July 25, 2013 Ke Alaka'i

July 25, 2013

Ke Alaka i Volume 104: Issue 1

THE LEADER

Young Mother of the Year 8

Connecting with Asia 6 & 7

Laie woman honored by state of Hawaii

Students go home to make career contacts

Ke Alaka i

Photo of the Week

July 25, 2013 • Volume 104: Issue 1 Editor-in-chief

Advisor

M a . V i s Ta g u ba

L e e an n L amb e r t

Head Photographer

Art Director

M ei Yi n

Me i Y in

COPY EDITORs

ART & GRAPHICS

Jef f McLe o d Dyl a n - S a ge W i l cox Tuc ke r G r i m s h aw

Kyo ko H as e gawa Mo rgan Bo uwh uis

PHOTOGRAPHERs M a t t M cD o n a l d E m i ly Wa d d e l l Kyoko H a s e gawa MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS Dylan-Sage Wilcox, Robinia Tan, Tucker Grimshaw, Homer Wolman, Rebecca Sabalones

INTERNS M ei Y i n M a . V i s Ta g u ba

AD MANAGER Matth ew Ble ds o e

E-mail: ke a l a k a i @ byuh .e du Ad Information: ke a l ak aiads @ gmail.c o m Phone: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 6 9 4 Fax: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 4 9 1 Office: C a mp u s , A l o ha C e n te r 134

Box 1920 BYUH Laie, HI 96762

Publisher P r in t Se r vic e s

E d i t o r i a l , p h o to s u bmis s io n s & dis tr ibut i on i n qu i r i e s : ke a l ak ai@ byuh .e du. To subs cr i be t o th e R S S FEED o r to view a d d i t i o n a l a r ti cl e s , go to ke alak ai.byuh . ed u .

ON THE COVER

Members of the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir perform during their two-week tour of New Zealand and Australia in June of this year.

Lead by Professor Michael Belnap, the choir sang in concert halls, schools, and other places sharing aloha and the gospel of Jesus Christ through music. Photos courtesy of BYUH University Communications.

2

Ke Alaka‘i

Table of Contents [page 4]

CONTACT

NEWS CENTER

The BYU-Hawaii Game Center held a gaming competition in the Aloha Center game room on July 19. Competitors like those shown above played games like Halo on the Game Center equipment. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa.

BYU-Hawaii pool goes green with solar heating panels

[page 9] Alumnus William Ellis graduates from medical school and joins the Air Force

[page 14-15] Remember ing Aunti e Flora Soren-Butt and her Laie pioneer ancestors

[page 10-11] Concer t Choir travels to New Zealand and Australia

Share with us your photo of the week and we may feature it in our next issue. e-mail us at kealakai@byuh.edu

CALENDAR

JULY

26

Laie Summer Bash will be at the Laie Shopping Center from 6 to 10 p.m.

The annual event is part of the Laie Pioneer Days for everyone. There will be music, food and FREE give away prizes.

JULY

YSA Multi-Stake Fireside from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the CAC. Theme: Missionary Work.

JULY

Blood Drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Aloha Center Ballroom window side. Call 808-848-4770 to make an

30

‘‘

28

NOTE WORTHY news headlines

appointment to donate blood.

You need to weigh more than 110 pounds.

‘‘

the week in

QUOTES

“Names always matter. The public’s image of this child could quite possibly be influenced by the baby’s name.”

-Albert Mehrabian, a professor emeritus of psychology at UCLA and an expert on baby names speaking about the name of the new heir to the British crown baby George Alexander Louis or “His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.”

"It is because of the faith of these people that the center is still around today. They could've given up, but they didn't, and that spirit still exists today.

It is because of the faith of these people that the center is still around today.”

-Ray Magalei, director of marketing at the Polynesian Cultural Center speaking at the Pioneer Days celebration in Utah on July 24.

“A yearning for connection to our past can prepare an individual to receive the virtue of the word of God and fortify his or her faith. A heart turning to the fathers uniquely helps an individual withstand the influence of the adversary and strengthen conversion.”

-At the 2013 seminar for new mission presidents, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve taught of the divine relationship between missionary work and the Spirit of Elijah.

Apple says it is looking into the death of a woman who died while using her iPhone when is was being charged by a knockoff charger. Photo by AP

Chinese woman dies of electric shock caused by iPhone A 23-year-old Chinese woman is believed to have died when answering her iPhone while the cellphone was still charging.

Ma Ailun, a flight attendant from China’s western Xinjiang region, was electrocuted when she took a call on her charging iPhone 4 on July 11, as reported by the Xinhua news agency from police reports.

A statement issued by Apple said, “We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident and offer our condolences to the Ma family. We will fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter.”

Recent investigation efforts have led officials to believe that a knock-off charger was responsible for Ma’s death.

“Traces of burning” were found along the side of the iPhone 4.

