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Laie, HI 96762
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CONTACT:
Email: kealakai@byuh.edu
Phone: (808) 675-3694
Office: BYU–Hawaii
McKay Classroom 135 ON THE FRONT & BACK COVER: Graphics by Cyrelle Briz. Photos taken by Ke Alaka’i and BYUH photographers.
ABOUT
The Ke Alaka‘i began publishing the same year the University, then called Church College of Hawaii, opened. It has continued printing for more than 70 years. The name means “the leader” in Hawaiian. What began as a monthly newsletter, evolved into a weekly newspaper, then a weekly magazine and is now a magazine published 8 times a year with a website and a social media presence. Today, a staff of more than 20 students work to provide information for BYU–Hawaii’s campus ohana and Laie’s community.
I was 18 when I first came to BYU–Hawaii from Indonesia, with little story or experience to tell. Though my sister was with me, I felt a quiet distance. Many of my classmates seemed to have powerful stories of transformation to share in class while I sat unsure of how to contribute. It took years—and later serving a mission myself—to realize that this confidence came not only from experience but from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. At BYUH, that gospel is woven into campus life and everyday ethics, shaping us long before we recognize it.
Working with classmates from around the world in this Church-sponsored school also gave me confidence to connect, the humility to listen and the reminder that true excellence is more than academics. It is keeping commitments, living gospel standards and standing for truth and honesty in a world that often rewards shortcuts. At BYUH, that growth feels safe because the foundation is Christ-centered: to love, understand and nurture one another in discipleship.
Now, as a graduate completing my academic training with Ke Alaka‘i, I still feel the safety of being nurtured in a Church environment.Yet I know the world beyond Laie can be competitive and uncertain, especially when it comes to finding a job. When those worries arise, I remember how the university’s resources and alumni come together to support students and graduates in their professional journeys. This creates not only opportunities for individuals but also plants seeds for future service in return. That is the endless circle of BYUH: alumni, students, faculty and staff lifting one another as part of a greater commitment to this ‘ohana.
As you read this issue, I invite you to reflect on how you will live the call of BYUH’s mission to be “lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in [your] families, communities, chosen fields, and in building the kingdom of God.” To become, as President David O. McKay’s prophecy says, genuine gold—noble men and women, strong in truth, who cannot be sold.
Mahalo for being part of BYUH ‘ohana — in the past, present and future.
Jessika Santoso MANAGING EDITOR
TEAM MEMBERS Ke Alaka’i
John Andrew Quizana Editor-in-Chief
Samantha Faith Satorre Copy Editor
Hiroki Konno Lead Photographer
Myco Chillian Marcaida Multimedia Journalist
France Valerie Lucillo Multimedia Journalist
Jessika Santoso Managing Editor
Marlee Palmer Young Yen Art Director
CJ Shinihah Notarte-Orr Managing Editor
Abigail Adams Multimedia Journalist
Pim Hootini Multimedia Journalist
Ice Cesario Graphic Designer
Cho Yong Fei Graphic Designer
Cyrelle Briz Graphic Designer
Chance Childers Graphic Designer
Jay R Gallano Graphic Designer
Guen Ysanth Ramirez-Platon Illustrator
Naomi Saenz Photographer
Caleb Galotera Photographer
Haley Cowan Photographer
Justin Venotti Videographer
INTRODUCING OUR
LegacyVision
&
Brigham Young University—Hawaii is committed to providing a values-centered education that nurtures spiritual, academic and personal growth. Guided by its mission to prepare students of Oceania and the Asian Rim to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in their families, communities, chosen fields, and in building the kingdom of God, the university fosters an environment where cultural understanding and ethical principles thrive. Its vision—to cultivate students who contribute meaningfully to their communities and leave a positive imprint on the world— resonates deeply with the theme of this magazine, “Legacy and Vision.” Just as the university encourages students to dream boldly while honoring the past, this magazine explores how individuals, communities, and ideas carry forward legacies that shape tomorrow, blending heritage with forward-looking ambitions.
Excerpt written by John Andrew Quizana. Page design by Marlee Palmer Young Yen.
46 A journey of culture, challenge and growth
50 A lifelong disciple of Christ
54 Bridging cultures, leading change
58 Sharing Aloha, sharing identity
62 Bricks, mortar and beyond
64 Teaching where they once learned
68 BYUH bids Aloha Center farewell
72 Past plans, present reality
with byu hawaii years
Students and alumni join in a three-day celebration of BYU–Hawaii legacy and growth
BY MYCO MARCAIDA
Whether peeking into the past through a time capsule opening or gathering for dinner, students, alumni and guests marked BYUH 70th anniversary. The events, Alumni and Relationship manager Lei Cummings said, highlighted the care BYUH ohana for each other.
Talent show and dinner
More than 200 people attended a talent show on Feb. 11 at the Aloha Center Ballroom, said Cummings. Hosted by Antonio Mu, an Australian student and club president, and alumna Elisiva Tonga of the Tonga Sisters, the program featured 10 performances, including hula.
Contents from the 2005 time capsule.
The following evening, a dinner and dance event was held at the same venue. Over 60 attendees of students and alumni attended the event. Highlights included dance performances from the Cook Island club and Professor Nina Foster’s modern dance class, Cummings said.
Time capsule
According to an article from Ke Alaka’i News, the events focused on honoring the kupuna or ancestors. The Feb. 12 program included a choir performance, cake cutting and a time capsule opening. “We used to only have cake on Founders’ Day, but look at how big our ohana has grown,” Cummings said.
Cumming’s highlight was listening to Ho’olokahi Chamber Choir singing “From This Place”. “It is a song inspired by President David O. McKay’s prophecy for BYU–Hawaii students to become noble men and women who build unity, spread love and preach peace,” she said.
Dance performance during the talent show and dinner.
Special guests included labor missionaries who helped build the Polynesian Cultural Center and one of the university’s first alumni. For Kaela Martinez, a senior majoring in elementary education and an alumni relations (AR) student worker from Guam, the event was a reminder of BYUH’s beginnings. “Participating in the event was a way to appreciate what the founders have done for BYU–Hawaii,” she said.
Alumni-students luncheon & discussion
After the time capsule ceremony on Feb. 12, student club leaders, alumni board members and representatives met at a luncheon to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration in helping students secure jobs and internships.
For Godwin Johnmphrey Putong, a sophomore graphic design major and an AR student worker from the Philippines, the luncheon was the highlight of the celebration. Connecting with representatives from different alumni chapters, he said, allowed him to see their passion for supporting graduates in their home countries. Inspired by their example, Putong said he hopes to be as successful as the alumni he interacted with. “Knowing most of them began building their careers at BYUH inspires me to treasure my experiences here as I also develop my own career,” he said.•
“Participating in the event was a way to appreciate what the founders has done for BYUH.” Kaela Martinez
Photo by John Andrew Quizana. Page Design by Ice Cesario.
BYUH Alumni Association members interact with a student club leader.
Group photo of alumni with BYUH staff outside the Banyan Dining Hall.
Bridging past &
FUTURE
While reviving memories at reunions has its place, Peter Chan, Alumni Association (AA) board member for the Asia region, said the true purpose of the organization is to inspire people to act. With 10 board executive board members overseeing 37 countries and regional chapters, AA main objectives are to expand the alumni network worldwide, provide jobs and internships for students and graduates, give back to the university and engage in impactful community services, the Alumni Relations (AR) website says. Lei Cummings, AR manager, credited alumni and donors alongside BYUH President’s Council role in the growth of the university.
Explore how BYUH Alumni Association connects graduates, supports students and aids university growth
Carrying Aloha abroad
All alumni chapters in Asia were created in late 2023, Chan said, about a year after Cummings reactivated AA and formed the board. For that milestone, Chan and his wife visited several cities in Asia, including Taipei, Taiwan. At the first of three gatherings, he met a graduate who had distanced himself from the Church since leaving BYUH and from “many of the good things he once held dear” after a painful divorce, he shared. Hearing about the BYUH alumni gathering, the alumnus eagerly attended, Chan said. “When we parted, [the graduate] was reflective and deeply moved, reminded of the spirit he first felt at BYU–Hawaii,” Chan said. To Chan, he said, it was an example of how to keep the Spirit of Aloha alive thousands of miles from Laie.
BY JESSIKA SANTOSO
Chan said the spirit of Aloha is BYUH’s identity, “built on love, respect, integrity, diligence, cooperation and other uplifting qualities.” Coming from Hong Kong, where materialism and competition are common, he said it is easy for alumni to forget those essential lessons once they leave campus. His advice, he continued, is that “Wherever alumni are and whatever cultural situation they live in, if they keep
those qualities, they’ll stand out to leaders and professionals around the world.” To illustrate, Chan said he has often seen professionals impressed with BYUH graduates who avoid smoking, drinking, drugs and immorality and instead focus on service, which is what makes them unique.
Chan said alumni chapters play a critical role in helping graduates remember what truly matters and keeping the BYUH spirit alive. Cummings said the chapters are equally essential for the university to stay connected with alumni. One of AR’s main challenges, she said, is tracking updated contact information after graduation. This is where chapter presidencies help by distributing forms to their members. Cummings said AR also relies on chapters to send out surveys identifying alumni with job or internship opportunities for current students.
Building success together
Since the AA’s reactivation, Cummings said she and the board have focused on creating chapters and committees to recruit alumni to give back to the university and serve in their regions. One of the AA’s “big things,” she said, is helping graduates find jobs once they return home. Career Services helps current students to find the opportunity, but “if students are ready to graduate and don’t have a job opportunity set up
BYUH Hong Kong Alumni Professional Development Conference group photo.
Photos provided by Peter Chan.
Peter and Joyce Chan on their graduation day in 1995.
“the true purpose of the ALumni Association is to inspire people to act.” - PETER CHAN
yet, we would encourage them to reach out to their chapter leaders back home through the AR website,” she said.
Cummings said BYUH alumni now have access to the ’Ohana Network, or PeopleGrove, a CES platform where alumni can apply for jobs, mentor students or give referrals. She said alumni must apply for approval after creating an account, and connecting through LinkedIn speeds up the process. In some countries, alumni also mentor fresh graduates and hold career fairs in their regions, she said.
