See the World in a Day

Intercultural DayTwenty-five years of celebrating cultural diversity and developing global understanding

See photos from the 2009 event at www.hpu.edu/intercultural and story on page 10.

Alumni—Relive your Intercultural Day experiences!Please share your stories and photos with us: alumni@hpu.eduHawai‘i Pacific University1060 Bishop Street, Suite 400Honolulu, HI 96813

President Chatt G. Wright

Associate Vice President Institutional Advancement Margi Ulveling

Managing Editor Lianne Yamamura

Associate Editor Susie Contreras

Alumni Editor Kris Smith

Story Editor Crystale Lopez

Sports Editor John Barry

Junior Editors Marcie Kagawa Mariah Schiaretti

Copy Editor Judy LeDoux

Database Managers Nancy Chancellor Ethan Wung

University Graphic Design Todd Goya Kay Kasamoto

University Photography Crystale Lopez Steven Lum Student Affairs and Enrollment Management staff

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 2009 issue, Volume 10, 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

Fall 2009 Volume 10 Number 2

FEATURES

2 The Middle East in the Mid-Pacific

Middle Eastern students serve as ambassadors of their countries, sharing their cultures and beliefs

5 Our Vision for the FutureHPU shares its vision for the expansion of the Hawai‘i Loa campus with a preliminary conceptual master plan

6 From Combat to CollegeRalph Gallogly, Military Campus programs assistant dean, answers questions about the new Post 9/11 GI Bill that improves educational benefits for military personnel

7 Remembering William E. AullWilliam E. Aull, HPU Chairman of the Board of Trustees for more than 20 years, is recognized for his valuable contributions to HPU and our community

DEPARTMENTS 8 On Campus 14 Alumni Spotlight 18 Sea Warrior Sports 19 Class Links 24 Back Page

On the cover: See the world in a day—HPU celebrates 25 years of Intercultural Day festivities

hpu today2

abila Afifi (B.a. Economics ’99) says coming to hpu was fate. after returning home to Cairo from a uCLa summer exchange program, afifi flipped through an american

magazine and saw an advertisement for hpu. “hmmm,” she thought, “I wonder if people go to university in their bikinis.” two days later, there was a big ad for hpu in the newspaper. “I found out that an hpu representative was coming out to Cairo to give a presentation,” she says. “after the presentation and seeing the pictures on the Web site, I was sold.”

N

“For me, learning a language isn’t just about grammar and syntax, but also learning about the culture through the way language is used.” BRITTA KlINT

The Middle East in the Mid-PacificMiddle Eastern students are the youth ambassadors of their countries.

In Egypt, Afifi says, many people’s impres-sion of the U.S. comes from watching The Bold and the Beautiful—hot women, easy life, lots of money. In the U.S., she was faced with others’ misconceptions. “People asked if we have camels in the streets, and whether or not we have toilets!”

Before Britta Klint (B.A. International Relations ’09) from California left to study Arabic at The American University in Cairo as a 2008 Boren Scholar, she heard that few women wore hijab (traditional head veil) and that young people did not go out alone or show affection in public.

When Klint arrived, she found that Cairo’s social mores had reversed. Growing conser-vatism and family pressure had sparked a return to the hijab. “The younger girls make it fashionable by layering them and matching their outfits,” she says. “But I also saw young couples holding hands while walking down the Nile.”

This summer Klint studied Arabic at Johns Hopkins University The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies Summer language Institute. “For me, learning a language isn’t just about grammar and syntax, but also learning about the culture through the way language is used,” she says.

FaLL 2009 3

Past and Present, Inextricably LinkedSince 9/11, the war in Iraq, and the conflict in Afghanistan, Americans have become more interested in the Middle East. The region is comprised of at least 14 countries, depending on who is doing the defining, each with its own culture, history, and politics. At HPU, many Americans and Europeans of Middle Eastern descent are taking classes to help them better under-stand the region.

“In the U.S., we tend to lump together all versions of Islam, including the radical ones,” says Grace Cheng, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science. Cheng teaches Islam and Politics, a course she developed after 9/11. “like Christianity, Islam is the foundation for various religious groups that differ in certain practices and beliefs. Christians in the West would never claim the Taiping Rebellion, which resulted in millions of deaths, as part of their religion’s history. They would probably say the movement was distinct to China.”

Similarly, for Arabs, the main characteristic of Islamic revolutionaries in post-1979 Iran is that they were Persian and Shia, she says. “And to the majority of Muslims, the Taliban aren’t Muslim brethren, but ethnic Pashtuns who embrace a distorted set of ideas.”

Saudi HPU students Ali Alsalem and Majed Goraan, information systems majors, are Ismaili Shiites, also called “Seveners.” They and some of their HPU classmates are from Najran, thought to be Saudi Arabia’s oldest inhabited city, where nearly everyone belongs to the same tribe. Ismaili Shiites are a different Shia sect from the “Twelvers” who pre-dominate Iraq, Iran, and Bahrain, Goraan says. In Saudi Arabia, most Mus-lims are Sunni. Although all Muslims observe the same fundamental beliefs, their differences stem from a disagreement over succes-sion following the prophet’s death. One group (Sunni) insisted on electing the religious leadership, while the other (Shia) believed authority passes to Muhammad’s descendents or those divinely appointed by God.

Most Middle East governments are secular, but Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan are Islamic Republics whose governments comply with their own versions of Islamic laws.

Iran’s government, for example, has a religious Guardian Council that has final veto power over the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches.

But Iran’s Islamic Republic status only dates back to 1979; Persian history is 5,000 years old. “Consequently, Iranian people are not cowering and silent,” Cheng says. “Not all citizens want the government to be religious. There’s a huge diversity of opinion and people are fairly outspoken. And most are friendly to the American people. They just don’t want the U.S. intervening in their government and economy.”

Historically, relations between the peoples of the Middle East and Europe were marked

alternately by fruitful cultural and intellectual exchange as well as

mutual hostility and aggres-sion. During the 19th and

20th centuries, the British and French ruled much of the region. Most suspicion of the West stems from this recent

period of Western domination, Cheng says.

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. began with the 1953

coup d’état, which the CIA, in collusion with Britain (who exploited Iranian oil), engineered in order to destabilize the government of Mohammed Mosaddeq, who had begun nationalizing Iran’s oil industry. Mossadeq was imprisoned and Shah Pahlavi, an oppressive dictator, was restored to power. In 1979, after the people overthrew the Shah and the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took power, revolutionary

students and militants seized the U.S. Embassy and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. U.S.-Iran relations have been strained ever since.

Iraq is another country in which the U.S. has assumed an increasingly greater role since the departure of the British. The modern country of Iraq was delineated in 1918 by a British diplomat, who drew an official boundary line around the Ottoman provinces of Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra—despite warnings that the provinces were of opposing loyalties and religious beliefs.

Therefore, the current gap in understanding between peoples from the Middle East and the West arises from these historical circumstances but not from any essential hostility between the peoples or the cultures. However, while Western governments have been active in the Middle East in recent centuries, the average American knows little about the region or its people, save what we glean from the news. As one former U.S. ambassador who served in the region wrote: “the greatest enemy of democracy and the greatest asset for terrorism [is] our relative ignorance of one another, an ignorance that sustains suspicions and feeds our prejudices.”

“Like Christianity, Islam is the foundation for various religious groups that differ in certain practices and beliefs.” GRACE CHENG, PH.D.

Above: Masjid al-Haram, mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia Background: Giza pyramids, Egypt Inset: Dates, a staple food of the Middle East for thousands of years

Envi

ronm

enta

l pho

tos

cour

tesy

of A

dly

Mirz

a, P

h.D

.

hpu today4

Student Ambassadors HPU’s Middle Eastern students provide an opportunity to bring our cultures closer in understanding. The majority of the students are from Saudi Arabia, part of a Saudi government-sponsored scholarship program that started in 2005, but currently HPU also has students from Turkey, Egypt, Israel, and Iraq. Most study English for a year to improve their fluency before starting on degree programs.

Omar Kutbi met Amani Habadi at University of Florida’s English language Institute. It was their first time attending class with members of the opposite sex. As they learned more about their classmates, Kutbi and Habadi discovered they were from adjacent neigh-borhoods in the Saudi city of Jeddah. When the year of study was over, they returned home and got married.

