert Cyboron, associate vice president for Off-Campus Programs, says, “HPU is proud to be recognized by the prestigious CCME Institution Award.”

“The need for a quality, flexible, integrated education has been evident to me since serving 26 years in the Navy,” he adds. “We pride ourselves on providing educational programs to our active duty military, their family members, veterans, and Department of Defense civilians.”

ON CAMPUS

Pappas Leadership Series

An Entrepreneur with a Conscience

Speaker Henk B. Rogers (sixth from left) with HPU students and faculty

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an running a successful business be profitable and environmentally responsible? For Henk B. Rogers, CEO of Blue Planet Software, Inc., and a visionary in the casual video game industry, nothing is more important than insuring the health and safety of our planet. An owner and founder of multiple businesses, Rogers brought Tetris into the United States and world markets. In 2007 he established Blue Planet Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding renewable energy solutions in Hawai‘i. Rogers has redirected his entrepreneurial passion toward the fight for renewable energy. During his presentation, “Games and Global Warming: A Vision for Doing Well and Doing Good,” part of the Pappas Entrepreneurial Leadership Series at Hawai‘i Pacific University, Rogers introduced five tips for making the most out of your life and having the smallest negative impact on the environment.

1) Never stop looking for what you want to do Take as many classes in as many different subjects as you possibly can. By learning about a variety of topics you open yourself to an ever-increasing amount of opportunities. If you box yourself into one mode of thinking or one skill you will not be able to adapt when the market changes. The world economy is in constant flux. Businesses and corporations need employees with a wide array of interests and abilities.

2) Do not accept the status quo Think outside of the box. Your ability to innovate and produce creative solutions will help you to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Truly revolutionary products are not made

by simply following what the last person has done. To be successful in any field you need to have the courage and will to promote different ideas and make your opinion heard.

3) Be the change “Make a change yourself,” Rogers tells those who want to know what they can do to protect the environment. The first step towards making a positive impact is taking responsibility for our everyday actions and choices. By choosing to recycle trash, buy a hybrid automobile, or install halogen light bulbs you can help Hawai‘i become a greener, more energy efficient place to live.

4) Leave the earth the way you found it If we have any hope of reversing the trends of climate change we must first decide not to contribute to the problem. Simple acts, such

as picking up litter at the beach or planting a tree, will help to maintain the delicate balance of nature. We cannot begin to improve our earth until we stop destroying it.

5) Plan, prepare, produce, participate, pau (finish) First, have a game plan. Before embarking on any journey you must know where you are going and how you plan on getting there. According to Rogers, “Life needs a mission statement.” Be ready for the trials and challenges of life by thinking ahead and preparing for the unexpected.

Second, show up. Do not arrive late, call in sick, or refuse to participate. The largest part of business and life is work. The effort and enthusiasm that you invest in your work will always be rewarded.

Finally, go home. When work is pau (done), make the trip home. Home may not be where you grew up or even where your family lives, but it is a place where you can get some rest, relaxation, and most importantly, perspective.

For Rogers, the last “p” is the most essential to leading a happy, fulfilling life.

Pappas Entrepreneurial Leadership Series Marilyn and Jim Pappas are the sponsors of the Entrepreneurial Series, which enables students to meet entrepreneurs and gain insights for developing entrepreneurial skills and the mindset essential for career success.

FALL 2010

11

ON CAMPUS

T

he Team USA All-Girl Cheer Team, which included Hawai‘i Pacific University cheerleaders Lauren Loeb, Emily Myers, Savanna Sibley, Heather Turner, Chelsey Kannan, Stephanie Bibby, Brittany Barry, and Ashley Lewis, took the first place world title at the 2010 International Cheer Union (ICU) World Championship.

Photo courtesy of Xtreme Shots Photography

The 24-member Team USA is comprised of cheerleaders from teams all across the United States. HPU cheerleaders were specifically chosen and invited to join Team USA for the ICU World Championships, which features top cheerleaders from more than 60 countries.

Photo courtesy of Brittany Barry

HPU Cheerleaders Propel Team USA All-Girl Cheer Team to World Title Immediately following the 2010 National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Alliance Championships, the HPU cheerleaders traveled to Georgia and practiced for two weeks prior to the ICU competition held on April 23 in Orlando, Florida.

HPU cheerleaders played a vital role in Team USA’s victory. As Team USA’s conten­ ders in the All-Girl Group Stunt competi­ tion, HPU’s All-Girl Stunt Group took first place. The stunt group consisted of Savanna Sibley, Emily Myers, Lauren Loeb, and Heather Turner.

CHEER & DANCE 26th Intercultural Day Circles the Globe CHAMPIONSHIPS

HPU’s

Cheer and Dance Teams brought home national titles at the 2010 National Cheer­leaders Association and National Dance Alliance Championships held in Daytona Beach, Florida in April. The HPU Large Co-Ed Cheer Team won its eighth straight title, and the HPU Partner Stunt Group and Open Stunt Group took first place. HPU Group Stunts placed second, third, and fourth throughout all national divisions. A second participating Open Stunt Group took third place. HPU mascot Sharky the Sea Warrior placed second overall. The All-Girl Cheer Team and Small Co-Ed Cheer Team placed third overall. The Dance Team won its fifth consecutive championship, totaling six titles overall. HPU Dance also placed first in the Hip-Hop category.

For more information about the HPU Cheer and Dance Teams, please visit www.hpu.edu/cheer or www.hpu.edu/dance.