Chan said chapters help students prepare for international leadership by providing mentoring and internship opportunities. “As the world becomes increasingly competitive, our students need that extra support to succeed,” he said. Quoting a Chinese saying, “When you drink of the water, remember from whence it came,” he urged alumni to remember BYUH as their source of education and to support those who come after them.
Chan said the Professional Development Conference organized by the BYUH Alumni Hong Kong Chapter on Aug. 23, 2025, showed how a chapter can support alumni, students and the university’s growth through donations. With more than 100 participants, the event felt like a “gathering of Israel centered on gospel-based education,” he said. The conference provided alumni a chance to connect and share expertise, gave students opportunities to plan and present, and offered the university “dozens of internship opportunities” across majors as well as donations from nonmember attendees.
Student internship story
Joy Tang, a senior majoring in marketing from Canada, said she was able to help with the Hong Kong conference while completing her Summer 2025 internship in Guangdong, China. Tang said she secured the internship with New Sense Hygiene Product through Chan who came to campus and held a career workshop for students in Jan. 2025. As a business strategy and marketing intern, she said she worked closely with the CEO and project manager on the company’s expansion into
the Canadian market. Tang said the internship gave her the chance to apply her business acumen, gain professional exposure and leverage her cross-cultural background and passion for strategic innovation.
Reflecting on her experience, Tang said working with alumni showed her how “purpose, consecration and excellence” define their service despite busy lives and multiple responsibilities. Knowing alumni around the world would stand behind her eases her fears about the future. “It feels like I will have Ohana everywhere,” she continued. She said the alumni’s influence has changed the trajectory of her career path, leading her to Asia and showing her the joy of contributing to the Lord’s work. Looking ahead, Tang said she hopes to give back by mentoring students in their career searches and by following alumni examples of temple service and devotion to church callings.
Strengthening generations ahead
Cummings compared AR to a canoe where “anybody connected to the university is paddling together to push the canoe to its goal.” She explained: “President Kauwe and his Council give direction, alumni help steer, and donors power the canoe forward.” With a laugh, she added that while students can just sit and enjoy the ride, AR provides opportunities such as the Genuine Gold Dinner. It is an on-campus dinner where “students get the opportunity to thank donors in person, and for the donors to get to know students they’ve helped.”
Looking to the future, Chan said alumni chapters in Asia strive to create a platform where alumni and like-minded professionals can gather, learn and uplift one another professionally and spiritually. “In the process, we expand what could be called the Church’s “storehouse of talents” and invite others to join us in doing good throughout the world,” he continued.•
Lei Cummings (left) shakes hand with a Professional Development Conference attendee. Page design by Marlee Palmer Young Yen.
“
It feels like I will
Joy Tang and Jamie Liu, current BYUH students as the conference spekers.
Peter and Joyce Chan (far right) with BYUH Taiwan chapter.
Joy Tang presents on a session during the conference.
YESTERDAY pens of
Cover pages of the old Ke Alaka’i newspapers.
Cover pages of the first set of Ke alaka’I newspapers.
and TODAY
Glimpses of the past, reflections on today and visions of the future through the eyes of Ke Alaka‘i’s early and current editors-in-chief
BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE
Cover pages of the recent Ke Alaka’i magazines.
Ke Alaka‘i has gone a long way from print to digital media— from the first newspaper of 1955 to its growing social media presence in 2025—and has evolved side by side with BYU–Hawaii for 70 years. The publication carries the university’s rich history; it’s a treasure chest preserving the stories of those who have gone for those who will come next, said Editor-in-Chief John Andrew Quizana. “Through our work, we help students understand how the university is moving forward and what our mission and vision look like in action,” he shared.
The outstanding leadership that serves as the news center’s bedrock began with Eleanor Kaloi Dalton, one of Ke Alaka‘i’s first editors, and is being carried forward today by Quizana, a sophomore majoring in political science and accounting from the Philippines. Quizana said he wants the publication to be remembered not just as a magazine, but also as a family. “I think that’s one of the reasons Ke Alaka‘i has remained strong: people feel at home here and don’t want to leave,” he shared.
Yesterday: Foundations in print
“The Church College of Hawaii (CCH) opened its doors to students on September 26, 1955. Soon thereafter, student organizations were established, particularly the newspaper and the yearbook staff,”
shared Eleanor Dalton, an alumnae from Hilo, Hawaii. She said she worked alongside Edith Kahoilua in accomplishing tasks for both Na Hoa Pono, the school yearbook, and Ke Alaka‘i, the student newspaper. “We served on each other’s staff, utilizing Brother Raymond Smith’s business classroom so we could use the desks and typewriters,” she shared.
Dalton said she was appointed the editor-in-chief of Ke Alaka‘i, with the late Jerry K. Loveland as advisor, in 1956 during her second year at CCH. As someone who served as the student newspaper’s editor and the student body secretary-treasurer, she said she remembers those days as a time of autonomy and taking charge. In an article by Mike Foley on the BYU–Hawaii Alumni Relations’ website, she shared, “Our church leaders, including the ones in Hilo before we left, would say to us, ‘Remember that you’ll be in the shadows of the temple, that you respect where you are and that you respect yourselves.’ That was very good advice, and we tried to stay on the straight and narrow.”
Dalton said the campus back then housed a small community, so the students knew almost everybody—a close-knit life faithfully mirrored by their student newspaper. “We covered assemblies, socials, devotionals, special activities, sports and general news concerning the school. Student personalities and new faculty members were also
Kaloi dalton
Editor-In-Chief
ELeanor
featured so the student body could get acquainted with them,” she shared. She said, however, that they couldn’t adequately cover off-campus events due to lack of transportation. “We would only ask student staff or advisors who were involved to keep notes of the activities so we could write the stories,” she shared.
“I’m thankful I had my start at CCH because of the spirit that was there,” Dalton expressed in Foley’s article. She said her life was enriched by the student activities that gave her meaningful experiences and opened up many opportunities.
Today: A modern legacy
According to Quizana, Ke Alaka‘i fosters a team rooted in Christlike leadership, fair and balanced content, and strong writing and multimedia skills. “Our mission focuses on empowering students with leadership opportunities that strengthen critical and creative thinking,” he explained. He said these guiding principles reflect both the standards set by Dalton and her team and the current staff’s hopes for the publication’s future.
Quizana took over as Ke Alaka‘i’s editor-in-chief in Dec. 2024 during the last semester of his freshman year. He said the position was an assignment he viewed as both a wonderful opportunity and a daunt-
ing responsibility. “Ke Alaka‘i has such a rich history. A lot of students know it, and it’s an award-winning magazine. I felt it was my responsibility to keep that legacy alive,” he expressed. Even with his experience as editor-in-chief of his high school publication, he said accepting this role felt like stepping into a completely different world.
As a student traversing two fields of study while working as both an editor-in-chief and a teaching assistant, Quizana is familiar with the challenging demands of leadership, academic excellence and adulthood. “That is the reason why I always make sure my team knows how to talk with each other, not just about concerns but also about life on a daily basis. Proper communication is key,” he shared. For him, Ke Alaka‘i should remain what it has always been: a professional environment that also feels like home.
“I see my role in two ways: a steward and an innovator,” Quizana shared. He said Ke Alaka‘i’s continued growth is anchored to the team’s ability to honor past traditions while catering to a fast-paced and constantly evolving world. Journalism is a perpetually shifting landscape, Quizana noted, and if Ke Alaka‘i seeks to maintain its visibility in the field, it has to adapt by setting new goals and standards. “It’s heavy work because you’re trying to maintain what past editors did while also building your own legacy,” he said.
JOHN ANDREW QUIZANA
Ke Alaka‘i transitioned from newspapers to magazine issues in 1978, according to the publication’s website. And in response to the changing times and growing digital landscape, it published its webpage in 2006, aired its YouTube channel in 2009 and expanded to a wider audience in 2014 through an Instagram account. While striving to maintain core journalistic principles, Quizana said, “We experiment with new platforms and strategies because storytelling today is different from before.” Today’s audience, he continued, is now more inclined to direct and concise reporting.
“We have been putting more emphasis on real-life stories. I want writers to explore deeper perspectives because people want truth and authenticity,” Quizana shared. He said the team’s impact as storytellers and reporters is fueled by their courage to venture outside their comfort zones and explore different perspectives, especially in a uniquely diverse community like BYU–Hawaii. “Many people think journalism is just about reporting facts or news, but I’ve learned it’s also about shaping narratives that inform and inspire people responsibly. Ke Alaka‘i is about that,” he stressed.
Tomorrow: Looking back and ahead
“Ke Alaka‘i is vital in upholding BYU–Hawaii’s mission and vision because we serve as the press. We’re the connection between the administration and the students,” Quizana emphasized. He said Ke Alaka‘i’s legacy is woven into BYU–Hawaii’s history—the publication has walked alongside the university since its founding and will continue to do so. “Whether through print or digital platforms, we want readers to keep seeing BYU–Hawaii’s values reflected in what we publish,” he shared.
Ke Alaka‘i has already been enjoying recognition as an outstanding magazine through the years, Quizana shared, and their goal is to aim even higher. He said his goals as the current editor-in-chief are to expand community engagement, integrate more student perspectives and leave Ke Alaka‘i as a publication that is professional, dynamic and reflective of campus. “Our achievements don’t just represent us as a creative team, but the entire BYU–Hawaii ‘ohana.”
Dalton said success is realized when leaders can support students’ love and enthusiasm for their craft and accomplishments. “I am filled with pride to know that after 70 years in print, Ke Alaka‘i is still ‘The Leader’ of collegiate information, notably in Laie,” she expressed.•
“I’m thankful I had my start at CCH because of the spirit that was there.”
-Eleanor Kaloi Dalton
A photo of Eleanor Kaloi Dalton during her visit at BYUH. Photo is provided by the Alumni Relations. Page Design by Marlee Palmer Young Yen.
“I see my role in two ways: a steward and an innovator.”
-John Andrew Quizana
A photo of John Andrew Quizana, smiling in front of the Science Building.
Photo taken by Hiroki Konno.
Growing in
and faith service
BYUH students and a community member say the temple is where they learn, grow and serve fellow men
BY FRANCE VALERIE LUCILLO
Siosiana Heitonga smiles for the camera outside the Laie Hawaii Temple
Photo by Haley Cowan.
