Yu-Chieh Sung is a senior from southern Taiwan, graduating with a bachelor's in accounting this spring. When asked why she chose to attend BYU–Hawaii, she talks about being drawn to the Holokai program and having the flexibility of trying different courses before deciding upon her major. However, after two failed attempts to pass the English proficiency exam, Sung wondered if BYU–Hawaii wasn't meant to be a part of her journey and decided to prepare to serve a full-time mission. After serving in the San Diego, California mission for about a year, her mission president encouraged her to retake the English proficiency test for the third and, to her surprise, the final time. Finally, she was accepted to BYU–Hawaii after tests of grammar and faith. "Putting the Lord first and finishing my mission brought me here," now, Sung gets to fulfill her dream of graduating from college this weekend. Read Full Story

Regina Shumway is a graduating senior from Laie, Hawaii. When initially deciding where to attend college, BYU–Hawaii was an easy choice since Shumway didn't want to leave home. She enjoyed the familiarity of life here and loved the spirit and culture found in this community. Although she planned to transfer eventually, she ended up staying due to the closeness she felt to others while attending classes. "Some people see the campus size as a weakness, but I love it. Professors here know my name; they know how to help me and have time to get to know me. Also, getting to know my classmates and having time to participate in class has been an important part of my journey here at BYU–Hawaii." Read Full Story

Brigham Young University–Hawaii Academic Vice President Isaiah Walker announced two leadership changes in Academics this week: Dr. Alohalani Housman as the dean of the Faculty of Culture, Language, & Performing Arts and Dr. Benjamin R. Jordan as the dean of the Faculty of Sciences. Both appointments are effective August 28. Read Full Story

Did you know that environmentally, coral is like a desert? Initially, it grows in nutrient-poor areas, and through its existence, those areas can flourish with other sea life. However, several factors, including bleaching events caused by climate change, harmful human contact as seen with heavy tourism, and the biological evidence that coral in Hawaii's oceans is slow-growing, affect the overall health of the island's reefs. Without intervention, underwater ecosystems will soon be devastated as coral suffers from these factors, ultimately resulting in the death of the reefs. However, there's still hope. Read Full Story

Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell was born and raised in Grenada, a small island located in the Caribbean Sea. Allard-Blaisdell faced many hardships throughout her childhood, including her mother's passing, financial instability, social injustices, bullying, and becoming an orphan by age 15. However, her challenging upbringing motivated her to work hard and be resilient to obstacles she faced then and would overcome in years ahead. Read Full Story

Fourteen Brigham Young University–Hawaii students participated in the Dare to Overcome Conference in Washington, D.C., an event sponsored by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation this past May. The conference promoted the principle of inclusion and religious freedom in the workplace. Representatives from Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Ford, and American Airlines attended and participated in panels and speeches where discussions on how businesses could make religious employees feel welcome should be part of a company's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Students could network with these professionals while serving as student "interns" or "company liaisons" throughout the three-day event. Out of the 18 student interns, BYUH students made up 14 of those instrumental in ensuring the event ran smoothly for the 250+ attendees. Read Full Story

The BYU–Hawaii on-campus internship (OCI) program combines sound business principles and real-world experiences for BYU–Hawaii students as they collaborate with various companies. They are referred to as a win-win-win situation. First, OCIs are a win for students as they learn and grow skills applicable in today's world. Secondly, OCIs are a win for companies to receive high-quality work from future professionals who are anxious to display their capabilities and education. Lastly, OCIs are a win for BYU–Hawaii as the program assists students in transitioning from their education into future professional careers. Read Full Story

Tasuku Yukimoto came to study at Brigham Young University–Hawaii in 1995. As a Japanese native, the school's diverse student body is what initially piqued his interest in attending. He also knew studying in the United States would increase his opportunities to study psychology and different peoples. It didn't take long for him to grow a love for other aspects of learning here. He now holds fond recollections, such as meeting his wife here at school and later having his first born child at Kahuku hospital. Read Full Story

Brigham Young University–Hawaii Academic Vice President Isaiah Walker announced the appointment of Dr. Nathaniel M. Stephens as the dean of the Faculty of Business & Government. Stephens is replacing Cary Countryman who has left BYU–Hawaii and accepted a position at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the information technology field. Read Full Story

Brigham Young University–Hawaii will implement a 3% tuition increase for the 2021-2022 academic year beginning with the Fall 2021 Semester. This is an increase of $89 on the per semester rate going from $2,945 to $3,034. Read Full Story