Chaminade University in Honolulu opened its fall semester on schedule despite a storm, with more students enrolled and upgraded buildings — good news for the school and for local students looking for affordable college options.

• Enrollment is up 10% from last year at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
• A million dollars went into renovating the campus library, adding group study space, tutoring, and career services under one roof.
• New nutrition and sports nutrition degrees launch this year, aimed at a shortage of dietitians in Hawaii, where a big share of people are diabetic or pre-diabetic.
• A scholarship for Hawaii high school graduates matches state school tuition rates, making the private school cheaper to attend.
• Data science has become one of the fastest-growing programs, driven by local job demand.

Outlook: The school plans to keep expanding health care, behavioral health, and data programs to fill local workforce gaps.