Delaware State News
The Downstate Daily
Vol. 109, No. 179 Thursday, January 29, 2009
WORDS GETTING OUT IN DOVER
Submitted photos/Kathleen Capitan
From left, Kathleen Capitan, a speech-language pathologist, helps Katie Ford, 2, of Dover, and Madison Simpson, 4, of Smyrna, develop their speech and language skills. Ms. Capitan is a speech-language pathologist who graduated from Caesar Rodney High School in 1999 and, after obtaining her postgraduate degree and license, recently moved back to Delaware to open her own speech pathology clinic. (Source: Delaware State News)
Speech pathologist comes home to practice
Alex Schmitt, left, 3, of Felton, points to flash cards Ms. Capitan use to communicate with and teach children with various language and developmental disorders. (Source: Delaware State News)
Hawaii: An Island of Dreams, Good Fortune, and Hope
Sunlit Shores, Academic Adventures, Unexpected Kindness, and the Students Who Changed My Life
Summary
Hawaii: An Island of Dreams, Good Fortune, and Hope
Hawaii holds a special place in the author’s heart because it brought him beautiful natural scenery, unexpected good fortune, warm human kindness, and profound joy through the achievements of his students. He visited Hawaii twice: first in 1994, while pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and again in 2005, while serving as a professor at James Madison University.
During his first visit, the author was captivated by Maui’s magnificent coastal roads, the peaceful sunset at Lahaina, and the spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean from the summit of Haleakala. One of his most cherished memories was receiving a jar of homemade kimchi from a Korean American immigrant working at his hotel. Her unexpected generosity left a lasting impression on him. His visit also brought professional recognition when his paper was selected as the best paper in its track at the Twenty-Seventh Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-27) in 1994. This achievement provided valuable encouragement and strengthened his confidence as a doctoral researcher.
His second visit, in 2005, was especially meaningful because he accompanied two students, Kathleen Capitan (Kati) and Josh Krause, to the Thirty-Eighth Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-38). The students presented research combining speech-language pathology and telecommunications technology. What began as an ordinary classroom assignment developed into an international academic achievement through the author’s guidance and the students’ dedication.
Kati grew into a compassionate and accomplished speech-language pathologist, eventually establishing her own practice in her home state of Delaware and serving the local community. Josh, meanwhile, coauthored two international journal papers and four conference papers as an undergraduate. With full financial support, he subsequently entered the doctoral program at Tufts University to pursue his dream of becoming a professor. When Josh told the author that he had completely changed his life, the author experienced one of the greatest feelings of pride and fulfillment of his teaching career in the United States.
Beyond its blue ocean, swaying palm trees, tropical vegetation, and inspiring artistic environment, Hawaii impressed the author with its people’s friendliness and cultural diversity. At the same time, he felt saddened by the historical challenges faced by Native Hawaiian language and culture under colonization and Americanization. This experience reinforced his appreciation for the importance of preserving indigenous languages, traditions, and cultural heritage.
The two journeys offered the author different but equally valuable lessons. The first affirmed his growth and achievements as a researcher, while the second revealed the profound satisfaction of discovering students’ potential and helping them develop their abilities. Academic publications and professional awards are valuable, but making a positive difference in a student’s life can have an even deeper and more enduring impact.
For the author, Hawaii is far more than a vacation destination. It is an island where dreams, good fortune, human kindness, and hope come together. One reason he hopes to spend his retirement there with his wife is the opportunity to enjoy a peaceful life surrounded by natural beauty, reflecting on cherished memories and sharing unhurried moments with his loved ones.
Ultimately, paradise is not merely a particular location on a map. It emerges when beautiful surroundings, meaningful human relationships, and moments of gratitude come together. For the author, Hawaii is precisely such a place—an island of dreams, good fortune, and hope.
Keywords: Hawaii, Maui, Dreams, Good Fortune, Hope, Natural Beauty, Hawaiian Culture, Cultural Heritage, Human Kindness, Academic Achievement, HICSS, Research Collaboration, Student Mentorship, Interdisciplinary Research, Speech-Language Pathology, Telecommunications, Teaching Excellence, Professional Growth, Lifelong Memories, Retirement, Human Relationships, Personal Fulfillment, Paradise.
There are places we visit, places we remember, and places that quietly become part of who we are. Hawaii belongs to the third category for me. On two occasions, separated by eleven years, this beautiful Pacific archipelago brought me extraordinary pleasure, unexpected good fortune, professional recognition, and, most importantly, memories of students whose lives became intertwined with my own. Many people call Hawaii a paradise on earth. Having experienced it myself, I can only agree—with the minor qualification that paradise seems to have excellent weather, exceptionally friendly people, and a rather impressive public-relations department.
I visited Hawaii twice: first in January 1994, when I was pursuing my doctoral studies at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and again in January 2005, when I was serving as a professor at James Madison University. Both trips were connected with the same distinguished academic gathering, the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, better known as HICSS. Yet the two journeys offered very different rewards. The first brought me professional recognition and a memorable encounter with the natural beauty of Maui. The second gave two of my students an opportunity that helped shape their professional lives—and gave their professor a reason to feel that teaching might be one of the most rewarding occupations on earth.
A Pacific Paradise with a Complicated History
Hawaii brings to mind hula dancers, swaying palm trees, fragrant flowers, and an ocean so blue that one begins to suspect the water has received special instructions from the tourism board. But beneath its postcard-perfect appearance lies a history that deserves more than a passing glance.
Hawaii was once an independent kingdom with its own political institutions, language, and cultural traditions. In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown, and the islands were annexed by the United States in 1898. Hawaii eventually became the fiftieth American state in 1959. The historical process was neither simple nor entirely peaceful, and the consequences of American expansion remain part of the islands’ complicated legacy.