In an interview with Xinhua’s official news agency, phone expert Xiang Ligang said, “Cottage chargers may cut corners, the quality of the capacitor, the protection circuit is not good, leading to the breakdown of a capacitor charger, 220V AC directly into the cell phone battery inside.”

Alyssa Walhood, a junior studying English from Portland, Ore., said, “She had a different charger? Wow, that’s like comparing apples and oranges.”

While knockoff chargers are not new to electronic devices, this is believed to be the first death caused by a faulty charger.

“I don’t normally buy cheap electronics because they usually break within the first week, but I never thought they could kill me.”

-Kurt Haws, a junior in anthropology from Arizona

“I don’t normally buy cheap electronics because they usually break within the first week, but I never thought they could kill me,” said Kurt Haws, a junior from Arizona studying anthropology.

In April, Apple changed iPhone warranty policies in China after getting blasted by the state-run media for providing poor after-sale service.

Blake Va’aulu, a freshman studying accounting from Samoa, said, “I can’t believe she was only 23. That’s so sad. Lucky for me I have a Samsung.”

- H o m er Wolman and AP july 25, 2013

3

Solar Heated Swimming Pool BYUH replaces gas furnace with solar heater to save money and energy

A

new solar heater was installed at BYU-Hawaii pool. The newly built technology doesn’t only conserve energy but it also is cost effective, according to school’s Facilities Management Department.

The BYUH pool used to have a gas furnace to keep the water warm. However, when it went down a few years ago, the pool was never heated and remained cold. Billy Casey, the lead green associate in the Facilities Management Department, said, “It was getting too expensive to replace [the gas every time]. So we looked into the possibility of getting a solar panel and heat the water that way.”

Casey said the solar heater was installed “the latter part of last year and finished early part of this year” and cost around $60,000 to $70,000. The one who originally thought of the project was Judd Whetten, the former Facilities Management director, although it was passed on to Casey who contracted the work out.

The pool is always “set in an international standard for swimming pools, which is the range between 79 degrees and 81 degrees,” said Casey.

Stewart Adair, a sophomore in EXS from Arizona and a lifeguard at the pool, explained one of his responsibilities is to check the temperature of the pool. “The patrons who come to the pool like to know what its temperature is, so we usually check the temperature every day and tell them what the temperature is.” He said the heater last year was colder and not as comfortable as the one they are using now, so some of the older people didn’t like it.

Susan Walters, a junior in elementary education from Tonga, commented on the benefits of the solar heating for students. She said the solar heater is “beneficial to the students. [It] makes them 4

Ke Alaka‘i

want to come to the pool and they don’t have to worry about being cold. They can feel comfortable and easily get into the pool straight after they workout.... Even if they are doing laps or coming for a nice swim.”

-Robinia Tan

BYU-Hawaii builds a new solar heater [pictured above] for the campus pool [below] keeping the temperature of the pool between 79 to 81 degrees. Photos by Kyoko Hasegawa

‘Hula Time Machine’ Hula Preservation Society with BYUH Archives show 1980s Hawaiian footage

“I think that’s cool that they’re doing that. I’m all about preserving the culture for the keiki,” said Toby Redd, a senior studying finance from Washington.

The two-hour presentation held in ula enthusiasts both young and old the PCC IMAX Theater highlighted perforgathered at the Polynesian Cultural mances from respected hula dancers Queenie Center on Saturday, July 20, to see videos Ventura Dowsett, Alice Namekelua, and and photos of Hawaii’s best entertainers from many other performers of the day. Hosts Lu the 1980s. and Dr. Ishmael Stagner, who is a BYUH

Entitled “The Hula Time Machine,” alumnus, provided commentary for the event. the Hula Preservation Society, with the

Dowsett said, “My hula for me is a help of BYU-Hawaii Archives Department, part of my life. Hula brings me joy. It brings showcased footage from a series of concerts me love. It’s a kind of magic.” and performances at BYUH between 1980

Stagner, a hula dancer himself, is and 1989. The videos captured some of the working as a consultant on the digitizing and biggest performers in Hawaiian music and remastering the project. dance. This was the first time these videos

Along with video footage, live had been made public since their original musical performances were given by several taping, said Maile Lu, president of the Hula members of the audience.

Preservation Society.

Lu said she hopes by making more

Jude Goodwin, a freshman from presentations, she can respark the wonderful American Samoa studying biology, said, “I memories created from dancing and singing work at the PCC so I’m around hula a lot. traditional Hawaiian music.

But it’s interesting to see the differences

“It (the Archives) holds a treasury between hula then and now. You can learn so of the greats of hula and music and Hawaiian much from what they did in the past.” culture. It was important for us to come back

The Hula Preservation Society is to where it all started and share with them working on a project to digitize and remaster what we’ve done,” she added. more than 100 hours of footage from the - H OMER W OLMAN BYUH Archives.

