Holokai

THE LEADER

SUMMER 2026 ISSUE

HOLOK A I 2026 1

Meet the Ke Nicole Olson

John Andrew Quizana

Jessika Santoso

Chance Childers

MANAGING EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR INTERN

Samantha Faith Satorre COPY EDITOR

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ART DIRECTOR

Julia Aunai

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

CJ Shinahah Notarte-Orr STUDENT MANAGING EDITOR

Hiroki Konno

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Judith Weman

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Alaka i Team Alden Ethanael Pua

Jan Carlo Navarro

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Guen Ysanth Ramirez-Platon ILLUSTRATOR

Ice Cesario

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

John Lennon Onda

Ruea Kelly Tama

PHOTOGRAPHER

Rossy Valdez

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Jay-R Gallano

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

PHOTOGRAPHER

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06

12

18

Arts and Humanities

Machines have no soul

Professional Studies

C ONT 08 The connections beyond our cultures 12 Machines have no soul 14 Layers beneath the paint 20 One island, one vision

24 Communication beyond words 28 168 hours 34 Where the equations lead

38 Kids, let’s do accounting!

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28

32

66

168 Hours

Math and Sciences

Finding the words to be understood

TENTS 42 Healthy habits for healthy lifestyles 46 Beyond individual choices: understanding Oceania’s growing diabetes crisis

50 Freshman fears, senior stories 54 Faith across Oceania 58 Growing beyond the fixed mindset 62 Logic on paper 68 Find the words to be understood HOLOK A I 2026 5

Arts and

Humanities

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This area explores human expression, cultural understanding and creative storytelling. It invites students to hone their voices, master new languages and analyze the diverse histories and artistic traditions that shape our global community. Encompassing disciplines such as visual arts, communication, English, history, Hawaiian and Pacific Island Studies, and intercultural peacebuilding, this pillar serves as the creative and cultural foundation of the academic voyage.

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T he connection beyond our cultures Intercultural relationships can transcend friendships through understanding and embracing each other’s differences, say BYUH alumni

BY CJ SHINIHAH NOTARTE-ORR

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C

oming from different cultures, BYU–Hawaii alumni said understanding each other requires love, humility, intentionality and willingness to learn. They said when people approach their differences with compassion rather than assumption, lifelong friendships develop.

Isireli Tupoulahi Tawake Vuetibau, a BYUH alumnus from Raiwaqa, Fiji, said he thought he understood all Pacific Islanders.

“We have similar cultural and traditional identities, but … some people don’t identify as what I thought they would be based on what I assume or what I have heard.”

Vuetibau said, “Cultural understanding is a long process; it can take a lifetime to learn.” He said part of learning is making mistakes and understanding that not knowing is okay. “What matters most is being willing to listen, to apologize when it’s necessary and just keep learning,” he said. He also noted to consider everyone’s individuality.

“Every person really gives you a chance to see the world through a different set of eyes,” said Vuetibau. He said when people choose compassion over judgment, not only do they understand another culture, but they also become better human beings. “That’s what I hope people will do. To see people as people,” he continued.

As an intercultural peacebuilding and Pacific studies graduate, Vuetibau said the way to understand others was through making connections. To make such connections, he said, “First, be humble. Second, choose to be curious over being judgmental. Third, make sure that relationships matter more.”

Vuetibau said asking questions helped him learn and better understand other cultures. “In the conversations that I had, I realized that there are actually a lot of differences. But because I learned about those differences, I learned how to create boundaries about how I approach people, and make sure that I approach them first before making assumptions.”

Furthermore, Vuetibau said everyone should focus on our shared humanity. He said everyone expresses their culture in different ways. “People want similar things, even though we’re different. That’s love, family, belonging, purpose, hope and respect.” Differences can become opportunities instead of barriers that divide, he elaborated.

Today, everything is polarized and everyone wants to be politically correct,Vuetibau said. “But I guess one thing that really stands out to me about being in BYUH is the gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” he said.

Coming from different countries, students are used to seeing their own people; and on campus, students tend to gather with those familiar to them, said Vuetibau. “One thing that we should do is go outside our comfort zones and be curious. Listen more than you speak. Celebrate our differences, recognize our shared humanity and build a lot of same ships. Not just our labels, but actual, genuine friendships. That’s what I believe,” he said.

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What matters most Blake Collier, a BYUH alumna from Arizona, said she had so much curiosity about everything around her when she first moved to BYUH with her husband Tyson Collier. They did not know anyone until they met the Vuetibau family. Tyson Collier, a BYUH alumnus from Arizona, said he heard Vuetibau bless the sacrament and thought he sounded Fijian. Tyson Collier said he recognized it because he served his mission in Fiji. “[Blake said] we should go introduce ourselves. … I don’t really like talking to people, but she does. And that’s why she makes friends.”

Having been friends with the Vuetibaus since 2022, Blake Collier said she loves how their friendship turned into a family, creating a home away from home. “We were in completely new cultures. They showed us immense respect and love that we didn’t

“Try to look at people the way the Savior would, with love and grace, then you’ll find good.”

- Tyson Collier

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necessarily ask for. So we did our best to reciprocate that, and from that, it just grew,” she said.

We are all children of God, and we have more in common than we think at first, said Tyson Collier. “Even though we are the same, we’re different. And we need those differences,” he said.

Blake Collier also said acceptance is the greatest form of Christlike love. She said love makes it easier to apply the things people learned from others. “The desire to learn, the humility to accept and [the understanding of] other people and their culture made it a lot easier, enjoyable and fun,” she added.

Tyson Collier said people’s perception of other cultures depends on their preconceptions. He said when people think a culture is good, they will see the good. “Try to look at people the way the Savior would, with love and grace. Then, you’ll find good.”

Every person really gives you a chance to see the world through a different set of eyes.”

- Isireli Tupoulahi Tawake Vuetibau

When people look at what is different in others, they should not think about whose way is better, said Tyson Collier. He said people should be curious and ask the right questions. “You can find a lot of differences,” he added.

As a social work graduate, Blake Collier said her social work training taught her to follow a professional code of ethics that requires her to be culturally responsible. “We’re supposed to be ... humble in all things that we do. … You have to be willing to listen, take in what [people] are expressing … and not be quick to judge.

You have to be quick to understand,” she said.

Blake Collier also said understanding a culture does not require an individual to accept it entirely, but to provide a space where everyone could practice and represent their culture. She said culture should not only be lived, but also something to be shared. “We’re placed on this earth not to be stagnant. We’re supposed to grow and learn and create opportunities not only for us, but for the future generations to follow.” She said this is not possible if people stay in one place. “We have to explore; we have to be open and humble to anything that comes our way,” she continued.• v Photographs reflecting the Vuetibaus and Colliers’ bond at BYU–Hawaii.

Photos from Blake Collier.

Page design by Jay-R Gallano.

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machines have NO soul

BY JAN CARLO NAVARRO

Students from creative disciplines weigh in on the role of connection, emotion and struggle in an age of artificial intelligence

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ablo Picasso once said, “Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction.” As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly capable of generating images, music and text, artists are being forced to reconsider what creation really means. For three BYU–Hawaii students, creativity is deeply tied to the human experience, requiring artists to deconstruct themselves and look at the individual points of what makes them who they are.

Machines have nothing to experience Aleisha Saole, a freshman and visual arts major from Hawaii, said photography began as a way to pass the time but then became a creative outlet that changed how she viewed the world around her. “I think that’s where a lot of creative processes take root—out of boredom,” she said.

“I think people should actually be more bored.”

Saole said she discovered her passion for photography and painting during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her brother’s need for graduation pictures prompted her to take the photos herself. For her, this passion to capture curated moments of love extended to her passion for painting. She said through art, she developed a greater appreciation for the aesthetics of everyday life.

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“I naturally see things as aesthetically pleasing,” Saole said. “I love seeing the world through a lens and how things can be portrayed through photography [and painting].”

For Mya Muhlstein, a sophomore and music major from Utah, studying music was not something she consciously chose. She said she has been singing for as long as she can remember, despite not coming from a particularly musical family.Though singing came naturally, she said pursuing music academically challenged her understanding of the art form.

“Learning the fundamentals of music— the not-so-natural part—is a long journey,” Muhlstein said. “Through that process, I’ve grown in both understanding and appreciation for what music is and how it’s created.”

Kate Brown, a junior in English from Utah, said many of her creative influences come from the books, television shows and characters she enjoys, but her own writing often centers on characters navigating trauma, growth and the journey toward healing.

“I really like examining how people heal and what causes the need to heal,” Brown said.

“A lot of things I examine within my writing come from characters going through trauma and then learning how to deal with it, and the non-linear journey of healing.”

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“Girl with a Pearl Earring” (c. 1665) by Johannes Vermeer.

Page design by Chance Childers.

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Machines have nothing to express

Machines have nothing to overcome

Saole said art is a result of one’s own thinking and feelings, emphasizing authorship as an essential trait of what makes art. “Art and emotion go together,” she said. “It stems out of your own mind.

When there is no emotion behind something, there is no meaning behind it.”