I felt a particular sadness that the Hawaiian language and many indigenous cultural traditions had suffered under the pressures of colonization and Americanization. A language is more than a collection of words; it carries the memories, humor, values, and worldview of the people who speak it. When a language disappears, a unique way of understanding the world may disappear with it. Fortunately, Hawaiian language and cultural revitalization efforts have continued, reminding us that cultural identity can endure even after suffering serious historical wounds.
Among Hawaii’s islands, Maui made a particularly deep impression on me. Along with Oahu, Molokai, and the island of Hawaii itself, Maui forms part of the Hawaiian archipelago. Many travelers consider it one of the most beautiful islands in the world. I am hardly qualified to settle the matter, since beauty contests among tropical islands seem to me an unnecessarily competitive enterprise. Nevertheless, Maui would have been a formidable contestant.
Lahaina at Sunset: When the World Slows Down
Lahaina, a small historic harbor town on Maui’s western coast, was once an important whaling center. During the nineteenth century, whaling ships called at its harbor, bringing sailors, merchants, and the rough-and-ready bustle of a maritime frontier. By the time I visited, Lahaina had become a peaceful destination for travelers seeking history, scenery, and a little relief from the anxieties of ordinary life.
At sunset, the town seemed almost impossibly tranquil. The light softened, the ocean settled into a quiet rhythm, and the harbor took on the gentle appearance of a place where nobody had ever received an urgent email. One could easily imagine the old whaling ships returning from the Pacific, although the modern visitors seemed considerably more interested in restaurants, souvenirs, and finding the perfect place to photograph the sunset.
Sadly, much of historic Lahaina was devastated by the catastrophic wildfires of August 2023. Remembering the town as I experienced it also reminds me that beautiful places are vulnerable, and that the preservation of cultural heritage requires more than admiration from passing visitors.
One of my favorite memories of Maui was driving along its coastal roads. The route offered magnificent ocean views, tropical vegetation, and rows of palm trees standing like elegant sentries beside the roadway. The Pacific stretched endlessly beside us, sometimes glittering in the sunlight and sometimes appearing as deep and mysterious as a painting. The pleasure of driving was difficult to describe: every bend revealed another scene that seemed to have been composed specifically for the benefit of a traveler with a camera and an overactive sense of wonder.
There was, however, one practical consideration that the postcards neglected to mention. Coconuts are considerably larger than they appear in photographs, and falling coconuts can be dangerous. I was advised to be careful because coconuts occasionally dropped onto passing vehicles. Nature, it seems, has its own traffic-control system, and it does not always issue warnings before enforcing the rules.
At the hotel where I stayed, I observed an employee whose responsibilities apparently included the regular inspection and cleanup of the grounds around the palm trees. Early each morning, the employee drove a small golf cart around the property, collecting fallen branches and coconuts from the previous night. It was a sensible precaution, and I admired the diligence involved. A tropical paradise, I discovered, requires maintenance. Even Eden might need a groundskeeping department if it has enough palm trees.
Haleakala: Above the Clouds, Beneath the Sun
Maui is also home to Haleakala, an enormous dormant volcanic landscape whose summit rises more than 10,000 feet above sea level. The name is often translated as “House of the Sun,” and the mountain offers scenery that makes the name seem entirely appropriate.
Standing near the summit, I could look down upon clouds gathered along the mountainside while brilliant sunlight illuminated the higher slopes. Beyond the volcanic landscape, the vast blue Pacific spread toward the horizon. The contrast between the mist below and the clear, radiant sky above was breathtaking. It was one of those rare moments when the world seems so magnificent that even a person who spends much of his life studying technical systems temporarily forgets to analyze anything.
Some visitors approached the mountain with a rather different objective. They transported bicycles to the upper slopes and then rode downhill, enjoying the speed and exhilaration of the descent. I admired their courage, although I was not sufficiently tempted to exchange my comfortable sightseeing for a high-speed conversation with gravity.
Newly married couples had their own memorable way of enjoying the mountain. Some booked helicopter excursions that flew over the spectacular volcanic landscape. Automated video cameras recorded their reactions as they gazed at the scenery, cheered, and celebrated their adventure. At the end of the flight, the couples received recordings of their experiences.
It was a clever arrangement. The newlyweds could enjoy the scenery, preserve the memories, and take home a film of themselves looking wonderfully happy. One could hardly ask for more from a honeymoon excursion—except perhaps a guarantee that the camera would not record anyone asking, halfway through the flight, whether the helicopter was supposed to make that particular noise.
A Jar of Kimchi and the Kindness of a Stranger
Of all my memories of Maui, one of the most enduring has little to do with spectacular scenery. It concerns a Korean American who worked at my hotel.
One day, while cleaning my room, she asked whether I was a Korean student who had come from the American mainland. I explained that I was pursuing my doctoral studies in Missouri. The following day, she surprised me with a jar of homemade kimchi that she had prepared herself.
I was deeply touched. She had no obligation to do anything for me, and we had known each other only briefly. Yet she had taken the time to prepare something familiar and comforting for a stranger who shared her Korean heritage. The gift was simple, but its meaning was profound.
For a Korean living far from home, kimchi is more than food. Its distinctive aroma and taste can bring back memories of family meals, familiar kitchens, and conversations conducted in one’s mother tongue. That jar represented a small act of generosity, but it also carried the warmth of a shared cultural identity.
I have never forgotten her kindness—or the taste of that kimchi.
People often say that Hawaii’s residents are friendly, and I certainly found this to be true. I sometimes wondered whether their friendliness arose naturally from the local culture, the pleasant climate, or the fact that tourism is such an important part of the economy. Perhaps the smiling faces were partly a professional necessity. After all, few businesses can thrive by greeting visitors with the expression of someone who has just discovered that his flight has been canceled.
But I eventually concluded that the distinction did not matter very much. Whether kindness begins as a cultural habit, a professional courtesy, or a deliberate act of goodwill, it can still make another person’s day brighter. And when genuine warmth accompanies it, the memory may last much longer than the holiday itself.
