Eight current and former Halawa Correctional Facility inmates graduated this month from a new college degree program offered by Chaminade University.
Seven of the inmates — Kelson Akeo, Albert Batalona, Anthony Chatman, John Granger, Raphael Holley, Ronald Page and Keola Rapoza — participated in a commencement ceremony at the facility on Wednesday.
Nikkos Gordon, who completed his final semester after his release, participated in Chaminade’s commencement exercises last week.
“Growing up, I put my mom and dad through a lot of stuff — stealing, getting arrested, running away, drugs, all kinds of crazy stuff,” Holley said. “The hurt that I put on my parents was horrible. It took me to come to a place like this, unfortunately, to understand that. But this was my greatest accomplishment so far.
“I’m going to have many more and I hope that this made my parents and my friends proud of what I can do and what I can achieve,” he said.
Chaminade University launched the Second Chance Pell Grant program for Halawa inmates in 2021. Tuition, learning materials and textbooks are fully covered by Pell Grant financial aid and donations from Chaminade’s community partners.
Each graduate earned the 60 credits required for an associate degree in business administration.
The two-year program brings Chaminade professors to the facility to teach classes in history, poetry, drama, criminal justice and communications as well as more advanced Business Administration courses that include accounting, statistics, introduction to business and macroeconomics.
“Chaminade University of Honolulu takes immense pride in celebrating the accomplishments of its inaugural cohort of graduating students at Halawa Correctional Facility,” said Janet Davidson, vice provost of academic affairs. “Today marks a significant achievement for the graduating class; it’s a recognition of their perseverance, resilience and commitment to self-improvement.”
Davidson said the pilot program’s success demonstrates partnerships can lead to “transformative change.”
“With the support and guidance of Chaminade’s distinguished faculty and support staff and the cooperation and backing of Halawa Correctional Facility, these individuals have embraced the opportunity to redefine their futures,” she said. “This program is part of Chaminade’s mission to educate for service, justice and peace. We hope that with their newly gained education, these students will have the skills needed to rebuild their lives upon reintegration into society.”
Public Safety Department director Tommy Johnson said he hopes to work with the college to expand the educational initiative to other correctional facilities.
“This is the first college degree graduation in a Hawaii correctional facility,” Johnson said. “These men received the same education they would get if they were attending in-person classes at Chaminade, with the difference being that it was offered in a prison learning center. This program could not have been done without Chaminade University and PSD’s corrections program/education staff who worked together to create a pathway towards higher education for the incarcerated men at Halawa.”
Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.