Special to the Herald
Chaminade University of Honolulu joined the Marianist family June 25-28 in Dayton, Ohio, helping shape conversations about the future of the Marianist mission during the 2026 Province Assembly.
Focused on “Embracing Our Roots, Forging Our Future,” the assembly brought together 170 members of the Society of Mary, Marianist brothers and sisters, lay Marianists and youth to pray, reflect and ask, “How do we carry a rich legacy forward while responding to the needs of a new generation?”
“I feel so blessed to have gained a Marianist education and the chance to attend the assembly,” said Victoria Zembik, a current Chaminade student. “I feel an obligation to serve others in big and small ways and to carry on the traditions that our founding fathers instilled.”
That focus on young people remained at the heart of the assembly. Panels featuring young adults, Marianist family members and province leaders focused on the relevance of the Marianist charism, the future of the Marianist mission and preserving traditions for the next generation.
Among the Chaminade participants were Zembik and graduates Easton DelaCruz (2025), Alex Hernandez (2024) and Temika Hemmings (2025), as well as several Marianist brothers who reside at Kalaepohaku.
They joined other participants from the University of Dayton in Ohio and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, the nation’s other Marianist universities.
The aloha spirit was also present during the installation of Brother Ed Violett, former vice president of the Marianist Center of Hawaii, as the new provincial of the Society of Mary. His installation reflected the close ties between Hawaii and the Marianist Province.
As students returned to Hawaii, they brought home more than memories of Dayton. They returned with a deeper appreciation for the Marianist mission and a renewed commitment to live its values through leadership, service and community.
Above: Chaminade University of Honolulu student Victoria Zembik spoke during last month’s Marianist Province Assembly in Dayton, Ohio. “I feel so blessed to have gained a Marianist education and a chance to attend the assembly,” she said after the gathering. (Courtesy Society of Mary and Chaminade University of Honolulu)