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hpu today

T

he diversity and talent at Hawai‘i Pacific University was on full display at the 26th annual celebration of Intercultural Day, “See the World in a Day” held in April. The festivities on Fort Street Mall provided the HPU and external communities an opportunity to experience cultural tradi­tions from the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

“Intercultural Day is definitely the best event HPU offers because it truly reflects the diversity of cultures represented on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean,” says ICD Student Chair Anita Mutis Arcila, senior psychology and pre-medical studies major from Columbia and Germany.

“My function as chair has been to improve

communication and to bring to perfection the overall organization of the committee.”

Intercultural Day is a microcosm of today’s multicultural world. The international club booths, parade through downtown Honolulu, and live performances highlight HPU’s student body.

“So many groups come together to display their unique cultures, but the event also gives people the sense that we are all still part of one world,” adds Eugen Kamenew, an HPU student from Munich, Germany, who produced a video about the event for his multimedia course.

To view a list of awardees, photo gallery, and video, go to www.hpu.edu/intercultural.

ON CAMPUS

January Commencement HPU President Chatt G. Wright and Robert “Skipp” Orr, Ph.D., commencement speaker and Fellow of the Pacific Award recipient

What can

You

do

to Protect the

planet for the

Future?

Valedictory speakers Sara Ortiz (B.A. International Studies), Marcus Lewis (B.S.B.A. Marketing), and Cara Mizue (M.Ed. Secondary Education)

Purchase items that are

ECO-FRIENDLY and show your HPU SPIRIT! Take

20%

OFF

Items Featured in the Go Green Section of Our Web site through 10/31/10.

www.hpu.edu/gogreen Type “Go Green 2010” in the coupon code box at checkout to receive your discount.

FALL 2010

13

ON CAMPUS

HPU Alumna Jalee Fuselier Takes Miss Hawai‘i Crown

M

iss North Shore Jalee Fuselier (B.A. International Relations ’10) of Haleiwa was named Miss Hawaii June 12 at the 2010 Miss Hawaii Scholarship Pageant.

H

awai‘i Pacific University has opened the door to do-it-yourself food production at the newly constructed Aquaponics Facility at the Hawai‘i Loa campus.

Students and professors are working side-by-side in an effort to raise awareness in the realms of sustainable agriculture and resilient communities.

Aquaponics is the mutually beneficial cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a re-circulating environment. It is a sus­ tainable food production system that combines aquaculture (raising fish in tanks) and hydroponics (growing plants in a soil-less medium) so that both the fish and plants grow better.

The Aquaponics Facility utilizes an organic method whereby the fish water is relocated, using a sump pump (an external water pump and filtration unit) to a gravel-containing grow bed that allows for more nutritious plant growth. The gravel, plant roots, and

About Aquaponics: Uses less than 2% of the water that traditional farming does.

Eight to 10 times more vegetable production in the same area and time.

Fully scalable from backyard family systems to full commercial systems.

Pure, clean, and natural: can be USDA Certified Organic and Food Safety Certified.

Easy to learn and operate.

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hpu today

associated bacteria/algae filter the fish water and convert the toxic ammonia into natural plant fertilizers. The cleansed fish water is then recycled back to the fish tank.

“The water is flowing, the plants are growing, and the fish are swimming,” says Louis Primavera, Ph.D., pre-health professions coordinator and associate professor of microbiology. “Our Aquaponics Facility is home to tilapia fish, various herbs, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, watercress, tomatoes, cucumbers, and strawberries.”

In January the Aquaponics Facility harvested its first crop of Chinese cabbage and watercress. In March, lettuce, basil, arugula, sage and thyme were harvested. Primavera says, “We are trying to give people additional choices in terms of their diets by sharing these good-for-the-heart tasty treats.”

Primavera worked with HPU students from the Alpha Epsilon Delta National Honor Society, a national health pre-professional honor society, and the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society, to construct the facility.

As a research subcomponent at the Aqua­ ponics Facility, students will test the anti­ oxidant levels of grape tomatoes that are cultivated in various aquaponics water and sea water mixtures. “This is an excellent opportunity to show others how easy it is to be a part of sustainable agriculture projects,” says Emily Diedrich, a senior nursing major.

Langley Frissell, Ph.D., director of Distance Education, also helped with the project.

At the pageant, she also won Miss Photogenic and the Community Service Award. Fuselier’s platform is volunteer service. She said her motivation comes from her older sister, who has cerebral palsy.

“I’ve done 4,000 hours of community service, and my sister has done more than that,” she says. “If she can find something to give, we can all find something to give.”

She will compete in the 2011 Miss America Pageant on January 15.

“I gave time, advice, helped dig ditches, and built the greenhouse with the students,” Frissell says. “Our Aquaponics Facility is only step one… the best is yet to come.”

The Aquaponics Facility team is currently applying for funding so it can build another aquaponics complex at the site of the former Hawai‘i Loa Campus Wastewater Treatment Plant. The goal is to provide aquaponics produce, such as tilapia fish and vegetables, to the Hawai‘i Loa campus cafeteria.

For more information about the Aquaponics Facility, or Pre-Health Profession degree programs at HPU, contact Dr. Louis Primavera, lprimavera@hpu.edu.