“I’m grateful to be a temple worker because the house of the Lord is a place where I always learn something new, like balancing spiritual growth with other aspects of life.”
Siosiana Heitonga
For BYU–Hawaii students and community members, the Laie Hawaii Temple is more than just a landmark. It serves as a sanctuary—an access point to heaven where they build a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ, make sacred covenants and learn about commitment.
“Everyone can have different perspectives about the temple’s importance,” shared Siosiana Heitonga, a junior majoring in accounting from Tonga, “but for me, it feels like home. It’s a place of peace, safety and comfort,” she said.
Growing and learning about oneself
Beyond that sense of security, Heitonga said she decided to volunteer as a temple worker because it was one of her lifelong goals. “Before my mission in 2020, I wasn’t able to do that. So, right after my mission, I decided to do it,” she shared. She said serving has shown her the blessings others receive, and she’s grateful the temple is only a short walk from BYU–Hawaii.
For Heitonga, temple service is an opportunity to learn more about herself and strengthen her testimony—it helped her stay on the covenant path and make wise decisions. “I’m grateful to be a temple worker because the house of the Lord is a place where I always learn something new, like balancing spiritual growth with other aspects of life,” she expressed. Serving also taught her to look beyond her personal spirituality and value conection with visitors and fellow temple workers, she said.
Heitonga said temple service taught her empathy and helped her connect with people outside her own culture. “I’m grateful because I learned service is something you can extend to anyone, no matter their backgrounds,” she shared. She said serving also improved her ability to relate to people of all ages.
The blessings are incomparable, Heitonga noted, but the role also comes with challenges. The hardest part, she admitted,
is herself. “The challenge is to always be worthy. There are times I feel lazy about going to the temple, but I push myself.” It is a constant choice to go, remain worthy and carry that responsibility, she said.
Heitonga described her service as profoundly meaningful and sacred—an endeavor that blesses, protects and strengthens others. She said she hopes to help people gain a deeper understanding of temple work. The responsibilities are demanding, she explained, and holiness isn’t a quality they perform perfectly. “We’re not perfect, but we’re just like every other person who’s always striving to be worthy of God’s calling,” she shared.
Sacred covenants and relationship with Jesus Christ
For Michael Westberg, a senior majoring in psychology from Colorado, the temple holds deep meaning for two reasons: he made sacred covenants with his wife for time and eternity, and it constantly reminds
him of Jesus Christ and his relationship with Him. “Elder Rasband visited BYUH and spoke about putting the Lord first and everything else will fall into place. As a temple worker, I’m trusting that promise more than anything,” he shared. Temple service, he said, has strengthened his bond with his wife, improved his balance in life and deepened his understanding of service.
The most rewarding part, Westberg said, has been serving with his spouse, Hannah Westberg. “At first, it was just her who wanted to be a temple worker. But we thought about it, prayed and decided
together,” he shared. “If it wasn’t in the Lord’s plan for us, [serving together] wouldn’t have worked out with our schedules. But my application was approved quickly.”
After two months of serving, Westberg said they are both grateful for the opportunity. “We’re excited because there won’t always be a time in our lives when our schedules align to serve together, especially with having the temple so close by,” he shared.
Westberg also noted how temple service has helped him find balance. “It’s a big commitment, but I still find time for everything I need to do,” he shared. The
experience has deepened his understanding of service and the gospel’s power to bring people together. “It’s amazing to see how everyone serves in different capacities. It taught me that anyone can serve. When you’re in the service of your fellow man, you’re in the service of God, and that’s exactly how it feels in the temple.”
Though new to temple service, Westberg said the experience makes him feel closer to the Savior. “There are challenges. But through the love and support of the people in the temple, I feel strengthened, especially in my relationship with Christ,” he shared.
“Once you realize it’s His house and His work, you feel peace and joy in serving.”
Daryl Whitford
Commitment, compassion and Christlike love
Daryl Marie Whitford, a Saturday morning temple shift coordinator from Laie, said she enjoys working with students because of the joy and energy they bring. Serving with them, she said, has taught her compassion and Christlike love. “I have a lot of love for the workers I serve with because they bring me so much joy. They’re always willing to go wherever I ask and take on any position.” She said she’s seen the true meaning of commitment in students who balance academics, jobs and temple service, yet
still put the Lord first and rely on His promised blessings. “You don’t need to be a worker to do that. As long as you are committed to attending the temple regularly—whether weekly or monthly—and you show up, that’s what matters,” she explained.
Temple service, Whitford said, requires great commitment. She encourages students to continue that devotion after graduation, especially those returning to countries where temples are being built. “As they learn commitment here, they can carry that same dedication into other areas of their lives,” she said. Despite the challenges, Whitford said
both she and the students find balance and joy through service. “Once you realize it’s His house and His work, you feel peace and joy in serving,” she said. Even when students occasionally call in unable to serve their shifts, she said she doesn’t worry. “The Lord takes care of everything. That’s the attitude many workers share. Because it’s His house, He will provide.”
Whitford began working at the temple in 2011 and has served as a shift coordinator for the past 10 years. When assigning duties, coordinators “usually start with the more mature, experienced workers,” she said. “But we’ve seen that younger workers can do it too, so we
Siosiana Heitonga walks outside the Laie Hawaii Temple.
Photos by Haley Cowan and Caleb Galotera. Page design by Cyrelle Briz.
“It’s amazing to see everyone serve in different capacities. It taught me that anyone can serve. When you’re in the service of your fellow man, you’re in the service of God, and that’s exactly how it feels in the temple.”
Michael Westberg
let them assist in certain ordinances.” She said temple workers are trained with love, which helps bring a family-like spirit into their service.
Words of advice
Whitford said anyone who wants to serve in the temple only needs a willing heart and a current temple recommend. “Go talk to your bishop, and the rest will follow. Next thing you know, you’ll be assigned to a shift,” she explained.
Westberg encouraged others not to miss the opportunity. “There may not be another time in your life when the temple is this close and your schedule this flexible,” he said. He advised students to go through the process and meet with a member of the temple presidency, who he said are willing to help and accommodate individual schedules.
Serving in the temple requires a spirit of striving, Heitonga added. “Keep going, even if you feel unworthy at times.
We’re all striving to be worthy, to be holy. Remember, there’s always something greater ahead of you,” she shared. She emphasized temple workers are never alone in their journey. “If you don’t feel worthy, there are people in the temple you can talk to. There is so much to gain and so many more blessings to receive as an ordinance worker than trials.”•
Tateana Le Brun smiles for the camera.
Sinisa Bourne’s portrait outside of the Banyan Dining Hall.
TODAY’S TOMORROW
Students share their current experiences and their hopes for BYUH’s future
BY CJ SHINIHAH NOTARTE
The spiritual emphasis, diversity, values and caring professors are what make the university experience great, said two BYUH students. Despite these advantages, they said the connection between university staff and students could be improved.
Sinisa Bourne, a sophomore from New Zealand majoring in construction facilities management, said he studied chemical engineering in a local college for a year before coming to Hawaii. At the same time, he was also teaching high-risk youths in a secondary school. He said coming to BYUH was a complete change of environment. “I was in an environment where the spirit was not present most of the time, but now, the temple is nearby and the spirit is all around.” He also said he was able to serve in the temple and in the church. “I didn’t think I would ever be helping others out in the ward,” he shared.
Studying at BYUH, Bourne said he learned more and gained more friends than he would have if he stayed in New Zealand. He said meeting people from all over the world,
talking to them, and learning about where they are from and their culture allowed him to apply these values to himself. “I’ve been able to grow in every way … that is possible because of BYUH.”
Tateana Le Brun, a freshman from Wisconsin, majoring in communications, media and culture also said diversity is the greatest strength of the university. Living away from the culture you are comfortable with is hard, she said. “But what’s great about it is your experience would be much richer if you can push yourself outside of your comfort zone. It’s because there are so many people to learn and associate with,” she continued.
BYUH values
“One of my favorite things the university is trying to teach us is balance,” Bourne shared. He said besides having classes and work, students have church callings, social life and more. “If you do not balance it, things fall apart.” He said he appreciates the university’s push and emphasis on this specific attribute to have a balanced life.
“I’ve been able to grow in every way … that is possible because of BYUH.”
Sinisa Bourne
Tateana Le Brun sits in a green area looking at the distance.
Bourne said BYUH values such as honesty and humility have helped him become a better version of himself. “I love following what’s expected of me,” he said. The university values are the expectations they hope the students will embody, he explained. “It’s the outcome they want for you … If you allow it to work through you, you’ll have a good experience.”
Bourne said he had good experiences with his professors, who influenced him to become a better person in many ways. He said his professors share their testimonies, prioritize their students’ well-being, make students feel important and guide them to success. “They had set expectations that were achievable but still challenging,” he added.
Contrary to what Bourne shared, Le Brun said she didn’t have the same depth of connection to some of her professors. “But the
ones who did had made a big difference and motivated me to put my best effort forward.”
She said being acknowledged for her efforts makes her feel that what she does matters.
“When [professors] show that they care, it feels different,” she continued.
Culture and identity
Having parents who have Hawaiian and New Zealand background, Le Brun said she was able to reconcile with her cultural identity by learning and experiencing her culture in the university.“That is something I really appreciate about BYUH,” she added.
She explained that she felt inadequate to claim her heritage because she grew up outside her parents’ culture. She also said it was comforting to meet others who had the same feelings about their cultural identity.
“You realize that you are not the only one who struggles,” she added.
Bourne also said working as the student manager at the Kumuwaiwai Sustainability Farm is a big part of his life because he learned more about his identity and culture being Hawaiian. “This is probably one of the biggest changes coming here … but since working at the farm I’ve learned a lot,” he continued.
Bourne said he is excited to come back to New Zealand or wherever he may end up to apply and share the things he has learned from BYUH. “I truly believe in the mission of the university,” he said. “I think it’s a really good thing to come to a place with the spirit, especially when you are walking where Jesus has walked,” he said.
For the future of BYUH
“I hope we can continue to make BYUH a place where people can develop strong cultural connections and help others who are trying to do the same,” Le Brun said. She also hopes that opportunities to serve outside the campus are more visible for students who want to participate.
Bourne also said he hopes BYUH maintains the values they encourage the students to live by.
“I hope they continue recruiting students from all places in the world and pushing them to do good, even if some may disagree with it.” It’s better to leave knowing that the school cared enough to encourage students to do good, he continued.