Where Artists Find Their Paradise
Hawaii is also home to many artists, a fact that seemed entirely understandable to me. As someone who has long appreciated painting and visual art, I could easily imagine why creative people would be drawn to the islands.
Consider the natural palette: the deep blue of the Pacific, the brilliant white of the clouds, the golden sands of the beaches, the rich greens of tropical vegetation, and the extraordinary variety of flowers. Add the changing colors of the sky at sunset, the textures of volcanic rock, and the movement of waves along the shore. An artist could spend a lifetime studying these combinations without exhausting the possibilities.
And then there are the people. The Hawaiian islands have long been shaped by indigenous Hawaiian traditions and by the cultural influences of communities from Asia, Europe, and elsewhere. This diversity adds depth to the islands’ artistic and cultural life.
I heard that some artists made their living by creating and selling their own work, while others experimented with unusual techniques, including painting underwater. The idea fascinated me. Painting underwater must present certain challenges that artists working in ordinary studios do not encounter. Keeping the canvas in place, handling the equipment, and preventing the Pacific from becoming an uninvited collaborator would seem to require considerable ingenuity.
Perhaps the underwater environment gives artists access to colors and perspectives that cannot be experienced on land. If so, their work may offer a fresh way of seeing the ocean. Whether such paintings command high prices is a matter for the art market, whose judgment has occasionally proved more mysterious than the artistic process itself.
Still, I understood why Hawaii attracted creative people. Its beauty does not merely invite admiration; it encourages people to interpret, imagine, and create.
The Lei: A Welcome Written in Flowers
My first journey to Maui began in Kansas City, continued through San Francisco and Honolulu, and ended at the island’s airport. After traveling across the mainland and the Pacific, I finally arrived at the tropical destination I had been anticipating.
At the hotel, a beautiful young Polynesian woman greeted arriving guests by placing a lei around each person’s neck. The traditional flower garland was a warm and memorable welcome. After the long journey, it felt as though Hawaii were saying, “You have traveled far enough. Now you may relax.”
Near the hotel lobby, staff members had arranged large quantities of flowers and demonstrated how to make leis. Visitors could watch the process and learn how individual blossoms were assembled into colorful garlands. Finished leis were also available for purchase, carefully packaged in transparent plastic containers.
Many travelers bought them as gifts for family members, romantic partners, and close friends back home. The flowers offered a small piece of Hawaii that could be carried across the ocean and shared with someone who had not been fortunate enough to make the journey.
There was an interesting environmental distinction, however. Although travelers could purchase and take certain prepared floral products home, Hawaii maintained strict regulations on the introduction of plants, animals, and other biological materials from elsewhere. These restrictions help protect the islands’ unique ecosystems from invasive species and agricultural pests.
The policy made perfect sense. An island paradise is a fragile ecological system, and the arrival of a seemingly harmless organism can sometimes cause damage that takes decades to reverse. Hawaii welcomes visitors with open arms, but it is considerably more selective about welcoming their uninvited biological companions.
HICSS-27: When Academic Fortune Smiles
My first visit to Hawaii was not simply a vacation. I traveled to Maui to attend the Twenty-Seventh Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-27, held January 4–7, 1994.
For a doctoral student, an international academic conference offers an opportunity to present research, meet established scholars, and discover how one’s work fits into a larger intellectual conversation. It can also be an intimidating experience. The conference program may contain hundreds of names, many belonging to researchers whose publications have been sitting on one’s desk for years. Meeting them in person can feel rather like discovering that the people in one’s textbooks have stepped out of the pages and are now standing in line for coffee.
I was especially pleased when the paper I presented was selected as the best paper in its track. The selection was made by the Technical Program Committee following a recommendation from the track chair. It was an important professional milestone, and I was grateful for the recognition.
The paper had grown out of my doctoral research and my collaboration with a master’s student who had come from Macau to study in the United States. We worked together to develop the research, and the resulting paper demonstrated the value of a productive partnership between a doctoral student and a younger scholar.
She later became a distinguished engineer at Oracle, the globally recognized database and enterprise software company. Looking back, I am pleased that our collaboration contributed to a professional journey that continued well beyond our original academic project.
At the conference, I also had the pleasure of meeting Professor Dong-Guk Shin of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut. We spent time together discussing our work and enjoying the conference. Such encounters are among the understated pleasures of academic life. A conference may be organized around formal presentations, but some of its most valuable moments occur between sessions, when scholars exchange ideas, share experiences, and discover unexpected common ground.
That first trip to Maui gave me a beautiful island to remember, a professional achievement to celebrate, and a renewed appreciation for the unpredictable rewards of research.
HICSS-38: Returning with Two Students and a Dream
Eleven years later, I returned to Hawaii. This time, I was a professor at James Madison University, and I brought two students with me to present our research at the Thirty-Eighth Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS-38.
The conference took place January 3–6, 2005, at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, a major resort on the island of Hawaii, often called the Big Island to distinguish it from the state as a whole.
The experience was particularly meaningful because it represented the culmination of months of research by two young scholars, Kathleen Capitan, known as Kati, and Josh Krause. Our paper was titled “The Applications of Human Factors Associated with Hearing Impairments: Issues and Recent Technological Developments in Telephony.”
The project brought together two fields that might initially seem unrelated: speech-language pathology and telecommunications. Yet the connection was both practical and important. Communication technologies are not truly successful merely because they transmit signals efficiently. They must also accommodate the needs of the people who use them, including those with hearing or speech impairments.
The opportunity to attend HICSS-38 was supported by the College of Business at James Madison University and the Marriott Foundation. The university later published an account of the students’ experience under the title “Hawaiian Convention.” Reading that account again reminds me how an apparently ordinary classroom assignment can become the beginning of something extraordinary.
From a Classroom Paper to an International Conference
Josh’s journey began in the fall of 2003, when he took my CIS 320 course. As part of the class, students were assigned a term paper. Under my guidance, Josh developed his work to a level that led to publication in the International Journal of Services and Standards.
