Dr. Kimo Ah Yun will be inaugurated as Marquette University’s 25th president on Tuesday, April 29, beginning at 10 a.m. The event, which will be held in the Al McGuire Center, will include a Mass and inauguration ceremony. All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.
A musical prelude and student organization procession will begin festivities at 9:30 a.m., and a general reception for the Marquette community will follow the event. Faculty and staff are encouraged to RSVP online.
Prior to his inauguration, President Ah Yun sat down with Marquette Today to discuss his Hawaiian roots, the lessons learned from his heritage and how it still guides him today.
Where did the name “Kimo” come from?
Kimo means James in Hawaiian. When I was born, I was a Jr. — James Sr. was my dad. My grandma told my mom to make sure that we were never confused and that I should go by the Hawaiian version of my name, so I’ve been Kimo all my life. In fact, many people don’t even know that I have a last name because Kimo is just always what I’ve gone by.
Can you share a bit about your Hawaiian heritage?
When you’re Hawaiian, a part of that heritage — and a lot of other cultures are the same way — it’s about community, it’s about family, it’s about connectiveness, it’s about thinking about one another. It’s shaped me in how I work with other people and also given me this understanding that we’re called to be caring individuals and to lift everyone else up around you.
Do you have a favorite Hawaiian tradition you continue to embrace?
One of the practices I continue to embrace and appreciate is about respecting your elders. It’s about remembering those that came before you, even those you never met. This summer I’m going to be on the big island, which is where my great-great-grandfather is buried. Obviously, I’ve never met him. I’ve never been to his gravesite, but I will be there, and we will take flowers, place the lei or the flowers at the grave and pray for him. Essentially, just remembering to keep their memory alive, understanding you are who you are in part because of who they were and helped to build, even though they might be several generations removed from you.
Can you share a childhood memory of your Hawaiian culture?
We would have lūʻau. A pillar in the culture is dancing and singing. I never had the skill to be able to sing or play a musical instrument, but growing up I did dance with a group where we would perform. That was part of ensuring you kept the narrative of the Hawaiian culture alive. And you see that in a lot of other cultures as well.
How do you stay connected to your Hawaiian culture despite your busy life?
Even though I’m busy in this current role and I’m thousands of miles away, I stay connected in a few ways. One way is through the music. I listen to a lot of Hawaiian music. Some of this music I listened to with my family in the ’70s. In fact, there’s a particular song that when my dad left Hawaii he would listen to — the very last thing as he was leaving the island coming back to the mainland. Since that time, I always listen to that exact same song every time on the plane taking off leaving Hawaii. It’s part of me being connected to the island but also being connected to my dad.
What is one piece of advice from your Hawaiian upbringing you carry with you every day?
One piece of wisdom I bring from my Hawaiian upbringing that I carry with me every day is about humility: understanding that you are a part of a larger system and that you are not greater than any single part. When you maintain that humility, it allows you to play that part.