Bourne said he hopes the university improves on how its full-time employees and staff interact with students. “We need teachers who make sure students know how much they are loved,” he continued. Bourne shared how Jeff Packer, an adjunct faculty member from the Faculty of Math and Computing and Construction and Facilities Management, exemplifies this. “It was his first time teaching, but he tells us every class time how much he loves us. He shares his testimony and you could feel his faith,” he shared. Bourne added he may not remember what Packer said, but he would always remember how it made him feel.
Bourne also said he would encourage his future kids to study at BYUH. He said, “It’s a good exposure outside of our home country.” He also said the world is bigger and sometimes people appreciate their homes better when they are away from them.•
“I hope we can continue to make BYUH a place where people can develop strong cultural connections and help others who are trying to do the same.”
Tateana Le Brun
Page design by Jay R Gallano.
Photos taken by Hiroki Konno and Naomi Saenz..
WHERE WINNERS ARE MADE
BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE
Career Services helps mold students into global leaders by cultivating confidence, character and a winner mentality, the team says
“We help students prepare for real-life experiences in their careers and fields of study.”
Ikaia Nawahine
For BYU–Hawaii’s Career Services, career readiness goes beyond building an exceptional resume or technical skill set—it’s about developing the confidence and mentality that defines a winner. “You need to be confident in yourself and your capabilities because that’s going to be the first step in pursuing your future,” said Ikaia Nawahine, Career Services’ career planning and placement manager. To that end, he said the team is focused on challenging students to go further, aim higher and open their eyes to the opportunities that await them on a larger stage.
The Career Services team, said Nawahine, works with students from all backgrounds to cultivate a culture of competing for high-quality jobs. “It’s not just about getting a job after school, but about going out, competing and winning jobs that probably students from bigger universities are applying for as well,” he explained, noting that BYUH students are equally qualified and capable for top-tier positions. Career Services, he emphasized, is committed to further refining and sharpening the university’s competitive edge: its close-knit, global community of students from diverse cultures across the world.
Shaping global legacy
Nawahine said Career Services supports BYUH’s overall mission by helping shape students into leaders who will consistently embody the university’s values while strengthening their own communities. “We want to ensure our students are placed in high-quality career positions, not only allowing them to return home, but also to live and lead in their communities, families and especially in the workforce,” he shared.
For Nalia Tollefsen, a junior from Laie studying health and human science and the supervisor of Career Services’ peer counselor team, the center plays a vital role in carrying forward the university’s legacy. “We help students prepare for real-life experiences in their careers and fields of study. We provide resources that give them meaningful experiences and opportunities,” she explained. The resources they offer, she continued, are designed to help students build confidence and character—qualities that can serve as their sharpest weapons when honed.
Career planning and placement advisor Melanie Kauvaka described Career Services as a resource training center. However, she said their services go deeper than resume preparation, mock interviews, networking, internships or job fairs. “We also try to model leadership and service through our student workers, hoping to influence their fellow students with it. So that as they move into companies after graduation, they can carry those standards with them and build opportunities for future students,” she shared. She said they are aiming to maintain a standard of excellence that will become BYUH students’ legacy worldwide.
Career Services student employees read a career guide material. Photos taken by Caleb Galotera.
“We’re not just here to create great employees. We’re here to build great people and great leaders who will return to the Asia Pacific region to go bless their brothers and sisters in those countries,” emphasized Nawahine. In recognition of the sacrifices students make to pursue an education, he said the Career Services team is committed to providing tools the BYUH community would need to create an impact.
Catering to a diverse student body
As one of the things that set BYUH apart from other campuses is its diversity, Nawahine said the guidance offered by the Career Services studio is tailored to students’ varied backgrounds and cultures. Although it has always been the team’s priority to design their services around students’ needs, Nawahine shared they recently implemented region-specific assistance. “So whether you’re from the Philippines and wanting to work in Japan, or you’re from Tonga and wanting to work in New Zealand, we are catering your path to where you would like to end up and be employed,” he said.
Explaining why the team divided its efforts by region, Nawahine said, “We need to understand that different countries have different requirements; different industries have different credentials.” To ensure informational accuracy and up-todate requirements, he said their student employees are tasked to regularly conduct in-depth industry research on different countries. “Being provided with good and accurate information gives students the upper hand when applying for jobs back home,” he said.
In line with this initiative, the studio started offering regional resume guidelines this semester, Kauvaka said. “Every regional counselor in our office has created guidelines for the countries where students want to work,” she shared. This new practice, she continued, makes the students’ preparation more focused and strategic.
Students get guidance from a Career Services student worker.
“We’re not just here to create great employees. We’re here to build great people and great leaders.”
“Knowing the requirements of the region is essential because, for instance, if you submit a U.S.-standard resume in South Korea, you won’t even get an interview,” Tollefsen explained. She said the counselors are trained to help students gain comprehensive understanding of regionspecific templates and requirements.
Nawahine said they are also working on implementing employer boards, beginning with an “Asia-Pacific Employer Series,” where they plan to invite top executives from several leading companies in those regions to the campus. “As part of their time with us, we want faculty and deans to sit down and converse: ‘What do the requirements look like now in their regions? What do our students need to learn so they’re competitive in your industry?’” he explained. Their first focus, he shared, would be the Philippines, which is home to about 700 BYUH students.
Nawahine said the goal is to build a network with industry leaders from every country in the university’s target regions. This strategy, he explained, would ensure students can gain the knowledge needed to remain competitive in their chosen fields. “We want to consistently know how we can best adapt our teaching so that we’re providing the best opportunities possible for our students,” he expressed.
Taking ownership
“The biggest impact we can have on students is to help them feel the confidence that they can go and compete for high-quality jobs and positions,” Nawahine shared. He said the Career Services’ well-trained team exists to show that BYUH cultivates a community of exceptional students who can make a difference
Ikaia Nawahine
in any industry—and in the world at large.
“But it all starts with the mentality of being a winner and going out and competing for these opportunities,” he emphasized.
The services offered by the studio will continue to evolve and open up better opportunities, he said, but the most important piece of the puzzle still falls on the students.
“Even with all we do for the university and our students, they also need to take ownership of their futures. Sooner rather than later, so that we can have more time to work with them,” he explained. Nawahine issued a call echoed by the rest of his team: “We have all these resources, services and events ready to share. We can have everything in place, but we also need students to take advantage of these opportunities.”
“The key is consistent effort,” said Tollefsen. She said the most impressive growth she has witnessed came from those who continually showed up to utilize the resources accessible to them.
“We want people to feel loved, empowered and encouraged when they leave our office,” Kauvaka expressed. Careers take time, she emphasized, and she said she hopes students can trust the process, have a vision of hope and have confidence that their hard work will pay off. “If students consistently meet with us, the lasting impact comes from those relationships. They will feel Christ’s love through the culture of our department,” she added.
Ikaia Nawahine smiles for the camera.
“We want people to feel loved, empowered and encouraged when they leave our office.”
Melanie Kauvaka
Visions for the future
“The last thing I want is for a student to get to their last semester and have no idea where they want to go, what they want to do or how they want to do it,” Nawahine expressed. He said that’s why the Career Services team will continually work on putting together workshops and training sessions—an effort that will constantly adjust and adapt to perpetually changing industries. “The way I see it, five to ten years from now, I imagine organizations all over the world knocking on our doors, begging for recommendations because they know we provide individuals who are doers and winners,” he said.
Kauvaka shares the same vision. “I see our pipelines with companies growing stronger and our department possibly doubling in size with more peer counselors and full-time staff,” she shared. Hoping to make a ripple across the campus and into the wider community, she said she specifically aims for stronger connections in Asia and the Pacific. “I want students to be able to acknowledge that Career Services played a role in their development through training, invitations and relationships,” she expressed.•
Page design by Jay R Gallano.
“The key is consistent effort.”
Nalia Tollefsen
Debt-free degree with IWORK
Staff outline IWORK’s structure, while students share its impact on responsibility, resilience and returnability
BY MYCO MARCAIDA
Made possible through generous donors, IWORK is BYUH’s work-study program for students from Oceania and the Pacific Rim, says the Financial Aid & Scholarships website. Through the program, students work 19 hours a week at BYUH or the Polynesian Cultural Center while pursuing their degrees, the site continues.
Program growth and structure
The number of students enrolling in the IWORK program has increased over the past five years, said Tammie Fonoimoana, Financial Aid & Scholarships Senior Manager. “Approximately, 1,700 students are enrolled now,” she shared. According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Philanthropies website in 2023, BYUH projected to have 2000 students in the program for 2025. “I want to say we’re close to our goal, with close to 75% of our enrollment being international students,” she shared.
Fonoimoana said the selection process to the IWORK program is competitive and depends on multiple factors. Program funding, university focus on area of emphasis, number of applications and student applicant financial need analysis are some of those factors. “We try to provide financial support to as many students as we are able to through the IWORK work-study program,” she shared.
To sustain the IWORK Program, Fonoimoana said the President’s Council works closely with LDS Philanthropies and our donors to provide funding. As the resources increase, she continued, the ability to provide more scholarships will increase. “I am grateful for the generosity and support of our donors,” she expressed. “The donors understand the value of the IWORK Program and students’ returnability to contribute to their countries. When students return home and give back to their communities, it encourages more support for the program.”
Fonoimoana shared not all students who apply are admitted mostly due to limited resources or financial need. “There are students who apply multiple times, and it is heartbreaking that we are not able to accept everyone.” she said. For this Fall 2025 semester, she shared, the Financial Aid Department also started seeing challenges with visa regulations. “We’ve had numerous students cancel or postpone their starting semesters because of the revised U.S. visa regulations.”
Fonoimoana credits the success of administering the program to the Financial Aid Team and their unique connection with the students. “The IWORK counselors have developed very close relationships with our students that go beyond graduation. We’ve been counseling, mentoring and advising our IWORK students throughout their college career that our connection often extends beyond.” She said the counselors maintain that relationship after students return home through social media and staying updated on their current callings in church, new jobs and family milestones.
African students pose for the camera.
Photos from Hiroki Konno.