Photo courtesy of Rick Bernico, Hawaii Profiles

A Bountiful and Sustainable Harvest at Hawai‘i Loa Campus

In addition to the pageant’s scholarship, Fuselier was awarded an HPU scholarship. After her year of serving as Miss Hawaii, she plans to return to HPU to pursue a master’s degree in social work.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Remembering an HPU Professor’s Impact

I

n September 2009, friends and colleagues of the late MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D., HPU associate professor of psycho­logy, gathered at the Hawai‘i Loa campus to reflect on her service to the University and her students. A tulip wood tree was planted in Jancovic’s memory near a table in a grassy area that overlooks the Ko‘olau mountains.

Originally from Chicago, she graduated from Vassar College and went on to receive her doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Clark University. Jancovic joined Hawai‘i Loa College (now HPU) in its early days.

“I still remember her for her awesome lectures but high expectations. She never put in less than what she expected from us,” says Terri Lee-Bautista (B.A. Social Science ’94). She was committed to service and believed it was an essential learning experience in the field of psychology. She encouraged students to integrate their personal experiences into what they learned. Jancovic remained dedicated to her Terri Lee-Bautista (B.A. Social Science ’94) students outside of the classroom, serving as a faculty mentor for the HPU chapter of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology.

“I still remember her for her awesome lectures but high expectations. She never put in less than what she expected from us.”

Outside of HPU, Jancovic volunteered her time at Pohai Nani, a retirement community, playing the piano every week at their spiritual service. She also was a clinical psychologist, seeing patients every Saturday for several hours.

Jancovic is remembered for her professionalism, dedication, and service to others. As an HPU professor she was able to reach out to many students and positively impact their educational and professional lives. HPU Today profiles a few of her former students.

Tabitha Carreira; Nancy Hedlund, Ph.D., HPU associate vice president of planning and assessment and professor of psychology; and Irina Kobzar at the 4th annual HPU Psychology Conference

Psychology Award Honors MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D.

T

he MerryAnn Jancovic Award in Psychology was established in 2010 by Joanne and Terry Schultz and Diane and Jeffrey Kuta to honor their sister and sister-in-law, the late MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D., who passed away in April 2009. The award recognizes undergraduate students majoring in psychology who demonstrate the highest principle of service.

Irina Kobzar and Tabitha Carreira are the award’s first recipients.

Irina is a junior and has tutored children at a homeless shelter, is an active member in the HPU Psychology Club, and serves as the public relations director for HPU’s Student Government Association.

Tabitha is a senior and has volun­ teered with the American Diabetes Association, participated in a Mexico outreach trip with Christian Charters, Inc., and is a master English tutor at the HPU Center for Academic Success.

“Receiving this award encourages me to keep moving forward with my education and career so that I may have more opportunities to touch people as Dr. Jancovic did,” says Tabitha.

“Knowing that Dr. Jancovic was so dedicated to her students and her patients, and that she wanted to award a student, particularly for service, makes me understand the importance of [service] even more,” adds Irina.

If you wish to contribute to the Jancovic Award Fund, go to www.hpu.edu/onlinegift.

(Continued on page 16)

FALL 2010

15

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Remembering Dr. Jancovic

(Continued from page 15)

Robert Bright (B.A. Human Services ’01) After various life travels, Robert Bright decided it was time to fulfill his dream of completing a college edu­cation and came to Hawai‘i Pacific University as an adult student. He took psychology courses and focused on learning more about human behavior and communi­ cation.

Committed to helping people through a spiritual path, he found a kindred spirit in MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D. When Robert was considering graduate programs, he wanted to complete a master’s degree at the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland. His plan was to attend a little known school and study in a program that had little future for employment, directed by a brilliant theologian who was deemed radical by most. Jancovic, who knew the theologian’s work, was excited in her support for the alternative education path he proposed to travel.

Robert recalls his studies at HPU as pivotal learning experiences. They trans­formed his vision of how he could learn and advance his vision for his work. An experience of lasting dimensions was Jancovic’s classroom assignment to write an autobiography spanning from birth to death and integrating principles of developmental psychology. “It was a great way to review my life and to project the future that I desired.”

Robert returned to Hawai‘i and began working with people in both formal and informal ways. He currently works at Bristol Hospice, LLC in Honolulu as a bereavement coordinator, providing spiritual care and learning opportunities

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hpu today

to individuals and families facing life and end-of-life challenges. He also leads and participates in healing groups and workshops offered through his church, and serves as a minister performing marriages for visitors to Hawai‘i.

Chrisanne Christensen, Ph.D. (B.A. ’83) Chrisanne Christensen, Ph.D., came to Hawai‘i Loa College (now HPU) from Houston, Texas, the same year that MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D., began teaching. She came to Hawai‘i because it was a new place where she would not be known. “And I have always wanted to go where there were opposites,” she says.

“I was the only Texan at Hawai‘i Loa.” In her senior year, Chrisanne made crucial decisions about her future and went on to study for her master’s degree and doctorate at Walden University in Arkansas. The love of teach­ ing that started with her own positive experience at Hawai‘i Loa has carried Chrisanne through several encounters with the opposites she loves, from returning to Texas, to conducting research in Maine, to her current teaching and research position as associate professor of psychology at Southern Arkansas University. Jancovic’s wonderful love of people defined her teaching and gave Chrisanne a powerful model that has guided her from day one. “It was important to me to see a young woman with a Ph.D. stand in front of the classroom and be a teacher.”

When Chrisanne began teaching in Texas, she connected students with the community by founding a community collaborative. She received a $1 million grant to address community infrastructure needs in technology services and

training. In 2001, she was honored for her service as one of three recipients of the first Paul C.T. Loo Distinguished Alumni award. In the years since, she has received multiple grants to foster action learning and faculty leadership and engagement in experiential learning.