Both are currently finishing graduate programs at HPU, Kutbi’s in communication, Habadi’s in information systems, while raising their son, Hamdi, who is a year old.

In contrast with American individuality, “Arab culture is based on tribes,” Kutbi says. “The group is most important, and the leader decides everything. There’s no personal bubble, and everyone knows everything about each other.”

“I like it here in the States,” Habadi says. “It’s freedom. You can do what you want, decide where you want to go.”

The open-mindedness that has come from living abroad has caused a few misunder-standings for Habadi during visits home. “My friends will say, ‘You can’t reject our culture just because you study abroad. Don’t say we are wrong.’ I say, ‘You are not wrong. Maybe we are just looking at things from different perspectives.’”

Yet, even in Hawai‘i, Habadi’s lovely face is framed by a head scarf. “It’s for modesty and to show respect for our husbands,” she says. “It’s religious and cultural.”

Youth, the Hope of the FutureIn 2002, around 60 percent of the population in the Middle East was under the age of 25,

as a result of a baby boom in the 1970s-1990s. Providing education

and employment for large numbers of young people

has stretched the limits of existing resources in those countries. It is one of the reasons many students from the Middle East are studying abroad.

Unemployment in the Middle East varies widely, ranging from 2.4 percent (2001 est.) in the United Arab Emirates to more than 50 percent in urban areas of Djibouti (2007 est.), according to the CIA’s World Factbook. While Middle East countries are generally cautious about change, some are advancing rapidly.

Dubai, in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, was largely desert 15 years ago. Today, it boasts the world’s tallest building. “Dubai’s technology and level of education will just blow your mind,” says Guilherme Albieri

(M.A. Organizational Change ’01), associate director, strategic enroll-ment management and divisional communication (and HPU’s Middle East recruiter until last year).

Nabila Afifi, who works in the UAE airline industry, says it is an upscale place with higher salaries than in her native Egypt. Per capita income is about $40,000 compared with $5,400 in Egypt (2008 est. World Factbook).

In Saudi Arabia, employers want English-speaking workers with advanced degrees, says Ali Alsalem, graduate student from Najran. While employment is difficult to find, most Saudi graduates will return to their country, not only for their culture and family, but because it is cheaper to live there.

Ghusoon Hameed, a Fulbright scholar from Iraq earning a master’s degree in informa-tion systems, shares her perspective. “In general, the Iraqi people are well-educated,” she says. At home in Baghdad, Hameed heads the Internet Department, Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology, under Iraq’s Ministry of Planning. She is proud of her country’s value for education and advancements for women.

But the war between Iran and Iraq (1980–88), the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and ensuing block economic sanctions, and

the U.S. war in Iraq have led to dashed hopes and reduced opportunities. “For years, war, death, suffering… nothing got better,” she says. “It has affected the Iraqi people’s jobs, their positions.”

Understanding Cultural DistinctionsAlthough Hameed has made many friends here, she looks forward to completing her degree and returning home. Hameed says, compared with Iraqis, Americans seem distant. “In my country, when someone dies, even a neighbor, we don’t watch TV or listen to music for a week or longer. We get mad, we get crazy, we cry. We share in each others’ pain and happiness. I can’t find that here.”

American and Middle East social norms are quite different, according to Guilherme Albieri. In the Middle East, an uninhibited show of emotion is normal and desirable, while Americans tend to value cool, self-possessed conduct, he says. “That can make Americans seem unfriendly to those with different values.”

Where We Go from HereMajed Goraan was a high school student in louisiana when 9/11 occurred. “I lived there before and after and noticed a difference [in the way people behaved toward me].”

September 11 was a horrible tragedy, Omar Kutbi says, but he is glad that Saudis and Americans have become interested in learning about each other. “Before, it was like we were on two different planets.”

The human spirit truly triumphs over evil when it manages to yield good from the intended oppression of terror. Perhaps more interaction among ordinary people from the U.S. and the Middle East can help us develop mutual understanding and compas-sion, and one day lead to better relations between our countries.

“Before [9/11] it was like we [Saudi Arabians and Americans] were on two different planets.” OMAR KUTBI

Student performs the dabka, a national dance in parts of the Middle East, at HPU’s 2009 Intercultural Day

Burj Al Arab, luxury hotel in Dubai

FaLL 2009 5

As visitors enter the Hawai‘i loa campus (HlC), the beauty of the landscaped front lawn captures

the eye. At the new Academic Center, students are hustling to classes and taking their seats. As the sun traverses lower in the sky, the building merges with the verdant landscape. As dark-ness falls, the main foyer and stairways glimmer with inner light.

After dinner, students lounge comfortably in the Student Center, some talking softly, others reading. The smell of coffee wafts from the entrance of the café, which is flanked by a bookstore. Up the stairs, students work out in the gym, work intently at computers in the lab, or congregate in meeting rooms.

As the hour gets late, they gather their books and drift outside to cross the short distance to the residential buildings. Soothed by the fragrances of puakenikeni and plumeria carried through the cool night air, they retire to their beds to dream of their futures.

This is our conceptual vision for the future Hawai‘i loa campus.

Share Our VisionRecently Group 70 International, the architectural firm engaged in translating HPU’s vision into form, began phase one planning and rendering conceptual designs for the project.

According to Francis Oda, Group 70 Interna-tional principal architect, “We [Group 70 and HPU] want the campus to be a sustainable international learning community in its aspiration and scope, but still very local.”

In the next step, the conceptual master plan will be further developed. As we seek the continued input of all HPU constituency groups, we will ensure that the campus embodies HPU’s enduring ideals while meeting the needs of future students.

The future Hawai‘i loa campus will accom-modate the educational and residential needs of an increased number of students. It will offer students a sense of belonging and ultimately create a community, a place to call home.

“I think you’ll be as excited as I am about the future of our campus,” says President Chatt G. Wright. “We are relying on your support as we expand in our mission to educate for global citizenship and will continue to keep you updated on the developing plans. ”

Our Vision for the FuturePreview What Is Being Planned for the Hawai‘i Loa Campus

At the end of 2008, 20 people from the HPU community met for a

master plan charrette. They included Board of Trustees members, alumni, faculty members, administrators, and students. These five themes emerged from the meeting:

1) Foster an International Learning Community

Campus character will help HPU students identify themselves as responsible members of a global community.

2) Build a Student-Centered University

The new space will nurture students’ growth. (Traditional planning focuses on the needs of the institution.)

3) Develop an Aggregate of Gathering Places, Reflecting the Multicultural Qualities of Hawai‘i

The sense of place will inspire, stimulate, and reflect student engagement in the arts and intellectual and physical pursuits.

4) Embody a Sense of Belonging

The building scale will be personal and warm, to engender a feeling of connection and comfort.

5) Practice Sustainable Living

The campus will emphasize and embrace the essential nature of the sustainable lifestyle.

What is a Charrette?

“I think you’ll be as excited as I am about the future of our campus.” PRESIDENT CHATT G. WRIGHT

Charrette [shuh-ret]: An intensive collaborative design session, involving small groups of stakeholders, intended to promote joint ownership of solutions.

For a glimpse of the initial vision plans, go to www.hpu.edu/hawaiiloaexpansion

hpu today6

August 1 was the start date for the highly anticipated Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, creating

the most comprehensive educational benefits package since the original GI Bill of Rights was created more than 60 years ago. Hawai‘i Pacific University is joining public and private universities across the nation to extend a college education to millions of U.S. military men and women, and their families, who continue to serve or who have returned from combat since September 11, 2001.

HPU Today talked to Ralph Gallogly, assistant dean of Military Campus programs, about the opportunities of the Post 9/11 GI Bill for HPU students.

Q: What is the excitement about this new GI Bill?

Generous and vastly improved educational benefits are the biggest changes. Eligible active duty military personnel are now entitled to 100 percent coverage of tuition and fees. The original GI Bill had a dollar cap on tuition and fees. Students had to make up the cost difference, often out of their own pocket.

If you are enrolled in an approved degree program, while eligible and on active duty, you can receive full tuition and fee coverage, no longer prorated by your length of service and with no maximum dollar cap.