For Muhlstein, art is rooted in emotional expression. She said songwriting allows her to process emotions that are often difficult to articulate elsewhere.

“Music has become a space for creation and expression for me, and I’m grateful for it,” she said. “To know that someone was truly feeling something, that’s what music is to me.”

Muhlstein described creativity as pain directed toward a creative outlet. Meaningful art, she said, emerges from the process of working through those emotions rather than the final product itself. “Creativity is never efficient,” she said. “Art is in the process, not just the output.”

Beyond self-expression, Muhlstein views art as a way of connecting people through shared experiences. “All humans crave connection, and music [and the arts] is one of the closest things we have to create that connection with everyone,” she said.

For Brown, art is found in the struggle to create. She said the struggle involved in writing is inseparable from growth and gives art a quality that generative AI can never reproduce.

“Something that remains uniquely human in writing is the struggle to write at all,” she said.

“But that struggle is what is healing. A machine never has to struggle. A human always will.”

Rather than focusing on the finished product, Brown said art emerges from the effort required to transform ideas into something tangible. “Art is the ability to have ideas and translate them into something with effort, time and skill,” she said.

Saole and Brown both said they were initially amazed by the rapid advances in generative AI. However, they said this initial response shifted into concern as the technology becomes increasingly realistic and deceptive.

For Saole, her concerns about AI stem from its inability to create from genuine emotion or personal experience. “When it comes to art, I feel AI takes away our creativity ... because ... we’re not always challenged to be creative on our own.”

Brown expressed a similar concern, saying generative AI discourages people from engaging in the creative process themselves. “I think it’s such a disservice for people to generate stories and such without engaging in creating their own pieces,” she said.

For Saole and Brown, AI draws primarily from existing material and is incapable of producing something new. Saole considers AIgenerated artwork not as a product of original expression, while Brown said creativity requires imagining possibilities that do not exist yet.

“Everything comes to life when you create with emotions,” Saole said.

“Looking forward with creativity isn’t just looking at what has happened and combining those elements together to create a story,” Brown said. “It’s looking forward and seeing something distinctive and meaningful without heavily depending on what already exists.”

For Muhlstein, AI-generated music removes the intention, vulnerability and decision-making that gives music its emotional weight. “Music was becoming lifeless,” she said.

Muhlstein added that vulnerability is the most human aspect of music and arts.

For her, creating and sharing music requires artists to expose parts of themselves to others.

“I think there’s a lot to be said about putting your thoughts onto paper and asking someone if they like them,” she said. “There’s a lot of vulnerability in giving that to others.”

Muhlstein said understanding the decisions behind a piece of music is part of what gives the work value and depth. “I think about the history of how a composer wrote a song, the time in which they wrote it, the decisions they made,” she said. “There’s no thought, no appreciation, nothing that goes into simply typing ‘kick drum’ into a program.” •

“Creativity is never efficient. Art is in the process, NOT just the output.”

– Mya Muhlstein

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Layers beneath

the paint

From rough sketches to constant critique, painting students reveal the hours of unseen process behind their art

BY JESSIKA SANTOSO 1 4 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

A

rt may appear to be driven by creativity and talent, but for three visual arts students with emphasis in painting & illustration, the process is defined more by discipline, repetition and invisible labor rather than inspiration alone. Across different experiences, they described a shared reality: growth as an artist is built through failure, experiments and continuous refinement rather than natural ability.

“Having artistic talent for me is having the grit to go through a long process of just doing a lot of ‘ugly’ paintings,” said Liahona Billones, a senior from the Philippines. “People see what we produce … but they don’t see just how much mental work, research and study go into each of those pieces,” she continued. “They are not just a reflection of the artist’s skills, but of their interests, efforts and passion … after countless hours on the backend.”

The work behind the work

and tiring, but I realized I was learning and growing as an artist.”

Boydat Fuiava, a sophomore from New Zealand, said the program reinforces this mindset on both practice and reflection. He explained the studio classes often last three hours, during which students continuously work while receiving feedback from instructors. Outside of class, he said the process does not stop. “Basically, in the program you’re always making art and always thinking about art,” he said.

In addition to repetition, students also said critique plays a central role in their development. Jardiniano said weekly critiques require students to evaluate their own work and respond to feedback from others. “We give critiques to others as well as receive them from both our classmates and teachers,” she said. “This allows us to see different perspectives and understand what we can improve.”

Through this system, students begin to challenge common assumptions about artistic talent.

Rather than viewing talent as an innate ability, Billones said what people often perceive as talent is actually the result of sustained effort. Similarly, Fuiava defined artistic talent as the willingness to experiment and commit to ideas, while Jardiniano emphasized the importance of connecting personal expression with others.

“A lot of the painting process includes things that are not painting itself.”

For Billones, much of that work looks far from polished. She said her time in the studio is often filled with unfinished pieces and rough sketches. “Some people are probably not expecting to see me make a lot of unrefined paintings,” she said. “But those are just part of the process of learning.” Even outside the studio, she said, the work continues through taking reference photos, watching tutorials, listening to podcasts and studying other artists. “A lot of the painting process includes things that are not painting itself.”

Ocean Jardiniano, a senior from the Philippines, described a similar routine. She said a typical day involves sitting for hours in the studio, blending colors and working through ideas, often in solitude. “Creating art is more than just finishing a painting,” she said. “It takes hours, days and months of experimenting, iterating and conceptualizing.”

Jardiniano said one of the most important lessons she learned was the value of iteration. Before entering the program, she said she would paint based on a single idea without much experimentation. “But as we worked on our projects, we were asked to do them over and over again until we made the best out of them,” she said. “At first, it was frustrating

Liahona Billones

Portraits of truth

This combination of discipline and self-exploration becomes especially visible in one type of assignment many students identified as representing their growth: the self-portrait.

Across their experiences, the self-portrait became more than an artistic exercise—it served as a space where technical skill, personal identity and emotional vulnerability intersect.

For Billones, creating a self-portrait sculpture required confronting personal insecurities. She said she had previously avoided self-portrait work because of self-confidence and body image concerns. During the project, she worked from mirrors and reference photos of her own face, forcing her to examine features she had long felt uncomfortable with. “As I worked on it, the way I saw myself and defined beauty was shaped for the better,” she said.

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Ocean Ocean Jardiniano Medium

Self-portrait Liahona Billiones Stoneware

Self-portrait Boydat Fuiava Charcoal, acrylic paint, oil paint and marker

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Jardiniano’s self-portrait took a more symbolic approach. Instead of representing herself literally, she used vivid colors, patterns and imagery to express her identity as an artist. “Creating this project helped me understand more about myself and my artistry,” she said. “Making this piece made me feel free.”

Fuiava also described his self-portrait as an experimental work, combining multiple mediums such as charcoal, acrylic, oil paint and marker. Rather than depicting himself in a traditional form, he represented himself symbolically as a black cat based on how others have described him. “Everything in it was just me experimenting while trying to depict characteristics about myself,” he said.

Despite the visible outcomes displayed in galleries or exhibitions, students emphasized that much of their work remains unseen. Jardiniano echoed this perspective, saying “It is not just a hobby that we enjoy doing. It is also a form of emotion that we want other people to feel.”•

“It is not just a hobby that we enjoy doing. It is also a form of emotion that we want other people to feel.”

Ocean Jardiniano

BFA Painting & Illustration program Students interested in the BFA emphasis program must apply by submitting a portfolio that demonstrates a few strong, completed works.The faculty will also consider an applicant’s artistic process, looking at sketchbooks and techniques to better understand the student’s development and familiarity with different media. Students typically begin in introductory courses such as ARTS 119 (Drawing and Design Principles).These classes provide opportunities to create artwork, receive feedback from the faculty and determine whether their work is ready for the program application.The same application process also applies to students pursuing the BFA emphasis in Graphic Design.

Photos by Ruea Kelly Tama.

Page design by Ice Cesario.

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P rofessional Studies

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This area emphasizes practical application, organizational leadership and career readiness across key global industries. Built to translate academic concepts into direct real-world application, it prepares students to lead organizations, manage technological and financial systems and serve communities effectively. Covering fields such as accounting, business management, hospitality & tourism management, information technology, education and social work, it delivers the professional toolset required for organizational impact and career success.

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One island, one Vision

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BY ROSSY VALDEZ

The Kiribati government’s effort to build a sustainable livelihood for the country with the help of BYU–Hawaii students

O

ne year after helping launch a tourism development initiative in Kiribati, BYU–Hawaii alumni reflected on how the project continues to shape the future of their home islands.

The project began with a simple question: How could they give back to their country? While many international students aspire to build careers abroad,Temwake Kuraotio—an alumnus who studied hospitality and tourism management and served as the team lead—said he and his team envisioned a different path: one that would create opportunities at home.

Recognizing the limited employment opportunities and economic challenges facing Kiribati, the team supported the government’s vision KV20, or the Kiribati Vision for 20 years. “This vision mainly has two major focuses: to boost the economy through the fishing and tourism industry,” Kuraotio said.

