Students across Brigham Young University–Hawaiʻi gathered on Thursday, April 3, for the 2025 Undergraduate Research Conference (URC), an annual campus-wide event that spotlights student scholarship in research, writing, music, creative projects, and academic poster presentations. This year’s theme, “Perseverance is Power,” was inspired by Japanese Shingon Buddhist leader Yakou Sumioka’s writing on diligence, strength, and lifelong devotion to righteous aspirations.
Held every spring semester, the URC provides a platform for students to share academic work, under the mentorship of faculty, from a wide range of disciplines. Through oral and poster presentations, students not only gain research and public speaking experience but also explore their scholarly identity within the university's mission of holistic education.
Academic Excellence Across Disciplines
Among this year’s standout participants was Jessika Santoso, a senior from Indonesia majoring in TESOL, who took home two first-place awards: the Best TESOL Project Award and the Religious Research Award for Church History in the Asia Pacific. Her two-paper presentation examined language assessment through translation tasks and explored the history of the Church in Indonesia.
“Both projects came from previous work I had already done, but the TESOL study involved a more complex design and data analysis,” Santoso said. “Working closely with my mentors helped me become more resourceful and independent in my research. Seeing our professors operate as experts in their fields outside the classroom changed the way I see them—I truly gained a deeper appreciation for their mentorship.”
Winning both awards was a significant affirmation of Santoso’s academic growth, saying, “Even though it's a university-wide event, URC encouraged me to dream bigger, perhaps even consider graduate school. It gave me confidence.”
Passion Meets Advocacy
Precious Paula Maguale, a senior from the Philippines majoring in business management with an emphasis on marketing, won second place in the Business Research Poster category for her project on menstrual product accessibility on campus.
“This is a topic I deeply care about,” said Maguale. “My research investigated how the lack of access to menstrual products in campus bathrooms—especially in emergencies—can negatively affect students’ academic performance and well-being. I surveyed female students and analyzed their responses to reflect their voices.”
Her mentor, Ann Springer of the Faculty of Business & Government, guided her through revisions, and Maguale also collaborated with the Women’s Services & Resources office. “The process was long but rewarding,” she explained. “What mattered most was not just winning but seeing how people resonated with the cause. The experience reminded me that research can be a powerful way to raise awareness and start meaningful conversations.”
Teamwork and Discovery
A collaborative project titled “Legibility and Learning: How Font Style Affects Onscreen Reading Outcomes” earned third place in the computing-related pFaccosters category. The team—Yoonjoo Park, a senior from South Korea majoring in graphic design, Naga Sai Kiran Gubbala, a senior from India majoring in information technology, and Christroi Colarte, a junior from the Philippines majoring in information technology—studied how different fonts impact comprehension and memory during screen reading.
“At first, it was just a class assignment,” they said. “But the more we worked on it, the more we wanted to share it with others. We divided tasks, juggled our schedules, and supported each other through the process. When we got to URC, we weren’t sure how the poster would be received—but people really connected with it.”
The trio didn’t expect to win but were thrilled when their project was recognized. “Winning showed us that even small research projects can have an impact. It proved that our diverse perspectives as international students are valued here at BYU–Hawaii,” they shared.
Research with Purpose
According to the URC’s official guidelines, each student must work closely with a faculty mentor throughout their preparation process. Mentors help review abstracts, guide research methods, and provide feedback on presentations to ensure students are professionally equipped to share their work.
This mentorship element, paired with the diversity of topics—from computing to church history, from business equity to language education—reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the event and BYU–Hawaii’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded scholars.
A Theme of Endurance
The 2025 URC theme drew attention to the cultural significance of perseverance in Japanese thought. BYU–Hawaii students demonstrated that through determination, patience, and mentorship, even a simple idea can be transformed into something that resonates with others and contributes to a larger academic conversation.
As the sun set on another successful URC, students left the conference halls with more than just awards. They walked away with renewed confidence, new skills, and the quiet power that comes from pushing through doubt and sharing something meaningful as disciples of Jesus Christ.