Also, the Veterans Administration (VA) will now make tuition payments directly to the school, which means students will no longer have to pay their

tuition up front and wait for reimbursement, a big benefit to financially strapped soldiers. Housing and books, however, are not covered for active personnel.

Q: What about inactive and retired military?

For eligible veterans, tuition and fee payment is determined by residence and is based on the highest in-state public undergraduate tuition rate.

The cost difference between the VA benefit and HPU’s tuition may be eligible for coverage under the Yellow Ribbon program. HPU is a participating private university in this program, which works with the Post 9/11 GI Bill to provide additional scholarship funds at a 1:1 dollar match with the VA.

Veterans can also get an annual stipend of up to $1,000 for books and classroom supplies, paid proportionately based on enrollment. For housing allowances, they must be enrolled more than half-time and be taking at least one class on campus each term. The housing allowance amount differs based on the school’s location and students taking only online courses are ineligible for the housing allowance.

Q: Who can apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

Active, inactive, and retired military personnel who have served since September 11, 2001. Service members who became active duty on or after August 1, 2009 may also be eligible to transfer educational benefits to their spouse or dependent children.

Q: Why has this new version of the GI Bill been passed?

Congress passed this bill to improve the educational benefits to veterans of the Middle East conflicts after 9/11 and in response to the economic realities facing soldiers who have put their lives on hold to serve their country. It is part of a large revamping of military benefits that also includes medical, housing, and other veteran affairs benefits.

Q: Where does HPU offer classes?

On site at HPU’s downtown and Hawai‘i loa campuses, on seven military base campuses around O‘ahu, and at HPU affiliate Oceanic Institute. Online distance-learning options are available as well. Our on-base and virtual off-island campuses are full-service campuses designed to serve the military community from admission to graduation.

Q: Where can I find more information on enrollment and eligibility?

Enrollment for HPU under the Post 9/11 GI Bill began on May 1, 2009 for classes that start after August 1, 2009. For more informa-tion, go online to www.hpu.edu/military.

From Combat to CollegeExpanded educational benefits highlight the new Post 9/11 GI Bill

FaLL 2009 7

ill Aull was quick and decisive,” says friend of more than 50 years and fellow HPU Board of Trustees member Wilmer

Morris. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, he was recognized early on as executive material, Morris says.

Raised in Ohio, it was at Yale that Aull met his future wife, Dawn Galt, a student at Wellesley College. The young couple decided to make Hawai‘i their home. They were proud and loving parents of two sons and three daughters.

Their daughter, lisa Martin, remembers family vacations spent on their Australia ranch. “We herded sheep and cattle, rode horses, and chased kangaroos,” Martin says. “At night, we read and played cribbage and Monopoly.”

Martin says her father emphasized the importance of education. “He always said we’d get much farther in life with a good education,” she says. “He told us to keep learning, keep moving forward, and to be open to new things.”

Aull’s career began in 1956 as a tax clerk for the Hawaiian Trust Company, becoming president and CEO before retiring in 1985.

Aull joined HPU’s Board of Trustees in 1975 and became board chairman in 1988. He led the board through HPU’s merger with Hawai‘i loa College in 1992, its affiliation

with Oceanic Institute in 2003, and the launch of the current Hawai‘i loa campus master plan work. During his tenure, HPU grew to become Hawai‘i’s largest private university with more than 8,000 students from around the world, also making it one of the most diverse institutions of higher education.

An integral part of HPU’s development, Aull is the only person to twice receive HPU’s Fellow of the Pacific Award (1993, 2000). In 2003, Pacific Business News honored him with the Business leadership Hawai‘i lifetime Achievement Award.

HPU President Chatt G. Wright describes Aull as a can-do man with an infectious sense of humor and a passion for community service. “I am indebted to him for leading his fellow trustees in the important work of supporting Hawai‘i Pacific’s mission of educating for global citizenship. I have lost a mentor and close personal friend,” Wright says. “My thoughts are with Dawn and their children.”

In addition to HPU’s board, Aull served on numerous boards including the Harold K. l. Castle Foundation, ‘Iolani School, Mid-Pacific Institute, Strong Foundation, YMCA of Honolulu, and HPU affiliate Oceanic Institute.

Aull is survived by his wife, Dawn; sons David and John; daughters lisa Martin, Shelley Hewitt, and Gwen Elizabeth “Wendy” Aull; and nine grandchildren.

“Aull was a lot of things to a lot of people,” says Morris. “I miss Bill. I really do.”

All of us at HPU share those sentiments. Aloha, Bill. HPU will be forever in your debt for your many selfless years of service.

Remembering William E. AullHPU’s Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Aull passed away on April 24

“He always said we’d get much farther in life with a good education.”

lISA MARTIN, THE AUllS’ DAUGHTER

The William E. and Dawn G. Aull Award for Leadership was estab-lished in 2009 by the Aulls’ friend, Timothy Y. Choy, Ph.D. It honors the Aulls for their contributions to the Hawai‘i community by recognizing

an undergraduate student who demonstrates exemplary leadership and significant positive influence within the University community.

Patrick Branco (B.A. International Relations and Political Science ’09) is the first recipient of the Aull Award for leadership. Among Branco’s University leadership roles, he served as president of the Associated Students of Hawai‘i Pacific University, International Affairs Club co-coordinator, and HPU Preview Day Committee chair.

The William E. and Dawn G. Aull Award for Leadership

“B

If you would like to support the Bill Aull Memorial Fund or the Aull Award for leadership, visit hpu.edu/onlinegift or use the address on the back cover.

Dr. Tim Choy and Patrick Branco

hpu today8

Chuck Sted Elected HPU Board of Trustees Chairman

Kip E. Jones Joins Board of Trustees

Chuck Sted, president and CEO of Hawaii Pacific Health, has been named

chairman of the Board of Trust-ees of Hawai‘i Pacific University.

“I am very proud to have this opportunity to serve Hawai‘i Pacific University,” says Sted. “My relationship with HPU started 31 years ago when I met my wife Vivien, who came to Hawai‘i from Hong Kong to attend HPU. Over the years, I’ve done any-thing I could both professionally and personally to help Hawai‘i Pacific University because I believe firmly in their mission to educate for global citizenship.”

Sted has been a member of the HPU Board since 2004. “Chuck is truly one of the outstanding corporate leaders in Hawai‘i. We have worked together on many professional and community projects over the years,” says HPU President Chatt G. Wright. “I am particularly delighted that I will be working closely with him, the other HPU trustees,

and the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of HPU on the expansion of our beautiful Hawai‘i loa campus in the years to come.”

He received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois. From1974 to 1992, he worked at Ernst & Young becoming a part-ner in the firm in 1985. He went on to serve as chief financial officer for The Queen’s Health Systems in 1992, then at Bank of America-Hawai‘i in 1998.

Sted is the national major gifts chairman for the Boy Scouts of America; a member of the Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America Board; director of the Honolulu Academy of Arts; and a director of Surf line Hawaii.

Kip E. Jones, principal and co-founder of Discovery Economics Inc., has been elected to the Hawai‘i Pacific

University Board of Trustees. He will serve as audit committee chairman.

As a principal of Discovery Economics, Jones provides consulting and expert witness testimony regarding business, economic, financial, and accounting issues. He is a certified public accountant, accredited in business valuation; an accredited senior appraiser, business valu-ations; and a certified fraud examiner.

“I am extremely pleased that Kip Jones has agreed to join the HPU board,” says Board Chairman Chuck Sted. “Kip and his wife Jan lived and worked in Hawai‘i in the ’70s and early ’80s and returned to Hawai‘i a few years ago after living on the mainland. Our community is fortunate that they returned.”

Jones earned his Master of Business Administration from The University of Chicago, a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University, and completed studies in electrical engineering at Stanford University.

Jones is a member of the California Society of CPAs; the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; the American Society of Appraisers; the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; and the National Association of Forensic Economists. He is also a member of the vestry and finance committee of Holy Nativity Church in Aina Haina, O‘ahu.