Although Kiribati’s vast ocean has long sustained the nation’s economy, Kuraotio said the government recognized the need to diversify its future. “Because our ocean is the largest in the Pacific and in the world, of course that is where we get most of our resources,” he said. However, to help preserve those resources for future generations, the government wants to strengthen the country’s tourism industry alongside its traditional fishing sector. “We want to rely less on our ocean resources, but more on tourism this time,” Kuraotio said.

Empowering the locals Kuraotio said this effort aligned perfectly with their majors. “We decided to focus our project on supporting our country’s tourism initiatives and helping fulfill that vision,” he said.To help with this initiative, his team conducted a homestay and tour training for the locals. Kuraotio said those programs worked well; in fact, some of the people who attended the first training sessions are now successfully running their own homestay business and tour operations.

Tabware Manibwebwe, an alumna in hospitality and tourism management from Kiribati, said at first, his team members thought the internship would focus mainly on hospitality and tourism. “But we actually worked with the Ministry of the Line and Phoenix Islands rather than the tourism authority itself,” she said.

Manibwebwe explained that they became heavily involved in planning and development, working side by side with the ministry on key projects.

This work included mapping areas for future development, planning the Micronesian Cultural Center—inspired by the Polynesian Cultural Center in Oahu, Hawaii—developing homestay accommodations, supporting local businesses and encouraging tourism beyond fishing.

Kiribati Club showcasing the country’s culture.

Photo by Douglas Ferreira.

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One sign of progress Manibwebwe highlighted is that locals now have greater knowledge and confidence in what they can offer visitors, thanks to the training conducted during the project.

“I noticed more people from the main island of Kiribati have started to move here to open businesses, and many of those businesses are hospitality-related,” she said. She added that while few people were previously interested in launching tourism ventures on Christmas Island, the project’s training and community outreach have inspired far more local involvement.

In a 2023 article by BYU–Hawaii News, Jeff Christensen, the accompanying advisor for the trip to Kiribati, noted that the students were initially focused on conducting surveys and running awareness campaigns for local residents.

“This was to help educate residents about the Kiribati government’s tourism initiatives on the island,” Christensen said, adding that the goal was to ensure locals had an active voice in proposed projects and a clear understanding of the developments planned for the next 20 years.

Christensen also explained that addressing the need for increased lodging capacity became a key part of their mission. “We saw an opportunity to expand lodging while simultaneously elevating residents’ living standards by introducing the concept of homestays,” he said.Today, local residents are directly benefiting from the training and surveys conducted in 2023.

Beyond the initiative’s success in securing government support, Kuraotio emphasized that positive impacts are now visible throughout the local community.

“Through the training programs we conducted, we’ve helped locals understand that tourism isn’t just for large companies or wealthy investors,” Kuraotio said.This effort shifted community perspectives toward new possibilities for local entrepreneurship. “We wanted people to see tourism from a different perspective—not only for big businesses, but as something that could directly benefit local families.”

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“We are not just a sinking nation—we are more than that.”

Temwake Kuraotio

Turning plans into lasting impact After spending countless hours drafting initiatives and proposals, then attending dozens of meetings with government officials and the ministry, the student team worked closely together to bring their vision to life. Guided by the government’s goals for the island, they secured a $100 million funding commitment from the World Bank. According to Kuraotio, construction is expected to begin next year.

Another major outcome of their work is enhanced environmental protection for the island. “Instead of allowing Long Beach on Christmas Island to become a commercial development, we helped refine the proposal to designate it as a National Park,” Kuraotio said.While driving economic growth was a priority, the team wanted to ensure the island’s natural environment was preserved.

Another major impact they’ve seen is environmental protection for the island. “Instead of allowing Long Beach on Christmas Island to become a commercial development, we helped change the proposal so it would become a National Park,” Kuraotio said. Even though there is significant economic advancement, they wanted to make sure the environment would still be cared for.

BYUH students at work in Kiribati.

Photos from Temwake Kuraotio.

Page design by Chance Childers.

Driven by faith and service

“I truly believe we were prepared for this moment—for this mission—to help our country.”

Temwake Kuraotio

Kuraotio and his team did have one constant question for themselves: “What comes next?” As the leader of the team, he reminds them that every time they face something impossible, they see the hand of God in it, helping them go through every single one. “That is why I always call this an inspired project. I truly believe we were prepared for this moment—for this mission—to help our country,” he added. Kuraotio said sometimes he thinks about President David O. McKay’s prophecy regarding BYU– Hawaii—that students would go forth to serve their people. He said he would tell his team that maybe President McKay saw them 50 years ago, and the thought always inspires them.

Kuraotio said he is aware that they will face many setbacks, but his team is ready for whatever it may be. But somehow, he said, “Things would work out in ways we ourselves couldn’t explain.” They simply focus on doing their best and leave the rest to God. Kuarotio said when his team had the opportunity to present in front of diplomats at the United Nations, their presentation moved the listeners emotionally by saying, “We are not just a sinking nation—we are more than that,” highlighting that even though they are facing the consequences of global warming, they have so much to offer to the world. One thing they wanted to do was to change the mindset of people towards the government. “Many people always ask, ‘What can the government do for us?’” said Kuraotio. But instead, they wanted to encourage people to ask, “How can we help the government?” which changed the whole trajectory of the perspective.

Kuraotio said this became one of the principles behind their project.

In Kiribati, no one had ever done something like this before. “By taking this step, we broke that barrier, and I hope our experience becomes a testimony and an inspiration for future generations. I hope they follow in our footsteps—not necessarily by working in tourism, but by using whatever skills and talents they have to contribute and give back to their country.This is what I truly hope people will take away from our story.”•

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communication beyond words Establishing healthy communication through listening with intent

BY ROSSY VALDEZ According to a BYU–Hawaii professor, student and former CEO, effective communication extends beyond words—it requires listening, empathy and a willingness to understand before being understood. Whether in classrooms, workplaces or everyday conversations, communication shapes how people build relationships and solve problems.

Dr. Chiung Hwang Chen, a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Letters at BYU– Hawaii, said, “Understanding involves more than simply talking, … it requires active listening and empathy—putting yourself in another person’s shoes.” Using the Chinese

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character for “listen,” she explained that listening involves your ears to hear, your eyes to observe and your heart to empathize. Meanwhile, talking is more subjective because it comes from our own perspective and may not place the other person at the center of the conversation, she said.

For Chen, humans are social beings with a natural desire and ability to communicate. She believes communication is both an innate ability and a skill that can be developed throughout life. However, to become an effective communicator requires active learning, Chen added. She also said throughout our lives, we learn social rules

and communication cues, “both consciously and subconsciously—through observation and imitation, helping us understand what is appropriate in different situations.”

According to a journal article titled “Developing Effective Communication Skills,” Kenneth H. Cohn, former CEO of Healthcare Collaboration at the American College of Healthcare Executives, says the starting place for effective communication is effective listening. In the article, Cohn described active listening as “listening with all of one’s senses.”

As a physician communication expert, he says active listening involves “listening with one’s eyes as well as one’s ears. Only 8% of

communication is related to the content— the rest pertains to body language and tone of voice.”

In the article, Cohn also emphasized the importance of creating an environment that encourages active listening. He wrote that effective communication requires being fully present—both mentally and physically—and being mindful of the setting in which a conversation takes place. According to Cohn, eliminating physical barriers and using positive body language, such as maintaining eye contact and leaning forward naturally, can help convey attentiveness and make the speaker feel heard. He also noted that crossed arms may signal defensiveness, disagreement or disinterest, creating unnecessary barriers to communication. Cohn further wrote that active listening requires suspending judgment and allowing others to express themselves without interruption, criticism or direction.

Dhanielle Lucillo, a junior from the

“Understanding involves more than simply talking, … it requires active listening and empathy— putting yourself in another person’s shoes.”

Dr. Chiung Hwang Chen

Philippines studying communications, media and culture and a communications content editor in BYUH Marketing and Communications, said her work depends heavily on effective communication across university departments. Most of the time, she would receive emails containing crucial information that needs to be announced on the university’s bulletin. Lucillo said aside from communication being an important part of her job, her responsibility to inform people is just as significant. Although most of the time she communicates via email, she would go to departments in person and confirm the information they submitted to her team.

Lucillo said, “Working with so many different people has taught me how to adapt my own communication style depending on the person I’m talking to.”

“The first thing I do is take responsibility for it. If I make a mistake, I will tell my manager that I made a mistake because it is my responsibility,” Lucillo said. When taking

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accountability, it also empowers everyone to become more open in dialogue and in other possibilities. “Communication isn’t just solving today’s problem—it also helps improve future communication,” said Lucillo.

Chen said although language is our primary communication tool, it is often imperfect. Ironically, language itself can become a source of misunderstanding.

“What seems like common sense to one person may not be common sense to another, creating mental gaps that lead to misunderstanding,” said Chen. Because language has limitations and people may be misunderstood, Chen noted that body

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language can also clarify meaning, and in digital communication, emojis can provide context that text alone may not convey.

Miscommunication can be stressful, even after a mistake has been corrected, said Lucillo. “I have a hard time moving on after making a mistake,” she said. According to her, even after the mistake was corrected and everything had been resolved, she kept thinking about it.

