HPU PsyD graduates and faculty at Spring 2026 Commencement, held May 7, 2026. Left to right: Assistant Professor Andrew DeWald, Robert Alex Blake, Jay Lee, Assistant Professor Joseph Cice, Professor Vincent Tsushima, Assistant Professor Halleh Hastpari, Mailani Chang, Blake Harrison.
On May 7, HPU graduated its first Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) students in its spring 2026 commencement ceremony, a milestone six years in the making. The PsyD program launched in fall 2020 under the guidance of HPU Professor and PsyD Program Director Vince Tsushima, Ph.D., and has distinguished itself through small cohort sizes, individualized mentorship, and the kind of close academic support rarely found in doctoral training.
“HPU's PsyD program prepares future clinical psychologists through a rigorous scientist-practitioner-advocate model that places science at the very core of ethical, effective practice. Students are trained not only to critically evaluate and investigate psychological phenomena, but also to apply scientific knowledge with precision and compassion in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and behavioral health concerns,” said Tsushima.
PsyD graduates Robert Alex Blake, Mailani Chang, Blake Harrison, and Jay Lee each received their doctoral degrees in the morning commencement ceremony, and at least half plan to remain in Hawaiʻi to work for local non-profit psychology organizations.
The four graduates arrived at HPU by very different roads.
Chang came to the program as a working mother of four and school counselor for the Department of Education (DOE) with more than 25 years of experience, and she had a specific purpose in mind.
“I want to work with parents while I treat children. That was the biggest reason I came back to school,” Chang said. Originally from Japan, she chose HPU because the University would accommodate a full life outside the classroom. “You can get world-class education in Hawaiʻi because of our professors. They are either specifically selected to be at HPU or received incredible educations elsewhere and returned to the islands to educate us.”
With support from HPU’s business partnership tuition discount, a school counselor, and a member of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, Chang was eligible for the discount for her doctoral program. She also works for Hawaiian Airlines, and they too are an HPU business partnership member.
Chang completed her clinical internship at Honolulu Psychology Collective, a family-oriented practice where she worked with “children and parents in a strength-based approach, focusing on their superpowers while navigating life challenges, e.g. learning challenges, relationship dynamics, including family separation/divorce.” Through it all, she says, the faculty made the difference. “Without support from my professors, I don't know how I could have made it. They were always there for me. My mentors, including Professor Tsushima, always have my back, and that makes a big difference.” She plans to split her career between clinical practice and academia.
Blake earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at HPU, drawn to a program and a university he already knew and trusted.
“It was a natural fit,” he said. “I knew how great the programs and professors are, and I was very comfortable with that foundation.” What he found inside the PsyD program exceeded expectations, with years of community practicum across Hawaiʻi plus the opportunity to teach undergraduate psychology students while earning his own doctoral degree. “No shortage of things to do, and that is exciting.” He is currently completing his postdoctoral hours at I Ola Lahui, with a clear sense of where his career is headed. “Hawaiʻi is home. I've spent more than half of my life here, and this is where I intend to stay.”
Harrison's path to clinical psychology ran through a baseball diamond at Pepperdine University. A series of surgeries paused his athletic career, and psychology classes he took while recovering became something more.
“It just clicked," he said. When Harrison applied to several PsyD programs, HPU distinguished itself immediately. “The interview was what set it apart. It was personable, not cookie-cutter. You get to know the professors on a personal level right away, and that mattered to me.” Now a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, Harrison commissioned as an officer last July and is stationed at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, where he will work with Marines as a clinical psychologist specializing in PTSD among active-duty service members. Hawaiʻi remains the goal. “If I can be stationed in Hawaiʻi, I will stay for 20 years for sure.”
Lee was drawn to HPU by the program's emphasis on applied clinical training and cultural diversity. Her clinical education spanned schools, inpatient and residential programs, and community mental health clinics, each setting pushing her growth in different ways.
“My experience in HPU’s PsyD program was very hands-on and honestly pretty transformative,” Lee said. “I’ve had the opportunity to train across multiple settings, which really pushed me to grow in different ways. In the schools, I learned how to work with kids and collaborate with teachers and families. In inpatient and residential settings, I was working with higher acuity cases, which strengthened my clinical judgment and ability to stay grounded in intense situations. And in community mental health, I saw firsthand the impact of systemic barriers, which deepened my commitment to working with underserved populations. I chose HPU because of its strong emphasis on applied clinical training and its focus on cultural diversity. Being in Hawai‘i allowed me to not only develop my clinical skills, but also to better understand how culture and community shape mental health, which is something I carry with me in my work.”
Lee plans to continue building her skills in psychological assessment during postdoctoral training while maintaining a therapy caseload. Her long-term goal is to return to Hawaiʻi and serve diverse and underserved communities in a setting that integrates both assessment and therapy, with culturally responsive care at its core.
“Our students did as much or more work in the success of the PsyD program as anyone,” said Tsushima. “They do the heavy lifting in making the program succeed. We earned accreditation because our students performed exemplary.”
That “accredited, on contingency” status, granted by the American Psychological Association's Commission on Accreditation in April 2024, made HPU's program only the second APA-accredited PsyD program in Hawai'i, and it was itself the product of a rigorous multi-year review process that the students helped drive.
"Grounded in Hawaiʻi, our PsyD program is equally committed to cultivating deep engagement with diversity, social justice, and advocacy, equipping graduates to confront inequity and promote meaningful change in the communities they serve. Just as importantly, our faculty and students foster a culture of collegiality, professionalism, and support that challenges students to grow, excel, and lead with integrity throughout their careers. Attending their commencement ceremony gave me great pride, knowing this is our first doctorates in clinical psychology. I feel at peace knowing the HPU PsyD program played a role in these future professionals' journey to heal and strengthen,” Tsushima said.
Looking ahead, the PsyD program is one of seven HPU programs qualifying for the Hawaiʻi Outreach for Medical Education in Rural Under-resourced Neighborhoods (HOME RUN) scholarship, introduced in January 2026. Selected students receive full tuition in exchange for a five-year commitment to practice at a rural Hawaiʻi site following graduation.
For more information and to apply to the PsyD program, click here.
