Alumni News

Last October, we overhauled the way Cooperative Extension publications are published, and after 12 months of piloting this new process, it is an unqualified success.

Extension publications are fundamentally important to CTAHR as the land grant college of the University of Hawaiʻi system. We have a federal obligation to provide practical, research-based information and educatio­n for the people of Hawai‘i. Our Extension agents and specialists fulfill this very important “community outreach” function – and Extension publications are a primary tool for getting applied science and practical recommendations into the hands of residents and businesses across the state. A committee of faculty and administration defined a publication process. We set a publishing goal of 90 days from submission. For the 30-odd manuscripts that were processed from October 2020 to October 2021, the average time has been much shorter – 11.6 days – and that figure includes weekends and holidays.

Quality is not suffering, but rather, has improved. The new process includes a basic level of review that was previously missing (however, it is not designed to match the level of rigor in national, peer-reviewed journals). We also raised the standard of scientific editing and formatting. The resulting papers have a consistent and recognizable look, and are higher in readability, clarity of information conveyed, and aesthetics.

Feedback is remarkably positive, from faculty authors to agency officials to state legislators to UH leadership to my professional contacts in industry and at other land grant universities. If you haven’t visited the Extension publications site recently, I suggest you do.

I’ve instructed CTAHR’s Office of Communication Services to drop “interim” and trim down the guidelines to further streamline the process. The OCS Advisory Council will provide input before the revised guidelines are disseminated. This 24-seat council represents all six departments, as well as CTAHR units, programs, Extension, and administration.

During the interim, authors could choose between an older publication design and a new one. The majority chose the latter. Moving forward, all Extension publications will use the new format. This will increase efficiency and maintain timeliness, as well as uniformly brand CTAHR Extension Publications for our broad community of readers.

“Small Business Start-Up” is an integral component of our Fashion Design and Merchandising program. It is in this environment where students in the Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences acquire real-life experiences in ways to plan assortments, sell products, analyze sales figures – and perhaps most importantly – decipher customer behavior. Calling all holiday shoppers who are letting their keyboards do the walking! This year’s start-up stores, typically open at UHM Campus Center, are now on Instagram! Wahine Haus and 437 Charming feature products handmade by our FDM students themselves, infused with the Hawaiian spirit and nature.

“At first, I wasn't sure how students can gain valuable hands-on experience online, but all of our FDM 437 students have been so passionate about this opening and managing the online stores, from planning/creating products to selling products by communicating with customers!” says Young Bahng. “Both the groups' missions and goals for the businesses are to offer unique handmade goods to the community of Hawai'i, supporting local businesses because they are the people who’ve taken a major hit from the pandemic.”

The FDM students, working in groups of six, manage the online stores throughout the semester. Merchandising  is responsible for mark-ups, mark-downs, sales and profit analysis, and overall financial performance of the online business. Marketing is in charge of advertising and promotion, setting up a target market, communication with customers, and analysis of customer's reactions to the store. Web Design developed the Instagram sites and is posting photos, adding and organizing product/seller photos and video clips to attract viewers.

“The students keep evaluating their online retail business performance, try different marketing strategies, and are working hard to overcome barriers/weaknesses of their business,” says Young. “I'm very proud of my FDM 437 students, the near future entrepreneurs.”

Between finals, personal economics, and of course, that lingering pandemic, this December could be a stressful time for students. Which is why the Office of Academic and Student Affairs has been working double-time to provide an extra level of support for the youngest members of our CTAHR ʻohana. Mahalo ASAO!

Grab and Go Foodstack

• December 2, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
• Gilmore Courtyard
• Get ready to gather up some produce and dry goods, thanks to the contributions of the ʻi, Aloha Harvest, and Coalition to Stop Campus Hunger. Supplies are often limited, and only registered participants will be allowed to participate, so Register now. 

Cooking Show

• December 3, starts 5:00 p.m.
• Virtual (faculty, staff, and alumni and friends are all welcome!)