“I experienced one example of this,” said Lucillo. “A department submitted an event announced well ahead of time; however, there was a mistake in the submission.” She said the department listed the correct day of the week but paired it with the wrong date. Instead

of communicating with the department and double-checking the information given to her, she assumed that it was already polished.

Cohn advises to be mindful in every conversation one is in. Chen said active listening requires genuine effort: “Sometimes people simply are not willing to invest that effort, which makes true understanding more difficult.” Although Chen has been teaching at BYU–Hawaii for 25 years now, people seem to approach situations with preconceived ideas and biases formed through their upbringing and past experiences. “Open and sincere face-to-face conversations are far more effective for resolving misunder-

standings than remaining silent or expressing frustrations through social media, ” she said.

At this time and age, some people say things they do not mean or practice selective listening by hearing only what supports their assumptions, said Chen.When someone says something that can be perceived as offensive or confusing, Chen advised to “speak directly with that person and explain how you feel.” By doing so, it will allow both parties to clarify intentions, reducing unnecessary resentment and strengthening understanding. “I appreciate people who make the effort to communicate,” said Chen.

In the context of communication, Chen does not believe there is one universal rule that

“Communication isn’t just solving today’s problem— it also helps improve future communication.”

Dhanielle Lucillio

works for everyone. Instead, she consistently emphasizes one principle during class discussions, which is that there are no right or wrong opinions. “Students do not need to agree with one another, but they should always express their viewpoints respectfully, even when they disagree,” Chen said.

From a theoretical perspective, Chen said she hopes that everyone will learn not to assume. “Don’t assume others’ intent; when in doubt, double-check,” she said.

Learn how to communicate with the interest of others in mind, and enjoy the journey of understanding together, she said.•

Photos by John Lennon Onda.

Page design by Ice Cesario.

HOLOK A I 2026 27

168

Three BYUH students say we have more time than we think

BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE

A

midst the bustle of life, people tend to feel like they’re always running out of time. Three BYU–Hawaii students share that sentiment. But there are 168 hours in a week, and once they come to terms with that fact, turning the number over in their minds, they begin to realize that the problem might not be a shortage of hours—but a shortage of awareness. For students like Jethro Sumiran, Messie Dengani-Mampaka and Lavanya Sheela Mungamuri, how those hours get spent can sometimes go unnoticed.

Evading thieves of time Sumiran, Dengani-Mampaka and Mungamuri all agreed that time can be quite slippery. It easily falls through one’s fingers like sand.

Dengani-Mampaka, a senior in accounting from South Africa, offered profound advice for that time crisis: “You have more time if you just remain present instead of obsessing over the past and future.” She said both yesterday and tomorrow are no longer within our control, so people should invest more in where they currently are—which is today—and plan it out.

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Mungamuri, a sophomore in health and human science from India, also shared a philosophy she learned from her workplace: “Really think about why you’re here. Think about your goal, what you want to achieve, then structure your priorities around that purpose.”

She said anchoring herself to a goal helps eliminate distractions and guides how she sorts her responsibilities.

This mindset, Mungamuri shared, is something she carries with her everywhere, especially while she helps other students in her job at the Academic Commons. “I tell them not to cram on the last day. And not sleeping enough, especially during exam season, is not going to help in the long term,” she shared, noting that procrastination is what often robs students of their time.

Meanwhile, Sumiran, a junior in computer science from the Philippines, emphasized the drain that comes from technology and the mindless drifting it enables. Upon discovering the wide gap between his expected and actual screen time, he expressed feelings of disbelief.

“I knew I was often exhausted and needed to just lay down, but I didn’t realize I spent this much time on my phone,” he said.

Dengani-Mampaka said those moments are what wakes us up to the truth: the problem is not a lack of hours. Drawing on her brother’s example, she said people have to be more aware of where their hours go. “My brother tracks the time he spends on each task.

I was thinking that if I did the same, I can get an idea of how long it takes to finish a task, and if I discover I need more time for a specific task, I can borrow time from the tasks I can finish faster,” she shared.

Weighing decisions A normal day involves hundreds of small choices, and all three students shared the reality of decision paralysis. They said the sheer volume of choices people have to make everyday can be exhausting even before anything gets decided. While Sumiran said it becomes bearable when the small decisions run on autopilot, Mungamuri and Dengani-Mampaka said decision-making in any scale tends to be overwhelming, especially during the semester.

HOURS

HOLOK A I 2026 29

Mungamuri said the weight of those decisions can change how time feels. For her, it’s those small choices that trip her up every morning. “It’s really difficult to wake up in the morning,” she expressed. “It’s a small choice, but it makes a huge difference. Do I wait, do I get up now or later?”

Meanwhile, Dengani-Mampaka said she copes by avoiding some decisions altogether, particularly when it comes to replying to texts. “Sometimes I just don’t want to think,” she expressed.

“Other times, I don’t know if I’ll have the time, so I just end up doing something else.” She often forgets to circle back, she added, then feels like time has gotten away from her afterwards.

Sumiran noted the choices that go into organizing his day.

“Most of the small decisions seem automatic as I follow a personal system, so they don’t wear me down.” He said it’s the unplanned days that derail him. “I had a rough idea of what things I wanted to do,” he described a recent day off, “but I hadn’t made a detailed plan or to-do list, so I just ended up playing games and watching movies for most of the day.” Without the familiar structure of an academic semester, he said temptations get to him quickly. “I find myself repeating the cycle of sleep, eat, work, eat and sleep,” which he said he considers unfulfilling. He said that’s how a day disappears before he notices.

“

Most of the small decisions seem automatic as I follow a personal system, so they don’t wear me down.”

- Jethro Sumiran

Photos by Hiroki Konno.

Page design by Jay-R Gallano.

3 0 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

Getting back on track All three students said they weren’t out of time, only that they often lose track of it. When decisions and responsibilities pile up and time starts feeling like a distant concept, they point towards the same idea: sort by what actually has a deadline.

Mungamuri emphasized the importance of self-awareness.

She said she tries her best to be conscious and cautious about the way she allocates her time, and she found that it’s efficient to organize her day around due dates rather than difficulty. “If I have assignments that I need to do today, I finish them first,” she said, “and then jump to tomorrow’s stuff.” She said it’s paralyzing to always think about how hard a task is before doing it.

Dengani-Mampaka described a similar system she learned from her brother who keeps a strict daily schedule. “He documents not just a start time but also an end time,” she said, emphasizing her brother’s commitment to this structure. She also said time management is not about obsessing over balance: “Something I learned in life is that we never find balance—life is unpredictable.

But through discipline and consistency, we can find the momentum we need to manage our time.” •

THE AVERAGE STUDENT’S 168 HOURS (based on Jethro Sumiran’s week logs) SLEEP: 49 hours WORK: 40 hours LEISURE & SOCIAL: 37 hours PERSONAL: 21 hours FAMILY & HOME: 14 hours MISCELLANEOUS/TRANSITION: 7 hours

“

But through discipline and consistency, we can find the momentum we need to manage our time.”

- Messie Dengani-Mampaka HOLOK A I 2026 31

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This area focuses on empirical inquiry, analytical problem-solving and the systematic understanding of the natural and social worlds. Programs within this domain challenge students to examine complex systems, evaluate quantitative data and investigate the mechanisms governing life, energy and human behavior. Spanning fields from biology, chemistry and applied mathematics to computer science, political science, and psychology, this program equips students with the technical and logical frameworks needed to solve complex challenges.

S UM M ER 2026 33

WHERE THE EQUATIONS LEAD

BY JAN CARLO NAVARRO

3 4 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

Three BYU–Hawaii professors reflect on how their disciplines shape faith, wonder and the search for meaning

T

he words, “All things denote there is a God,” are carved into the facade of the BYU–Hawaii Science Building, where classes in physics, biology and psychology explore the mechanisms behind the natural world. For professors in the Faculty of Sciences, science is more than the pursuit of understanding how the world works. Through years of study, teaching and research, they have found moments of wonder that point beyond data and observation—leading to realizations of faith, purpose and the divine.

HOLOK A I 2026 35

Toward wonder

Photos and illustrations from Envato.

Page design by Chance Childers.

As a child, Dr. Celeste Yeates, assistant professor of physics from the Faculty of Sciences, said she spent nights camping with her father conversing about the cosmos. She said these conversations on the galaxies, creation and faith laid the foundation for her interest in physics and astronomy. “We talked about the gospel, creation, physics and astronomy all together—not as separate subjects, but as one big subject,” she said.

For Yeates, academic study and faith are not separate pursuits. “Learning more about Heavenly Father’s creation—and the limited way we’re able to understand it through the scientific method, using models to describe what we’re observing when

we collect scientific data—only reinforces my testimony,” she said. She said studying physics helps her reflect on her faith, while her faith shapes the way she approaches science. “It’s hard to separate the two because they’re both part of who I am.

Whatever I’m thinking about, both parts of me are thinking about it at the same time.”