That first publication encouraged him to pursue additional research. Meanwhile, Kati, a graduate student in speech pathology who was working as a graduate assistant in the College of Business, brought a different body of knowledge to the table. Her expertise in speech-language pathology complemented Josh’s knowledge of telecommunications.
The research idea emerged from the intersection of their disciplines. They then spent months developing the project, meeting with me regularly, refining their arguments, and preparing the paper for submission. Eventually, their work was accepted at HICSS-38, one of the leading international conferences in the systems sciences.
For both students, the conference was an introduction to a larger professional world. Josh described the opportunity to interact with prominent researchers as the most rewarding aspect of the experience. At the same time, he acknowledged that presenting before established scholars made him nervous. He was unofficially among the youngest attendees, and it was his first conference and first presentation before professionals in his field.
His reflections captured something essential about academic development. Knowledge acquired from books and classrooms is indispensable, but direct engagement with experienced researchers provides a different kind of education. It teaches students how to defend ideas, ask better questions, and recognize the limits of what they know.
Kati found the interdisciplinary nature of the research especially rewarding. The conference helped her see how two apparently distant fields could fit together into a coherent whole. She described the experience as a “baptism by fire,” an apt expression for a first encounter with an international conference whose discussions can be demanding even for experienced participants.
Yet that is precisely why such opportunities matter. Students do not develop confidence by remaining forever in familiar surroundings. They grow by confronting challenges, discovering their capabilities, and learning that the boundaries between academic disciplines are often more permeable than they first appear.
Kati: A Scholar with a Heart for Helping Others
Kati was one of the kindest and most intelligent students I have had the pleasure of teaching. She was hardworking, thoughtful, and determined to do her best. She was also one of a pair of twin sisters.
There was another charming detail about her: she had studied Taekwondo and could pronounce Korean expressions such as sabeomnim(사범님), the respectful title for a martial arts instructor, with admirable accuracy. Her familiarity with Korean terminology made her something of an honorary Korean enthusiast. I sometimes wondered whether she could have passed a basic test in Taekwondo vocabulary more successfully than some people who claimed to know considerably more about Korea.
Her interest in the research was genuine, and she brought both intellectual curiosity and a compassionate understanding of communication difficulties to our work. These qualities were particularly valuable in a project concerned with improving communication for people with hearing impairments.
After completing her graduate education, Kati returned to her home state of Delaware and established Central Delaware Speech-Language Pathology, Inc. She became a successful speech-language pathologist, serving the community through her professional expertise. Her achievements eventually attracted enough attention to earn coverage on the front page of a local newspaper. I was delighted to learn of her success. It was gratifying to see a student transform academic knowledge into a profession that directly improves people’s lives.
Before we parted, I asked her to let me know when she got married. It was a small request, made with the affectionate optimism of a professor who hopes to remain connected with his former students long after the final examination has been graded. I hoped that her future would be filled with happiness and that, someday, I might receive the good news.
Josh: The Student Who Changed My Life as a Teacher
Josh Krause was one of the most industrious and productive students I have ever supervised. He worked with extraordinary dedication, and our collaboration resulted in more research publications than I had produced with any other student.
As an undergraduate, he coauthored two international journal papers and four conference papers. That is an impressive record for a student who was still completing his bachelor’s degree. It also demonstrated that research ability is not determined simply by academic seniority. Given sufficient motivation, guidance, and opportunity, a student can contribute meaningful work long before receiving an advanced degree.
I encouraged Josh to pursue doctoral studies at Tufts University, the distinguished engineering and research university near Boston. Rather than first completing a master’s degree, he proceeded directly into a doctoral program with full financial support. He hoped to become a professor, and I was delighted that he had the opportunity to pursue that ambition.
Josh’s academic accomplishments were recognized by his department, which selected him as its outstanding student at graduation. I was invited to attend the department’s graduation gathering and deliver a five-minute speech in his honor. Unfortunately, personal circumstances prevented me from attending. I regretted missing the occasion, because it would have been a pleasure to celebrate his achievements in person.
But one memory remains more important to me than any award, publication, or formal ceremony. Josh once told me that I had completely changed his life. For a professor, there are few compliments more meaningful. We can measure teaching through examinations, grades, publications, and graduation statistics, but those measures reveal only part of its impact. The deeper question is whether a teacher has helped a student discover possibilities that might otherwise have remained invisible. When Josh told me those words, I felt an extraordinary sense of pride and happiness. It was one of the most moving moments of my teaching career in the United States.
His hometown was Boston, and I often thought about the remarkable distance between the young undergraduate who had submitted a classroom paper and the aspiring professor who was now pursuing doctoral research at Tufts. His journey illustrated what can happen when talent meets encouragement and hard work.
I had taught many students over the years, and I hoped that all of them would find success. Yet Josh’s words reminded me that teaching is not simply the transmission of information. At its best, it is an act of faith in another person’s potential. A professor may never know how far a suggestion, an encouraging comment, or a research opportunity will carry a student. Sometimes the results become visible years later, when the student has become a professional, a researcher, a teacher, or a mentor to someone else.
That realization was worth more to me than any conference award.
The Real Meaning of Academic Success
When I look back on my two visits to Hawaii, I see more than beautiful beaches, volcanic mountains, tropical flowers, and blue ocean water. I see two stages of my academic life.
In 1994, I was a doctoral student, still developing my research career. The recognition I received at HICSS-27 gave me encouragement at an important moment. I was grateful that my work had been judged worthy of distinction among the papers presented in my track.
By 2005, I had become a professor, and my role had changed. I was no longer traveling only to present my own work. I was accompanying students whose research had grown from classroom assignments and interdisciplinary collaboration. Their success gave me a different kind of satisfaction.
The contrast between the two journeys was revealing. The first taught me that perseverance and research can lead to professional recognition. The second reminded me that the greatest achievement of an academic career may be helping other people discover what they can accomplish.