What sets the IWORK program apart from other universities is the work-study component that enables international students to graduate debt-free and return home to make valuable contributions to their communities, Fonoimoana said. “There may be other international scholarships out there, but there’s none similar to the IWORK workstudy program at BYU—Hawaii. Our mission is specific, our purpose is unique and there is nothing that can compare to it,” she explained.
Responsibility and Resilience
For Niken Wulandari, a senior finance major from Indonesia, being in IWORK means balancing work, school and personal life with discipline. “In the beginning, it was hard,” she said, “but now, I’ve developed habits of sacrificing some social and personal activities to focus on academics.”
She explained the program aims to plant a sense of responsibility in how students live their lives. “I feel more responsible knowing that donors, the university, and the church invested in my education. That motivates me to give back to my home community in Indonesia.”
At first, Wulandari saw IWORK as mainly financial support—an agreement where students give back through family contributions
or repayment. But after three years in the program, she said she saw herself becoming an individual—a blessing she values more than her paycheck. The program prepares students to learn about success and sacrifice. “The sacrifice comes from balancing work and school, but I know it builds the foundation for long-term success by teaching us principles such as discipline, persistence and self-reliance,” she shared.
Talking with her fellow seniors, Wulandari noticed similar desire to give back to the community through service. “There is a need to think about what others expect of you, especially those who invested their time and money. At times, I do feel pressured to get a good job and help when I move back home,” she said. Yet, she said she now sees the pressure as motivation rather than a burden. “Ultimately, I will graduate debt free. More than pressure, I see it as a privilege to repay through service and leadership when I return home.”
Since entering the university in 2022 under the IWORK program, Wulandari said she’s only seen the program grow. “It’s extending to countries I’ve never even heard of. As someone who now works for and understands the program, I see it as more than financial support—
it also provides guidance and mentorship for growth through the connection we create here on campus.”
Opportunity and Impact
From an article by Juan Carlos Delos Reyes on the BYUH website, Annie Misitana, a freshman majoring in business management from Solomon Islands, chose BYUH because of the IWORK program. She said she first heard about the program from people in her country and saw it as a life-changing opportunity. “University life is so expensive, I couldn’t afford to study abroad otherwise,” she explained. “If I hadn’t found out about it, I would have probably joined BYU-Pathway Worldwide or gone to a local university,” she continued.
Now working as a groundskeeper for Facilities Management, Misitana said balancing work and classes has taught her time management as a valuable life skill. Above all, she said the program is more than financial aid—it’s a blessing she could never repay with money.•
Students attending the Undergraduate Research Conference together.
Photos taken by Naomi Saenz.
Page design by Cyrelle Briz.
Students working on course requirements together.
A journey of culture, challenge and growth
Hailing from U.S. mainland, two BYUH students share how the culture and challenges from adapting to the island life lead to personal growth
Aaron Barclay and Isabel ContrerasSpencer, students from the U.S. mainland, said choosing BYU–Hawaii was a decision they were grateful to make because of the friends and lessons they have gained.“By coming to BYUH, I was pushing myself out of my own perspective of the world which taught me more about how the world works,” said Barclay.
As the home of many cultures, BYU–Hawaii website says the university caters to over 2,906 students from more than 60 countries. According to the site and Niche, the university is ranked as the fourth most diverse university in Hawai’i.
The most enrolled students at BYUH are Americans which is 20.5 percent of the population of the university, the Data USA website says, while the rest are Asian, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander and Black or African American. The website says the most common race recipients of a degree at BYUH were white, which is 34 percent of the population as of 2023.
Learning from other people and their culture
Being a military kid, Barlcay, a health and human science senior from Alabama, said learning from other people and their culture was as important as gaining education.
Coming to BYUH was never in his plan, said Barclay. He said before looking at BYUH, he already applied to other universities such as BYU and BYU-Idaho. Initially, Barclay thought the environment at BYUH was not his preference. “My mother and I were talking to a friend of mine who suggested that we look at BYUH, and I had a spiritual moment of ‘Huh, maybe I should look into it,’”he said.
After submitting his application to BYUH, Barclay said he still had his doubts. He recalled a time from his mission when a BYUPathway representative gave a talk.“He was talking about Pathway then two seconds after, he goes, ‘I then went to BYUH,’ which made me feel that the Lord kept lovingly pushing me to BYUH,” Barclay shared.
One of the things that solidified his decision to study at BYUH was the Holokai structure, Barclay said. “Seeing that I could study a major and two minors from different areas was really cool and then recognizing that I would meet people from all over the world pushed me towards BYUH,” he said.
Comparing life on the island from the mainland, Barclay said, he experienced some adjustments. “Here on the island, there is just so much love and connection everyone shares. Where I came from, it is very individualistic,” he shared. Barclay said it felt weird for him to see the difference because it was not what he was used to.
Another adjustment Barclay experienced was the language barrier between cultures, he said. “Yes, everyone speaks English, but because there’s so many people from all over the world, they tend to stick to their own group and community,” he explained. Barclay said it was much easier to talk to people from the mainland because that is where he is from.
“Here on the island, there is just so much love and connection everyone shares. where i came from, it is very individualistic.”
Aaron Barclay
However, to start getting out of his shell, he said he started talking to people randomly. “It was hard for me especially when I was a freshman because I don’t have a friend group. But when I started talking to people, I started making friends, which also made me adapt how I talk and interact with them now,” he said.
One of the things he enjoyed the most about living on the island, Barclay said, was eating spam musubi from 7/11 and poke from Foodland. “Those are my favorite things ever, my top favorites I would say. I’m sure when I go back to the mainland, I’m going to hate life because they don’t have anything like that there,” he expressed. Barclay also said he enjoys hiking rather than going to the beach. “I’m a big mountain guy, I love mountains, especially here because they look alive,” he shared.
Although he enjoys being on the island, Barclay said there are some things he misses from the mainland. “It’s that bit of independence that I miss because having a car on the island is expensive. You can’t really go anywhere without it so you’re limited in the activities you can do,” he explained. He also said he misses his family. “People here are amazing and my family back home too. It’s just sad that they’re in different places, I can’t go back home and have both,” he said.
Being challenged and growth
Isabel Contreras-Spencer, a communications, media and culture, and political science senior from Michigan, chose BYUH because she wants to be challenged, she shared. She said she wanted to see how the world works. “I know being here is better than being anywhere
else because I’m surrounded by international students,” she explained. She said if she stayed in her comfort zone like BYU or BYU-Idaho, she would be comfortable but not growing because it has the same people and culture she shares with.
Coming from a small town called Grass Lake, Contreras-Spencer said her first impression of Honolulu was that it’s crowded. She said it felt scary for her because she’s not used to crowded places. However, to prepare herself more before coming to Hawaii, Contreras-Spencer said she tried to watch as many YouTube videos as she could, especially about BYUH. “[Unfortunately,] there were not many videos back in 2021.” BYUH became more mysterious for her at that point, she said.
Contreras-Spencer also compared her hometown to Laie. She said it is small and located in the countryside where everyone knows everybody. “It could be good because everyone knows everybody. But it could also be bad because if there is something you don’t want people to know, they will know,” she explained.
Now living on the island, Contreras-Spencer said, it taught her the importance of sacredness or respect in general. “Everyone should learn how to respect each other regardless of their differences in views, opinions and culture especially those who are not from the area.”
She said she sees many people from the U.S. mainland who come to Hawaii and think that they can do whatever they want. She said no culture is better than the other.
Being one of the recipients of the Hukilau scholarship, a work-study program sponsored by BYUH, Contretras-Spencer said many families in Hawaii, especially locals, are working more than two jobs to meet their basic needs. “It made me realize that I am in a school where they provide everything for me, so I can be better myself and help improve other’s situations too,” she expressed.
Cheap groceries is one of the many things she missed the most from the mainland, said Contreras-Spencer. “I miss being able to go to the grocery store and get a week’s worth of groceries in a day’s pay but here it costs more like a week’s worth,” she expressed.•
Photos of Aaron Barclay and Isabel Contreras-Spencer taken by Naomi Saenz and Haley Cowan. Page design by Ice Cesario.
A LIFELONG DISCIPLE OF Christ
BYUH religious mission continues to support students education and campus-life
BY JESSIKA SANTOSO
BYUH students and faculty described the university’s learning as inseparable from faith. Here, integrity shapes classroom lessons, scholarship and discipleship reinforce one another and BYUH mission extends well beyond campus. This daily blending of the spiritual and the academic reflects the university’s mission: to prepare students of Oceania and the Asian Rim to be lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in their families, communities, chosen fields and in building the kingdom of God. For Lkhagvasuren Boldbaatar, a senior in business management from Mongolia, the mission has become both a compass and a calling.
Lkhagvasuren Boldbaatar and his family smiles for the camera.
Photos by Caleb Galotera.
PEOPLE OF GOD AND JUSTICE
For Boldbaatar, success means improvement. Yet, in the gospel, success goes deeper: “It includes living with integrity and honesty.” In a world that often lacks integrity, he said, BYUH is preparing him to stand as a leader rooted in righteousness. “Interestingly, all of my professors encourage me to be honest and have integrity—to be men and women of God and justice,” he said. He likened this principle to his business classes, explaining there are always consequences when integrity is missing in doing business. These reminders will guide him even after leaving BYUH, where holding onto faith and values can be more difficult, he shared.
Beyond the classroom, Boldbaatar said living and worshipping alongside peers from many nations has also strengthened his discipleship. He recalled how he saw his neighbor’s family always prayed together before leaving home, and “It really helps [me and my wife] to become a better parent in the future.” This is a small example of how students encourage each other to live gospel principles, he said. These campus-life experiences, along with uplifting Sunday lessons, reminded him that “discipleship is not limited to one culture but unites us as followers of Christ.”
Boldbaatar said BYU–Hawaii has also prepared him for leadership through his job as a peer mentor. In this role, he said he helps new international students adjust to university life and encourages them to thrive both academically and spiritually. Through mentoring over 100 students, he said these “conversations taught me that leadership begins with service.”
He views mentorship as preparation not only for the students he helps but also for his own growth as a leader. He recalled one mentee who arrived knowing little about campus life but later became a member of a club presidency and who also presented at a research conference. “Many of those students I worked with are now successfully studying,” he said, “which brings me happiness and reassurance that small acts of service can have lasting results.”