H

Some attendees of the ‘Hula Time Machine’ event present musical numbers. Above-right: Hula dancer Queenie Ventura Dowsett performs a special number for the audiences.

Photos by Kyoko Hasegawa

Making career connections back at home Career Services helps students gain contacts and on-the-job knowledge

BYU-Hawaii students from the Philippines, Mongolia, and China went to their countries to meet with executives from big companies and learn what companies are looking for in their employees.

For students who meet the requirements and who want to find opportunities for employment in their own countries, the door to CareerConnect is open, said Jodi Chowen, the director at Career Services.

CareerConnect is a program set up by Career Services to help students find jobs and internships in their home countries and cities. Students should have at least 60 credits total, 9 credits in their major, and a minimum 3.0 GPA have the opportunity to apply for CareerConnect

Andy Dela Cruz, a recent BYUH graduate from the Philippines, said, “It helped me find my internship placement and learn about other jobs and opportunities that are available in my course.”

When asked what was the highlight of his trip, Dela Cruz immediately said, “Eating halo-halo,” which is a popular dessert in the country. However, on a more serious note, Dela Cruz said, “I think all of it is the highlight, because each company had something different to offer and each had a different feel. Every time that we visited the company or school, we learned something new, like the qualities that we need to have and the values that we need to posses.”

Chowen said, “It’s for all majors—not just business. Many large businesses are open to all majors. They will train new employees and it doesn’t matter what major.”

Theone Taala, program manager for on-campus recruiting events, had the opportunity to accompany some of the CareerConnect students this summer.

“I believe CareerConnect is really beneficial for students.

CareerConnect helps students to see what skills are needed and see the importance of preparation for career development,” said Taala.

When asked what stood out in the employers meetings with the students, and what advice would she give to the students here, Taala said, “Most everyone said that they wanted their employees to have a positive attitude, so that they can train them. Today’s world is very competitive, so students need to step outside the box and let employers know who they are and what they can offer them to show 6

Ke Alaka‘i

them that you are a great candidate.”

Liang Ye, a senior from China studying graphic design and painting, had the opportunity to connect professionally in Shanghai and Beijing. She said, “There are three things that CareerConnect helped me with. First, I learned how to prepare myself and my resume, because my resume as a graphic designer in China would be different than a normal resume in the U.S. Second, I know more about what I’m good at and my professional skills—like communication and the cultural experience that I got here at BYU-Hawaii.

Above: Chinese students visit the offices of KPMG in mainland China during a CareerConnect trip this summer organized by BYUHawaii Career Services.

Right: Filipino students visit the Canon offices in their home country as well.

Students can participate in the trips if they have completed at least 60 credits, 9 credits in their major, and have a 3.0 GPA. Students from Mongolia also visited businesses in their home countries this summer through the CareerConnect program that helps students make future jobs and career contacts. Photos courtesy BYUH Career Services.

As well, I learned my weaknesses and how I can improve. Third, I learned about what I really want to be and about my career. I know more about the job I want to apply for and how to prepare for what I really want.”

“I think it’s definitely a good opportunity to go. I think students should appreciate others’ charity and kindness and I think they should work hard for and really think about it,” Ye added.

-R e b e c c a Sabalo n es JUNE 27, 2013

7

Laie mom named 2013 Young Mother of the Year Awardee shows motherhood skills in both home and community

A

stay-at-home mother from Laie, who volunteers as a dance instructor for the community, was awarded the 2013 Hawaii Young Mother of the Year, reports the LDS Church News.

On March 15, Penny Keano’onapua Toilolo, was awarded as the Young Mother of the Year at a special banquet in the Hickam Air Force Base Ballroom. Only "a special board of mothers, including part winners of the award, and members of the National American Mother's, Inc. [can] discussed and voted" for the nomination, said Toilolo.

On one hand when Toilolo was given the award, she said she was shocked that she was considered as a nominee. On the other hand, she said she was grateful to have such an opportunity. "Although motherhood consists of daily struggles, we sometimes forget the divinity of the role. I saw this as an exciting opportunity to continue to serve as a mother in my home, in the community, and in the world," she said.

Toilolo is the third child of 73-year-old Penilosa and Paula Kulamanu Taosoga. She graduated from BYU-Hawaii with a bachelor’s degree in business management. She also pursued a master’s degree in business management at American Public University. After her graduation, Toilolo said she planned to “get married, raise a family, teach dance, and serve where I can.”

Toilolo was sealed with her husband, Viliamu Alasi Toilolo, in the Laie Hawaii Temple in 2000. Together they have 6 children, ages 1 to 11 respectively. She and her husband planned to become senior LDS missionaries someday.

As a mother, Toilolo is not only taking care of her children and her husband, but she is also looking after her 33-year-old handicapped sister, Summer. She said her sister maybe handicapped and could not communicate as well as others, but she is “just as important as anyone else in our eternal family.” She said, “I feel my savior’s love [and] I believed that I make our mother happy too.” Toilolo added, “I learn that we are all Heavenly Father’s children and he loves us all.”