A research paper may be published and eventually forgotten. A conference award may become a line on a curriculum vitae. Even the most impressive professional titles can lose their shine with the passage of time. But the influence of a teacher can continue through the careers, decisions, and contributions of former students.
In this sense, Hawaii offered me a lesson that had little to do with the conference program. It showed me that professional success and personal fulfillment are not necessarily the same thing. Recognition is gratifying but helping someone else find a meaningful path can be even more rewarding. And if the lesson arrived in a place with warm sunshine, swaying palms, and a spectacular ocean view, I was certainly not going to complain.
An Island I Hope to Call Home
Hawaii remains one of the places where I would most like to live after retirement. I can imagine spending peaceful days there with my wife, enjoying the ocean, admiring the changing colors of the sky, visiting local art galleries, and taking leisurely drives along the coast.
I would also have to develop a healthy respect for falling coconuts. Retirement should be relaxing, and I see little reason to begin each morning wondering whether a tropical fruit has selected me as its next target.
More seriously, I would hope to spend that chapter of life appreciating the things that professional ambition sometimes pushes into the background: quiet conversations, shared meals, natural beauty, and time with the people who matter most.
Hawaii has given me memories of professional recognition, unexpected generosity, artistic inspiration, and the extraordinary satisfaction of watching students grow. It has also reminded me that a beautiful place becomes even more meaningful when it is associated with people who have touched our lives.
The Korean woman who gave me homemade kimchi, the scholars I met at HICSS, the students who presented their research, and the young people whose careers continued to develop after our time together all remain part of my personal Hawaii.
Perhaps that is why I think of Hawaii as an island of dreams, good fortune, and hope. The dreams were not merely about professional achievement or a future retirement by the sea. They were also about the possibility of helping others realize their potential. The good fortune came not only from receiving an academic award but from meeting generous people and working with talented students. And the hope came from seeing those students move forward into lives and careers that promised to make a difference for the world.
If paradise is a place where natural beauty meets human kindness, then Hawaii has a strong claim to the title. But I have come to believe that paradise is not simply a location on a map. It is also a collection of memories, relationships, and moments of gratitude that we carry with us wherever we go. For me, Hawaii is all of these things.
And should my wife and I eventually settle there in retirement, I intend to spend my days enjoying the sunshine, admiring the Pacific, and remembering the remarkable people who made those two journeys so meaningful. I may even try my hand at painting. I shall leave underwater painting to the professionals, however. After all, retirement is supposed to be a time for pursuing one’s dreams—not for discovering, at considerable expense, whether one can hold a paintbrush, a canvas, and one’s breath at the same time.
Hawaii has already given me more than enough good fortune. I see no need to challenge the Pacific to a rematch.
하와이: 꿈과 행운, 그리고 희망의 섬
햇살 가득한 해변, 학문적 모험, 뜻밖의 친절, 그리고 내 인생을 바꾸어 놓은 제자들
하와이는 여러가지로 나에게는 즐거움과 행운을 가져다 준 곳이다. “하와이는지상의 낙원”이라고 말하는 사람들이 많은데 나의 경험으로는 과연 그런 말을 할 만큼 정말로 아름답다는 생각이 들었다. 꿈, 행운 그리고 희망의 섬
나는 하와이를 2번 여행하였다. 한번은 1994년 내가 The University of Missouri-Kansas City 박사과정에 재학을 하고 있을 때, 다른 한번은 2005년 James Madison University에서 교수로 재직하고 있을 때 였다.
훌라댄스가 생각나는 태평양 상의 아름다운 하와이는 과거에 평화스러운 왕국이었다고하는데, 1959년에 미국에 강제로 병합되어 오늘에 이르고 있다. 그들은 그들 고유의 언어와 문화를 가지고 있으나,미국의 점령 후그들의 언어와 문화가 점차 소멸되어 가는게 나는 안타깝게 느꼈다. 하와이의 마우이 (Maui) 섬은 Oahu, Molokai, Hawaii 섬 등과 함께 하와이 열도를 구성하는 섬 중의 하나로 많은 사람들이 그 중 가장 아름다운 섬이라고 말하고 있다.
마우이의 라하이나 (Lahaina)는 과거에 고래잡이의 전초기지로 유명하였던 조그만 항구인데 해질 무렵의 정경이 너무고즈녁하고매우 평화스럽게 보였다. 마우이는 섬 일주를 자동차로할 수 있는데 가로수로 심어진 야자수를 따라 바다를 끼고 달리는 해안일주도로의 아름다움은 그 어느 드라이브에 견줄 수 없을 만큼 즐거운 추억으로 남아 있다. 야자의 열매는 생각보다는 아주 컷는데 종종 달리는 자동차에 떨어지기 때문에 조심하여야 한다고 한다. 내가 머물고 있었던 호텔에서도 아침 일찍 호텔의 야자수 담당 (?) 직원이 있어서 지난 밤에 부러져서 떨어진 가지라든가 야자 열매들을 날마다 골프장의 카트를 타고서 운전하면서 부지런히 치우는 모습을 보았다.
마우이에는 또 할레아칼라 (Haleakalā) 라고 하는 유명한 휴화산이 있는데, 산 중턱에 자욱이 끼인 안개를 발 아래로하고 정상 부근에서 강렬하게 내리 쬐는 태양 빛을 받으며 아래로 바라보는 새파란 태평양의 물결은 정말 장관이었다. 어떤 관광객들은 자동차로 자전거를 화산의 정상 부분으로 옮겨와 산 아래까지 자전거로 쉬지 않고 질주하면서 속도감을 즐기고 있었다. 신혼부부들은 머물고 있는 호텔에서 주선한 헬리콥터를 타고 정상의 거대한 분화구 쪽으로 비행하면서 환호하는 자신들의 모습을 일거수일투족 자동 비디오 카메라로 촬영하여 여행이 끝나면 헬리콥터에서 내리면서 동시에 즐거운 장면들을 담은 비디오 테입을 선물로 받고서 싱글벙글하고 있었다.