Looking ahead, Boldbaatar hopes to be an entrepreneur in Mongolia, an institute teacher and a mentor to youth. He said he wants to live by the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 81:5, “[to] lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the feeble knees.” For him, BYUH’s mission shapes his path by teaching him that leadership isn’t about personal success but about lifting others. “No matter the role, I want to keep the BYUH lesson of balancing education, faith and service.”
“Discipleship is not limited to one culture but unites us as followers of Christ.”
Lkhagvasuren Boldbaatar in a mentoring session with a student.
Lkhagvasuren Boldbaatar
SERVANT LEADERS
As a 2024 BYU–Hawaii alumnus from Japan, Isaku Yamada said the university’s mission continues to guide him even after graduation. He sees its influence in two ways: inward, as a call to “be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ,” and outward, as an invitation to “[be] leaders in their families, communities, chosen fields, and in building the kingdom of God.” The first, Yamada said, focuses on personal growth. The latter reminds him that “you’ll lead people wherever you go. Your life is no longer just about you doing your thing,” he explained. Pursuing a master’s degree in Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, he said the mission statement reinforces his decision to help others achieve greater opportunities through English.
After two semesters at a secular university, Yamada said he had faced moments that challenged his faith. “Every time I go to school or work, I’m the only Church member there–unlike at BYUH,” he said. In those moments, BYUH’s call to be a lifelong disciple of Christ has become especially real.
Now, Yamada said he constantly thinks of what the Savior would do and choose in the environment Yamada’s in.
Reflecting on his time at BYUH, where the gospel unites students, Yamada said those experiences helped him strive to be an example in his current environment. He observed BYUH students often appeared more mature and diligent, “maybe because they served the mission or they’ve grown in the church environment where hard work, diligence and obedience are the top values.” He said his non-member coworkers often asked why he seemed so disciplined and self-controlled. Though he didn’t always explain directly, he said the question itself reassured him that his example was noticeable. “Frequent gospel conversations at BYUH helped me understand what it really means to be an example—not to be pushy or forceful, but simply to live according to what you’ve learned and what you believe.”
Yamada also credited BYUH with preparing him to work with people from diverse backgrounds. “You don’t often see universities as diverse as BYUH, where
international students even outnumber domestic students,” he shared. In this environment, where cultures come together and perspectives are shared for good, he learned to seek out and adopt valuable principles from others. He hopes current students take advantage of this multicultural setting to expand their networks and deepen their learning. “I am sure that students will never ever ever encounter a diverse place like this in the future. They may be, but it will be less likely,” he shared.
“Frequent gospel conversations at BYUH helped me understand what it really means to be an example ...”
Isaku Yamada
Isaku Yamada with students from his undergraduate TESOL co-teaching internship.
ZION COMMUNITY
Teaching at BYUH is a privilege, said Juanita Denninghoff, an associate professor in the Faculty of Education & Social Work, because both she and her students can share their beliefs openly alongside academic discussion. She always opens her class with an inspired question to spark two-way conversation between her and her students to exchange insight and even spiritual experiences–something she couldn’t do freely at other universities she’s taught.
With the shared understanding of the gospel and the school’s mission, she said, students and faculty help one another grow and fulfill their kuleana, or responsibility, even across language and cultural differences. “The diversity the institution provides connects us rather than divides us,” she said. “It prepares us to become leaders who can work with people from many different backgrounds.”
When asked how BYUH’s religious mission prepares students ethically for their careers, Denninghoff said it begins with the truth that each person is a child of God. “Our faith is something we live daily—not just on Sundays.” Because of that, she said, “the gospel shapes our interactions with others, and that carries into our work environments, our families and our communities.”
As a 2002 BYUH alumna who first enrolled as a non-member, Deninghoff said
“The diversity the institution provides connects us rather than divides us.”
her friends, professors and the community had positively influenced her decision to be baptized. “BYUH is my spiritual birth place. It’s where I found the gospel.” Before getting baptized, she said, her prayers were mostly expressions of thanks, not questions. But after friends and missionaries encouraged her to ask if the Church was true, she received her first answer. That spiritual turning point and support from the BYUH community are what she hopes others can find here too.
Denninghoff said she hopes her students remember their roles and responsibilities to
their community because the things they say and do matter. She also encouraged them to remain humble and keep learning. “Always ask what you can learn from a person or a situation.” Turning to Christ for grace and strength, she shared, allows students to transform their shortcomings into hope—a lesson that reflects BYUH’s mission well beyond campus life.•
Juanita (Vega) Denninghoff in her senior year at BYUH in 2002.
Photo from Ke Alaka’i 2002 newspaper.
Juanita Denninghoff (left) with fellow BYUH faculty. Photo provided by Juanita Denninghoff.
Juanita denninghoff
Page design by Chance Childers.
Bridging cultures, leading change
BYU–Hawaii students from Asia share how the university’s mission shapes their vision of service, unity and leadership back home
BY JOHN ANDREW QUIZANA
For Asian students at BYU–Hawaii, leadership is more than a title or a résumé entry—it is a responsibility shaped by faith, learning and service. Immersed in a diverse community that spans cultures, beliefs and experiences, students said they internalize the university’s mission: “Enter to learn, go forth to serve.” Each lesson, success and challenge becomes a stepping stone in forging a leadership identity rooted not just in knowledge, but in empathy, humility and the desire to make a tangible difference, they shared. For Malaysian senior Mervin Raja, Indonesian freshman Alden Ethanael Pua, and Filipino sophomore Fena Ennovy Zabala, BYUH has become a place where faith, learning and service intersect.
Raja, a senior computer science student, reflected on how BYUH’s mission has influenced his perspective on service. “I believed that when they say, ‘Enter to learn, go forth to serve,’ it doesn’t necessarily mean to study here then go back and serve
your home; it also means to serve the people here and bring those experiences back home with you to share them among others in your country,” he said. That understanding has never changed, he added, because serving others is a powerful responsibility.
Among the mission’s pillars, Raja said he credits learning for shaping his personal growth. “Learning is an essential component of an individual’s life. Same goes for me. BYUH heavily emphasizes learning, whether in classrooms, work, church, families and even in our group of friends,” he said. Raja shared this aspect motivated him to learn from the experiences and mistakes that led him to who he is now: a better person.
Coming from a country where faith and culture are often practiced traditionally, Raja said BYUH has broadened his vision of leadership. “I’ve learned that living our values isn’t just about following tradition, but also about building connections,
MALAYSIA
respecting differences and finding unity,” he said. Raja shared when he goes back to Malaysia, he wants to see himself not only as someone pursuing a career, but also as someone who brings people together.
Raja also described the impact of campus diversity. “Being at BYUH has been a unique experience because the campus is a true meeting place of cultures and faiths. Working, studying and living with people from so many backgrounds has taught me how to listen, respect and collaborate even when we see things differently,” he shared. It’s both a cultural and pragmatic experience especially as they learn how to foster understanding, build friendships across cultures and carry that spirit back into their own community and future careers, he said.
For Pua, a freshman majoring in communications, media and culture, work has been the mission component that most shaped his character. “All aspects of learning, working and service have influenced me, but over the course of these two semesters,
Working, studying and living with people from so many backgrounds has taught me how to listen, respect and collaborate even when we see things differently.
MERVIN RAJA
work has had the most impact on my character and personality. In a professional work environment, you have to give your all, step out of your comfort zone and take responsibility for your colleagues who depend on you,” he said. Pua shared it was not always easy, and he made many mistakes, but it’s an experience he wouldn’t trade for the world.
Pua said his experience at BYUH has also shaped how he sees his home country of Indonesia. “As I further my education on Christ and the gospel, I understand the significance of sharing the gospel and fighting religious intolerance. I see the need for more churches and even a temple in Indonesia,” he said. He seeks to play a role in advancing this cause after graduating, he added
Reflecting on spiritual and professional growth, Pua said, “I don’t see it as a balance, but a blend. Spiritual growth and worldly responsibilities go hand in hand.” His social relationships, ethics and contribution to society reflect his moral development and understanding of the gospel, he said.
Pua shared his thoughts on acknowledging the challenges ahead. “The most obvious challenge would be facing rejection,
INDONESIA
since most people in Indonesia are Muslim. Living a Christ-centered lifestyle there isn’t easy, but I see it as an opportunity to serve in a place that needs it, much like where Jesus Christ would go,” Pua explained.
For Zabala, a sophomore majoring in business management with a finance concentration, learning and faith at BYUH have guided both her personal and professional aspirations. “The main reason I came to BYUH was because I understood its mission as a commitment to prepare students to become strong leaders in their families, communities and careers. But more importantly, the most integral part of the mission is to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ,” she expressed.
She shared how blessed she is to be part of the institution. “Here, I can pursue both education and career development while being spiritually guided by church leaders. Most especially, we have the blessing of being near the temple and participating in sacred ordinances,” Zabala said.
She emphasized how learning at BYUH has shaped her growth. “For me, it’s definitely about learning. As President Rus-
I don’t see [spiritual and professional growth] as a balance, but a blend. Spiritual growth and worldly responsibilities go hand in hand.
ALDEN PUA
sell M. Nelson once said, ‘Education is yours to obtain. No one else can gain it for you.’ Since coming here, I’ve learned so much not just academically, but about myself. BYU–Hawaii has given me a fresh start,” Zabala said. She said she gained new skills and developed the courage to try things outside of her comfort zone. “I’m also learning to be more compassionate and understanding, especially in such a diverse and multicultural environment,” Zabala said.
Campus diversity has also influenced her approach to leadership and peacebuilding, she shared. “Here at BYUH, you meet people from so many different backgrounds in classes, on the streets, in the cafeteria. That diversity is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of the university. By learning about other people’s cultures, faiths and stories, I’ve developed a deeper respect for others,” she said. She added this experience is preparing everyone to be a bridge-builder—an individual who promotes peace, understanding and unity wherever they go.
Looking ahead, all three students have clear visions for contributing to their communities. Raja said, “When I return home to Malaysia, I want to contribute in three ways. Socially, I hope to create more spaces for understanding across cultures and faiths, the way I’ve experienced here at BYUH. Economically, I want to
use my computer science training to support digital innovation and create opportunities for young people,” he said. Spiritually, Raja said he plans to set an example by showing respect, service and compassion in my daily life so others can feel encouraged to do the same.
By learning about other people’s cultures, faiths, and stories, I’ve developed a deeper respect for others.