Although her faith is strengthened by what science can explain,Yeates said she is also interested in what remains unknown– questions that stay unanswered despite the laws and equations physics use to explain the universe. “I love the way the universe is governed by laws we can use to make predictions, but I also love seeing where those predictions fall short and realizing we don’t know everything—that there’s still more to learn,” she said. “If we ever reached the point where we felt that our laws completely explained the universe, we might think we knew everything. We might

Photo by Hiroki Konno

3 6 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

feel like we didn’t need Heavenly Father anymore,” she shared, describing scientific limitations as a reminder of humility.

Yeates said her continued studies of physics strengthened her faith. For her, science and faith are complementary ways of seeking truth. “As a scientist, physics and astronomy are the sciences through which I find the strongest connection to faith,” she said. “For me, studying physics has only opened the door to finding the divine.”

Toward understanding For Dr. Joshua Christensen, assistant professor of psychology from the Faculty of Sciences, a fascination with human thinking and behavior led him to study the fields of developmental and health psychology.

Through the many parallels he sees between psychology and gospel principles, he said his faith has been further strengthened.

Studying the human mind, he said, deepened his appreciation for the complexity of human experience. “The more you learn about how intricate and complicated it is, it makes me think there’s no way it happened by random chance,” he said. “It happened through divine intervention.”

One way Christensen reconciles science and religion is by viewing God as a scientist.

“He’s using all of these different materials— not necessarily experimenting—but working through laws that He has established and still governs,” he said.

“If we ever reached the point where we felt that our laws completely explained the universe, we might think we knew everything. We might feel like we didn’t need Heavenly Father anymore.”

Dr. Celeste Yeates Christensen said science has taught him to be comfortable with uncertainty. “I would say both science and the gospel contain things we simply aren’t going to fully understand in this life,” he said. “Learning to accept that we won’t have all the answers is important—in both science and religion.”

For Christensen, accepting uncertainty means continuing with the pursuit of knowledge but recognizing that there are limits to what can be known right now.

“It’s okay not to have all the answers. That doesn’t mean you stop looking,” he said.

“Eventually, you will find [the answers], so cling to hope.” He said unanswered questions are part of both scientific and spiritual experience.

Christensen also encouraged students to “be willing to see God in the details.” He said, “Yes, ‘all things denote there is a God,’ but we also have to be looking for Him.”

Toward purpose Dr. Esprit Saucier, assistant professor of biology from the Faculty of Sciences, said she found spiritual lessons in living systems

and the interconnectedness of life. Faith motivates her scientific pursuits, she said, as studying the natural world increases her understanding of God’s creations. “If I want to become closer to Heavenly Father, then why wouldn’t I want to understand what’s happening in the natural world?” she said.

“If I want to become more like Him, then I want to learn as much as I can about what He does, His creations and how they work.”

Saucier said studying genetics helped shape how she views relationships and human differences. She pointed to how the X and Y chromosomes “are not homologous” yet capable of creating life together. “We have different backgrounds, different perspectives, different strengths,” she said.

“If chromosomes that are so different can work together perfectly to create life, why can’t we?”

During her doctoral research on soft corals in an undersea canyon threatened by deep-sea mining, Saucier said she learned a lesson about the value of every living thing. She recounted that as she and her fellow researchers documented previously unknown coral species, she began to reflect on the lives that might otherwise go unnoticed. “Heavenly Father sees every life,” she said. “That taught me that every life has value and that everything contributes to a greater purpose.”

Saucier said science and faith are highly compatible. “They’re both leading you toward truth—just from different directions,” she said. “Science often answers the how, while religion answers the why.”

For her, biology continually points to connections and purpose. “Understanding the how is wonderful. But understanding the why gives it purpose.”•

HOLOK A I 2026 37

kids, let’s do

accounting!

Journals, budgets, financial statements and cash management are not only for accountants

BY SAMANTHA FAITH SATORRE

assets = liabilities + equity The accounting equation: the left side shows everything you own, while the right side shows how those assets are financed, whether through debt (liabilities) or ownership (equity). In accounting, money does not simply disappear—it touches different accounts and its movement is regularly monitored.

Application: Your student loan is a liability, your savings and things you own are assets. Subtract one from the other and that’s your actual financial standing, not just your bank balance.

cash flow ≠ profitability Having money coming in does not mean you have money on hand right now. Profit is an accounting figure: revenue (money from operations) minus expenses. Cash is the actual money coming in and out of your hands in real time. When something counts as an income or expense, it is often different from when the cash actually arrives or leaves.

Application: You got paid Friday, but your rent and utility bills are all due Monday. Money moved into your account, but whether you’re “profitable” that month depends on whether your total income covers your total expenses.

3 8 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

budget variance: budget vs. actual Finance leaders set budgets to make sure they’re managing their finances accurately and strategically, and the same is true for individuals in their daily lives. A budget is the plan; actuals are what really happened. Studying the gap between them tells many lessons.

Application: You budgeted $150/month for food but spent $220 this month. Tracking that difference—where it went, what purchase went off-budget—is how you fix your spending.

reconciliation If you want to know when, where and how your money is moving, it’s best to regularly check your own records against external records (e.g., bank statements) to make sure they match.

Through this practice, you identify discrepancies, prevent fraud and maintain financial consistency and accuracy.

Application: When you scan the transcation records on your bank app for a charge you don’t recognize, you’re reconciling. That’s how you catch fraud or subscription creep early.

HOLOK A I 2026 39

opportunity cost We can’t have everything. In the world of business, financial decisions are often viewed through the lens of tradeoffs and the next best alternatives, because every dollar spent on one thing is a dollar that can’t be spent on something else.

Application: You decided to take up an extra work shift on Saturday instead of studying for an upcoming exam. The shift pays you $60, but the “cost” isn’t zero just because you got paid. The cost is not always about money. It’s the study time you gave up to earn that $60.

depreciation Assets lose value over time through use. The value of the things you own does not apply solely on the time they were purchased; the expense is actually spread out over a longer period of time.

Application: The $1,200 laptop you bought as a freshman isn’t a $1,200-hit the day you bought it. It’s more like $300 a year over four years of class, until it’s basically worth nothing by graduation. That’s why reselling a threeyear-old laptop for around half its original price isn’t a bad deal. It’s depreciation.

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double-entry accounting: debit and credit Every transaction has two sides. Money does not move in a vacuum; it affects at least two things at once. Debit = money in.

Credit = money out. This practice is a check-and-balance system that ensures accuracy, prevents errors and fraud, and facilitates better decisions.

Application: Swipe your card for groceries and your bank balance drops while the things you own (groceries) goes up.

One action has two effects.

financial statement The Securities and Exchange Commission says, “If you can read a nutrition label or a baseball box score, you can learn to read basic financial statements.” Financial statements are about showing you the money, and here are the three basics: balance sheet (what you have), income statement (what you earned vs. spent), cash flow statement (where your actual cash went).

Application: Your bank app balance is your mini balance sheet, your monthly spending recap is your income statement, and noticing you’re broke despite “making enough” is a cash flow problem. You are tracking all three already.

Page design and illustration by Guen Ramirez-Platon.

S UM M ER 2026 41

r lifestyle e t t e b a r o f ing habits v li y h lt a r Wellness e e id s a e Form h S s ’ awaii with BYU–H AEL PUA

THAN

BY ALDEN E

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tudents comm only struggle with consistenc and maintaini y when creati ng healthy livin ng g habits, said Se coaches Ying Y asider Wellnes ing Lee and Sa s m uel Regidor.

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4 2 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

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HOLOK A I 2026 43

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6 Photos by Hiroki Konno.

Page design by Ice Cesario.

4 4 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

An alum

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composition an cs, biological ti ne e students ge e, ag , gender , whereas femal on dy d bo se r ba pe t up en r stud cs and in thei s due to geneti s differ for each e muscle mass on ti or an la m pl s pu ld es po ho ln ss el lly ro W ac ludents usua eds and capabi position varies ches say male st hile, body com the student’s ne to nw st ea , ju M . on ad si conditions. Coa t dy us en bo pert wer plans m .e. asthma, hy ngth in their lo (i ions, wellness it ns io nd it co nd t al ic us co have more stre m ed al e and m th conditions or other medic Paired with ag ents with heal al limitations ud ic St ys ). environment. plan. ph Q s, R ie A rg (P riate wellness onnaire food alle ti op h it es pr w qu ap ts ss an en ne te ud di ea ities. St l Activity Rea coaches may cr out the Physica conditions so id sa ng bi ri etc.) must fill sc or’s letter de provide a doct

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“[The key is] moderation in all things. I’ve time, and not been lear ning just dedicate m how to manag y en tire life to scho Aside from pe e my ol,” he said. rseverance an d endurance, benefits to ha Choo also ex ving a well-ba pressed additi lanced lifestyl confident in ha onal e, such as feel ndling everyd in g ha ppier and mor ay challenges “Everything w . e ill feel more manageable if consistent … you build good because you’ ll have the [n habits and be disciplined,” ecessary] skil he said.• ls developed through bein g

HOLOK A I 2026 45

Beyond individual choices:

understanding oceania’s growing diabetes crisis BYU–Hawaii faculty say noncommunicable diseases are driven by a mix of history, economics, culture and food systems

BY JULIA AUNAI

D

iabetes and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), according to Pacific Island studies scholars, are rising across Oceania. With this, Pacific Island communities face health challenges shaped by changing diets, economic barriers and cultural shifts.