Toilolo said her own mother influenced her to become a good mom. Toilolo recalled when her mother was struggling with illness, she never once questioned God “even when it seemed unbearable, she always remembered [the Lord] and put him first.”

From these teachings and experiences, she said, “I try to teach my kids to be kind to other and to choose the right all the time.” She also set herself as an example by serving the community as a dance teacher. “I volunteer at the local schools and love promoting positive activities for our youth and families,” said Toilolo.

8

Ke Alaka‘i

Toilolo’s husband said he adores her and her Christlike service. “She does not do it for glory, recognition, gain, or reward.

She does it out of love,” he said. “So when I learned that she was awarded Young Mother of the Year, I was happy for her… She is a great example.”

Her 11-year-old child, Jeida, also said, “My mom is very caring because she is always helping everyone out. She spends a lot of time at my school teaching dances and songs to the whole school. She takes care of me and my brothers and sisters, and encourages us to share our talents.”

Toilolo added a mother’s responsibility is to guide their children to “a path that leads to our Savior and Father in Heaven.” She added, “A mother nurtures her family as she continues to keep sacred covenants she has made. A mother is not perfect, yet she learns to lean on our Father in Heaven to help her along the way.”

-Robinia Tan

Penny and her family pose in front of the LDS Laie Hawaii Temple. Toilolo shares that her mother’s profound examples influenced her to be a great mom. Photo courtesy of Penny Toilolo

William Ellis, shown far left holding his baby, stands next to his wife, Ting, and the extended Ellis family that includes former BYUH computer science faculty member Brett Ellis picture in the center of the group. William and Ting broth graduated from BYUH and William recently graduated from medical school and joined the U.S. Air Force. Photo courtesy of Ting Ellis.

Alumnus William Ellis becomes physician

B

YU-Hawaii alumnus William Spencer Ellis, 27, recently graduated from medical school and has joined the U.S. Air Force.

Ellis was born in Wisconsin and raised in Hawaii since he was 1 year old because his father, Brett was a faculty member at BYUH. He has five younger siblings name Lauren, Michael, Bryan, David, and Jacob. He served his mission at Taipei, Taiwan on 2004 until 2006.

He married a fellow BYUH graduate from Taiwan, HsiuTing Ellis, in the Laie Hawaii Temple a year after completing his mission. Together they have three children, Noelle, 5; Clara Laurel, 3, and 9-month-old Emma Joy. He said jokingly, “We’re hoping for one more once we get caught up on sleep.”

He graduated from BYUH with a bachelor’s degree of science. Ellis said at one point he thought about being an elementary education major because he was “interested in education and teaching.” However, as he grew older and expanded his knowledge in high school, he became interested in the practice of medicine.

Ellis said his interest in becoming a doctor stems from his fascination of God’s creations. “The human body is one of God’s greatest creations. So many miracles occur every second. I wanted to learn more about these miracles and then teach others how they could care for and heal their bodies and in turn their souls,” said Ellis.

To meet the standard of attending a medical school, Ellis said he had to “complete the college and the required courses, take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and participate in other activities that would help one develop into a competitive applicant for the medical school.”

Attending medical school is expensive, but Ellis said he was blessed to be able to “participate in the Air Force’s HPSP during [his] medical school” and is now at “Travis Air Force Base- David Grand Medical Center’s Family medicine residency,” said Ellis.

However, being accepted in the military program only meant that Ellis had to work more diligently to meet the requirement of his sponsor. He said, “As a resident we typically work 14-17 hour days in our first year, but will be working closer to 28-30 hours, on occasion in the later years.” Not only that, he said he has to also provide the “best medical service capable under the supervision of an attending physician.” Through all this, he said the medical students “learn by practice, personal study and group lectures.”

In the beginning, the couple made sacrifices because “medicine has a particularly steep learning curve.” Ellis usually started his day by studying and working at the hospital and waking up at 3 a.m. He said at that time, “I had to remind myself of what motivates me and ‘count my blessings’ and not the number of hours I had to sleep,” said Ellis.

Once he was done with all his studies and graduated from the medical school, he has to repay the Air Force “by working for them for four years in active duty and four years in reserves wherever they assign me and my family.”

Ellis is focusing on family medicine but has had experience in a variety of medical fields. He said, “I literally loved every specialty that I worked in.” When he is done with re-paying the Air Force, he said, “My wife and I also hope to live in a small community one day where I might be able to serve a majority of that community’s medical needs.”

While studying and learning to become a doctor, Ellis said he always remembered the motto to “serve, care and learn” because being a doctor is a sacred work of God, and it will help bring others closer to Heavenly Father. He said being a doctor, “I feel the desire to work harder and learn faster, but also the need to find balance in my roles as father.” Ellis’s wife said being a doctor is “not just a career, it’s a second life” because “living two lives in 24 hours is very busy.”