She expects her students to be positive agents for social change who know that the smallest thing they do can influence a large number of people.

Ki‘i Kimhan, Ph.D. (B.A. Psychology ‘01) By the time Ki‘i Kimhan, Ph.D., was a senior at HPU, her commitment to pursue a career in psychology was clearly established.

Her hard work and preparation paid off when she was accepted to the doctoral program in psycho­logy at the Uni­versity of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

“I was always interested in children and families,” she says, “but graduate school opened up exciting opportunities.”

Ki‘i’s next step was an internship in Florida where she learned how to effec­tively provide clinical services to children while simultaneously addressing policy approaches to meet the needs of a community or state. During her post­ doctoral work in Colorado’s Division of Behavioral Health, now Division of Mental Health, she continued to work in evaluation research, policy development, and administration.

“HPU was a major strength for me in my path into psychology. It made psychology personal,” she says. “I had a lot of courses with Dr. Jancovic, such as abnormal psychology and gender issues, and every class was lively and interesting.”

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Ki‘i’s career has taken her to the mainland, home to Hawai‘i, and back to the mainland in roles that have extended her expertise beyond traditional clinical psychology practice. A brief period of work in policy development and administration of services with Hawai‘i’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division was followed by a move to Denver, Colorado, where she has married and settled into a new position as the research and evaluation manager for the Colorado State Child Welfare Division.

“I’m still working with the mental health needs of children and families,” she says, “but I’m excited to be learning about a new context and how to apply things I have learned to this new situation.”

Shawna Ledward, Psy.D. (B.A. Humanities ’94) Shawna Ledward, Psy.D., came to Hawai‘i Loa College (now HPU) knowing psycho­ logy was her chosen path. Courses with MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D., made it come to life. “I took every class she offered,” says Shawna.

Shawna completed a master’s degree in psychology at San José State University before committing to doctoral study in Hawai‘i at the American School of Professional Psycho­logy, Argosy University. Following an internship in generalist clinical experience where she worked with different age groups undergoing various life challenges, she worked at a girls’ group home. Shawna completed her postdoctorate work in the Child and Adolescent/Family Psychology Service at Tripler Army Medical Center which fulfilled the qualifications for professional licensure.

Realizing her dream, she started a private practice on O‘ahu with her husband who is also a psychologist. She describes psycho­logy as a way to serve people experiencing challenging times. She says it may sound simple to speak of walking with people to share their pain, but psychologists have the humbling opportunity to help people when life becomes difficult. The reality of this gift is a deep and personal form of helping people make peace with life challenges, disappointments, and losses.

“It is less important what a person’s problem seems to be and much more important to share in who the person is and how each person is engaging with their life situation,” she says in explaining how clinical psycho­logy works. “Your studies teach you how to support a person as he or she learns a new way to approach life. Your practice provides a space in which coaching or parenting makes it possible to learn new ways to address problems.”

Vivian Allison Shelton, Psy.D. (B.A. Social Sciences ’90) Vivian Shelton, Psy.D., was interested in psycho­logy since high school, but it was not until she started courses with MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D., that it became her major. When she graduated from high school, she thought about becoming a chef, but instead she chose to attend Hawai‘i Loa College (now HPU) when her parents insisted she pursue a college education. The decision to major in psychology changed her life.

While looking for student employment, Jancovic invited Vivian to work for her group psychology practice as an office assistant. Vivian learned about professionalism, running a business, the role of a psychologist, and patient care from an office standpoint. The following summer, on further advice from Jancovic, she worked as a summer counselor at a group home for troubled teens, taking the next step in deepening her commit­ment to caring for others through psychology.

Vivian continued on her path through other work opportunities and graduate school, ultimately finishing her doctorate in Hawai‘i at the American School of Professional Psychology, Argosy University. Following postdoctoral work and completion of her disser­tation, Vivian married and lived in Central Asia for a number of years.

She recently returned to the United States to live on the East Coast with her husband and three children. She resumed work as a clinical psychologist in a group practice where she works with many different age groups and various clinical challen­ges.

Therapeutic work with children and youth continues to be her greatest passion, but she is also involved in family therapy and participates in team care for people going through medical treatments such as bariatric surgery.

Friends and colleagues planted a tulip wood tree in memory of MerryAnn Jancovic, Ph.D., at the Hawai’i Loa campus in September 2009.

FALL 2010

17

UNIVERSIT Y FRIENDS

In Memoriam:

Robert Paul Dye

H

awai‘i Pacific University fondly remembers Bob Dye, an HPU trustee from 1979 to 1991, who passed away on February 5.

In 2003, Dye established the HPU Kamakia Scholarship in memory of his wife Tessa Gay Kamakia Dye. The scholarship is awarded annually to assist adult students who demonstrate perseverance toward their goals and continuing education.

“My father believed that learning is one of the most important things in life,” says Stephen Dye, Ph.D., HPU professor of physics. “He encouraged all of his children to pursue the highest levels of education.”

As a newspaper editorial columnist and a radio news commentator, he was known for his straightforward language. He wrote political and historical articles and published books about Hawaiian history, including Merchant Prince of the Sandalwood Mountains: Afong and the Chinese

Bob Dye with 2007–08 and 2008–09 Kamakia Scholarship recipient Jose Lim (B.A. Justice Administration ’09) at the University’s Academic Awards Dinner.

in Hawai‘i, a book about Chun Afong, considered Hawai‘i’s first Chinese millionaire and ancestor of Dye’s late wife.