“I am particularly delighted that I will be working closely with him…on the expansion of our beautiful Hawai‘i Loa campus in the years to come.” CHATT G. WRIGHT, PRESIDENT

ON C AMPUS

FaLL 2009 9

ON CAMPUS

HPU Receives State Department English Language Teaching Grant

On January 1, Aytun Ozturk, Ph.D., was named the dean of the College of Business Administration.

Ozturk joined HPU as an assistant professor of management science in the College of Business Administration in 2003. He was appointed MBA program chair in 2005 and led the faculty through a major revision of the MBA curriculum. In 2006, he was named assistant dean of the College of Business Administration.

The newly restructured college that he will lead will have two departments, management and marketing and financial economics and information systems. “These new departments were formed to create a synergy by bringing together closely related business disciplines,” says John M. Kearns, Ph.D., vice president of

Academic Affairs. “We intend to build on this energy to move the college forward.”

Among Ozturk’s professional interests are scheduling, large scale planning for organizations, and curriculum design. “With regards to curriculum, I plan to ensure student-centered, relevant programs at both the graduate and undergraduate

levels,” says Ozturk. “Another of my top priorities is expanding the programs we offer both in the classroom and via distance education in ways that comple-ment the University’s mission.” In addition, he is interested in getting to know and continuing to build strong relationships with alumni.

Ozturk points out to the partnerships the University has forged with Bank of Hawaii, Disney, Marriott, and many other businesses, making downtown Honolulu a business laboratory for HPU students. He adds that he will maintain and grow relationships between HPU and the business community by bringing the business world into the classroom through guest lectures and appointing instructors with real-world experience.

Ozturk holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering with a focus in Operations Research and a specialization in Stochastic Optimization from the University of Pittsburgh.

A grant of $472,000 was awarded to HPU in fall 2008 from the U.S. Department of State to develop

English language Teaching (ElT) materials to be used overseas, and to host a Summer Institute in June for ESl teachers from 10 countries. The grant will be renewed with an increase in funding to $750,000.

Carlos Juárez, Ph.D., professor of political science and department chair of Interna-tional Studies, is principal investigator of the grant, and Sandra McKay, Ph.D., a visiting professor of applied linguistics, serves as project manager.

One project funded by the grant was the creation of two CDs of songs used to teach English to young learners, including at-risk adolescents. Both CDs were produced by John Hart, Ph.D., communication professor. Hart contracted a variety of local artists to contribute to the project, including Daniel Ho, Jennifer Hera-Pimental (B.A. Public Relations ’01), Kelli Heath, Tom Gullikson, Anjj lee, and Greg Sardinha. The children’s songs are primarily sung by the Kapalama Elementary School chorus. The State Department will duplicate the CDs and

distribute them to English teachers around the world.

The grant also allowed for the development of three sets of high priority ElT materials identified by the State Department’s Office of English language Programs (OElP). HPU TESl program faculty members Edward F. Klein, Ph.D.; Hanh T. Nguyen, Ph.D.; Catherine Sajna; and Jean Kirschenmann worked with McKay on this project.

The first set is a series of four articles and accompanying lesson plans for the 2009 vol-ume of the English Teaching Forum quarterly which has a worldwide readership of 80,000. For the second set, Klein, Nguyen, and Sajna developed teaching materials to accompany the ElT CDs. The third set, developed by Kirschenmann, includes English language activities for use with a popular OElP book, Celebrate! Holidays in the U.S.A.

HPU Summer Institute English language educators visit the Voice of America Headquarters in Washington D.C. The group, accompanied by HPU faculty Carlos Juárez, Ph.D., Sandra McKay, Ph.D., and Jean Kirschenmann, was in D.C. from July 1–5.

Aytun Ozturk, Ph.D., Named Dean of the College of Business Administration

hpu today10

ON CAMPUS

Pilipino Cultural Night– A First at HPU and in Hawai‘i

Students from Chile to China and all countries in between turned Fort Street Mall into a cultural celebration on April

17. With 22 international club booths, per-formances, and a parade, students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries were eager to share their cultures with the HPU ‘ohana (family) and Hawai‘i community.

Howard Markowitz, Ph.D., assistant profes-sor of psychology, pioneered Intercultural Day 25 years ago as an international student advisor for the University.

“Intercultural Day emerged as a special HPU event celebrating the many ways in which the University has been enriched by its diverse student population,” Markowitz says. “I feel this 25th celebration is testimony to the value our students place on human diversity, both locally and globally.”

This year’s theme for the annual event was “See the World in a Day” and included participation by students representing the Philippines, Japan, Palestine, Denmark, Thai-land, Germany, Brazil, Ethiopia, and many other countries.

“It is a day that brings various and diverse cultures together in a common setting to learn and have fun,” says Ann Newton, direc-tor of international student services.

Newton has been leading the event produc-tion for 20 years. This spring, in recognition of her efforts and good work, she received special recognition from President Wright and was honored at a luncheon.

To view photo album go to: www.hpu.edu/intercultural

HPU’s Kababayan Filipino-American Student Association hosted its first Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) on April 5 at the Mamiya Theatre in Honolulu. Students, faculty,

and the general public were treated to a lively night full of entertainment and education on the Filipino culture.

PCN is celebrated by Filipino-American college students across the country, and this year’s event was a first for HPU as well as the state of Hawai‘i.

Julian Jose Hilario, Jr., president of the Kababayan Filipino-American Student Association, expressed his thoughts on the event. “The greatest part is seeing Filipino students learn about different aspects of their culture for the first time, and more importantly, seeing non-Filipinos involved in our club grow to have a passion and appreciation for our culture,” he says.

Students performed in Pangako—The Promise, a drama that touched on popular themes within Filipino culture while incorporating traditional Filipino cultural dances. The story’s design not only entertained, but educated the audience about Filipino culture, family, and history.

“Having been greatly involved in my Filipino community ‘back home’ [West Covina, California] has given me the drive to continue the tradition here in Hawai‘i,” says Narleen Narciso, an admissions counselor at HPU and PCN advisor. “It has been my greatest joy and honor to serve as advisor, and as the writer, director, and choreographer for this momentous production.”

Students Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Intercultural Day

The following groups were recognized with awards:Exhibit1st China2nd Malaysia3rd Saudi Arabia

Performance1st China2nd Norway 3rd Taiwan

FaLL 2009 11

ON CAMPUS

Experiencing Global Citizenship

I arrived in Salzburg, Austria, to a pictur-esque scene of snow-covered mountains and a city blanketed in white. Being born

and raised in Hawai‘i, it was the first time I saw snow and experiencing a classic winter season was a nice change. I have always dreamed of traveling to Europe and visiting as many countries as possible. Deciding to study abroad in Austria for a semester, and immersing myself into a different culture for six months, was one of the best decisions I had ever made.

I arrived at my exchange school, FH Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, in February for Welcome Week where I met the other incoming international students. The group was very diverse, with more than 10 countries represented. Making new friends from all over Europe added to my whole experience. learning about each person’s university and school system was interesting. It was amazing to see how each country had a different grading system and class schedule.

Adjusting to the Austrian school system was a whole experi-ence in itself. Some of my classes were quite lengthy. One class was four hours long! Also, unlike the set class schedule I am used to at HPU, at FH Salzburg the class schedule was unpredictable. The time and day of classes can vary every week. The only way to find out your class schedule is to check your online student schedule daily. Although the class schedule could be confusing, having a few weeks off between classes left me with a lot of time to travel.

Being able to travel throughout Europe was an incredible cultural experience. I did not experience culture shock until my first trip out of Salzburg to Budapest. Crossing the Austrian/Hungarian border and witnessing the broken down buildings covered in graffiti and the fact that people lived in much humbler conditions was a huge difference from Salzburg.

Traveling to other cities like Graz, linz, and Vienna, Austria; Munich, Dachau, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Brussels, Belgium; and lyon, France, I discovered that each city had its own distinct architectural style and historical

essence. To every city I traveled, I made sure to visit the main museums so I could learn more about the city’s history and the significance of the main sights.

I was also able to meet HPU alumnus Ralf

Mitteregger (M.B.A. Information Systems ’02). Ralf and his girlfriend, Eva, were very hospitable and graciously took Rachael Palampo, another HPU study abroad student, and me on various trips in Austria and Germany. I will never forget looking out at the magnificent lake surrounded by mountains and the huge waterfall at the end of a hiking trail in Berchtesgaden, Germany.