• Cooking kit pickup is Dec. 2, 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Gilmore Courtyard
• Lara Hackney of the Dept. of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences will lead culinary adventurers in this is festive, delicious, and indulgent holiday spread!  Spinach Artichoke Puffed Pastry Wreath, Tomato Soup, and a Pomegranate Thyme Spritzer! *Limited number of ingredient kits for students. ASAO will email the ingredient list to students who do not receive a kit. Register now.

Wreath-making Workshop

• December 4, starts 8:30 a.m.
• eeds4Tomorrow, 94-340 Kunia Road, Waipahu
• All supplies will be provided: Christmas Berry, Pōhinahina, Jade, Song of India, Neem, Norfolk Pine, Hinahina (Peleʻs Hair), Eucalyptus. A suggested donation of  will cover the cost of supplies. Register now.

Student / Alumni Mixer

• December 9, starts 5:30 p.m.
• Virtual via Zoom
• Meet & connect with other CTAHR-ians to learn about their paths, brainstorm new ideas, and seek potential career opportunities. The first 30 registrant CTAHR alums, students, or parents will receive a choice of delicious plates FREE from Adela's Country Eatery (a CTAHR Alumni-owned restaurant) delivered to their door to enjoy the event! Sponsored by ASUH. Register now.

New York Fashion Week is the epicenter for America’s new trends in clothing styles and materials. At the upcoming event in February 2022, the illustrious pantheon of collections will include Ola Hou Designs by Sharayah Chun-Lai. “I am humbled and honored to be the First Native Hawaiian wahine to accept an invitation from Runway 7 to showcase Ola Hou Design’s uniquely modern Hawaiian vision at Sony Hall and represent Hawai‘i,” says the 2016 graduate of the Fashion Design and Merchandising program of the Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Ola hou” translates to “new life,” Sharayah explains, and Ola Hou Designs reflects her deep cultural roots and formative educational experiences at Kamehameha Schools and CTAHR. Since her childhood days on the Big Island, she “always aspired to share my love of fashion and Hawaiian culture with the world.” And now she’ll get her chance!

Under the New York spotlight, Ola Hou Designs “will bring Aloha to the world, as each design tells a story to see, wear and represent,” she says. “Each print represents a deeper meaning than what meets the eye. They are representations of my family, friends, culture, life, and love, intertwined together to create artistic and transformative experiences.”

Sharayah adds, “This is an opportunity to showcase not only my designs, but more importantly, the stories behind the designs, which have always revolved around family, friends, people, and my upbringing in Hawaiian culture and values.”

Read the UH News story.

When a graduate student named Andy Reilly first heard about the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) in 1997, he admits he “really didn't know about or understand the purpose of professional organizations.” Still, his professor recommended he join, so he did. “However, after my first meeting – in Lyon, France, no less – I was hooked and found a supportive community for my academic interests,” says Andy, now a professor in the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program of the Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences. A quarter-century later, he will represent CTAHR as the new president of the ITAA – the first male to lead the international organization since its founding in 1979! Andy will serve as president-elect in 2022, move into the president position in 2023, and serve as counselor in 2024.

“I am very happy to have this opportunity to serve,” Andy says. “The position will bring visibility to UH and our fashion program. CTAHR has a history of strong leaders in ITAA and I am one person glad to continue that tradition.” 

And what exactly are his plans as president?

“ITAA is currently undergoing a strategic review and developing a plan,” Andy says. “This plan will help guide the organization – and one of my roles will be to help oversee the implementation of the plan. I hope that by the end of my term, the organization will be duly prepared to face the issues that affect clothing and textiles scholars, educators, and practitioners.”

ITAA was founded in 1979 as the Association of College Professors of Textiles and Clothing, changing its name in 1991 to the International Textile and Apparel Association to better reflect its global perspective. ITAA strives to advance excellence in education, scholarship, innovation, and their global applications. It is the premier organization for textile and apparel scholarship.