City Ballet, the People’s Open Market, and the Model Cities program, which helped to fight poverty in the Islands.

Dye taught American studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in the 1960s.

He then joined the former Honolulu Mayor, the late Frank Fasi, as executive assistant. Under the Fasi administration, Dye is credited with organizing the Honolulu

HPU President Chatt G. Wright says, “Bob made many valuable contributions to HPU over the years, and the University and our students benefit because of it.

On behalf of the HPU ‘ohana, I extend sincere condolences to the Dye family.”

Martin and Illie Anderson Endowed Award for Scholar Athletes Presented

HPU

soccer players Isaiah Guth and Katrina Torres received the inaugural Martin and Illie Anderson Endowed Award for Scholar Athletes at the annual HPU Athletics Awards Banquet held on May 3.

The prestigious University award was esta­ blished by HPU Trustee Martin Anderson, who was inspired by his experience as a scholar athlete at Stanford University in the 1940s. The scholarship is to be presented annually to HPU student athletes who demonstrate the highest standards of leadership, athletic performance, sports­ manship, and academic achievement.

Anderson believes, “An education that includes an athletic component is likely to improve an individual’s appreciation of team effort, competition, and physical

well-being. Understanding the strength of a team effort is important on and off the field.”

Guth graduated from Kamehameha Schools-Kapālama, where he earned Hawai‘i All-State Honors in boys soccer in 2005. Guth is a finance major who coaches describe as a natural leader and an unselfish teammate. Off-campus, he volunteers his time with the Wesley Foundation feeding the homeless, holding events for underprivileged children, and organizing community outreach programs. Guth’s career goal is to become an investor and start a business.

Torres graduated from Cibola High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she was a three-sport athlete.

She is a pre-medical studies major and is characterized as mature and intelli­gent, with a great sense of humor and an easy going spirit. Torres has done volunteer work promoting cancer awareness, assisting handicapped children, coaching young athletes, reading to the elderly, and tutoring at-risk adolescents in the youth correctional facility.

Her future plans include staying involved in the community and treating those who do not have access to medical care.

Photos by Dayne Teves, D-Tech Hawaii

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hpu today

HPU Wins PacWest Commissioner’s Cup I “This was won through the dedication and tireless efforts of our coaches and over 200 student-athletes,” commented HPU Athletics Director Darren Vorderbruegge. “This is an especially impressive achievement given the increased competition we have in our conference.”

HPU won three PacWest titles this season: women’s basketball and softball, and men’s baseball. This was the fourth consecutive PacWest title for the softball team and the second title for the baseball team

in three years. The Lady Sea Warrior basketball team won its first title in program history.

Four HPU head coaches were also honored as PacWest coach of the Year for their respective sports: Jeff Harada (women’s basketball), Michele Nagamine (women’s soccer), Bryan Nakasone (softball), and Garett Yukumoto (baseball). Addi­ tionally, HPU Sports Information Director John Barry was selected as the PacWest Conference Sports Information Director of the Year.

“HPU had a phenomenal year in the PacWest,” praised PacWest Commissioner Bob Hogue. “For the second time in three years, the title was won on the last day of competition which shows how competitive our conference is and how well HPU performed.”

Tony Sellitto Honored

H

awai‘i Pacific University awarded its highest accolade, the Fellow of the Pacific Award, to Tony Sellitto, who retired this past season as head coach of the men’s basketball team. Sellitto received the award in recognition of his achievements and contributions to HPU, and his role as a sports ambassador for the state of Hawai‘i.

Sellitto, a living legend in Hawai`i athletics, coached more than 40 years at the high school and collegiate levels, including 16 years at HPU as both athletics director and coach.

In 1993, his team won the NAIA National Title, Hawaii’s first and only collegiate basketball championship.

Commissioner Hogue presents the award to President Wright at the HPU Athletics Banquet held on May 3.

All-Decade Women’s Volleyball Team Named

T

he Hawai‘i Pacific Univer­ sity Athletics department named the Women’s Volleyball All-Decade Team, selected by the sports infor­ mation directors at HPU from 2000-2009. Alumna Debbie de Sant’Anna-Miller was voted Player of the Decade, and student Tricia Yoshimura was named the Defensive Specialist of the Decade.

“We are grateful to each of them along with the many other tremendous young ladies who have established the championship tradition of Sea Warrior volleyball,” commented President Chatt G. Wright.

Named to the team were Flavia Brakling (B.A. ’06), Flavia Gabinio (B.A. ’01, M.A. ’04), Susy Garbelotti (B.S.B.A. ’05), Nadica Karleusa (B.S.B.A. ’06), Barbara (Martin) Muser (B.S.N. 09), Vera (Oliveira) Albieri (B.A. ’06), Roberta Robert (B.S.W. ’04),

Photo by Dave Eggen, Inertia

n the third year of the award’s existence, Hawai‘i Pacific University won the Pacific West Conference Commissioner’s Cup. The Cup ranks the top athletics program in the Conference based on the finishes of each team in their respective sport.

Photo by Dayne Teves, D-Tech Hawaii

SEA WARRIOR SPORTS

Debbie de Sant’Anna-Miller (B.A. ’00), Nia Tuitele (B.A. ’06), Andrea Wean (B.A. ’03), and Tricia Yoshimura, pursuing B.S.B.A. Also recognized was the 2000 HPU Team as Team of the Decade. The 2000 Sea Warriors won the NCAA National Championship and are arguably one of the top Division II teams in NCAA history.