As part of my whole experience abroad, I thought traveling was an important aspect because it really allowed me to learn about each country’s food specialty, language, and traditions. Because of this experience, I really felt like I was a global citizen. Studying abroad opened my eyes to a world I previously only dreamed of seeing.

To read more about Shari’s experience and see additional photos, go to: www.hpu.edu/blog

Travel the World and Get College Credit

The world is truly your oyster with study abroad programs. Through sister school partnerships,

students are invited to study all over the world. Students enroll in student exchange courses through HPU and pay HPU tuition.

“One key reason why students should consider study abroad is that employers are increasingly looking at study abroad experiences as leading to better, more committed employees with broader outlooks on the world, especially in the global economy,” says Jon Davidann, Ph.D., director of International Exchange and Study Abroad Programs.

For more information, go to www.hpu.edu/studyabroad or contact Dr. Davidann at (808) 544-0811 or jdavidann@hpu.edu.

By Shari Matsudo, senior broadcast journalism and advertising/public relations major

HPU alumnus Ralf Mitteregger and HPU study abroad students Shari Matsudo and Rachael Palampo

STUDY ABROAD

“Because of this experience, I really felt like I was a global citizen. Studying abroad opened my eyes to a world I previously only dreamed of seeing.” SHARI MATSUDO

hpu today12

ON CAMPUS

HPU’s Cheer and Dance Teams brought home national titles at the 2009 National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Association Cheer and Dance Championship. The HPU Large Co-Ed Cheer Team won its seventh straight title, while the HPU All-Girl Cheer Team won its first national title. The Large Co-Ed, Small Co-Ed, and All-Girl Cheer Teams, also won the Most Innovative Choreography Award for their routines. The HPU Dance Team won its fourth consecutive championship, totaling five titles overall. For more information about the HPU Cheer and Dance Teams, visit www.hpu.edu/cheer or www.hpu.edu/dance.

Phot

o co

urte

sy: A

ndre

w D

ean

of X

Trem

e Sh

ots

Phot

ogra

phy

HPU says “Mahalo and Aloha” to Joe Saguto

HPU–a Proud Sponsor of Military Appreciation Month Ceremony

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii hosted the 24th Annual Hawai‘i Military

Appreciation Month throughout May. Hawai‘i Pacific University, The Honolulu Advertiser, Bank of Hawaii, and BAE Systems were partners of the event and sponsors of the opening ceremony which was held April 30 at the Battleship Missouri on Ford Island.

“Through this event, HPU recognizes and honors our men and women in uniform, our Veterans, and their families for their sacrifices and dedicated service to our nation,” says President Chatt G. Wright.

Performances from HPU’s Inter-national Vocal Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble provided entertainment for guests during and following the formal presentation. HPU President’s Hosts, student ambassa-dors of the University, greeted attendees, escorted VIPs, and assisted the Chamber of Commerce in various functions.

After more than 39 years as director of Roads and Grounds at the Hawai‘i loa

campus, Joe Saguto retired this summer. Saguto started land-scaping the campus in the late 60s when it was known as Hawai‘i loa College. For decades he took pride in preserving the grounds. His hard work and dedication to cultivate the 135-acre property is recognized by faculty, staff, alumni, and students.

“That beautiful campus stands as a testament to [his] years of hard work and creative talent, and it will continue to honor [him] for decades to come, long after time has erased the memory of what the rest of us may have contributed along the way.”

—Philip J. Bossert, Ph.D., former president of Hawai‘i Loa College

“The miracle of Joe’s stewardship of the campus is not so much that he keeps it growing, but that he’s kept the jungle from taking over. I visited the campus in October 2008 and was pleased to see how beautiful the campus still is.”

—Laurie Gerber (B.A. ’81), former summer landscape employee

“Joe is truly a master craftsman. His well-endowed knowledge of forestry allows others to enjoy the natural aesthetics of our environment. This has created a peaceful retreat for students, faculty, and staff upon the Hawai‘i loa grounds.”

—Jeff Rocco Blais (B.A. Psychology ’06)

Saguto plans to enjoy retirement in Florida.

Joe Saguto (left) received the Fellow of the Pacific Award from Rick Stepien, vice president of Administration, during his retirement party in July at the Hawai‘i Loa campus.

FaLL 2009 13

ON CAMPUS

Phot

o Co

urte

sy: D

avid

Gar

nick

“I Focus on the Good Stuff”

Sharon Gavin (B.A. Human Services ’90) has guts, backed by a strong moral compass. For instance, she has

just left a high-caliber position and home in California to spend a year fighting poverty through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, based in Portland, Oregon. “I’m going to serve my country again,” says Gavin.

Gavin has felt a strong sense of duty as long as she can remember. She enlisted

in the Navy in 1980 and was close to wrapping up her 10-year enlistment when she enrolled at HPU. In order to complete the required courses before her enlistment ended, she worked the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.

She credits William Kazarian, Ph.D., instructor of English, with her excellent writing skills. Gregory Gaydos, Ph.D.,

associate professor of political science, made her a better critical thinker. And Gordon Jones, Ph.D., professor of computer science and information systems, taught her how to determine what is important and why, she says.

After graduating, Gavin embarked upon a public relations career that has included working for the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Immigration and Natural-ization Services, California’s Metrolink commuter railroad, and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E). Her education

gave her the confidence and poise to remain cool under fire from the press, she says.

Gavin has been supporting HPU ever since she graduated. At PG&E she participated in its matching gift program, which doubled her contributions. She encourages fellow alumni to ask employ-ers whether they have matching gift programs to increase the impact of their personal contributions.

She plans to continue giving in perpetuity. “When I pass on, everything I have will go to HPU,” she says. “What they provide changes lives. I’d like to be a part of that even when I’m not around.”

For more information on matching or planned gifts, visit www.hpu.edu/support. If you have already included HPU in your estate plans, please notify Associate Vice President Margi Ulveling at (808) 544-0273 or mulveling @hpu.edu so that we may acknowledge you and invite you to join our Legacy Society.

Sharon Gavin eagerly jumps into her new position with the AmeriCorps VISTA program.

Sharon Gavin’s confidence and integrity make her seem almost bulletproof.

Alumni Donor Spotlight

May 2009 Commencement

Top row, center (left to right): Valedictory speakers Derek Baughman (M.B.A.), Jigna Upadhyay (B.S.B.A. Management), and Andrew Abordonado (B.A. International Studies)

Top row, right: Reverend Nancy B. Lockwood, commencement speaker and Fellow of the Pacific Award recipient, and HPU President Chatt G. Wright

Bottom row, center: Sonya Blevins, assistant professor of nursing, Trustees’ Award for Teaching Excellence recipient

(more graduation photos on page 22)

hpu today14

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

“One of the things Paul [Loo] used to say is a university is defined by its alumni.”

CHUCK STED HPU BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN The Professional Achievement Award

was presented to Shue-Jane Thompson, Ph.D., (M.S.I.S. ’96) in recognition of her notable career accomplishments. Ravi Shivaraman (M.B.A., M.S.I.S., and M.A. Human Resource Management ’93) received the Alumni Service Award for his outstanding service to the community and HPU. Kristane Gaspar (B.A. Adver-tising and Public Relations ’04, M.A. Communication ’06) was awarded the Young Alumni Award, given to a recent graduate who serves as an outstanding role model for future alumni. An audience

of alumni, faculty, and community leaders applauded the awardees as they stood to accept their awards. Many past awardees were present including Gordon Bruce (M.B.A. ’00), 2009 Paul C.T. loo Awards Banquet emcee and 2005 Young Alumni Award recipient. “I am privileged to be a recipient of a Paul C.T. loo Award. When you walk into my office it’s the first award sitting on my desk,” says Bruce. “This is a very honorific award to receive.”

HPU congratulates its 2009 alumni awardees, Thompson, Shivaraman, and Gaspar.

HPU Recognizes Alumni Excellence

The three alumni recognized for their accomplishments at the ninth annual Paul C.T. loo Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet have achieved much in their professions, within their

communities, and at HPU. The banquet, which was held on April 24 at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, is named in recognition of the late Paul C.T. loo, one of the University’s founders and trustees.

