Feki Po'uha
BYU-Hawaii Studentbody President
The mission of BYU-Hawaii is an important part of Feki Po'uha's heritage. This year's Brigham Young University Hawaii's Student Association (BYUHSA) President is the grandson of Feki and Foli Po'uha, who were among the labor missionaries who helped build the Laie Temple, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and the Church College of Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii's predecessor).
Along with this rich heritage, the examples of his peers inspired Po'uha to look at serving in the BYU-Hawaii Student Association. "I saw friends, ordinary people, do extraordinary things here at BYUHSA and in other places on campus," said Po'uha. "I thought if these ordinary people can do such extraordinary things, perhaps I also might consider offering some of my talents or skills."
"We are here to serve," said Po'uha. This spirit and vision is reflected in points of the platform he and his executive vice president, Steve Lowe, ran on. Those points include the ideas of: servant leadership, a motto: "One fold, and one shepherd," cultural awareness, and power through knowledge.
Serving an LDS mission in East Africa in the Kenya Nairobi Mission has also influenced Po'uha's vision for the BYUHSA 2006-2007 team. This vision includes his focus, "to develop disciples of Christ who will know what the spirit feels like to them, and how to draw closer to their Heavenly Father." He said he desires to use his gifts of communication, analysis, and organization to "encourage good growth-spiritual growth for all our students."
The oldest of five children, Po'uha was raised in nearby Hauula by his parents, Lehua Mahiai and Joseph Po'uha, both graduates of BYU-Hawaii. He attended Kamehameha High School, where he participated in concert glee, played the tuba in band, was a song contest director, and was also the starting center on the football team for three years. With the support of his parents, he earned his Eagle Scout award.
After finishing a degree in Hawaiian Studies, he plans to go on to law school. His wife, Kieiki, a former BYUHSA president, graduated from BYU-Hawaii in 2005 with a degree in international business management.
Steve Lowe
BYU-Hawaii Executive Vice President
Although Steve Lowe graduated from Kaneohe High School, it was while he was a sophomore at Kuhuku High that he heard the Brigham Young University Hawaii concert choir perform. His reaction after the performance was, "I want to be in that choir."
After a mission to the West Indies, marriage and two children, Lowe returned to his Hawaiian roots, applied to attend BYU-Hawaii, and auditioned for the concert choir. After several attempts, he was admitted to the university and the choir with a talent award. "I was really elated," he said.
Lowe, an accomplished musician, began his studies as a music education major, but said he "couldn't get the music theory to save my life." Following a suggestion from his wife, he took a psychology 111 class, and liked it. He liked it so much that he changed his major to organizational behavior.
His sophomore year he considered running for a position in the BYU-Hawaii Student Association (BYUHSA), but decided to wait until he had been on campus a little longer. This year he planned to run for BYUHSA president, but at the last minute his running mate backed out. Feki Po'uha was in the same situation. Once again, it was also a suggestion from and the total support of his wife that encouraged him to run for the position of executive vice president, with Po'uha on the ticket for president.
Looking back on the decision, after winning the elections, Lowe said, "It's the best decision we made. "Feki is just the most capable leader I've ever seen. It's fun to work with him."
The fact that BYUHSA is not a student body government writing policy, but a service association is what interests Lowe most in serving as a student leader. "I want to help students have the best experience they can at BYU-Hawaii."
Developing a team that encourages leadership, as well as Christ-centered discipleship is high on his list of priorities for this year. According to Lowe the theme of the BYUHSA team, "One fold, one shepherd, is illustrated by the way the diverse campus community interacts.
"The best thing about BYU-Hawaii is that it's such an internationally diverse school," said Lowe. "In a single day I can take my Mongolian friends to the airport, receive a cake from my African friends, and watch my Tongan friend's children. We're doing something here that countries can't figure out."
Along with serving as the current BYUHSA executive vice president, Lowe, the son of Priscilla and the late Richard Lowe of Kaneohe, continues to develop his musical talent by taking voice lessons and singing in the BYU-Hawaii concert choir-a fulfillment of his youthful dream.
Stephanie Bystrom
Vice President of Family Life
Brigham Young University Hawaii's Vice President of Family Life for the 2006-2007 school year, Stephanie Bystrom, is the daughter-in-law of lifelong Rockford, IL residents Colin and Lisa Bystrom.
She and her husband, Jared G. Bystrom, are both attending school on the Hawaiian island of Oahu-she at BYU-Hawaii in Laie, and he at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu.
