Student Participants of Chaminade University's 2017 Na Liko Na'auao
More than 100 Chaminade students participated in the 15th Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship – Na Liko Na'auao. Held on April 21, the conference provided a place for the exchange of research ideas and afforded participants a time to celebrate a culture of diversity and scholarship. Open to students from all divisions, the event exhibited 62 projects which demonstrated student learning and research covering a range of disciplines. From Business to Russian politics, from the sciences to the fine arts, students explored in depth their fields of interests.
Available to answer questions and discuss their projects, the students showcased their exhibits in various forms. Categories included poster presentations, artwork, video and portfolio displays. Presentations were done individually and by small groups and completed in the past academic year. All Chaminade University day undergraduate students who had a faculty sponsor to mentor them through the process were eligible to present.
At the closing ceremony, Chaminade associate provost Patricia Lee-Robinson recalled the early beginnings of the Na Liko Na'auao. She and Henry Halenani Gomes co-founded the event in 2003. Then the conference only took up half of the Clarence T. C. Ching Conference Center. This year the number of student exhibits nearly overflowed the room’s capacity.
Lee-Robinson praised the students for their hard work and pursuit of academic excellence. She also thanked the 21 invaluable faculty mentors and sponsors who motivated, guided and inspired students to pursue their scholarship and publically present their endeavors.
Lee-Robinson also announced the winners of the President Sue Wesselkamper Prize and the Outstanding Mentor Award.
Arielle Regis won the President Sue Wesselkamper Prize, endowed by Henry and Charlotte Clark. Nominated by faculty members Eva Washburn-Repollo, Ph.D. (Communications) and by Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Ed.D. (School of Nursing), Regis was recognized for her academic excellence, community service, leadership and work ethic. Regis will graduate this spring with her bachelor's degree in Nursing.
Chaminade associate professor of English Allison Paynter, Ph.D. was the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Mentor Award. Nominated by Chaminade student Madison Choi, Paynter continues to be instrumental in opening students’ minds to the value of the Humanities and literature. She teaches courses on creative writing, poetry, short story and novel, women's Literature, gender, and ethnicity, and she facilitates the Aulama (Chaminade’s student literary journal). Dr. Paynter inspired Choi's choice of English as a major.
After the two announcements, it was time for student participants to be recognized. Students had their names individually read aloud as they received their certificates of commendation. The crowd applauded for each student individually in appreciation of the excellence demonstrated.
Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe, 2017 Sue Wesselkamper awardee Arielle Regis (BSN '17), and Dr. Eva Washburn-Repollo
Chaminade University recognized Dr. Allison Paynter as Outstanding Mentor for 2017. Madison Choi (English major) nominated her.
Gracelyn Lorenzo, a Criminal Justice major, has a passion for Hawaiian culture. Her research highlighted "The Story of La'ieikawai."
"Fabergé Eggs: The Imperial Eggs of Russia" presented by Ferleen Mallarme (International Relations Studies) and Allysa Caberto (International Relations--Trade) dealt with the history and political/economic issues of these Russian treasures.
Kawehiokekai Moefu presented two posters and two major artworks at Na Liko. He pursued a research opportunity at Purdue University in 2016. He also presented his work at a conference at the University of Memphis in spring 2017.
Concerned about global responses to climate change, Chantelle Aguilar targeted Russia's environmental problems.
Alfiya Mityukova, Nhkiki Sacharoff, and Michael Corpus are juniors in the School of Nursing. They presented on "Mindfulness" and then honed into "Marianist Mindfulness."