I have a very different career path than most people. One core attribute that led me to the information technology (IT) profession was my early education and work experience in meteorology. I did several years of graduate study and research as a weather modeler where I designed and wrote programs to predict weather systems. With the rapid evolution of IT in the late 80s and early 90s, it was a natural transition from weather modeling to IT system design and management. My career choice was further confirmed through a job opportunity given to me by Sam Chepkevich who was my professor at HPU. He offered me a data center management position which led to network and system design work that has become the cornerstone of my IT profession.

As a solutions strategies director, I oversee ongoing programs to ensure appropriate technology solutions are applied and adopted to further enhance program performance. For new programs pursued and future business opportunities, I work with our capture team to ensure advanced solutions are identified and designed to strategically position us to win opportunities.

I have been blessed with the oppor-tunities presented to me at every stage of my career and the wonderful people who have been there for me. I had to work hard to overcome the stereotype that a female is not good at technology. I learned to be proactive and always be prepared. I believe confidence comes from preparation and hands-on experience.

One of my favorite jobs is teaching. Teaching is a great way to learn and grow. Teaching expands my horizon and opens my eyes to a wider dimension of knowledge. Interacting with students helps me to maintain a continuous learning mind-set that allows me to stay curious and look deeper into the technology.

I learned to make every day count through my community service involvement. During women’s shelter volunteer work I observed homeless and battered women struggling to survive. The experience helped me to look at life with a more objective perspective where we should always value our good fortune and count our blessings.

I would advise future students to take advantage of the rich HPU learning environment and continue to learn even after you have completed your degree. Share your experience with others and be proud!

Out of the thousands of outstanding HPU graduates who are doing great things in the business world, to be recognized is one of the highlights of my professional career. The awards banquet was particularly special because my family and my best friends were with me to share such a great experience.

If I wasn’t involved in strategy development and solution architec-ture I would enjoy spending more time with my family.

FaLL 2009 15

AlUMNI SPOTlIGHT

“I had to work hard to overcome the stereotype that a female is not good at technology. I learned to be proactive and always be prepared.” SHUE-JANE THOMPSON

FAST FACTS:HPU Education

M.S.I.S. ’96 •

Career and Community Involvement

Director of Solutions •Strategies for lockheed Martin Corporation

Volunteer at Willow Springs •Elementary School, Virginia Run Elementary School, lanier Middle School, and Westfield High School

International Volunteer •for the Armed Forces Computing and Electronic Association

Provides guidance in •career transitioning of military officers to the civilian workforce

Shue-Jane Thompson, Ph.D.Professional Achievement Award

hpu today16

AlUMNI SPOTlIGHT

I believe that a society cannot be truly successful with the belief that every individual should only worry about him or herself. Community service is not only about helping others, but learning about them and gaining a sense of compassion. There is no better feeling than knowing you have made a positive impact on another person’s life. Because of all of the privileges I have been given, I feel that it is my responsibility as a member of my community to help those who have less than I do.

Being involved in community service grounds my values and morals and gives me a fulfilling and meaningful life. It is not about padding my résumé or pride and egoism, but gaining an understanding of the intricacies of humanity. I truly believe it is important to invest yourself in the community you live in through community service.

It is very rewarding to be recognized by one’s peers. When I learned that I had been selected to receive the Alumni Service Award, I was shocked, momen-tarily speechless, and very humbled. I had no idea that I had been nominated, much less selected, to receive such a distinguished award from the University.

The most important thing I learned at HPU is that excellence is never an accident. It is the result of understanding your goals, sincere effort, intelligence, skillful execution, and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities. Unless you try to do things beyond what you already know, you will never grow.

I give back to HPU because it has played a very important role in my success. I believe it is important to “pay it forward.” It is my turn to give back to the University that has done a great job in preparing me to meet the complex challenges of the 21st century by encouraging and inspiring the current students to excel in whatever career path they choose to lead.

As an HPU graduate, I am proud to be a part of a growing alumni family that contributes to and gives back to the University. We are always trying to find new ways to help maintain and improve the quality of education for all students.

If I weren’t a businessman, I would work to foster community awareness to bring people together and develop a society where everyone helps and supports each other, despite their differences. I have never met a person who I could not see possibilities for. I don’t care how much a man may consider himself a failure; I would believe in him. The capacity for reformation and change lies within.

FAST FACTS:HPU Education

M.B.A., M.S.I.S., and •M.A. Human Resource Management ’93

Career and Community Involvement

President and CFO of •Harbor Financial Group

Member of the Hawai‘i •Mortgage Brokers Association; Plaza Club – Hawaii; Hawaii Venture Capital Association

Involved in various •community service organizations including volunteer work with HPU

“I have never met a person who I could not see possibilities for… The capacity for reformation and change lies within.” RAVI SHIVARAMAN

Ravi ShivaramanAlumni Service Award

FaLL 2009 17

AlUMNI SPOTlIGHT

I attended HPU because I received a scholarship and I was interested in attending a college with small classes. I didn’t want to be just a number in a big class. I wanted professors to know me and that’s what HPU offered.

I was originally going to major in in-ternational business, but that meant I would have to take an accounting class. I went to my first accounting class and switched out the next day. I knew that I still wanted to be involved in business, but I didn’t know what to major in until I came across advertising and public relations. The rest is history.

The best thing about my job is that I enjoy what I do. I get to meet people from all around the globe. One day I might be buying TV time or helping to create a radio promotion and the next day I will be on the phone with someone from Tahiti.

Some of my career highlights are having my own radio show on KPOI 97.5, helping to produce the official Hawaii Filipino Centennial documentary, working on the first Burger King Band Champ, and currently working as a Hawai‘i correspondent for the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio.

Having assisted with the Paul C.T. Loo Alumni Awards since 2007 makes being a recipient seem a bit surreal; I would never have thought I would receive this award. I had such an awesome time at the awards banquet. My family and friends were there and I was on a natural high the entire night.

Community service has helped me realize that I would rather receive a smile and someone thanking me for helping them. When I worked on the [Hawaii] Filipino Centennial documentary, we interviewed hundreds of people and it felt good to have people young and old tell me “Thank you.” The younger generations learned about their Filipino heritage while the older generation reminisced about the “good old days.” By volunteering on this documentary I not only learned more about my culture, but helped many others discover theirs.

I give back to HPU because I feel that it is important for me to give back to the University that has helped me grow both personally and professionally. As the Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

If I wasn’t a media buyer, I would be a special events planner because social events are fun to plan and attend or I would teach English in a foreign country. It would be fun to learn about and explore another country, plus it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“Having assisted with the Paul C.T. Loo Alumni Awards since 2007 makes being a recipient seem a bit surreal; I would never have thought I would receive this award.” KRISTANE GASPAR

FAST FACTS:HPU Education

B.A. Advertising, Public •Relations ’04

M.A. Communication ’06 •

Career and Community Involvement

Media Buyer for The •Harris Agency, llC

Hawai‘i Correspondent •for the British Broadcast-ing Company

Board member of Ad 2 •Honolulu; committee member of Paul C.T. loo Alumni Awards Banquet

Volunteer at the •Bishop Museum

Kristane GasparYoung Alumni Award

hpu today18

his past spring, HPU formally changed the name of its softball field to the Howard A. Okita Field in honor of the

legendary Sea Warrior coach. “Coach O” built the field, nestled at the foot of the Ko‘olau Mountains on the Hawai‘i loa campus,

about 20 years ago from the ground up— with the help of countless donations, hard work, and much dedication from volunteers.

“It’s the best field you could ever play on,” says Krystal Plunkett (B.A. Justice Admin-istration ’09), who holds 10 HPU softball records. “The bounces are true.”

Pitcher Courtney Kessell acknowledges the significance of the field. “Even during prac-tice, we make sure the field stays in good shape,” she says. “Coach loves this field, and we love him for it and all he’s done for us.”

Okita, is a living legend, holding the record as the winningest coach in NCAA Division II. To think of calling the field by any other name just would not feel right.

