Vice President for Academics Isaiah Walker announced Rebekah Strain as the inaugural senior manager of the Center for Academic Success at Brigham Young University–Hawaii. She begins in this new position on June 16.
This new position marks a significant step in the university’s efforts to expand and strengthen academic support services. Previously a small operation located in the Joseph F. Smith Library and overseen on a part-time basis, the Center for Academic Success is now entering a new phase of development. With full-time leadership and increased institutional support, the center will grow into a centralized resource for student academic development, offering coordinated services in writing, reading, math, language, and subject-specific tutoring. Once the new facility is completed, the center will provide students with a unified, purpose-designed space to support their learning and success. Students who need help today should contact the center or visit their new temporary location in the Joseph F. Smith Library.
“I look forward to working with Becky in this important role,” Walker said. “I am excited about the direction the center is going. I envision a center that fosters academic excellence, exceptional support, and high-quality tutoring and mentoring.”
Strain brings extensive experience in education, student support, and university service. She has served BYU–Hawaii as an adjunct faculty member since 2015, teaching in history, religion, political science, and business management. She also served as a Title IX deputy coordinator, where she provided student crisis support, developed university training programs, and helped ensure federal compliance.
“The most exciting thing for me about this new position is working with the students,” said Strain. “I want to help them feel safe and confident as they navigate higher education at BYU–Hawaii. Looking back over the last ten years, I have been humbled and blessed by this campus. Looking forward, I am excited to continue my service and association at this amazing university.”
Strain earned a Juris Doctor from the J. Reuben Clark Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Brigham Young University, with a certification in family history research, all while raising her family. She is a published scholar whose work focuses on history, education, and the intersection of faith and inclusion. Her academic contributions include articles and presentations on religious literacy, gender in Latter-day Saint history, and student belonging. At BYU–Hawaii, she has served on the Student Development Committee and Behavioral Intervention Team, mentored students in research and leadership, and participated widely in events and campus panels. She currently serves as a devotional organist and remains actively engaged in the university community.
Originally from South Carolina and raised in a variety of locations as part of a military family, Strain graduated from high school in Mesquite, Nevada. She and her husband, Jeff—who also teaches at BYU–Hawaii—are the parents of six children. Strain describes her first visit to BYU–Hawaii with one word: “home”—a sentiment that continues to define her connection to the university. She has served in many Church callings over the years, but counts being a Primary pianist among her favorites. Her love of learning, commitment to students, and sense of purpose continue to guide her work on campus.