Called to Serve

Army ROTC leads Aislinn Carroll ’18 to mission assurance position in Washington

oriented careers: her father as a labor attorney and mother as a child psychologist. The idea of giving back and contributing to the greater good seemed like a perfect fit.

“Being part of the ROTC was both the hardest thing I have ever done and the most rewarding,” says Carroll, “It was incredibly challenging—both mentally and physically—and humbling at every turn. No matter what the circumstances, you were always being pushed beyond your limits.”

Aislinn Carroll ’18 admits that joining the Army ROTC was not part of her original college game plan during her senior year at HPA. It wasn’t until she got accepted to her school of choice, Tulane University, and gained a deeper understanding of tuition costs, living expenses, and student loans that it became a serious option.

A life-changing option, as it turned out. On something of a whim, Carroll applied for and received what evolved into a full, four-year ROTC scholarship to attend Tulane, where, in addition to her military obligations, she studied international relations, homeland security, and Russian.

“My grandfather spent his entire career in the military and went on to become the deputy garrison commander at the Pōhakuloa Training Area, not far from HPA, while I was in high school,” says Carroll. “So, that was always somewhere in the back of my mind.” As were her parents, she adds, both of whom have service-

The demands of the ROTC—daily workouts, extra classes focused on leadership development, military history and tactics—on top of her already rigorous Tulane course load taught Carroll a lot about time management, discipline, and setting priorities. Adapting quickly to this action-packed lifestyle, she assumed the role of squad leader during her freshman year; she also went on to serve as a troop leader during larger military field exercises held with other squads out of state.

Adding to Carroll’s busy schedule was an internship during her senior year at the U.S. Commercial Service in New Orleans, which provided her with new insight into the global economy and national security from a nonmilitary perspective.

“The U.S. Commercial Service functions as the trade arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration and helps businesses bring their goods and services to the global marketplace,” she explains. “The work they do taught me a lot about how economic factors can impact diplomatic efforts and help maintain peaceful international relations.”

Upon graduating from Tulane in May 2022, Carroll was commissioned as an officer in the Army Reserve, which entails her working in a part-time capacity (one weekend per month, two full weeks per year) at a base just outside Washington, DC. Her full-time civilian job, as she calls it, is working for a risk management consulting company that supports several military services located in the nation’s capital.

Without going into specifics due to security protocols, Carroll describes both of her positions as being related to information gathering, mission assurance, and supporting the decision-making process at higher levels. She credits her studies in student government and international relations at HPA and Tulane with giving her a nuanced understanding of complex geopolitical issues that now informs her work.

Carroll’s commitment to the Army Reserve ends in 2030, but she’s already thinking about extending her service and seeing where it leads. Married in December 2022 to an active Marine, also based in Washington, DC, the idea of a life in the military is becoming a real possibility.

“A couple years ago, I found the drawer where my grandfather kept all of his badges and certifications from his time in the Army and it gave me a real sense of what following a similar path might look like,” says Carroll. “A military career would give me the opportunity to continue to learn and grow, to travel and have adventures, all while being part of something greater than myself, helping others, and making a difference.” •

All opinions, experiences, and positions are Carroll's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Army Cadet Command.

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Ohana in February ’23. Empty-nesting and newly engaged, learning to love my new freedom. Hiking, skiing, eating, hanging with friends.”

Lisa Hall-Anderson ’84 is still working at University of Massachusetts Medical School and still married to Dan Anderson (Professor at MIT), with two children, now in their 20s. “Been trying to retire for the last 3 years now,” Lisa writes, “and keep getting talked into just reducing time instead! I’m down to 50% time right now… so I’m getting there. LOL :)”

Kelley Miller ’84 got married last August and now lives in Monterey, CA. “I am a vet for a senior dog rescue. We are enjoying the empty-nester life traveling all over the world!”

Dylan Shropshire ’06 is a fifth-generation farmer who founded and serves as the chief operating officer of Big Island Grown, the largest seller of cannabis in the state of Hawai’i. Over the last eight years, Dylan has navigated extremely challenging regulations to build a successful vertical medical cannabis business with a production facility and three retail locations on Hawaiʻi Island. He hopes someday to expand to Oʻahu and other neighboring islands should state legislation allow. Big Island Grown has been featured in Forbes and High Times magazines for the company’s cuttingedge sustainability practices in the cannabis industry. In addition, Dylan also runs several other local businesses, including Vibe Café, a vegetarian restaurant, and Vibe Farms, a USDA-certified organic farm in Hilo. Raised on the Hāmakua Coast of Hawaiʻi Island, Dylan currently lives with his wife, Avani, and their three daughters, 6-month-old Uma, 3-year-old Samaya, and 5-year-old Bodhi.

