Whether it be in Korea, New York, Guam, or most recently the island of O‘ahu, Chaplain Hannah Sung takes constant leaps of faith, putting her trust in God, a methodology she hopes to bring to the ‘Iolani community. Chaplain Hannah Sung is new to campus (and Hawai‘i) this year, but she is certainly not new to the realm of religion. After immigrating from Korea to New York with her family when she was 12, a multitude of blessings and curveballs have led Chaplain Sung to the ‘Iolani community.
With Chaplain Timothy Morehouse and Chaplain Andrew Arakawa already seasoned in the ‘Iolani community and chaplaincy life here on campus, Chaplain Sung is the third addition to the group. While she has a background in theology and religious studies, Chaplain Sung grew up a part of the Protestant Church, but she wasn’t always set on being a chaplain. Originally wanting to be a missionary doctor in developing countries to spread God’s word and save people, she was fascinated with the idea of helping others to the point of independence and the ability to support themselves. However, she realized the other side of medicine was witnessing the unfortunate and sometimes unforeseen loss of lives, which quickly prompted her to conclude that she didn’t want to surround herself with death. Chaplain Sung said, “It then occurred to me that I don’t need to go to Africa to spread God’s word. I don’t need to be a doctor to spread the Gospel, but I can instead spread His light in the classroom, through teaching.”
She then moved to Korea expecting to work for just a summer, but ended up staying for about a decade. After working at companies like LG and spending time with her family and then moving back to the East Coast, she took her one of many leaps of faith and moved to Guam. For the first 45 days, she resided in a small Airbnb with two other women, which she claims were some of her darkest times because of the independence and culture she had to adjust to. Through this time of uncertainty, however, she kept her composure: “I kept on reminding myself that all is right in divine order, unapologetically putting my trust in God’s plan.” With the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and being away from family, her time in Guam was difficult but flooded with an infinite amount of lessons and everlasting memories.
Fast forward to this past May. She visited Hawai‘i for her ordinance and eventually crossed paths with Chaplain Morehouse, who noted, “What immediately stood out to me, and continues to amaze me, is Chaplain Sung’s love for God and for children, and her ability to express this love as an attitude toward the world.” He added that her composure, brilliance and principled headspace were key factors in his decision to ask her about working on campus as a chaplain.
Similarly, Tiffany I. ’26, who was a part of the Chapel Council last year and assisted in the interview process of Chaplain Sung, said her approachability and friendliness immediately caught her eye. She said, “I also felt an immediate connection to her because we are both Asian women. The chaplains that I have seen and heard about are predominantly white males, so it was natural for me to like Chaplain Sung.”
After visiting ‘Iolani’s campus, prior to taking the job offer, at the tail end of the 2024-2025 school year, Chaplain Sung took the job and landed in Honolulu on July 14 with her family, ready to adapt and learn in this new position of hers. She added, “While [the hiring stages] was a short-lived process, I’m a firm believer that wherever God wants me to go, you go.”
After being on a trip earlier this school year, Chaplain Sung has now returned to campus and is eager to get started. “I want to grasp a better understanding of the community, I want to learn more in depth about this place as it holds a lot of history and tradition,” she said. While her exact role and placement in teaching isn’t set in stone, she is working closely with the other chaplains to decide what best fits. She concluded, “The fact that I get to be teaching, learning, and just being present at the nation’s largest Episcopal school is a huge blessing in itself. I know God didn’t bring me here for no reason, so I’m excited to embrace the island as it embraces me and very importantly be a gentle settler while making history.”