Changing diets and lifestyles ‘Ulise Funaki, an adjunct faculty member in history, anthropology and

4 6 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

Pacific Island studies from Hawaii, said noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes are a growing concern across Oceania because they stem from a combination of biological, environmental and social factors rather than a single cause. “These diseases are not contagious,” he said. “They are a result of different factors,” such as genetics, physiology and personal factors.

According to Funaki, the increase in diabetes rates in Oceania’s communities is caused by changing diets. Traditional foods such as fish, root crops and fruits have increasingly been replaced with heavily processed products high in

sugar and carbohydrates. At the same time, healthier and traditional foods are more expensive and less accessible than processed alternatives, specifically among Pacific Islanders living outside of the islands. “It’s expensive to maintain that healthy eating lifestyle that many of our ancestors had,” he said.

Dr. ‘Inoke Hafoka, associate professor of Pacific Island studies from Utah, said the shift away from traditional diets can also be understood through a historical lens. Following World War II, processed foods such as Spam and corned beef were introduced through military presence, but gradually became integrated into Pacific diets.

“I’m not saying these foods are bad,” he said. “But I think they’ve taken over a lot of the existing foods, and we’re eating it at such a higher rate than before.” Over time, he added, these imported foods became common staples in many Pacific households.

Beyond diet, Funaki said Pacific Islanders traditionally view health as holistic. Diet, he emphasized, is only one part of overall well-being; spiritual, emotional, mental and social health are equally as important. “To be a healthy person, [you need] to not only be physically healthy, but also mentally, emotionally and socially healthy,” he said. While many Pacific Islanders place strong emphasis on family, community and culture, he said mental health often gets overlooked.

Returning to tradition Despite these challenges, Funaki said Pacific Island communities are making progress through education and community outreach to return to traditional practices. Addressing the issue of NCDs, he added, requires more than encouraging healthy eating or exercise. “We need to attack the problem from a multitude of areas— from a multitude of perspectives,” he said.

Hafoka said several Pacific nations have implemented initiatives to address NCDs, including taxes on sugary foods and drinks to reduce consumption. He added there has been a growing effort to reintroduce people to traditional diets and reconnect people with the custom of growing and preparing their own food. The Public Health Communication Centre noted, “Welldesigned taxes on unhealthy food and

drinks have health benefits. They decrease consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks and this can lead to reductions in chronic disease.”

Funaki also encouraged people to honor their ancestors by embracing traditional diets and strengthening connections to family, culture and the land. “They knew what they were doing.

They understood the importance of the types of food they ate,” he said. “And how they kept their relationship to not only each other, not only with their health, but also with the land, that was a part of their health.”

Hafoka said NCDs have become so common across Oceania that many use humor when discussing them. While the humor reflects how widespread the diseases have become, he said it also demonstrates the level of awareness many communities have about their impact.

While serving a mission in Tonga, Hafoka recalled eating a meal with members as they prepared lamb. When he and his companion were trimming away the fat, the mother asked them why they were cutting off what was considered to be “the best part.” Looking

back on this experience, he said it revealed a broader narrative that lowerquality and imported foods have become normalized in Pacific Island nations over time.

Rather than viewing NCDs as simply the result of individual choices, Funaki said addressing them requires understanding the complex relationship between culture, economics, access to healthy and traditional foods and social conditions impacting many Pacific communities.•

Illustrations and page design by Guen Ramirez-Platon.

S UM M ER 2026 47

C ore

Values

4 8 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

This essential foundation provides the shared spiritual and intellectual compass for every student’s academic voyage at BYU–Hawaii.

Grounded in institutional values, this curriculum integrates spiritual growth with fundamental academic skills through required coursework in religious education, Holokai foundations, quantitative reasoning in mathematics and analytical writing in English. By combining faithbuilding scripture study with essential literacy and logical problem-solving, it equips voyagers with the character, critical thinking and spiritual grounding necessary for lifelong learning and servant leadership.

HOLOK A I 2026 49

HA

ET DEN

L

BY A

Retracing their past fears as freshmen, BYU–Hawaii seniors tell how each enabled them to grow— socially, spiritually and academically

5 0 KE AL A K A‘I 2026

UA

LP E A N

“

Don’t fear that you’ve lost friends in the first semester.

You’ll find your group eventually.

Ocean Tuia

N

avigating life as a university student is often entailed by many fears. For several BYUH seniors, these fears manifested during their freshman years. From desires for social acceptance and belonging to worries of spiritual misalignment and academic inadequacy, these fears shaped the seniors’ experiences to create valuable life lessons.

New horizons plagued with fearful unknowns Upon returning from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Alexandro Carbajal said he felt prepared to navigate social life at BYUH. However, his freshman self soon realized that socializing as “Alexandro” instead of “Elder Carbajal” would not be as simple as he initially thought.

“Having lived such a social life [on my mission] for two years, I felt prepared for college. But, there is definitely a difference [between] being on a mission and being at school,” Carbajal said.

For Carbajal, now a health and human science senior from the United States, befriending people of different backgrounds used to be a difficult fear to overcome. Having served a mission in Mexico, Carbajal said his knowledge of Asia and Polynesia were limited.

As a freshman who had not made many friends, he said he often wondered if he could fit into the community.

“It was nerve-wracking at first, being in a new state and a new environment, where different cultures blended together,” Carbajal said.

As for Mahealani Hunter, a finance senior from Tahiti, spirituality was something she struggled with as a freshman. Since she joined BYUH not as a Latter-day Saint, she said her knowledge of its culture and lifestyle were limited.

“I felt like it was easy for everyone to talk about the scriptures and their testimonies, whereas I didn’t know anything,” Hunter said.

Hunter lived as a Catholic for most of her life and remained in the same faith upon enrolling at BYUH. As such, she expressed having little confidence in sharing her testimony with other students, especially those who were members. She also said she had certain misconceptions related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Because I didn’t know about the Atonement, I thought it was too late for me to receive redemption and join the Church,” Hunter said.

Similarly, Ocean Tuia, a graphic design and construction and facilities management senior from Hau‘ula, said he struggled with “being at the same pace” as everyone else. Coming in fresh from a seven-year gap of educational learning, he shared concerns of underperforming in his academics.

“I had fears of not being at the same level as, say, 18-year-olds coming straight out of high school or 21-year-olds from missions where they had study patterns and habits,” Tuia said.

After graduating high school in 2016, serving a mission in 2019 and finally enrolling at BYUH in 2023, Tuia said he was worried he would not adjust well to university life. Moreover, he was concerned HOLOK A I 2026 51

with potential judgement from his peers for every error and mistake he made in class—however small they may be.

“I had this fear of everyone watching me and going ‘oh, he doesn’t know what he’s doing’ or ‘oh, we’ve been doing this since high school,’” Tuia said.

Fervent spirits overturn disheartening fears While freshman Carbajal struggled with his fears of socializing, he said he eventually realized that the key to overcoming them was simply time. Once he chose to come out of his comfort zone, he started to participate in university events, enroll in intramural activities and more.

As time went on, Carbajal began building many connections.

He shared that foreign faces became familiar friends, which then became friend groups he was comfortable with. With each new friend he made, his fears of socializing gradually dissipated. Over time, his once nervous and unsure self became someone confident who knew many people all over campus.

“My fears were relieved as I embraced myself in what the university had to offer,” Carbajal said.

Like Carbajal, Hunter found the best way to face her spiritual fears was to venture out of her comfort zone and personally experience life as a Latter-day Saint.

Hunter recalled the moment she first received a priesthood blessing, which a friend offered to her when she was struggling with adjusting to freshman life. While she did not fully understand what it was, Hunter said she felt prompted to accept the offer and felt truly blessed afterwards.

To Hunter, that moment was a stepping stone in building her testimony of the Church. Day by day, she befriended many members and slowly cleared the misconceptions she had of the Church.

“Even though I wasn’t a member, everyone was nice to me.

They don’t discriminate and even encourage people to be better by knowing God,” Hunter said.

As for Tuia, a change in habit was what his freshman self needed to combat his academic fears. He always sat in the front row for his classes and paid close attention to his professors’ lectures and peers’ questions.

Moreover, Tuia realized that, like himself, many of his peers were also freshmen who were still figuring out how to navigate university life. He found that everyone was not truly perfect in their academics—a realization that helped him give himself some much needed grace.

“I pushed out the fear of feeling awkward and just said everyone feels awkward,” Tuia said. “That made it easier for me to go to class … and really enjoy it.”

Photos by Ruea Kelly Tama.

Page design by Chance Childers.

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“

Always be an example to your friends, and be a light to support them, Mahealani Hunter

Finding belonging beyond the homeland After nearly four years of living, studying and working at BYUH, all three seniors pointed to community as the basis for learning and growing. Regardless of the fears, having loving families and supportive friends can help one overcome them.

Hunter shared that her Tahitian friends helped her explore her newfound faith and became some of the closest friends she could rely on. “Spending time with them helped me understand that [BYUH] isn’t as scary or bad,” she said.