Photo by Dayne Teves, D-Tech Hawaii

FALL 2010

19

CL ASS LINKS @ denotes that the person is listed on the HPU Alumni Global Network e-directory.

1976

After graduating from Hawai‘i Loa College (now HPU), Charles Garnier, Ph.D., (B.A.) returned to Tahiti where he worked in the department of agriculture until 1982. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, awarded him an M.S. in agriculture in 1984. University of Hawai‘i awarded him a Ph.D. in 1988. He is head of the Agricultural Research Department for the government of Tahiti.

1994

@ Leon Colucci (B.A. Communication) is the majority owner of Arsenal Contracting LLC, a service-disabled veteran-owned business which specializes in construction and demolition.

In the past two years, they have completed contracts at federal facilities throughout New York, including the Veteran Administration Medical Center in Buffalo.

Sid Seman (B.S.B.A.) is the director of personnel for the office of personnel management for the Northern Mariana Islands. He is responsible for more than 4,000 employees.

@ Jon Kiester (B.A. History) was named assistant coach of the University of Hawai‘i women’s soccer team. Jon spent five seasons as the head coach at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, formerly known as the University of Missouri-Rolla.

1987

1996

1978

After enjoying over 45 years of working and nine years of volunteer service at the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Young Kim (B.S. Computer Science) is in her seventh year of retirement. She really enjoys her life in Hawai‘i.

1990

@ After being a hotelier in Jakarta, Indonesia, for many years, Ramdhi Hilman (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management) started PT Hilman Hotel Development in August 2009.

1991

@ Huiping Yan (B.S.B.A. Accounting) has been promoted to chief financial officer at Home Inns, an economy hotel chain in China. Huiping, a corporate finance and accounting industry veteran, joined Home Inns in July 2009. Previously, she spent 11 years at General Electric Company in the U.S. and Asia.

hpu today

1997

@ Smartronix, Inc. in Hollywood, Maryland, promoted Laurell Aiton (M.A. Human Resources Management) to vice president of human resources and corporate relations this past spring.

@ Elif (Akaslan) Erboke (M.A. Human Resource Management) has been the talent development human resource business partner for Cadbury PLC in Istanbul, Turkey, for the past year. @ Minna-Mari Lehti (B.S.B.A. International Business ’94, M.B.A. Finance) joined the Hawaii Dental Service management team as director of compliance. Minna-Mari @ Milomir Ognjanovic (B.S.B.A. International Business ’94, M.B.A.) and his family relocated to Chicago this spring where he will serve as the economic diplomat of the Republic of Serbia in the United States with the Serbian consulate. @ Joes Riady (M.B.A. Finance) is the sole distributor of TOTAL Lubricant Company for eastern Indonesia. @ LCDR Mary Ann Swendsen (M.A. Human Resource Management) is the Coast Guard liaison officer and maritime intelligence detachment chief at the El Paso Intelligence Center in Texas.

20

Investiture of Andrew (’97) to the Most Venerable Order by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Singapore, October 2009.

Dr. Varner with Ku‘ualoha @ Helen Varner, Ed.D., former dean of communication at HPU, and her husband met with Ku‘ualoha (Taylor) Campbell (B.A. Communication) in San Diego, where Ku‘ualoha is the chief meteorologist for the Fox television affiliate.

Heads up European Dr. Varner fans! The Varners are planning a May 2011 trip to Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway; more information to come. @ Azita Abdul Jabbar (B.A. Teaching English as a Second Language ’94, M.A. Human Resource Management) is a member of the production team involved in eLearning project management at Malaysia’s PETRONAS induction program for new executives. She is also involved with the corporate community service program, teaching English to children.

@ Sentot Lasiyanto (B.S.B.A. Computer Information Systems) is the operations executive for the Hotel Borobudur in Jakarta, Indonesia. @ The last quarter of 2009 was exciting for Andrew Tay (B.S.B.A. International Business, minor in Travel Industry Management).

In October, Andrew was admitted as a serving brother to the Most Venerable Order by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The investiture ceremony was held at Eden Hall by His Excellency Paul Madden, British High Commissioner to Singapore.

On December 22, Andrew married Alicia Sok at ONE°15 Marina Club in Singapore.

(Photos above and opposite top)

1998

@ Major Edward Besta (B.A. Human Resource Development) is serving overseas as a communications and information officer assigned to the U.S. Forces Japan staff. His duties include coordinating with the Japan Ministry of Defense and the Japan Joint Staff on communication plans and issues supporting U.S. and Japan bilateral and treaty agreements. @ Nick Jonow (B.S.B.A.) joined forces with a few friends and an Australian IT company in 2009 to form Hotel Agent, an independent hotel search engine.

Unlike other hotel booking Web sites, which manage room inventory and negotiate their own bulk rates, Hotel Agent

2003

@ Since 2007, Kendra Byrd (B.S. Biology) has worked in the Peace Corps for the True Vine Team Ministries in Eastern Uganda, which operates a small clinic, an orphan support program, primary school, and a widow’s support program. With donations from friends and family in the U.S., Kendra installed nine computers with educational software and videos.

@ Major Ned Holt (M.A. Diplomacy and Military Studies) was the featured speaker for the 91st annual Veterans Day Banquet in his hometown of Fulton, Missouri. Ned is a career U.S. Army officer and is attending the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Marriage of Andrew to Alicia in Singapore, December 2009.

works as a “meta search engine” for the hotel industry. www. hotelagent.org

1999

@ Francis Ngetich (M.A. Orga­ nizational Change) married Jennifer Schleck at Ko Olina Beach on April 2. Both are from Bloomington, Minnesota.