Scott Liedtke–Takes HPU Soccer to New Heightshe HPU men’s soccer program has evolved over the years. The Sea Warriors competed in the ’80s and ’90s as a club

and NAIA program featuring talent from all over the world. In 2000, HPU dropped men’s soccer as a sport.

Five seasons later, the program was revived to NCAA Division II status. The Sea Warriors moved from competing as a club sport to being a member of the formidable PacWest Conference.

Today, the HPU men’s soccer program is one of the top teams in the PacWest in part thanks to Head Coach Scott liedtke (B.A. ’96, M.A. ’97). liedtke, who has played and coached during the Sea Warriors’ various transitions, completed his third season as head coach this past spring.

“It is great to see the progress HPU [soccer] has made,” liedtke says. “When I took over at HPU, the coaching staff and I created the competitive environment we needed to become a strong college program.”

last season, liedtke completed HPU’s transition from club to Division II status when he posted an 11-5-2 mark and a second place finish in the PacWest. He tied the nation’s sixth-ranked team Sonoma State University, and went undefeated in conference play versus the Hawai‘i schools.

Despite his hard work and dedication, liedtke finds time to enjoy the experience and appreciate how far HPU men’s soccer has come. “There are two things I have

really enjoyed about coaching at HPU. I love taking my own ideas and putting them to work. I’ve surrounded myself with a good coaching staff and I enjoy working with them. The second thing is just being out on the field with the team working together,” says liedtke. “The game has always been fun for me.”

This fall, the Sea Warriors return three All-Conference players and will be armed with some of the best talent.

“I’ve surrounded myself with a good coaching staff and I enjoy working with them.” SCOTT lIEDTKE

“Coach loves this field, and we love him for it and all he’s done for us.” COURTNEY KESSEll

At practice, Assistant Coach Chris Fisher (left), Head Coach Scott Liedtke, and junior Adam Rieke (foreground)

Coach Okita and the softball team

SEA WARRIOR SPORTS

For the 2009 season schedule and news visit: www.hpu.edu (path: Athletics > Men’s Sports > Soccer)

FIELD OF DREAMSOkita’s T

T

FaLL 2009 19

1981 @ Laurie (Mitchell) Gerber (B.A. Asian Studies) is president of the International Association for Machine Translation. This summer she organized the Machine Translation Summit which took place in August in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She and husband Gordon live with their four spoiled cats in San Diego, California.

1992 @ Brenda Cyrus (B.A. Human Resource Management) and her husband own a kitchen design center, High Plains Kitchens, Inc., in Aurora, Colorado.

1995 @ Enrichetta and Thomas Kisvarday (B.S.B.A.), and their son Orlando, were very excited on August 11, 2008, when daughter lidia joined their family. The happy family resides in Trieste, Italy. (See photo top)

@ Jakob Vendle (M.B.A. Inter-national Business) married Julianne Kinley on October 11, 2008, in Boston. The couple lives in San Francisco. Jakob launched Wikipedia-based blog, www.theglobalidea.com, written for the disabled traveler.

1996 @ Lilian (B.A. Communication) and Patrick Hallstrom (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management) welcomed daughter lilo into their family on February 8.

@ Wyatt and Gina Welch (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Manage-ment) welcomed their third child, Ryan Cash Welch, to their ‘ohana on August 4, 2008.

1998 @ Mark Bell (B.S. Computer Science) retired from the United States Air Force Reserve on February 16. Mark spent 20 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, working in Intel-ligence and Network Secu-rity. His duty assignments included Clark AB, Philippines; Osan AB, South Korea; Nellis AFB, Nevada;

and Hickam AFB, Hawai‘i. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal upon his retirement.

2000 @ For the 38th Annual Northern California Area EMMY® Awards, Justin Barfield (B.A. Visual Communication) received his first EMMY award. Justin is the executive producer for KFSN,

ABC 30 Action News in Fresno, California. He received his EMMY® under the following category: Newscast-Evening-Medium Markets: “Action News at Six” KFSN ABC 30. Walter Makaula (B.S.B.A. ’93) also won an award.

2001 @ Theresa Anani (B.A. Anthro-pology) is happy to announce the arrival of daughter, Aiva, born October 31, 2008 (52 cm, 3470 grams).

@ Nicole Carr (B.A. Justice Administration) has returned to O‘ahu and is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties in Kahala.

@ Kari and Evan Leong (B.S.B.A.), and their boys Buddy and Koko, happily welcomed Kyndra lyn Setsuko leong to their ‘ohana on February 2 (7.1 lbs).

@ The latest addition to Courtney and Iven Sugai’s (B.A. Economics) family was born on October 2, 2008, at Tripler Army Medical Center (7 lbs and 8.2 oz, and 19.75

inches). His name is Kawena (pronounced: Kah-veh-nah) referring to the red glow of the sunrise, representing the dawn of a new day and a new beginning.

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

CL ASS LINKS

Enrichetta and Thomas Kisvarday (’95) with son Orlando and daughter Lidia

Lilo Hallstrom

Ryan Welch

Jakob Vendle and Julianne Kinley

Justin Barfield

Evan Leong with daughter Kyndra

ClASS lINKS

hpu today20

2002 @ Summer (Terry) Scarlatelli (B.A. Humanities) and husband Jason met while interning at Newfound Harbor Marine Institute in Big Pine Key, Florida. Summer is an upper school science teacher at Fort lauder-dale Preparatory School. (See photo right)

2003@ Juan Carlos Rivas (M.A. Communication) and Karey Santilena (B.A. Psychology) met with HPU sophomore Nicole lemas in Southern California. Nicole spent the spring semester traveling the world with Up with People (UWP), an international leader-ship program. Also a member of HPU’s International Vocal Ensemble, Nicole was a lead singer in the UWP show performing in every city they visited. Juan and Karey are both UWP alumni.

@ Following graduation Eric Williamson (B.S. Marine Biology) worked as a fisheries observer biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service before entering the U.S. Air Force, where he received additional training in telecommunications.

Since leaving the Air Force, he has worked for the U.S. Navy as a civilian contractor doing network and system administra-tion at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor. He lives in Honolulu with wife Kelli and stepdaughter Noelani.

2004@ Michael Doidge (M.A. Diplo-macy and Military Studies) is under contract with Routledge Press to edit an anthology on

Vietnam historiography due to be published in May 2010. He is also working on his disser-tation entitled An Army Worth Fighting For: Doctrinal, Strategic, and Bureaucratic Transformation in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1964. Michael has been awarded several prestigious fellowships and grants to support his research, including: 2008 Fellow at the West Point Summer

Seminar in Military History; 2008 McCain Fellow, University of Southern Mississippi Depart-ment of History; 2009 George Marshall/Baruch Fellow, George Marshall Foundation; 2009 Dean Harry J. Carman Fellow; grants from the Kennedy, Eisenhower, and Truman Presidential libraries; and was one of two recipients nationwide for the U.S. Army’s Center of Military History Fellowship.

@ Katja Silverå (B.S.B.A. ‘02, M.A. Communication) is devoting all of her time to her company, Creative Writers Ink (CWI). CWI acts as an agent for scriptwriters, assisting and coaching them through their writing. CWI markets and sells the scripts to movie companies and publishing houses in Europe and the United States. For more information, visit www.creativewritersink.com.

2005@ When Jason Arnold (B.S.B.A Management ’03, M.B.A. Finance) and Larz Stewart (B.S.B.A Inter-national Business ’02, M.B.A. ’03) signed on as crewmembers for the Princess Taiping they had no idea what type of adventure they had set off on in February. The ship was nearing the end of a successful goodwill voyage when, on April 26, a liberian-flagged, double-hulled tanker crashed into the 53-foot, 32-ton junk about 30 miles off the coast of Taiwan.

The junk broke apart and sank, plunging the crew into the sea. The tanker did not stop to assist them and rescuers arrived almost four hours after the incident. Fortunately, everyone survived.

@ Aggie Velasquez (B.S.B.A. Accounting) is currently the senior accountant for MAYDAY Manufacturing Company in Denton, Texas. “I miss Hawai‘i, especially Haleiwa Joe’s in Kane‘ohe!”

2006@ Audrey Alvarez (B.A. Communication) was overjoyed with the arrival of son Elijah Gamboa on February 22.