-Robinia Tan

JUly 25, 2013

9

Choir Tour to Australia and New Zealand BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir performs at the prestigious Brisbane City Hall on June 22. Photo courtesy of BYUH University Communications

Choir members say tour was spiritual and credit Director Belnap for its success

T

he BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir toured New Zealand and Australia from June 10 until the 24, and choir members said Director Michael Belnap, a music professor in the Fine Arts Department, helped to make the tour successful and spiritual.

Sarah Tovey, a senior majoring in vocal performance from Hawaii, said, “The tour was amazing, spiritual, and extremely memorable. As a choir, we were blessed to be able to serve and uplift the people of New Zealand and Australia through music and sharing our message of peace and love, connecting as God’s children throughout the world.”

Students in the choir praised Belnap as an amazing man. Terina Christy, a sophomore majoring in art from Hawaii, said, Belnap is someone “who is led by God.” She added, “He is so in tune with the spirit and it was incredible to see him do the things that he can do and the way he touches people lives. It’s just unforgettable and amazing to see him in action. He is a really great guy.”

Choir members who went on the tour had to go through an audition. Paul Tovey, a junior majoring in hotel and tourism management from Hawaii, said of the auditions that Belnap does not “really look

10

Ke Alaka‘i

for the best voices. He looks for the best personalities that can match with each other.”

The 45 students who passed the audition paid $400 to go on the tour to Hamilton, Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand, and Brisbane in Australia.

The tour included the group performing “in theatres, cathedrals, chapels, schools, museums, and even on TVNZ’s Good Morning, one of the nation’s highest rated and viewed television programs, says a story by BYUH University Communications.

“The spirit of Aloha can be shared through many different ways, and we were able to share that spirit through singing,” said Paul Tovey. He said the tour included going to the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves in New Zealand. “All the choir members got to sing over there and that was a huge spiritual experience … and our tour guide actually started crying while we were singing,” he said.

“The main performance in Auckland was at the majestic Auckland Cathedral of the Holy Trinity,” says the BYUH article.

“The impressive windows of the cathedral are the largest expanse of stained glass in the southern hemisphere and created a unique ambience for the hundreds of guests at the BYU–Hawaii performance. Dozens of invited

guests also attended a pre-event function hosted by LDS Church leaders and BYU–Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright and his wife, Margaret.”

Abby Brammer, a senior studying English who was in the choir, said in the same BYUH article, “The Holy Trinity Cathedral was unlike anything I could have expected. We were welcomed with open arms and were blessed to sing in such a beautiful venue. One of the many goals of this tour was to reach out to everyone – to share the power of unity – and that was achieved when we performed in that cathedral; we built bridges through singing and it was amazing.”

On Sunday, June 16, the choir joined with approximately 700 LDS young adults at the Manukau Stake Center for a special fireside, the article says. “Elder F. Michael Watson, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, along with President Wheelwright addressed the group on the importance of reaching ones potential – specifically through education,” it says.

In Australia, the Concert Choir performed “their final two shows in the historic, newly reopened Brisbane City Hall,” the article continues. “Famously known for its 4,600-pipe organ and revamped LED

Student recalls experiences from choir

S

domed ceiling, Brisbane City Hall has been the backdrop to many cultural, political and social occasions since 1930. The choir’s June 22 finale was capped by a double encore and two standing ovations, led by the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Graham Quirk, who attended with his wife Anne.”

To wrap up the tour, the choir participated in a multi-stake Young Single Adult fireside Brisbane attended by more than 800 people, says BYUH information. Elder Keith P. Walker, Area Seventy in the LDS Church’s Pacific Area, attended with his wife, Marilyn.

He said he was impressed with the immediate impact the tour had on the people of Brisbane.

“We enjoyed the choir’s performance on Saturday, and the multi-stake YSA Fireside on Sunday night was a spiritual highlight for all those in attendance,” said Elder Walker. “I spoke to an investigator after the meeting who was at the fireside who had felt the spirit that evening and confirmed that she was to be baptized in the next couple of weeks. I am sure there are many others who were also touched by the spirit that they felt as they attended performances put on by the choir during their visit to Brisbane.” Choir members were also able to hold koalas and feed kangaroos.

- R o b inia Ta n & R a c h e l R omn e y

tudents had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand and Australia to represent BYU-Hawaii on a Concert Choir tour.

Taylor Taniuchi, a senior from Japan studying marketing, said he had always wanted to be in the choir, and once his schedule became free, he finally found the opportunity.

“One day I was walking to the Caf and I saw my housemate walking to class. He encouraged me to go to and ever since that day, I’ve been going to choir every day,” said Taniuchi.