마우이 여행에서 아직도 기억에 남는 것은 어느 하와이 교포의 친절함이다. 머물고 있는 호텔에서 일하고 있는 아주머니 분이었는데, 내 방을 청소하시다가 본토에서 온 한국학생이냐고 하시더니 다음날 나에게 직접 담그신 김치를 한 병 선물로 주시는 거였다. 너무도 고맙고 뜻밖의 일이었다. 그 아주머니의 깊은 정과 친절함, 그리고 그 맛있는 김치의 맛은 아직도 잊을 수 없다. 대부분의 하와이 교포들은 관광업에 종사하며 즐겁게 살아 간다고 한다. 이는 아름다운 경치와 좋은 기후 그리고 관광지의 특성상 우중충한 얼굴을 하고 돌아다니는 사람들이 적어 그렇지 않을까 혼자 생각해 보았다.
하와이에서는 많은 예술가들이 산다고 한다. 미술을 좋아하는 나로서는 그럴만 하다고도 생각이 되었다. 짙푸른 태평양, 그리고 하이얀 구름, 끝없는 백사장, 야자수를 비롯한 온갖 아름답고 묘한 열대 식물들 그리고 친절한 원주민들… 내가 개인적으로 느끼기로 대부분의 하와이 사람들은 매우 친절하였다. 본래 친절한 것인지 아니면 관광을 주산업으로하고 살아가는 사람들의 ‘상업적인 웃음’인지는 몰라도 그와는 상관없이 나는 그들의 친절함이 그냥 좋았다. 그들은 대개 자신의 작품들을 제작 판매하여 생계를 유지한다고 하는데, 어떤 미술가들은 바다 밑에서 그림을 그려 그 작품들을 비싸게 판매하는 사람들도 있다고 한다.
켄사스시티를 출발하여 샌프란시스코를 경유하여 호놀룰루 (Honolulu)를 거쳐 마우이 공항에 내려 호텔로 갔더니 아리따운 폴리네시안 아가씨가 호텔로 오는 관광객들에게 레이 (lei)를 목에 하나씩 걸어주고 있었다. 호텔에서는 로비 부근에 수 많은 꽃송이들을 쌓아놓고 관광객들에게 레이를 만드는 법들을 직접 보여주면서 가르쳐주고 있었다. 이러한 레이는투명한 플래스틱 용기에 잘 포장되어 판매되고 있었는데, 관광객들이 하와이를 떠날 때 자신의 가족들이나 애인, 친한 친구들에게 줄 선물로 구입하고 있었다. 이렇게 꽃을 가지고 하와이를 나가는 것은 허용하지만 하와이는 자연환경의 철저한 보존을 위해 타지에서 들어오는 동식물들을 엄격히 규제하고 있었다. 이는 관광을 주산업으로하는 화와이의 생태계 파괴를 철저하게 사전에 막고자 함이라 한다.
내가 참석한 학술회의는The HICSS-27 (The 27th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences)로서 마우이에서 1994년 1월 4일부터 7일까지 열렸는데, 내가 논문을 발표한 트랙의 최고 수준의 논문 (The Best Paper of the Track)으로 Track Chair의 추천에 의해 기술프로그램위원회 (Technical Program Committee)에서 선정되는 기쁨도 맛 보았다. 그 논문은 내가 박사과정 때 Macau에서 미국으로 공부하러 온 석사과정 여학생을 지도하면서 함께 쓴 논문이었다. 그녀는 지금 세계적인 데이터베이스 회사인 Oracle의 유명한 엔지니어로 명성을 날리고 있다. 거기서 나는 University of Connecticut 의 Computer Science and Engineering 학과에 근무하시는 신동국 교수님도 만나 함께 즐거운 시간을 보냈다.
나의 두번째 하와이 여행은 내 제자 학생 두명과 함께 연구논문을 발표하기 위해서 가장 큰 섬인 하와이의 휴양지인Hilton Waikoloa Village로의 여행이었다. 2005년 1월 3일부터 6일까지 또다시11년 전에 참석한 똑 같은 학술회의인The Thirty-Eighth Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-38) 에 참석하기 위해서였다. 다음은 James Madison University의 웹사이트에 실린 나의 학회참석기이다.
Hawaiian Convention (한글 번역)
하와이라고 해서 언제나 햇살 아래에서 즐겁게 노는 것만을 의미하지는 않는다. 제임스 매디슨대학교(JMU)의 두 학생에게 하와이 여행은 제38회 하와이 국제 시스템과학 학술대회에서 논문을 발표할 수 있는 소중한 기회였다.
2005년 1월, 캐슬린 카피탄(Kathleen Capitan, 애칭 Kati)과 조시 크라우스(Josh Krause)는 평생에 한 번 찾아올 만한 특별한 기회를 얻었다. 제38회 하와이 국제 시스템과학 학술대회(HICSS-38)에 초청받아 자신들의 연구 논문을 발표하게 된 것이다. 두 학생은 Young Choi 박사와 함께 학회에 참석했으며, ‘청각장애와 관련된 인간 요인의 응용: 전화통신 분야의 문제점과 최근 기술 발전’이라는 제목의 논문을 발표하였다. 최 박사와 학생들의 학회 참석은 경영대학(College of Business)과 메리엇 재단(Marriott Foundation)의 지원으로 이루어졌다.
놀랍게도 이 모든 과정은 2003년 가을 학기에 조시가 수강했던 최 박사의 CIS 320 과목에서 시작되었다. 당시 학생들에게 학기말 논문 과제가 주어졌고, 조시는 최 박사의 지도 아래 연구를 발전시켜 International Journal of Services and Standards에 논문을 게재하였다. 이 경험은 조시가 더 많은 연구 프로젝트에 참여하는 계기가 되었다.
