About 50 BYU-Hawaii/Church College of Hawaii alumni leaders gathered on campus from February 13-16 to meet with university officials and learn first-hand about new initiatives, hold training sessions, share ideas, get together with current students from their home countries, and generally rekindle their old school spirit.
Part of the experience, previously known as "homecoming" but recently renamed Student-Alumni Week, also included presenting 10 former students with the university's Genuine Gold Alumni Awards .
Rowena Reid ('76), Executive Director of the BYU-Hawaii/CCH Alumni Association, explained the school has over 60,000 members spread across the world who are currently organized into over 60 chapters.
"We had some excellent meetings and held some great discussions," Reid said. "There were quite a few first-timers who were really touched by renewing their connections. The connection with other alumni also touched them. I wish they could all come back."
Even for most chapter leaders who had previously attended the annual meetings, this was their first opportunity to meet BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright, who explained the two-part mission and imperatives President Hinckley charged him with when he was appointed.
"It's an exciting time," he said, outlining some of the initiatives BYU-Hawaii is pursuing, including:
- A design team that is looking at the "core processes...the things that really make a difference to our abilities to fulfill our mission." Redesigning student employment standards is one of them.
- Distance learning. "This is one of the ways we can leverage the resources of the university much more effectively. Initially our courses will be in English and general education," President Wheelwright said. He added unlike some distance-learning programs, ours will follow a semester calendar and include local, weekly meetings with a facilitator.
"Eventually, we would love to have students spend three years on campus, after having spent one year with distance-learning courses," he continued. "This is much less expensive per student, but it also allows us to have more students."
- A new academic calendar starting in January 2009. "Instead of being 50 minutes, each class will be an hour," he said, pointing out this allows the semester to be shortened 14 weeks with the same number of previous contact hours. "Our 2009 calendar will have two semesters: A fall and winter one, and three seven-week terms." He added this will incrementally increase the number of students during those terms while raising the graduation rate by 15-20%.
- A 25-year site plan that could include redoing the playing fields, renovating and adding more student housing and a building a multipurpose Church/School of Business building.
"Thank you for being here. Clearly one of the things that makes us a great university is all of you, and the example and reputation you've established among those you work with, those you serve with, and our prospective students and families. We are grateful for what you do," President Wheelwright said.
"This is, indeed, one of the Lord's universities. He is in charge, and I'm grateful to the Prophet; he's the Chairman of the Board."
In another session, Keith Lue, manager of alumni outreach for BYU in Provo told the leaders, "Our number-one priority is to make BYU-Hawaii relevant in the lives of our alumni. How do we remain a blip on their radar?" he asked, using the BLIP acronym: B — build relationships and increase school spirit; L — link alumni and friends to the university; I — improve lives and strengthen communities; and P — preserve memories and honor traditions.
The alumni chapter leaders also met with representatives from the new design team, mentioned by President Wheelwright; Admissions, the International Work Experience Scholarship program, LDS Philanthropies, University Advancement and the Scholarship office.
BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright (standing), addresses alumni chapter leaders during their annual training conference
Napua Baker, BYU-Hawaii Vice President of University Advancement and a CCH alumna, said she told Reid, "This is the best chapter chair conference we've ever had; and she said, ‘Didn't we say that last year?'"
"This was a very good meeting," Reid concurred. "It was also very special to have the Genuine Gold honorees with us. Some of them met with students from their homelands, and it was very touching."
Reid added that BYU-Hawaii is planning to hold a regional chapter leadership training meeting in Hong Kong in May, in conjunction with the representatives from the BYU Alumni Association in Provo.
CCH/BYU-Hawaii alumni chapter leaders
— Top and bottom photos by Monique Saenz ('02)