Tuia emphasized that friendships may come from the most unexpected places, like his friends from Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Kiribati. “Once I was able to find a good group of friends, they pushed me [forward] and supported me,” he said.

Carbajal highlighted the importance of authenticity in identity.

“Be yourself instead of trying to be someone else,” he said. “You’ll find people that truly appreciate who you are.”•

“

Be yourself, and people will gravitate towards you.

Alexandro Carbajal

HOLOK A I 2026 53

FAITH ACROSS

From early missionaries to modern temples, the Church’s influence continues across Oceania

BY JULIA AUNAI

D

uring the mid-nineteenth century, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sailed across Oceania, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with communities across the Pacific. From the translation of the Book of Mormon into local languages to the dedication of temples, the Church established a lasting presence in many Pacific communities.

Hawaii Missionaries arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1850 and began teaching Native Hawaiians. The Book of Mormon was translated into Hawaiian in 1855, making the scriptures available in the native language. Laie became a gathering place for Latter-day Saint members across Oceania and is now home to Brigham Young University–Hawaii.

The Laie Temple was dedicated in 1919 as the Church’s fifth operating temple. The Kona Hawaii Temple was dedicated in 2000. In 2024, the Church announced plans to build the Honolulu Hawaii Temple, which will become the state’s third temple.

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Australia The first Latter-day Saint missionaries arrived in Sydney in 1844, making Australia one of the Church’s earliest missions. Membership grew as congregations spread across the country throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Australia is home to more than 150,000 Church members. The country has seven temples, including five dedicated and two more announced.

New Zealand Missionaries arrived in 1854, and missionary efforts to teach Maori communities expanded in the 1880s. The Book of Mormon was translated into the Maori language and published in 1889, making the scriptures more accessible to native speakers. New Zealand became a center of the Church in the South Pacific, with many Maori members serving in leadership and missionary roles. Today the country has two temples and one more under construction.

S UM M ER 2026 55

Fiji Missionary work in Fiji began in the 1950s, and the Church organized its first branch there in 1954. Membership expanded as congregations were established throughout the islands and local leadership developed. In 2000, the Suva Fiji Temple was dedicated and serves members across Fiji, Kiribati and Vanuatu.

Tonga Missionaries first arrived in 1891 under the Samoan Mission. In 1946, the Book of Mormon was translated into Tongan, expanding access to the scriptures. Church membership grew rapidly throughout the 20th century, and by 2009, at least 45% of Tonga’s population identified as Latter-day Saints–one of the highest proportions in the world.

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Samoa Missionaries from the Hawaiian Mission first arrived in Samoa in 1862. The translation of the Book of Mormon into Samoan in 1900 strengthened the Church’s presence across the nation. The Apia Samoa temple was announced in 1977 and dedicated in 1983. Today, two additional temples have been announced in Samoa and American Samoa as church membership continues to grow.

French Polynesia French Polynesia was among the first places in Oceania to be visited by missionaries when they landed on the island of Tubuai in 1844. Missionary work spread to Tahiti and neighboring islands, where membership continued to grow. Today, French Polynesia ranks seventh in the world for the highest percentage of Latterday Saint members. The country has one temple in Papeete and another is announced.• Photos from Church newsroom and website.

Page design by Ice Cesario.

S UM M ER 2026 57

Growing

beyond the fixed mindset Three BYU–Hawaii students share how changing their mindset transformed their journey

BY JUDITH WEMAN

W

hen faced with unexpected challenges, shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset means choosing to learn instead of giving up. For three BYU–Hawaii students, this transformation required an intentional shift that meant leaving behind self-doubt and moving toward personal growth.

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“

Instead of thinking, ‘I can’t do this,’ I would ask myself, ‘How can I learn from this?”

“

- Mananya “Toffee” Phamonphon

Growth over comfort “A fixed mindset says, ‘This is what I can do, and that’s it.’ A growth mindset says, ‘I’ll keep trying until I can,’” said Rebeca Molo, a computer science freshman from Papua New Guinea.

For Molo, learning to live by this second rule started with a painful wake-up call. “You’re going to fail your Grade 10 exams,” her father said, looking at her report card. “If you fail, I’m going to send you to the village.” That warning, combined with her teacher’s blunt critique, “You have no commitment,” became a turning point. “It was painful,” Molo admitted, because she knew her teacher was right.

Determined not to fail her exams or disappoint her parents, Molo said she realized she had to completely rethink the way she studied. Rather than panic, she turned that warning into a game plan and passed her exams.

That transformation required an intentional decision to leave home to study at the Fiji Church College. “I did not just leave my home—I left my country. I was going to live with strangers and communicate with people I did not know, and I found that so hard,” Molo recalled. “Instead of giving up, I chose to press forward.”

At Fiji Church College, her dorm mother stepped in to provide guidance, taught her the value of consistency and encouraged her to apply to BYU–Hawaii.

The change did not stop there; it became daily practice. Molo found that small daily habits, such as journaling her goals and reflecting on her day, helped her recognize her growth. She learned that growth extends beyond the classroom. It also means making deliberate choices and selecting her circle of friends wisely. “There are people who help you study, and there are people who help you party,” she noted. “You need to know when to have those people around.”

From “not good enough” to “not yet” For Mananya “Toffee” Phamonphon, an accounting sophomore from Thailand, stepping outside her comfort zone became the first step toward changing how she viewed herself. Leaving Thailand to study at BYU–Hawaii meant living away from home for the first time, balancing school with work at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) and learning to navigate life in a new language, culture and environment.

Phamonphon said she once struggled with overthinking, selfdoubt and comparison. “I would blame myself, and sometimes I wanted to give up because I was afraid of failing again,” she said.

She recalled receiving a disappointing grade in one of her accounting classes and considering changing her major. By seeking help, being patient and putting in more effort, she began to understand the material and HOLOK A I 2026 59

realized that “success comes not from talent alone.You need to put in your effort as well.”

“Instead of thinking, ‘I can’t do this,’ I would ask myself, ‘How can I learn from this?’” Phamonphon said.

Today, Phamonphon said she focuses on learning over perfection and views challenges as opportunities to grow. Rather than letting frustration or self-pity take over when things go wrong, she looks past the setbacks and focuses entirely on the lessons.

Beyond “go with the flow” “Growth means stepping outside your comfort zone, and that’s scary,” said Annie Misitana, a sophomore majoring in business management with an emphasis on supply chain from the Solomon Islands.

Misitana said many people avoid change because they fear failing again; they are choosing familiarity over growth. “If you go with the flow, you might end up somewhere you never wanted to be,” she said.

Misitana said she once lived with a “go with the flow” attitude, which meant handling difficult challenges passively—often going to bed and simply hoping that when she woke up in the morning, everything would magically be better. But after realizing this was not working, she decided to take control of her future. “You have to be certain of what you want to do, where you want to go and what you want to become,” she said.

Her mindset began to change when she surrounded herself with friends who inspired her and committed herself to habits that strengthened both her character and faith. She made it a priority to go to the gym, attend the temple and study the scriptures, while also committing to live with integrity.

When she struggled in her classes, she used to tell herself, “It is what it is,” but later recognized that this reflected a fixed mindset. After someone reminded her that the words people speak to themselves have power, she became more intentional about changing her self-talk. Instead of saying, “This class is so hard,” she now tells herself, “You haven’t tried it yet.You can do this.”

Looking back, Misitana believes the small choices she made helped her become the person she wanted to be.To those who are afraid of shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset, she offered this encouragement: “Just go out there and do your best,” she said. “One day you will look back and be grateful that you took those steps.”•

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“ If you go with

the flow, you might end up somewhere you never wanted to be.”

- Annie Misitana

Photos by John Lennon Onda.

Page design by Jay-R Gallano.

HOLOK A I 2026 61

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LOGIC on

paper Often overlooked as requirements, writing courses leave lasting thinking habits, alumni say

BY JESSIKA SANTOSO

HOLOK A I 2026 63

T

hree BYU–Hawaii alumni said they once treated required writing classes as “boxes to check,” only to realize later that those courses reshaped how they think, not just how they write.Their experiences in these courses reshaped how they approach ideas, arguments and communication far beyond the classroom, they said.

“Seven months after graduating I don’t remember every paper I wrote, but I still use the habits those classes helped build almost every day,” said Mikaela Montgomery, an alumna from the Philippines. As

dm e dl d u “Am

Rethinking writing Montgomery said ENGL 331 (Professional Career Writing) changed how she communicates, organizes her ideas and presents them. She said one of the most important lessons she learned was that strong writing

ind can’t

begins with clear thinking. “A writer must slow down, ask questions, organize their thoughts and convey a definitive message,” she said. “A muddled mind can’t produce a clear understanding.”

Montgomery said the revision process reshaped how she approached writing. At first, receiving papers covered in comments from her professor felt discouraging, she said. Over time, she realized the feedback was not about pointing out mistakes but about developing deeper thinking.

“Changing your mind or improving your ideas isn’t a weakness,” she said. “It’s part of learning.”