FENA ZABALA
Pua said his contributions will be both spiritual and economic. “Economically, I hope to help improve Indonesia’s economy perhaps by starting a business and creating jobs. Spiritually, I plan to be more active in church activities, especially with the youth, guiding them as I was guided,” he said.
Zabala said she also has a multifaceted approach. “I plan to contribute to all three areas. Socially, I want to be involved in community projects and youth mentoring. Economically, as a Finance major, I want to help my fellow Filipinos become more financially literate and self-reliant. Spiritually, I hope to serve in the Church and help others grow in their faith and testimony of Jesus Christ,” she said.
All three students agreed that BYUH’s mission is uniquely suited for Asian students. Raja noted that the mission stands out compared to other universities because it teaches students how to live and work with people from diverse cultures, preparing them to return home with a stronger sense of peacebuilding and unity. Pua echoed this point, explaining that the university’s focus on academics, spirituality, and cultural diversity provides graduates with an invaluable advantage. Zabala added that what makes BYUH truly special is its broader vision—not only preparing students for careers, but also for life, eternity, and service to God and others.
For Raja, Pua and Zabala, success isn’t about titles or money but the impact they make through service and faith. Raja said it means building bridges and mentoring others; Pua emphasized living a Christ-centered life that reflects the values he’s learned; and Zabala described it as leading with integrity, serving with compassion and making a real difference in her community.•
PHILIPPINES
Page design by Cho Yong Fei.
Photos taken by Haley Cowan.
“Sharing Aloha” sharing identity
The film reveals PCC student-workers life with honesty, enduring aloha spirit and cultural pride
BY PIM HOOTINI
Photo of PCC Social Media team promoting “Sharing Aloha” the movie.
SLutz Lingthiem “
haring Aloha” is a feature documentary about performers at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), said Lutz Lingthiem, a PCC social media manager and BYUH alumnus from Tahiti. Alumni like Jimmy Tang from Hong Kong said the film brought back the aloha spirit they remembered from working at PCC. For Timoci Kean, a senior from Fiji featured in the documentary, he was proud to see his life and culture represented on screen.
A raw look behind PCC life
Lingthiem said “Sharing Aloha” was a powerful reflection of how BYUH international students balance academics while funding their education through part-time work at PCC. He was struck by the film’s honesty and depth because it gave audiences a behind-the-scenes view of Hawaii’s top tourist attraction, especially “the financial and academic challenges students have to face,” he explained.
One scene that stood out to him, Lingthiem said, was the night show auditions. He said he didn’t expect that competitive and intense moment to be presented this emotionally raw. “One of the characters was sad she didn’t get hired. That part showed the downside of what a typical PCC worker had to face, not just good sides,” he added.
Beyond watching the films, Lingthiem said he was part of the PCC social media team promoting “Sharing Aloha”. He described the experience as both exciting and meaningful. “All of us were grateful. My team kept saying, ‘When will there ever be another chance to promote a big movie like this?’” he said.
“I learned skills like editing photos and videos, preparing posts and boosting outreach. I hope to use them in my future career.”
Above: “Sharing Aloha” offical movie poster.
Below: Timoci Kean performs for Fiji Club in Culture Night 2025.
Lingthiem said working with the film crew also gave him valuable hands-on experience. “The crew was big—maybe not as big as Marvel Studios, but still professional. I learned skills like editing photos and videos, preparing posts and boosting outreach. I hope to use them in my future career,” he said.
The controversies answered
Kean, a senior from Fiji majoring in political science and pacific studies at BYUH, said he acknowledged some people criticize PCC for using students to “sell” culture, but he sees it differently. “People say that because they don’t know the truth of student life here,” he said.
“I’m proud of my culture. I love to represent it through performing at PCC,” said Kean. He said BYUH work-study program makes that possible, since performing is his part-time job at PCC. “All you have to do is go to class and to work, and it’s all covered,” he said.
Kean explained he became part of the “Sharing Aloha” when PCC’s Fiji Village manager selected students to meet with the producers. “I shared my story with them about leaving Fiji to pursue an education at BYUH and that’s how I was selected,” he said.
From there, Kean’s story of leaving home to pursue education was chosen, and the film crew even traveled with him back to Fiji through a scholarship program that allowed him to return home. “At that time, it had been a year since I came home. It’s expensive to go back so I was grateful for that opportunity,” he said.
Kean said the work-study experience taught him the value of community and diversity at BYUH. “This is the place to be. The connections you make can go beyond school and PCC. Especially for new students, it’s important to take advantage of what’s here because it can shape your future.”
Finding Aloha again
Jimmy Tang, a BYUH alumnus from Hong Kong, said the producers did a great job making the audience feel the aloha spirit and easing his own yearning for Hawaii. He said, “[The film] brought back the same feeling I experienced while working at PCC in my college years. I believe it to be the aloha spirit.”
Tang said he first heard about the film from a friend still studying at BYUH. Missing Hawai‘i, he said he jumped at the chance to watch it during a special session of the Utah Area Young Single Adults (YSA) Conference 2025 at the Salt Palace Convention Center. “I was actually looking for a volunteer opportunity for the conference, but then I saw “Sharing Aloha” on the schedule, so I went to see it,” he said.
Of all the stories, Tang said Leilani’s touched him the most. He related to her deeply because, like him, she could not return home
during college. Tang explained that throughout his four years at BYUH, he never had the chance to visit his family. “I miss the comfort of home, familiar traditions and my loved ones. And I think because of that, it made her story especially meaningful.” To him, the aloha spirit means kindness, unity, and making others feel at home, and Leilani embodied that warmth despite her struggles.•
“I’m proud of my culture. i love to represent it through performing at PCC.”
Timoci Kean
Page design by Marlee Palmer Young Yen.
Timoci Kean performs for Fiji Club in Culture Night 2025.
A glimpse of BYU–Hawaii’s ongoing transformation
BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE
Starting Summer 2025, BYUH students bid farewell to beloved campus spaces to give way for what the school website describes as an unprecedented investment in the university’s future. This five-year long project partitioned off the center of BYUH campus from the community for major construction and renovation. “This investment will renew the university’s buildings and infrastructure for the next 50 years,” BYUH website shares.
According to the construction updates detailed on BYUH website, this transformation will feature new classrooms, offices, stores, conference rooms, tutoring spaces, an auditorium, a snack bar, a welcome center, a post office and recreational areas. “The David O. McKay Classroom Building, Flag Circle, Aloha Center and McKay Faculty Building will be replaced with five new buildings. The south end of the Joseph F. Smith Library will be demolished. The Flag Circle will move northward, and the plaza will extend from the existing Aloha Plaza all the way across campus to the Heber J. Grant Building,” the website explains.
This ongoing construction across campus goes beyond bricks and mortar, according to University President John S.K. Kauwe III. “This embodies what President Jeffrey R. Holland described at my inauguration four years ago: to do all we have done in the past, but do it better, for more students and in less time,” he shared during the groundbreaking for the new McKay complex on Aug. 28. Rooted in prophecy and purpose, this progress mirrors BYUH’s commitment to shaping more disciple leaders who will go forth and make global impact.•
Page design by Cho Yong Fei.
Photos by Haley Cowan.
Teaching where they once learned
BYUH has always been a place of growth, learning and transformation since being a student and now an educator, says two alumni and professors
BY FRANCE VALERIE LUCILLO
From students and mentees to educators and mentors, BYU–Hawaii alumni and professors shared the university has always been a place of growth, learning and transformation. Brent Green and Kamoa‘e Walk, both alumni and educators of the university, said they have found themselves teaching where they once sat as students years ago—carrying forward the legacy that once shaped them.
“What I hope students will retain from anything I share centers on the characteristics of BYUH’s mission, because my desire is to help them become disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in their chosen fields, communities, families and in the Church,” Green said.
Teaching for the people
“I always wanted to teach English at BYUH and that came from my very early days as a student. Coming back and teaching here is a dream job to me,” shared Brent Green, an EIL and TESOL professor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work and the associate academic vice president of accreditation, assessment and curriculum. He said his moti-
vation for teaching TESOL will always be people—his love for teaching academic English to people from all over the world.
Green shared the scholarly process he went through before finding himself back at BYUH. After graduating from BYUH in the 90s with a degree in TESOL, he went to BYU to get his masters in the same program. The effort he put into his studies, he said, was because he wanted to teach in college. “So I worked as an EIL lecturer for seven years, and among those years, three were spent on the Pacific Islands,” he shared. They spent two years in Tonga and one in Samoa, he said, until the program was eventually closed due to the low number of participants.
Green said he was called to return to BYUH while he was working on his PhD. “Because I studied language testing, BYUH asked me to come back. I helped out, and the test reformation was the one I used as a case study for my dissertation,” he shared.
He said his experiences—including a mission in the Marshall Islands, a vacation with his friends to Hawaii when he was a teenager, and the influence of his bishop who was a TESOL
Photos of Brent Green at BYUH in the 90s provided by Green.
professor—cultivated his desire to obtain a TESOL degree at BYUH and, eventually, come back and serve as an educator.
Reflecting on the path that led him here, Green reminisced on his experiences as a student that influenced his teaching. He said he went through three-week student-teaching experiences as a TESOL major— an activity that taught him he still had a lot to learn. “I didn’t understand forms yet at the time, and as I was teaching, one of the students told me I was confusing the class,” he shared.
He said it was an experience that filled him with frustration and doubt in his ability to finish the degree. “I went to my professor, and I told him that,” he shared, “And he just told me, ‘Brent, if we’re not confused, we can’t learn. We have to go through confusion in order to progress, in order to make it to our understanding.”
He also talked about the impact of learning about “scaffolding” and social constructivism on his teaching method. His philosophy
is to share knowledge through social interactions, he explained. Looking back, he said he could have used a more solid foundation of understanding from his professors, especially as a student learning the subjects from the ground up. “In learning theory, Lev Vygotsky talked about scaffolding—about how buildings need bricks to stand. In the context of learning, students can continue to learn more with help from their instructors,” he shared.
Now a professor, Green said he had to constantly adjust his teaching style to the changing times. Classes that once found verbal lectures adequate now need the aid of technological tools, such as computers and PowerPoint slides. “Also, we would take so many notes back then. But now, I would be lucky to have my student’s attention for five minutes,” he added with a laugh.