한편, 언어병리학을 전공하는 대학원생이었던 Kati는 경영대학에서 대학원 조교로 일하고 있었다. Kati는 언어병리학에 관한 자신의 지식을 조시의 통신기술 지식과 결합하였고, 그 과정에서 새로운 연구 아이디어가 탄생하였다. 두 학생은 최 박사와 매주 연구 진행 상황을 점검하며 수개월 동안 열심히 연구를 수행하였다. 마침내 그들의 논문은 시스템과학 분야의 권위 있는 학술대회인 HICSS-38에서 발표 승인을 받았다.
조시는 학회 경험 가운데 가장 보람 있었던 일로 자신의 연구 분야에서 가장 중요하고 널리 알려진 학자들과 교류할 수 있었던 점을 꼽았다. 그러나 이러한 경험에는 약간의 긴장감도 따랐다. 조시는 공식적으로 확인된 것은 아니지만 학회 참석자 가운데 가장 어린 편에 속했다고 회상했으며, 그 사실이 자신의 긴장감을 다소 높였다고 말했다.
그는 다음과 같이 회고했다.
“그 학회는 제가 처음 참석한 학술대회였으며, 제 연구 분야의 전문가들 앞에서 처음으로 발표한 자리였습니다. 참석자들과 교류하면서 얻은 지식과 경험은 무엇과도 바꿀 수 없을 만큼 소중했습니다. 그러한 가치는 참석자들의 전문성과 오랜 경험을 통해서만 얻을 수 있는 지혜에서 비롯되었다고 생각합니다.”
Kati에게 가장 보람 있었던 점은 서로 상당히 다른 연구 분야를 하나의 일관된 주제로 결합할 수 있었다는 사실이었다. 공동 연구를 통해 개별적으로 흩어져 있던 지식과 아이디어가 하나의 통합된 연구로 완성되는 과정을 직접 경험할 수 있었다.
Kati는 다음과 같이 말했다.
“학회가 끝난 후, 언어병리학과 통신기술은 서로 관련이 없어 보이지만 실제로는 매우 잘 어울리는 분야라는 사실을 깨달았습니다.”
Kati는 학회 참석 경험을 ‘불 속에서 단련되는 경험(baptism by fire)’이라고 표현했다. 자신의 연구를 통해 통신기술에 관한 탄탄한 지식 기반을 갖추었지만, 학회에서 다루는 다양한 주제들은 때때로 감당하기 벅찰 정도로 어렵게 느껴지기도 했다는 것이다.
최 박사가 Kati와 조시에 관해 이야기할 때면, 두 학생이 그에게 얼마나 큰 자부심과 기쁨을 안겨 주었는지 쉽게 알 수 있었다. 최 박사는 두 학생과 함께 연구하면서 탁월한 수준의 연구 성과를 내는 데 있어 대학원생과 학부생 사이에 본질적인 차이가 있는 것은 아니라는 사실을 깨달았다고 말했다.
그는 Kati와 조시의 사례가 다른 학생들에게도 영감을 주어 연구에 참여하고, 논문을 작성하며, 학술대회에서 자신의 연구를 발표하는 계기가 되기를 희망했다. 또한 장차 경영학 석사(MBA) 과정에 학제 간 통신기술을 다루는 석사 수준의 교과목이 개설되기를 바랐다.
한편, 두 학생은 최 박사와 함께 원격의료(telemedicine)에 관한 논문도 준비하고 있었으며, 또 다른 공동 연구 논문은 시카고에서 열리는 경영·보건행정학회(Business and Health Administration Association)의 학술대회에서 발표 승인을 받은 상태였다. ***
Kati는 마음씨가 착하고 아주 영리하며 열심히 노력하는 쌍둥이 아가씨로 태권도를 배운 경력도 있어 줄곳 “사범님” 이라든가 구령등을 정확히 발음할 수 있는 친한파 (?)로 현재는 대학원을 졸업하고 고향인 Delaware에서 Central Delaware Speech-Language Pathology, Inc. 라는 병원을 개업하여 지역 신문의 제1면을 장식할 만큼 유명한 Speech Therapist가 되어 열심히 일하고 있다. 결혼하면 꼭 나에게 알려달라고 당부하였다.
Josh는 보스턴 근교에 있는 공과대학으로 유명한 Tufts University로 나의 권고에 의해 석사를 거치지 않고 막바로 공대 박사과정 전액 장학생으로 진학하여 교수가 되려는 꿈을 안고 지금도 공부와 연구에 매진하며 많은 뛰어난 연구성과를 내고 있다. 그는 나와 가장 열심히 연구하고 가장 많은 연구결과를 낸 학생이다. 학부생이 2개의 국제학술지와 4개의 학술대회 논문을 냈으니 그럴만도 하다. 그는 학과에서 선정한 최고학생으로 졸업 때 선정되어 나에게 학과의 졸업모임에서 5분간 연설할 수 있는 초대까지 하였으나, 아쉽게도 나의 개인적인 사정때문에 참석하지 못하였다. 그의 고향은 메사추세츠의 보스턴으로 그가 나에게 ‘당신이 나의 인생을 완전히 바꿔 놓았다’고 말했을 때, 나는 미국에서 학생들을 가르친 이래로 가장 큰 자부심과 전율을 느낄 정도의 기쁨을 느꼈다.