“Having had the pleasure to attend HPA from 1983-86,” Oli Heuchenne ’86 writes, “together with my wife Anna, we thought it would be an amazing opportunity to have our daughter Linnea ’24, attend HPA for a year. We are vicariously living through her experience in Hawai‘i since last August, smiling when we see what she’s living and how she’s evolving as a young lady. We are proud of what she's achieved and how well she’s doing in school, but also the connections / friendships she’s made over the last 7 months. We look forward to picking her up in May (after not being in Hawai‘i since 1995) and reconnecting with my classmates and teachers. She’s loving it at HPA and we are forever grateful she could attend.”

Alison (Sissy) Kerr-White ’88 says she is “still living in Flat Florida with my husband and almost 13 year old daughter, and our 2 dogs. I am a clinical nurse liaison doing remote patient monitoring on people across the country that suffer from COPD, Asthma, Pulmonary Fibrosis, or any other lung disease that can affect a person’s breathing. Technology has taken patient care to the next level and I’m so thrilled to be part of it. The best part is, I get to work

We want to hear from you! Please submit your notes and photos to www.hpa.edu/giving/update by September 5, 2023 for the next issue of Ma Ke Kula from home, which makes it much more convenient for me to travel to Hawai‘i for longer periods of time.”

90s:

Heidi Eldridge ’93 recently moved with her family to the Washington, DC area and is living in Silver Spring, MD. “After almost 12 years working as a forensic scientist followed by seven years as a forensic science researcher, I completed my PhD in Forensic Science at the University of Lausanne and got a job as an Assistant Professor of Forensic Science and Director of Graduate Studies for Crime Scene at George Washington University. I’m having a great time teaching the next generation of forensic scientists while working on my research in latent prints and human factors. I’m loving living in the DC area with my husband, 10-year-old daughter, two dogs, and a cat.”

00s:

Richard (Conno) Pierce ’03 is currently in Bremerton/Seattle WA helping to revamp and relaunch an AFC (American Culinary Federation) certified restaurant, only one of two in WA state. Prior to this, he worked in the Midwest as Culinary Director for Madison Restaurant Group, Tournant/Chef/ Culinary Director for Hitchcock Restaurant Group in Seattle, and Corporate Executive Chef for Triple J Enterprises/Restaurants in Saipan.

Chelsea (Morriss) Croy ’05 shares: “In conjunction with my Waimea Yoga studio I am thrilled to announce that I have recently opened up my own Vasper business. Vasper, invented by Class of 2002 alum Sebastian Wasowski’s father Peter, is a 21 minute low impact workout that combines compression, cooling and interval training that mimics the physiology of an intensive workout. Through my non profit Yoga Impact, veterans and first responders can do sessions for free.”

Kassia Dombroski ’08 is very excited about wrapping on her 10th film project since joining the I.A.T.S.E Local 479 Union. Since September she has been working on the final film of Francis Ford Coppola, which “has been a challenging but interesting ride.” She looks forward to taking a break to spend time with her husband, dog Wren, and new puppy, Pepper, and tend her carrot garden.

Russ Aguilar ’09 is now directing education, workforce development, and community engagement at Literacy for Environmental Justice in San Francisco!

10s:

Jackson Solomon ’15 graduated from UH Mānoa in 2020 and worked at Purple Maiʻa Foundation as a product designer for a little over two years, where he helped develop the Ka Maka ʻĪnana: Place-Based Design-Thinking program, in addition to the Digital Creators digital marketing and design program, and supported Purple Maiʻa cohort companies such as Ka Mahina Project. “Recently,” he writes, “I transitioned roles, and I am now the Director of Content and Marketing at Unrulr, a Native-Hawaiian-founded edtech startup based in Honolulu. I work alongside Aaron Schorn, who is the Head of Growth and Community. I’m living in San Diego, supporting my partner through medical school and raising my mini Aussie puppy, Kona. In my free time, I surf and snowboard.”

Aidan Brown ’18 writes: “I’m finally in grad school, but these last two eruptions have been so spectacular that I've been coming back multiple times just to photograph them. Lava to deep snow in only a few months.”

Johnny Yoon ’18 graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Economics, and says he really enjoyed his time there. “Started to realize how valuable my experience at HPA was and appreciate the environment it provided. Currently working at Bank of America as an Investment Banking Analyst focusing on advising technology companies with their mergers and acquisitions efforts.”

Kamuela Lindsey ’19 wrote to share his aloha with fellow classmates! “Just sending out my Aloha to all and wishing all good health.”

Mako Yamamoto ’19 recently participated in a developmental reading of a new show called Night Side Songs with the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University. “This project is commissioned by the American Repertory Theatre, and I was a part of a group of student actors who worked closely with composers Patrick and Daniel Lazour and music director Madeline Benson to help them develop the show.”

Class notes are edited for length and clarity, including adding diacritical markings and other minor adjustments, in accordance with HPA’s style guidelines.