Quoting the famous linguist Noam Chomsky, Green emphasized the importance of adaptability in the teaching profession: “If a teacher is teaching today the same way they
were teaching 25 years ago, they should get into another career.” If a teacher is averse to transformation and change, he added, they could never hope to become an effective educator.
Desire to build Hawaiian studies
Kamoa‘e Walk, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Culture, Language and Performing Arts and the Jonathan Napela Center for Hawaiian & Pacific Studies, said the spirit of the Lord and the desire to establish a program for Hawaiian studies led him back to BYUH. “I was already doing well in University of Hawaii (UH) at Manoa, but an aunt of mine had heard from her sister who worked here at BYUH that the school was looking for a Hawaiian language professor to start a program, and that was what brought me back,” he shared.
When Walk attended BYUH as a student, the university offered Hawaiian language courses, but no formal program that tied them all together, he shared. It wasn’t until 1996,
Left: Photo of Professor Walk in 2008 standing in front of the Iosepa. Photo by Ke Alaka’i. Right: Current portrait of Professor Walk. Photo provided by University Photographers.
when he returned to teach as a professor, that the Hawaiian studies program was established. “I was very interested in the Hawaiian language while I was here, especially when I worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) in the Hawaiian village,” Walk said. “There were a lot of native speakers, and I spent a significant amount of time and energy trying to learn it.”
To continue learning the Hawaiian language, Walk said he had to take evening Hawaiian language classes at Windward Community College, as BYUH did not offer them at the time. He said he would always take the bus to Kaneohe after school and work to attend these classes. “But the professor teaching the course went to law school, which left a gap,” Walk shared.
Walk said he was later offered a position as a special instructor of Hawaiian language during his time as a student at BYUH. “Before I graduated, I was teaching the Hawaiian language class that I had learned just a year earlier,” he shared. This, coupled with his innate love for Hawaiian culture, inspired him to further his studies in Hawaiian language despite graduating with a degree in business management, he shared. “After graduating, I went to the University of Hawaii and took higher-level language classes that I couldn’t access before,” he said.
As a pioneer in Hawaiian studies at BYUH, Walk said it was humbling to return to the institution that had shaped him, and he deems it incredibly rewarding to now help others reconnect with a culture and language that was once nearly lost. “I’m also very happy that I’m at a university where we’re able to acknowledge and foster the spiritual aspects of our culture hand in hand with the gospel,” he expressed.
Walk emphasized the most important lesson he learned at BYUH: that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the most essential parts of life. Whether students are learning Hawaiian studies or not, he said it’s important to understand that their kupuna, or ancestors, embraced the gospel and passed their values down through generations. “Knowing we are part of God’s plan—that’s the real knowledge that matters in this life and beyond,” he said.
A mentees’ point of view
Aliah Flores, a senior majoring in business management with an emphasis in marketing and TESOL from the Philippines, said being taught by BYUH alumni gave her confidence in the quality of her education. Flores, a student of Brent Green in TESOL, said Green often shared personal career experiences that highlighted how BYUH prepared him for success.
“My favorite story was about his admission to a language testing program at UCLA, where he worked with one of the top experts in the field,” Flores said. “Hearing those stories made me realize how far BYUH education can take someone and strengthened my belief in my own potential.”
Flores said she observed a difference between professors who are alumni and those who are not. Alumni professors, she noted, empower students uniquely. “All of my professors are empowering, but those who studied here seem to offer an added level of encouragement,” she shared. “Brother Green, for instance, not only taught content but also introduced us to career opportunities, professional presentations and projects he was involved in. He would often tell us, ‘You can do this too,’ even when it seemed out of reach.”
Flores said she also saw how alumni professors reflect BYUH’s mission. “They truly embody the university’s mission in the way they teach, modeling how to use education to serve, lead and uplift others,” she said. “Their testimonies, encouragement and lived examples show BYUH’s mission is not just a statement but something that shapes lives and careers.”•
“I always wanted to teach English at BYUH and that came from my very early days as a student. Coming back and teaching here is a dream job to me.”
-Brent Green
Photos of Professor Green in his office taken by John Andrew Quizana.
BYUH bids Aloha Center farewell
Students and faculty take one last look at the five-decade old building before moving forward
BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE AND ABIGAIL ADAMS
Five decades of memories were preserved through reminiscence and scribbles on white rocks during the farewell event held for the Aloha Center on Sep. 19. For students and faculty, saying goodbye to this building that stood at the center of campus life since 1973 carried both sadness and hope. “If the Aloha Center is going to be demolished, that means something new will be built here. So while it’s sad, I’m also happy about the progress happening at BYU–Hawaii,” expressed Markham Abor, a freshman in information technology from the Philippines.
“If the Aloha Center is going to be demolished, that means something new will be built here. So while it’s sad, I’m also happy about the progress happening at BYU–Hawaii.”
-Markham Abor
Academic Vice President Isaiah Walker said the Aloha Center’s memories and legacy will live on within the people it welcomed, dispersed all over the globe and across different cultures. “The spirit and lessons of the Aloha Center will always be woven into the fabric of our campus history,” he shared.
Walker described the building as a reflection of the ideals established by past leaders— values of brotherhood, peace, tolerance and appreciation the community aims to uphold.
“For what can be done here interculturally in a small way is what mankind must do on a large scale if we’re ever to have real brotherhood on this earth,” he explained.
For Blossom Yee Joy, a sophomore in social work from Fiji, the center was a space
where “everyone could be,” so she bade it farewell with a heavy heart. It was something she said everyone could agree with, because Aloha Center was at the center of the gatherings and events they could remember. “But at the same time, it’s not completely gone. ‘Aloha’ also means ‘Hello,’ because there will be something new. I’m glad to be part of it and to see that happen,” she expressed.
For students like Jan Carlo Navarro, a freshman in biology from the Philippines, the Aloha Center is one of the first buildings they entered upon starting college at BYUH. “It was a place of relief and collaboration,” he said, “so it’s sad to see it go, especially for those who had personal connection with it.” •
“The spirit and lessons of the Aloha Center will always be woven into the fabric of our campus history.”
-Isaiah Walker
Photo of students and faculty attending the Aloha Center Farewell event. Photos taken by Naomi Saenz. Page design by Guen Ramirez-Platon.
“It was a place of relief and collaboration, so it’s sad to see it go, especially for those who had personal connection with it.”
-Jan Carlo Navarro
A look into the founders’ visions for BYUH and how they have evolved
BY ABIGAIL ADAMS
From its humble beginnings as the Church College of Hawaii (CCH) in 1955 to present-day Brigham Young University–Hawaii, the university’s mission has consistently focused on unifying cultures and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, explained Dr. Tevita Ka‘ili, professor in the Faculty of Culture, Language & Performing Arts. “[The founders’] hopes were to create an international school with diverse cultures, and that people who came from the school could go out, be leaders and serve in their community, especially within the church context,” he shared, and the current mission continues to build upon that.
From this school… will go men and women whose influence will be felt for good towards the establishment of peace internationally. “
— Pres. David O. McKay
PAST PLANS
First brought about by a vision by the ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ, David O. McKay, BYUH was intended to be a place where people from different cultures and backgrounds could become one, Ka‘ili explained. McKay said in his groundbreaking address, “From this school … will go men and women whose influence will be felt for good towards the establishment of peace internationally.”
As CCH was being built and started operating, McKay saw his vision coming to fruition, Ka‘ili shared. “McKay was very impressed when he came to see that the people in this community and this campus got along with one another,”
“We … think it is important to keep our hearts right. We believe in education as balanced growing: intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally [and] spiritually...
— Rueben d. Law
he said. “That was a time when there was a lot of conflict [between] different ethnic groups and nationalities in the U.S., but also around the world. So this idea of harmony and cooperation of people from different backgrounds was very much emphasized in the very beginning,” he continued.
Being an educational institution, CCH was also intended to be a place where students could learn, explained Reuben D. Law, first president of CCH, during the first annual commencement in 1956. “We … think it is important to keep our hearts right. We believe in education as balanced growing: intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally [and] spiritually,” he said.
In a devotional in 1969, 10 years after his departure from CCH, Law also explained the importance of keeping the gospel as a focus across the university. He said, “There is a special spirit of this college which seems to approach a combination of the loveliness of spirit of the
wonderful people of these islands, and the wonderful spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
This spirit, Law continued, is what makes CCH unique. “If ever there is a hint of a wrong spirit and attitude raising its head here, the real spirit of this school must be helped to prevail for your own good, so that the great destiny of this college can continue to be fulfilled abundantly,” he expressed.
PRESENT REALITY
Although it looks and operates differently today, Ka‘ili shared, the core values of BYUH have stayed the same since its founding 70 years ago. “I think the founders would be very impressed with the way there is a harmony within the university, and part of that has to do with the common religion of being Latter-day Saints,” he said.
According to the BYUH website, the university’s current vision is “To be an example to the world of intercultural peace and unity
through living the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
Ka‘ili said this is evident on campus through events like Culture Night and Food Fest, where students showcase their own cultures and have opportunities to learn about others.
As an alumnus here, Ka‘ili said this aspect of BYUH has helped him personally throughout his life and career. “I was a student here from 1990 to 1993, and many of the students that I interacted with were from Asia and other places, which really helped me see their worldview … The founders set it up that way so it adds to [students’] education,” he shared.
Much of the faculty and student body today descends from alumni or labor missionaries who helped build the school, Ka‘ili explained. “People are connected in a profound way to the university because of the generations of people who worked here before and now today,” he said. Being a descendant of alumni himself, Ka‘ili said this connection is what maintains BYUH’s commitment to the founders’ vision.
WHERE THE PAST INSPIRES THE FUTURE
As BYUH continues to evolve, keeping the past in mind will prevent it from straying from the founders’ vision, Ka‘ili explained. “The past is very important because it’s the foundation of the beginning of this university, and it allows you to see how we align with the past and then also map out the future. You can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you came from [and] where you started,” he said.
The story of how BYUH came to be what it is today offers a notable lesson, Ka‘ili explained. “At the beginning, it might be difficult, hard and challenging, but if you endure and persevere, eventually you will get to that particular point, and I think that’s the legacy of BYUH,” he shared.•
You can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you came from [and] where you started.