@ Matthew Dorey (A.S. Management) has been appointed the southeast territory sales manager for Milestone Systems, an open platform company in IP video management software.

2000

Yuki Moromizato (B.S.B.A. Management ’99, M.B.A Marketing) has been promoted to president of U denim & life in Okinawa, Japan. www.udenim.com

2001

@ The Gas Company has appointed Mustafa “Moose” Demirbag (M.B.A.) as the general manager for Maui County. His responsibilities include overseeing gas operations for Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and Maui islands. @ Yulianti (Julie) Handojo (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management) celebrated her fourth anniversary as an accountant at JP Morgan Chase in Columbus, Ohio. She plans on taking her CPA exam later this year. @ Jae Hee Lee (M.S.I.S.) returned home to the Republic of Korea in 2008 and is working as an English teacher at the GwanAk Middle School in Seoul.

Kari & Robert Jim & Clarisse @ Clarisse (Eguchi) Chisum (B.A. Human Resource Development ’01, M.A. Human Resource Management) married Jim Chisum on November 15, 2009, in the Washington, D.C. area.

Jennifer & Francis

2002

@ Kimberly Guyer (M.A. Human Resource Management, Certificate in Organizational Change) recently became the assistant dean for student affairs at the School of Communications and Theater at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

She oversees academic advising, study abroad, and student professional development for all undergraduate students within the school. She also teaches a senior seminar course, which focuses on career development in the communications major. In her free time, she works on her dissertation towards an Ed.D. in Higher Education Management at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. @ Nathalie Parkvall (B.A. Journalism) was hired as a communication strategist in digital media at Gothia Förlag in Stockholm, Sweden, in April. Gothia Förlag publishes health, medicine, and social work books.

@ Aqua Hotels and Resorts in Honolulu announced the promotion of Karishma Chowfin (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management) to sales manager.

She handles local and North American sales efforts.

@ It has been a busy year for Kari Kolton-Zajackowski (B.S. Marine Biology). She married Robert Zajackowski on May 30, 2009, in Wisconsin. On June 12, they had a sunrise ceremony at Sandy Beach in Honolulu.

Kari has been working at the Reiman Aquarium at Discovery World for four years, two as the assistant curator. Kari writes that last summer, Reiman Aqua­ rium hired Connie (Krause) Furlough (B.S. Marine Biology ’06) and it is fun to chat about Hawai‘i and HPU.

2004 Sasha & Julius @ Sasha Francispillai (M.B.A.) and Julius Reimann (M.B.A.) got married on October 9, 2009, in Canada. The couple met in Hawai‘i in September 2002 when they were enrolled in HPU’s M.B.A. program. Alumni attending the wedding were Johnathan Williams (M.B.A. ’04), Tina Helmer (M.B.A. ’03), Javier Garza (M.S.I.S. ’03), D’Artagnan Heath (B.S.B.A. ’02, M.B.A. ’03), and Salam Rasoul (M.B.A. ’03).

A second celebration was held in Germany on October 24, which Johnathan also attended.

Naomi Jane @ Jared (B.A. Public Relations), Danielle (B.A. Environmental Science, minor in Writing) (Yadisernia) Dolan, and threeyear-old daughter, Victoria Lani, welcomed the arrival of Naomi Jane on March 23.

FALL 2010

21

@ Rie Takamasu (M.A. Com­ mu­nication) and her family opened café de moza in April in Komono, a rural area of Mie prefecture in Japan. The casual French-Japanese café serves healthy and organic plates. www.cafedemoza.com

2010 SmallBiz Success Awards in the Best New Business cate­ gory. 808 Bounce LLC specializes in inflatable bouncers and slide rentals on O‘ahu and operates the Indoor Fun Centers at Windward Mall and Pearlridge Center.

2005

@ After graduating, Dusty Wetton (B.A. International Relations) held an internship at the State Department Foreign Service Institute in Washington, D.C., then worked at GEICO in Poway, California. He then went to law school at California Western School of Law in San Diego and graduated in January.

2007 Ngoc & Tommy @ Ngoc Luong (B.S.B.A. Marketing) and Tommy Pham were married in a civil ceremony at San Francisco City Hall on January 10. They plan to have a formal wedding in October.

2006

@ Correction in the valedictory speakers’ feature in the spring issue: Florian Rouch (M.A. Teaching English as a Second Language) is a flight attendant for easyJet Airline in France.

Sandra with Dr. Agrusa @ Jerry Agrusa, Ph.D., professor of travel industry management, connected with Sandra Doerfer (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management). Sandra is in the elevator management program at the Hilton Abu Dhabi Hotel in United Arab Emirates. She is working for the general manager on a project that includes the opening of a coffee shop and smoothie bar. @ Neva Keres (M.B.A.) joined the Peace Corps and her first assignment will be in the Ukraine.

Paul @ 808 Bounce LLC, founded in 2007 by Paul (B.S.B.A. Manage­ ment) and Emmanuelle (Basset) Sailor (B.A. Advertising and Communication ’01), was recognized by Hawaii Business magazine as a finalist of the

22

hpu today

@ Florian Neugart (M.B.A.) returned home to Germany following graduation and started a business. Oh!Chapeau creates trucker mesh caps and acrylic paintings tailored to individual wishes and ideas. www.ohchapeau.com

2008

@ Elliott Collins (B.S.B.A. Public Administration) graduated from the Army National Guard Officer Candidate School and has been assigned as a chemical officer. He has started graduate studies in public administration through Norwich University.