As he sang to strengthen LDS Church members, he said the spiritual experiences from the trip helped to build his testimony. “I’ve never had the spirit touch me as much as it did through music like at our concerts. So many people were getting sick because it was cold, but so many people saw miracles. A few of the people that got sick had solos and lost their voices. They would pray and get their voices back for the concert and then get sick again right after.”

Taniuchi said one of the tour’s favorite songs was “How Great Thou Art.” “Whenever we sang that song, we could tell that there were more than 45 people singing.

We could hear other voices that were not our own,” he said.

While the scenery was a sight to behold, and the surfing at Surfer’s Paradise was top notch, Taniuchi said the people who hosted the choir were certainly the highlight.

He said about the tour, “the people—the host families, the people after the concerts, the church members” where memorable. “I was expecting that it would be cool to visit the places, but it was actually the people that were really cool,” said Taniuchi.

“Every night after our concerts, I would be so tired. But when I got home to the host families, we would just talk for hours or jam on our instruments and have great bonding time. They were all so loving and caring, and they treated me like their own son or something. I’ve never been fed so much in my life,” he added.

With six major venues and several smaller venues, the choir members remained very busy during their two-week trip.

Taniuchi said, “A typical day of tour consisted of waking up early, then eating a quick breakfast, driving to a school or college and doing a mini performance there, then mingling with the people who attended after. Then we would go travel to another area and do another mini performance. We would then go to our big venue a few hours earlier to do a sound check and practice. We would then rest before the big performance and then perform our best at night.”

“I hope to join choir for my last semester this fall, but I do want to continue musically in other ways as well. I hope to start my own band in the future, nothing professional, just a band where my friends and I can come together and have a good time,” Taniuchi said.

- Rebe cca Sabalone s

Taylor Taniuchi, a member of the BYUH choir who went on a trip to New Zealand and Australia, shares his spiritual experiences from the trip helped him build his testimony of the gospel.

Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa JUly 25, 2013

11

Daniel Stout who specializes in the study of media and religion hopes to create a strategic communications or public relations certificate program. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa.

Daniel Stout Former UNLV Journalism director, professor joins BYUH ohana

A

fter being here for two weeks, the spirit of Aloha has caught a hold of Dr. Daniel Stout, a new professor at BYU-Hawaii under the International Cultural Studies Department. He described his experience thus far as “very stimulating, with a much richer array of people and opinions.”

Stout traveled to BYUH from Las Vegas, Nev., where he was the director and professor at the Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies at University of Las Vegas for seven years. After leaving 12

Ke Alaka‘i

his high administrative position at UNLV, Stout said he is excited to focus on teaching.

His wife, one of his three sons, his wife’s sister, and their dog Penny will join Stout here in Hawaii.

Born in New Jersey, Stout grew up next to Princeton University. “I had an early exposure to university. I love teaching, research and writing,” he said. His love for learning can be seen in his accomplishments.

Stout received his bachelor’s degree from BYU in Provo, his master’s in Journalism

from University of Georgia, and his doctorate from Rutgers in New Jersey.

When choosing his area of study in his early years, Stout said, “Working in promotions and strategy is a creative field. I wanted to have interesting problems to solve and engaging problems.”

He developed an area of research in media and religion and recently he wrote a book entitled “Media and Religion: Foundations of an Emerging Field.” In the book he discusses how media covers religion, what religious leaders teach members about media, how religion is portrayed in pop-culture, etc.

Professionally, Stout worked for five years as the manager of promotions at the Houston Chronicle. In this position, he helped promote the newspaper by setting up events.

He was a professor at BYU in Provo for 19 years. There he taught courses in media and society, strategic communication, public relations, and advertising. He compared BYUH and BYU saying, “Provo, I don’t think, can hold a candle to the cultural fabric at BYUH.”

Now here at BYUH, Stout looks forward to creating a certificate program in strategic communication. According to him, this certificate focuses on “teaching students how to create campaigns, usually for nonprofit organizations, government, etc.”

Stout is teaching one class this summer and one of his students, Bryan Fetner, a sophomore studying ICS from Hawaii, said this about Stout’s class, “I enjoy the sense of excitement that he brings to the classroom about how the different ways media influences our lives.”

For only being here for two weeks, the new professor said this about his stay, “I think I am very suited for the rhythms here, the overwhelming beauty, the diversity. I am very much drawn by the spirit of Aloha… and macaroni salad.”

- T u cke r Grimsh aw

Above: Crowds protest for the justice of Martin. Top right: George Zimmerman smiles after the not guilty verdict is read. Bottom right: More protesters rally for Martin. Photos by AP

Martin/Zimmerman Case

BYUH students respond to the acquittal of George Zimmerman

W

hen turning on the news in the past few weeks, BYU-Hawaii students could not get past the highly publicized Trayvon Martin murder trial. The trial finished with the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the man who was charged with shooting of Trayvon Martin.