여러모 로 나에게 하와이는 꿈과 행운 그리고 미래에 대한 희망을 가져다 준 곳이다. 은퇴하면 조용히 아내와 함께 유유자적하면서 가장 살고 싶은 곳으로 내가 꼽고 있는 곳이기도 하다. +++
About the Author
Prof. Dr. Young Choi (Editor-in-Chief) — Regent University
Full list of his K-GSP columns:
https://www.k-gsp.org/t/columnist_young_choi
Full list of his Books at Amazon.com
Young B. Choi is a Professor in the Department of Engineering & Computer Science at Regent University. He published 38 books with ‘Selected Readings in Cybersecurity’ (2018) (about 800 copies archived globally at university/college libraries around the world) and ‘Cybersecurity Applications and Artificial Intelligence’ (2023) available in seven major world languages. He proposed the world’s first global and universal telecommunications “Service Order Handling (SOH)” Model (T-SOH Model) (1995) with Dr. Adrian Tang. With this innovative research work, he received the IEEE NOMS ’96 Best Paper Award and became the first recipient of the Outstanding Contribution Award of the TeleManagement Forum in 1998. His research areas include Natural Language Processing-focused AI, AI-applied cybersecurity, network and telecom service management, and Korean studies on Gani Choi Rip’s Jeonggwan (靜觀: Quiet Contemplation) philosophy and Shilhak ( 實學: Practical Learning).
Suggested Citation
Choi, Y. B. (2026). Hawaii: An Island of Dreams, Good Fortune, and Hope - Sunlit Shores, Academic Adventures, Unexpected Kindness, and the Students Who Changed My Life. K-GSP Forum.
한글 요약
하와이: 꿈과 행운, 그리고 희망의 섬
하와이는 필자에게 아름다운 자연경관과 뜻밖의 행운, 따뜻한 인간애, 그리고 제자들의 성장을 통한 큰 기쁨을 안겨 준 특별한 곳이다. 필자는 1994년 미주리대학교 캔자스시티 캠퍼스에서 박사과정을 밟던 시절과 2005년 제임스 매디슨대학교 교수로 재직하던 시절, 두 차례 하와이를 방문하였다.
첫 번째 여행에서는 마우이섬의 아름다운 해안도로와 라하이나의 평화로운 석양, 할레아칼라 화산 정상에서 바라본 장엄한 태평양의 풍경을 감상하였다. 호텔에서 일하던 한인 교포 아주머니가 직접 담근 김치를 선물해 준 일은 지금까지도 잊지 못하는 따뜻한 추억으로 남아 있다. 또한 1994년 제27회 하와이 국제 시스템과학 학술대회(HICSS-27)에서는 발표 논문이 해당 트랙의 최우수 논문으로 선정되는 영광을 누렸다. 이 경험은 박사과정 중이던 필자에게 큰 격려와 학문적 자신감을 안겨 주었다.
두 번째 방문은 2005년 제38회 하와이 국제 시스템과학 학술대회(HICSS-38)에 두 명의 제자 캐슬린 카피탄(Kati)과 조시 크라우스(Josh)를 데리고 참석한 여행이었다. 두 제자는 언어병리학과 통신기술을 융합한 연구를 수행하여 국제학술대회에서 논문을 발표하였다. 이 연구는 평범한 수업 과제에서 출발했지만, 필자의 지도와 학생들의 꾸준한 노력으로 국제적인 학술 성과로 발전하였다.
Kati는 따뜻한 마음과 뛰어난 능력을 갖춘 언어치료 전문가로 성장하여 고향 델라웨어주에서 병원을 개업하고 지역사회에 기여하였다. Josh는 학부생 시절 국제학술지 논문 두 편과 학술대회 논문 네 편을 공동 집필하는 성과를 거두었으며, 이후 전액 장학 지원을 받아 터프츠대학교 박사과정에 진학하여 교수의 꿈을 키워 나갔다. 특히 Josh가 필자에게 자신의 인생을 완전히 바꾸어 놓았다고 말했을 때, 필자는 미국에서 학생들을 가르쳐 온 이래 가장 큰 자부심과 감동을 느꼈다.
필자는 하와이의 푸른 바다와 야자수, 열대 식물, 예술적 영감을 불러일으키는 자연환경뿐 아니라 사람들의 친절과 문화적 다양성에도 깊은 인상을 받았다. 동시에 하와이 원주민의 역사와 언어, 문화가 식민 지배와 미국화의 영향으로 어려움을 겪었다는 사실에 안타까움을 느끼며, 고유한 문화유산을 보존하는 일의 중요성을 되새겼다.
두 차례의 하와이 여행은 필자에게 서로 다른 의미를 선사하였다. 첫 번째 여행이 연구자로서의 성장과 학문적 성취를 확인하는 계기였다면, 두 번째 여행은 교육자로서 제자들의 가능성을 발견하고 그들의 성장을 돕는 일이 얼마나 큰 보람인지를 깨닫게 해 주었다. 논문과 수상 경력도 소중하지만, 제자의 삶에 긍정적인 변화를 가져오는 일은 그보다 더 깊고 오래 지속되는 가치가 있다는 사실을 배웠다.
필자에게 하와이는 단순한 휴양지가 아니다. 꿈을 이루는 기쁨과 뜻밖의 행운, 타인의 따뜻한 배려, 그리고 미래에 대한 희망이 함께 어우러진 특별한 섬이다. 은퇴 후 아내와 함께 하와이에서 여유로운 삶을 보내고 싶은 이유도 여기에 있다. 아름다운 자연 속에서 지난날의 추억을 되새기며 가족과 함께 평화로운 시간을 보내는 것, 그것이 필자가 꿈꾸는 하와이에서의 미래이다.
결국 낙원이란 지도 위의 특정한 장소만을 의미하지 않는다. 아름다운 풍경과 따뜻한 인간관계, 감사의 순간들이 어우러질 때 비로소 우리 삶 속에 낙원이 만들어진다. 필자에게 하와이는 바로 그러한 꿈과 행운, 그리고 희망의 섬이다.
핵심어: 하와이, 마우이섬, 꿈, 행운, 희망, 자연의 아름다움, 하와이 문화, 문화유산, 인간애와 친절, 학문적 성취, 하와이 국제 시스템과학 학술대회(HICSS), 연구 협력, 제자 지도, 학제 간 연구, 언어병리학, 통신기술, 교육의 가치, 전문적 성장, 평생의 추억, 은퇴 생활, 인간관계, 삶의 보람, 지상 낙원.
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