Neil & Sharon @ Sharon (Manibog) (B.S.B.A. Finance ’05, M.B.A.) and Neil Santiago (M.S.I.S. student) were married on June 27, 2009, in Honolulu. @ Bryan (A.S. Management ’03, B.S.B.A. Management) and Samantha Smith (B.A. Human Resource Development ’03) are stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Bryan is deployed overseas for his third tour. Samantha completed her Master of Science degree from Kansas State University in 2006, and is completing coursework towards teacher certification. They are the proud parents of Matthew.

Matthew (right) @ Leilani Soon (B.A. Teaching English as a Second Language, minor Communication) and Janelle Wong, a student in the HPU Nursing program, won top honors at the annual Miss Chinatown Hawai‘i Festival. Leilani was selected as Miss Hawai‘i Chinese and traveled to San Francisco to compete in the national Miss Chinatown USA Pageant in February. Janelle won the title of Miss Chinatown Hawai‘i.

Left to right: Claudia, Janice, and Juergen @ Juergen Gross (M.B.A.), alumni chapter coordinator for Germany, visited Honolulu with his wife, Claudia Wagner (M.B.A.). They raved about Ha Long Noodle House, owned and operated by Janice Nguyen (M.B.A. Finance ’07). @ Albert Olsson (B.A. Visual Communication) was the director of East Wind, Rain, a video created by the corporate and documentary video class at HPU. The documentary was selected as a 2010 Pixie Award recipient by the American Pixel Academy and is used as an introduction to visitors at the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. The video was selected for its superimposition effects that add greatly to the imagery of the movie.

2009

Justin @ Vicky Le-Qi Zhang (M.B.A. Finance) and husband George Pang welcomed Justin into their family on January 27. @ Lauro Sansano (B.S.N.) has been working as an RN in Rio Grande Valley Regional Hospi­tal’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in McAllen, Texas, since July 2009.

@ Patrick Branco (B.A. Political Science and International Relations) was accept­ed into the M.A. pro­gram at the Johns Hop­kins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. In addition, he was selected as one of 20 recipients of the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship.

The purpose of the Fellowship is to attract and prepare outstanding young Patrick people for careers as diplomats in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State.

Alumni Events

Iven & Courtney with family @ In January, Abe Gruber (B.S.B.A. Computer Information Systems ’07, M.B.A. Marketing) accepted a position as director of marketing for Bloomfield College in New Jersey. @ Last August, Emily Plummer (B.A. Economics) accepted the administrative assistant job at the Boaz Area Chamber of Commerce in Alabama.

Emily sees her position as an

Mahalo to HPU alumni who support and stay connected with their alma mater!

For more photos, find us on Facebook at: www.hpu.edu/2010chapterevents

oppor­tunity to use her economics background to benefit businesses in the area. @ Courtney (M.A. Diplomacy and Military Studies) and Iven Sugai (B.A. Economics ’01), along with friends and family, celebrated their promotions to Major at the Battleship Missouri Memorial on Febru­ary 19. (Photo above)

In Memoriam Azali Adnan (B.S.B.A. ’95, M.B.A. ’97) HPU alumnus Azali Adnan passed away in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 6, 2010.

Azali contributed much to HPU’s robust international atmos­phere. As the Kuala Lumpur alumni chapter coordinator, he was active in organizing alumni gatherings and sharing his HPU experience with prospective students.

An extremely active member of the Malaysian Student Association, Azali was an integral part of the colorful Malaysian booths and performances that won awards year after year at Intercultural Day.

Above: Jakarta, Indonesia February 28 Left: Belgrade, Serbia December 16, 2009

Scott Stensrud, vice president of Enrollment Management, recalls, “Azali always seemed to have a smile on his face, and he served as a great ambassador for his country and HPU. I have worked with literally thousands of students during my 20 years at HPU but Azali is one of those that I could never forget.”

FALL 2010

23

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Juergen Gross (M.B.A. ’08) juergengross@my.hpu.edu

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lumni Chapter Coordinator Germany, Juergen Gross, says, “Alumni from HPU, especially former international students, are greatly honored to be lifetime ambassadors of the University’s mission statement. We are committed to sharing our skills, culture, and professional experience with the global community of students, alumni, faculty, and staff at HPU.”

Donate to the Senior Gift to get your exclusive T-Shirt at

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hpu today

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Go Back to HPU For Your Graduate Degree Without Leaving Home

HPU now offers the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Arts in Organizational Change completely online so you can earn your Master’s degree from the comfort of your home.

• Attend classes online at your convenience and from wherever you prefer • Same challenging curriculum as the traditional classroom • Interactive format facilitates a dynamic learning environment • Learn from experienced faculty with professional backgrounds Get where YOU want to go with an online graduate degree from HPU!

Visit WWW.HPU.EDU/GRAD For More Information

SPRING 2009

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President’s Fund 2010 committee members: Jason Kim (B.S.B.A. ’01), Co-Chair Mike Hirai, Ravi Shivaraman (M.B.A., M.S.I.S., M.A. ’93), Trustee and Co-Chair Larry Johnson, Naomi Giambrone (M.A. ’05), and Co-Chair Nash Subotic (B.S.B.A. ’02, M.B.A. ’03)