Before the trial, Zimmerman pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. He said he fatally shot Martin in a scuffle at the townhome complex where Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer and where Martin was visiting his father's fiancee.

Martin was black and Zimmerman identified himself as hispanic. Some civil rights activists argued the delay in charging Zimmerman was influenced by Martin's race, and protests were held around the nation in the 44 days before Zimmerman was arrested.

The six female jurors who found George Zimmerman not guilty in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last year reached their verdict after two days of deliberations. During almost three weeks of testimony, they listened to 56 witnesses —

38 for the prosecution and 18 for the defense.

There were conflicting testimonies and evidence, and the jurors had to sort out the contradictions in the deliberation room.

After the trial, crowds chanted "Justice! Justice!" as people rallied in dozens of U.S. cities urging authorities to press federal civil rights charges against a former neighborhood watch leader found not guilty in the shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin.

In a rare and public reflection on race, President Barack Obama called on the nation on July 19 to do some soul searching over the death of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of his shooter, saying the slain black teenager "could have been me 35 years ago."

Empathizing with the pain of many black Americans, Obama said the case conjured up a hard history of racial injustice "that doesn't go away."

Students and staff shared their viewpoints of the verdict. “I feel it’s fair, the way the court systems work, there was not enough evidence to convict him,” said Rian

Booher, a junior in ICS from Arizona.

Glenn Kau from the Sound and Lighting Department in the Cannon Activities Center, said, “My initial reaction was that he was guilty, but I can’t tell because there was no eyewitness.”

Abigail Brammer, a senior in English from New York, said, “I don’t agree with the verdict. The only reason why [George Zimmerman] was let off was there was no physical evidence, logistically that’s why he was not prosecuted. Trayvon Martin’s life was taken away because of racial profiling.” She added, “It breaks my heart.”

About a week after the verdict, George Zimmerman helped rescue four people from an overturned vehicle last week, just days after he was cleared of all charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

The debate still continues. For more information, visit any leading news website, or look for the TIME article entitled “After Trayvon.”

- T uc ker Grimsh aw & AP

JULY 25, 2013

13

Laie Native’s Funeral Service Laie former Post Master Flora Soren-Butt remembered for her years of service, early local pioneer ancestors

B

14

orn of parents from two early LDS Church pioneering families, Flora Kapualahaole Soren-Butt was remembered as a beautiful and charitable woman who served her family, community and church during the 91 years she lived and worked in Laie at her funeral services on July 22.

Auntie Flora was born in her longtime family home across the street from the Hukilau Café on Jan. 12, 1922, when Hawaii was just a territory of the United States. She passed away on July 4, 2013, after a long illness. She was the U.S. Postal Service post master in Laie for many years Ke Alaka‘i

and also opened the Laie Travel Agency in the shopping center, which she ran until she retired. She has traveled all over the world and the United States. Her youngest son, Kalani, said he traveled a lot with his mother growing up and he has been to all but four of the 50 states.

Her mother’s parents joined the church on the Big Island of Hawaii and moved first to Lanai before coming with LDS missionaries to settle Laie. Her grandfather purchased land in Laie and built the family home that still stands today.

He was also the local judge and rode his

horse to Hauula to preside over trials each day, said Teryl Soren, the daughter-in-law of Auntie Flora during her eulogy. Her mother, Eliza, was also born in that same home and was full blooded Hawaiian. She has been immortalized in the Maternity statue in front of the Laie Hawaii Temple. Eliza took in 14 children even before she was married and mothered many others over the years, said Soren.

Her father’s family joined the church in Germany and immigrated to Utah in the 1800s. Her father was in the U.S. Navy and when he met Eliza, he married her and adopted all 14 of the children she was raising. They were one of the first couples married in the Laie Temple after its dedication in 1919. “I am convinced,” said Soren in the eulogy, “that the Lord had a hand in their coming together to become an eternal couple.” Their only child, Flora, was born when her parents were in their 30s.

Because of her mother’s side of the family, Soren said, Auntie Flora “had one foot in the Hawaiian community and one foot in the haole side,” through her father’s German ancestry. Soren said this made her comfortable with all types of people, and when the faculty members and their families came to work at the new Church College of Hawaii; she was able to help them settle into life in the islands. “Because of her welcome and aloha, many of the families stayed and raised their families here and grew to love it in Laie,” said Soren.

Auntie Flora graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1940, went to Honolulu Business College and then finishing school in New York City, said Soren. Throughout her life, she took classes at the Church College of Hawaii and other places to advance her knowledge and standing in life.

“She was exotic and beautiful,” said Soren, “and she worked really hard.”

Auntie Flora was married three times, said Soren. Her first marriage was to Mickey Martin, who passed away after just one year of marriage. With her second husband, Im-

bert Soren, she was given “the most valuable possession any woman could have: her five children,” said Francis Andrus, her life-long friend, at the services. “My children were good friends with them – like family,” Andrus added. Auntie Flora’s five children have had 17 grandchildren, and at her passing, she had 18 great grandchildren.