Montgomery’s experience reflects a similar

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students continue to move through required writing courses, these alumni suggest the value of those classes may lie not in the assignments themselves, but in the thinking behind them.

pr od u

ce ...........................

starting point among other alumni. Both she and Bima Kristiawan, an alumnus from Indonesia, said they initially viewed writing classes as requirements rather than opportunities for growth.

“I did think of them as requirement classes,” Kristiawan said. “Just something to introduce us to college writing.”

That perception began to change through specific assignments and feedback, Kristiawan said. In ENG 315 (Topics for Advanced Writing and Analysis), Kristiawan said he initially treated weekly reading notes as “busywork,” summarizing texts for completion. That shifted after feedback from his professor encouraged him to integrate his own thoughts into his writing.

For Renae Buckles, an alumna from Nevada and former writing tutor, ENG 315 introduced a different kind of intellectual discipline. Although she had worked at the Reading Writing Lab (RWL) for three years and was already familiar with the course’s assignments through helping other students, she said the class strengthened her ability to plan and organize research.

“I learned research and organization skills that helped me finish my undergrad submission papers,” she said.

Buckles said one assignment that stood out required students to compare a modern piece to its original context while incorporating historical factors and creative adaptation. The process pushed her to think more deeply about how ideas are formed and reshaped over time.

“It had me thinking about motivators that go into creating a story and then how that process repeats itself with other authors,” she said. She added, “the outcome of the course would help” for her future career in linguistics anthropology, where she will engage with people and their stories.

Training thinking Across these experiences, the alumni said writing courses emphasize habits and skills that are not limited to academic work. Montgomery said the classes teach students how to analyze information, evaluate arguments and communicate ideas responsibly. “Whether you’re writing an email, presenting an idea at work or having a difficult

................ a clear understanding.” - Mikaela Montgomery

conversation, you’re using the same habits those classes develop,” she said.

That shift reflects a broader change in critical thinking, Montgomery said. Now, she said she takes more time to consider multiple perspectives before forming conclusions. “I try to understand different perspectives first, evaluate the evidence and only then form a conclusion,” she said. “I’ve become much more comfortable saying, ‘I don’t know enough yet.’”

At work as an administrative assistant, Montgomery said she now considers audience, purpose and clarity before communicating ideas. “Rather than reacting immediately, I’m more likely to ask questions, listen carefully and make sure I understand someone before responding,” she said.

Kristiawan said he applied similar skills while updating training materials for a campus Information Technology role, transforming what he described as “monotone instructions” into more meaningful and engaging content.

Challenging mindset Despite these outcomes, all three said many students still underestimate the value of writing courses. Buckles said some students approach them with a “bare minimum” mindset, missing opportunities for growth.

Drawing from her experience as a tutor and anthropology teaching assistant, Buckles emphasized the value of writing as a thinking process. “Students have the advantage to grow in a field they may be turned off to. … There are no wrong answers so we might as well fail until we understand our potential with writing,” she said.

For Montgomery, the misconception lies in seeing writing as only an academic skill. “It’s a life skill.

The ability to genuinely understand other people’s perspectives through how they communicate affects almost every part of adulthood.”•

Illustration by Guen Ramirez-Platon; Adobe Stock.

Page design by Ice Cesario.

HOLOK A I 2026 65

F inding the words to be understood

Three BYU–Hawaii students share how learning English changed the way they communicate, connect and express themselves

BY JUDITH WEMAN

F

or international students at BYU–Hawaii, learning English is not just about mastering grammar or vocabulary—it is about navigating university life with the ability to express authentic emotions in every campus conversation.

The story behind “I’m good” When classmates and co-workers asked Mend-Amar Jargalsaikhan how she was doing during her first semester at BYU– Hawaii, her answer was almost always the same: “I’m good.” But her response did not always tell the truth, she said.

“During my first semester, I just memorized how Americans ask questions and how they answer them,” Jargalsaikhan said. “If someone asked, ‘How are you?’ I always answered, ‘I’m good.’ But I wasn’t good.”

For Jargalsaikhan, a senior majoring in information technology from Mongolia, learning English before coming to BYU–Hawaii prepared her for basic communication but not for the emotional conversations of everyday life. Although she had studied English since elementary school, she said she rarely used it outside the classroom until she arrived on campus.

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“It was the hardest part of my life,” she said. “I took English classes, but they were only for school. When I came here, everything changed. I had to speak English every day.”

During her first semester, everyday conversations often left her overwhelmed. At first, she struggled to understand others and express herself. “I could only introduce myself. That’s it,” she said.

To keep up with her classes, Jargalsaikhan relied on tools such as Google Translate and English classes to continue improving her communication skills. She quickly realized that expressing her feelings was far more difficult than speaking the language.

She said she experienced depression and found it difficult to explain what she was going through in English. “If I need to explain what happened and why I’m acting that way, it’s much easier in my own language. When I try to explain my emotions in English, I cannot express my feelings 100 percent. Something is missing. It was stressful and I cried a lot.”

Even now, Jargalsaikhan sometimes worries that her emotions lose their meaning when translated. “Even if I explain everything from beginning to end, I feel like they don’t really understand,” she said. “It doesn’t touch them 100 percent.” She said when she carefully chooses her words to express her feelings, others may see what she considers a “big problem” as only a “small problem.”

These days, Jargalsaikhan says expressing herself has become easier, though she believes learning emotional language never truly ends. “Sometimes it’s not just the word itself,” she said. “It’s how you say it—your pronunciation, your tone and the words connected to it.”

“Learning another language is lifelong learning. Don’t only talk with people who speak your language.Talk to different people.You’ll learn more than you expect, and you’ll hear different words and different expressions.You’ll keep on learning,” Jargalsaikhan said.

While Jargalsaikhan struggled to find words that could explain her emotions, other students like Lavenia Maravu discovered that some feelings are shaped by the language and culture people grow up with.

Between two languages Maravu, a sophomore majoring in hospitality and tourism from Fiji, sometimes finds herself searching for words—not because she has nothing to say, but because English does not always capture what she is truly feeling.

Although she uses English every day on campus, Fijian remains the language closest to her emotions, she emphasized. Maravu said she thinks, prays and expresses deeper feelings more naturally in Fijian because it connects her to her family and reminds her of home.

For Maravu, learning English was not only about learning vocabulary and grammar. It was also about learning how to express emotions in a language that organizes feelings differently.

“

I felt homesick or overwhelmed, but I didn’t really know how to explain those emotions in English.”

- Lavenia Maravu

HOLOK A I 2026 67

“When I first came here, there were moments where I felt homesick or overwhelmed, but I didn’t really know how to explain those emotions in English,” she said. “I knew exactly what I wanted to say in Fijian, but translating those feelings into English wasn’t easy.”

Maravu noted the contrast in how the two languages handle feelings. “In Fijian, we usually explain feelings in a longer description instead of just one word,” she said. “In English, there are a lot of words to describe one emotion. It’s not just ‘sad.’ It's ‘depressed,’ ‘overwhelmed,’ or ‘heartbroken.’”

Even words that seem simple can carry different meanings between languages. Maravu said Fijian does not have a direct translation for “homesickness.” Instead, people describe the feeling by explaining that they miss home, their family or the things they left behind.

Today, Maravu continues to navigate the space between two languages, balancing English’s precise vocabulary with the descriptive and personal ways emotions are expressed in Fijian.

However, the challenge for international students still goes beyond translating emotions. Oftentimes, it’s also about finding the confidence to speak at all.

Breaking the silence For Hui Chieh Sun, a junior majoring in visual arts with a concentration in painting and illustration from Taiwan, English was just a school subject before it became his everyday language. Like many students in Taiwan, Sun learned grammar rules and vocabulary for exams but had few

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“

Because I don’t

know how to express my feelings, I stopped talking.”

- Hui Chieh Sun opportunities to use English in real conversations. “We learned it without using it,” Sun said.

When he arrived at BYUH, Sun realized that to improve his English, he had to speak it daily.

Rather than relying on Mandarinspeaking friends, Sun intentionally chose to try something new. “I didn’t really want to stay in the language comfort zone,” he said. Building friendships with students from different countries pushed him to practice every day. “The more I speak English, the more I grow.”

However, becoming comfortable speaking English did not mean every thought became easier to express. When Sun became upset, he often struggled to explain his feelings. Instead of explaining how he felt, he chose silence. “Because I don’t know how to express my feelings, I stopped talking,” he said. “Staying silent made me angrier.”

As his English improved, Sun slowly gained confidence expressing his thoughts instead of keeping them to himself. “I realize I can tell people how I feel.”

For Sun, learning English did not change his personality, but it provided a connection to students from different cultures.

A language that was once a barrier for him became a tool for building friendships and sharing his experiences.

Sun encourages other international students to step out of their comfort zones and continue practicing. “Just don't be afraid,” he said.•

Photos by Ruea Kelly Tama.

Page design by Jay-R Gallano.

Jargalsaikhan studying by the Science Building.

Photo by Ruea Kelly Tama.

“

I realize I can tell people how I feel.”

- Hui Chieh Sun

HOLOK A I 2026 69

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