@ William Brian Clayton (B.A. International Studies) was awarded a Master of Science in Development Finance in September 2008 from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

@ Alaine (Daniels) (M.A. Communication) and Justin Small were wed on May 23 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The couple had a Hawaiian-themed wedding in honor of their time spent living in Hawai‘i. They honeymooned in Cabo San lucas, Mexico, and will reside in Reading, Massachusetts. (See photo opposite, top left)

Summer (Terry) Scarlatelli (’02) with students of the Fort Lauderdale Preparatory School during a field trip to the Kennedy Space Center

Nicole Lemas, sophomore, performs with Up with People

Elijah Gamboa

ClASS lINKS

FaLL 2009 21

2007@ Olena (Rubin) (B.A. Commu-nication) and Daniel Heu were married on May 24 at Paradise Cove Gardens, Ko Olina, on O‘ahu. Guests from long Island to Tokyo to Seattle flew in for the occasion. Olena is a KHON2 news reporter and Daniel is a carpenter. (See photo bottom)

@ Sandro Jube (B.S. Biology) and wife Doris are happy to announce the birth of their son, luka Foltin Jube, on November 27, 2008. Sandro was awarded his Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biotechnology from the Univer-sity of Hawai‘i at Mānoa on May 16. He looks forward to teaching a genetics course at HPU starting fall 2009. (See photo left)

@ Travis Thomason (B.A. Public Relations) is the program director at Cheer808 Inc. in Honolulu. This cheerleading facility was created to support the advancement of local cheer athletes to reach their full potential. (See photo right)

2008

@ Mariya Kirilova (M.B.A.) and Ivo Kerelski (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management, Inter-national Business ’03) were blessed with the arrival of their son, Alex Ivo Kerelski, on May 26 in Honolulu.

@ Heide & Cook, ltd. hired Melissa Sekigawa (B.A. Human Services) as sales and marketing coordinator. Her responsibilities include coordinating and executing all sales, marketing, and advertising plans for Heide & Cook and its subsidiary, AirReps Hawai‘i.

2009@ Andrew Kekoa Abordonado (B.A. International Studies) was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to spend 2009-2010 in Japan doing research on the Ainu minority community. He is the first HPU student to receive a prestigious Fulbright Award.

Alaine Daniels (’06) and newly wed husband Justin Small

Alex Kerelski

Luka Foltin Jube

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

May Commencement

Alumni Connections

Class of 2009

DenverAlumni helped out Jeff Philpott, Ph.D., vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, and Liana DuMond, associate director for admissions in the mid-Atlantic/Canada region, with a recruiting event in March.

Back Row: Jon Wright (B.A. History ’97), Dr. Jeff Philpott, Natasha Piper (M.A. Communication ’07), Heath Polzer (B.S.B.A. Finance ’02), Liana DuMond (B.A. International Studies ’02). Front Row: Chelsea Cassinis (B.S. Marine Biology ’03) and Katie Polzer (B.A. Communication ’03)

hpu today22

Janice Wright (M.B.A. ’96) and her nephew, David Howard (B.S.B.A.)

Graduates of HPU’s Executive Master of Business Administration program with Susan Fox-Wolfgramm, Ph.D. (far left), professor of management and MBA program chair

HPU’s nursing graduates show their personalized mortarboards

FaLL 2009 23FaLL 2009 23

Paul C.T. Loo Distinguished Alumni Awards BanquetApril 24, 2009, Waialae Country Club, Honolulu

For more banquet photos visit www.hpu.edu/2009loobanquet

When Master of Ceremonies Gordon Bruce (M.B.A. ’00) was told that Andrew Tay (B.S.B.A. ’98) was going to wear his St. John’s Ambulance Brigade uniform, he elected to wear traditional Scottish garb.

Bank of Hawaii (top) and GEICO Direct (bottom) sponsored silver-level tables at the banquet, generating $1,800 in student scholarship funding.

Lockheed Martin sponsored a table in honor of Shue-Jane Thompson (M.S.I.S. ’96). Shue-Jane, husband Bruce (M.S.I.S. ’96), and son Ian flew in from Virginia for the banquet.

Alumni from Hawai‘i and as far away as Singapore and New York join HPU staff and faculty at the banquet.

Young Alumni awardee Kristane Gaspar (B.A. Advertising and Public Relations ’04, M.A. Communication ’06) chats with colleagues attending the banquet.

President Wright chats with 2009 awardees Ravi Shivaraman (M.B.A., M.A. Human Resource Management, and M.S.I.S. ’93), Shue-Jane Thompson (M.S.I.S. ’96), and Kristane Gaspar (B.A. Advertising and Public Relations ’04, M.A. Communication ’06).

hpu today24

Meet Your Alumni Chapter Coordinator

marianne molland (M.S.I.S., M.A. Organizational Change ’00)

Marianne encourages las Vegas alumni to meet and network on a regular basis. She works at Budget Rent A Car of las Vegas’ corporate office. Outside of work she enjoys competing with her 160-pound English Mastiff, Tessa, in local dog shows. Marianne and husband Jonathan are expecting twins this fall.

Alumni chapters are located around the world. To find the one nearest you, visit www.hpu.edu/alumnichapters.

HPU alumni at Aston Hotels & Resorts are smiling because they know when you take advantage of the Aston HPU discount, a portion of each stay is donated to the HPU–Aston Scholarship Fund.

Top: Marivic Senkow (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management ’94), Queenie Babineau (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management ’03), Cathy Mak (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management ’92, M.B.A. Accounting ’94), Heather Reide-Chun (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management ’02); Bottom: Lisa Cripe (B.A. Commu-nication ’02, M.B.A. ’05), Kathi Buettner (B.S.B.A. Travel Industry Management ’01, M.B.A. ’05)

H2O Cooler News

BACK PAGE

Go Green

OFF%20

Receive

Items Featured in the Go Green Section of Our Web site through 11/30/09

www.hpu.edu/bookstoreType “Go Green 2009” in the coupon code box at checkout to get discount.

help our environment

and show your

HPU school spirit.

Purchase items that

at the HPU Bookstore

take

C

are of the planet for the Fu

tureand

SPRING 2009 3

The Global MarketMay Be Uncertain,

but YOUR FUTURE Shouldn’t Be.

A graduate degree from HPU will give you the tools to secure your future in these tough economic times. Choose from twelve master’s degrees with an emphasis on practical applications:

• Master of Business Administration

• Master of Arts in Communication

• Master of Arts in Diplomacy and Military Studies

• Master of Arts in Global Leadership and Sustainable Development

• Master of Science in Marine Science

• Master of Science in Nursing

• Master of Education in Secondary Education

• Master of Social Work

• Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language

Available Online

• Master of Arts in Organizational Change

• Master of Arts in Human Resource Management

• Master of Science in Information Systems

Get Where YOU Want to Go

Hawai‘i Pacific University

Visit WWW.HPU.EDU/GRAD For More Information

Alumni–Do you want to double your gift and make the HPU Honor Roll?

INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT1060 BISHOP STREET, SUITE 400HONOLULU, HI 96813

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 1050

HONOLULU, HI

Alumni ChAllenge-mAtCh

The Alumni Challenge-Match will match your gift up to $1,000 taking you to the Honor Roll level ($2,000). And, a corporate matching gift counts toward your gift. Make it easy by donating $100 a month for 10 months. Do it today by clicking on www.hpu.edu/presidentsfund-alumni.

For more information contact Associate Vice President Margi Ulveling at (808) 356-5224 or mulveling@hpu.edu.

President’s Fund 2009 alumni committee members: Wade Nakashima, Brad Harrison, Armi Oliver Farinas, Nash Subotic, Board Chairman and Campaign Co-Chair Chuck Sted, Todd Hedrick, and William Giorgini

There are two types of universities: those that survive and those that thrive. HPU has thrived since its founding, and I know it’s going to thrive well into the future as a result of your support. —ChuCk STeD Chairman, HPU Board of TrusteesCo-Chair, President’s Fund 2009

Please join us by December 31.

www.hpu.edu/presidentsfund-alumni

Join other alumni President’s Fund members who are shaping the future of hPu. How?