Her third husband was Alfred Butt, said Soren. He was the husband of one of Auntie Flora’s schoolmates. After her friend passed away, she and Alfred become friends and then their friendship blossomed into love and they were married later in life.

Known to her grandchildren as “Tuhine,” which was short for “Tutu Wahine,” said granddaughter Wailani Falepapalagi, her grandmother was beautiful but “she took her time to look beautiful. She would get up at 4 a.m. to be ready to leave by 8 a.m.,” said Falepapalagi. Auntie Flora was known for not having a hair out of place. Sometimes she wouldn’t have time to eat because it took so long to get ready, her granddaughter said, “so she would drink Slimfast and snack on peanuts. We used to joke that’s the secret to a long life.”

“Tuhine was like the governor,” Falepapalagi continued. “She knew everybody.” She said they couldn’t even go to the store or into town without Tuhine running into someone she knew and talking with them. One of her longtime friends was LDS President Ezra Taft Benson and his wife, said her daughter Leialoha Soren-Kondo.

She said one day Auntie Flora picked them up at the airport and drove them to the Honolulu Tabernacle. When they got there, President Benson said, “I know what Flora’s favorite color is. It’s yellow.” Her mother was surprised because yellow is her favorite color, said Soren-Kondo. When she asked President Benson how he knew it way yellow, he said jokingly, “Because you ran every yellow light between here and the airport.”

Andrus also told a humorous story about Flora when they were young girls. Andrus said she and Flora were friends with two

other girls for all their lives. One day Flora saw a man driving an old Model T Ford and got the idea to rent the car from him to drive her and her three friends into Waikiki to go out to lunch. “She followed the man home and asked him about renting the car,” said Andrus, but the man turned her down saying they wouldn’t know how to drive the car.

Flora persisted, Andrus said, and the man relented and let her rent the car. “So we all put on our Sunday best dresses and went to lunch in Waikiki,” she said.

All of the speakers at her services in the Laie Hawaii North Stake Center, said Auntie Flora loved serving in the church and worked in the temple for years. Andrus said, “She was a very kind person who would give,

give, give….The most important things are the church and our families.”

President Max Purcell, of the Laie Hawaii North Stake presidency, said of her, “She had a great love for the temple and worked there until she couldn’t do it anymore. She loved the Lord and this community.”

Falepapalagi said she grew up going to church with her Tuhine since her mother wasn’t a member of the church. “My husband and I were sealed in the temple. So Tuhine helped to give me the chance to have a forever family.”

- LEEANN Lambe rt

Flora Soren-Butt was born in 1922 in the same pioneer home her mother was in Laie. The home still stands today across the street from Hukilau Cafe. Above: During her life, she was pictured on the cover of an LDS magazine while leading music during a church meeting.

Photos courtesy of the Soren family.

July 25, 2013

15

BYUH Alumni Office starts new program to help find students jobs, internships

T

he purpose of the Alumni Office is to connect BYU-Hawaii’s current students to their respective countries’ alumni. The student Alumni Office has a few programs to help students start networking, including a new project that was recently launched.

“We’ve always had the Alumni Association and have seen it as more of a social network, and not a professional network,” said Corbin Thomander, the BYUH Alumni Relations manager. “In order to make it less social, we have a program we just started in June called the BYU Asia Pacific Professional Network, which involves the Alumni chapters in those areas. The purpose is to get a group of professionals together to help students find jobs in their areas and help alumni advance professionally.”

The program will allow the chapters to move from alumni just doing send-offs and welcome-home events for BYUH students, and allow for more opportunities for economic growth to build up the various countries, he said.

However, the first program that they will offer to students, and the one that they are most proud of, is the Professional Mentorship Program.

Chizuru Bennison, a Mentorship Program supervisor from Japan, works to find good mentorship relations, personalizing the network connection and making sure students have mentors who fit their lines of work. After that, students will be able to Skype with their mentors to start building connections and learning more about his or her career path.

“For the mentor, maybe the process of getting a job took five years, but it took the student less time because they knew the mentorship program,” said Thomander.

“It is never too early to get involved in the mentorship program, as long as you know what you want to do,” said Bennison.

Another program helps students with their resumes. Kaye Destacamento, the Student Alumni Association supervisor from the Philippines, supervises the Impact Project, where students can get in touch with the alumni chapters to help them find jobs through Skype and career events.

“Students make connections with ecclesiastical leaders to help them find jobs and help to prepare a resume. They can ask professional people how to make a resume and how to do a job interview, as well as look for potential companies and jobs in their countries,” said Destacamento.

-REBECCA S ABALONE S

16

Ke Alaka‘i

Chizuru Bennison, Mentorship Program supervisor, helps students personalize network connections. Photo by Matt MacDonald