Bystrom grew up in a military family, so the fact that she lived in Hawaii from 1997 until she graduated from high school there is an accomplishment. As a senior she became aware of the BYU-Hawaii campus and applied. Three years ago she was admitted to the university as the recipient of a two-year half-tuition scholarship, given to selected high school graduates in Hawaii.
As a new mother, serving in the Brigham Young University Hawaii Student Association was not something Bystrom planned to do. However, encouraged by friends, she applied for the job of Vice President of Family Life. She was offered the position and accepted it, with the proviso that she was able to take her new baby along as she did her duties.
Those duties include organizing and planning campus-wide events for the married students on campus. Temple View Apartments (TVA), the BYU-Hawaii on-campus married student housing where most of the married BYU-H students live, is a close community.
As she works on different events Bystrom said, "I try to actually keep their faces, their names, and their personalities in mind when I'm doing this because it makes it more worth it."
Planned events, past and future, include a family barbeque, a water play day, and a Valentine's dinner for couples (with a babysitting service). "It's good to have the fun stuff," Bystrom shared, " but I really want to try to do more awareness and information kinds of things."
To that end, a series of monthly seminars and workshops called Family First, is being organized. Workshop topics will include basic finances, cooking, and child care. Activities that include both married and single students are also being planned.
"I look at it not only as a job, but as a calling. I have a stewardship over the families at BYU-Hawaii," said Bystrom. "If I had to sum it up in one sentence, creating a nurturing environment for the families at BYU-Hawaii is my goal."
Summing up her experience at BYU-Hawaii, Bystrom said, "This is a wonderful place to be. I've grown more here in the last three years than I have any other three year period of my life. I'm going to miss it when we leave."
Aleta Wilkinson
Vice President of Alumni Relations
If someone were to give Aleta Wilkinson a middle name, it might very well be "service."
"I've always loved to be around people," said Wilkinson. "I love being involved in activities and serving others."
Two years ago, as a new student from Boise, Idaho, on the Brigham Young University Hawaii campus, Wilkinson sought ways to get involved. After attending the student leadership team presentation during orientation week, she signed lists volunteering to help in a variety of ways, and was invited to serve on the student advisory council.
As a member of this council, Wilkinson saw an opportunity to bring people together, practicing one of the University Belief Statements, "Value everyone."
She helped initiate and conduct a "Gratitude Week." Students and faculty were invited to write a thank-you card to anyone on campus. Then members of the Student Advisory Council hand delivered the notes-over 150 of them. "It was a very successful event," said Wilkinson. "I heard very positive feedback from faculty, staff, and students."
In her current role this year as Student Alumni Association Vice President, Wilkinson is working with the Career Center to help students look for and develop work opportunities in their homelands.
"Often students won't return to their native country [after graduating] because there are no jobs available in their home country," said Wilkinson. Networking through the Career Center and BYU-Hawaii alumni will assist these students in focusing their educational experience so they obtain the skills that will help them find employment in their homelands.
"One of the things we'll be doing this semester is having a jobs skills conference," said Wilkinson. "We'll also assist with the career fair workshop."
"I've never had opportunities to serve like I've been able to serve here, to get to know people in the same way I've gotten to know people here, or to learn about the world as I have here at BYU-Hawaii. It's just been an amazing opportunity."
Wilkinson, daughter of David S. Wilkinson and Linda Grover (both former Boise residents) chose the BYU-Hawaii campus because "I felt I would be able to make a difference there."
She has received scholarships for her service as a returned missionary, as executive director of the student alumni association, and as a resident advisor in a student dormitory. Her Idaho upbringing and the impact of Boise area teachers, co-workers and leaders are forces she credits with helping her lay a strong life foundation.
Ha Le
Vice President of Service and Learning
"There is much more to service than just doing a service project," said Ha Le, 2006-2007 Vice President of Service and Learning at Brigham Young University Hawaii. Ha Le is the daughter of Le Van Hung and Nguyen Thi Nguyet of Hanoi.
The Hanoi, Vietnam native came to Oahu, Hawaii, as an exchange student in 2002 to attend her senior year at Pearl City High School. After she graduated from high school she had a desire to continue her education in the United States. "I knew it would help me learn English and receive a good education in international business," said Ha Le.
She applied to schools all over the United States from Maryland to Montana. On the recommendation of a friend, she also applied at Brigham Young University Hawaii and was accepted. With the help of a scholarship, her host family, and her mother, she has attended BYU-Hawaii for the past three years majoring in international business.
Ha Le became interested in working with the Brigham Young University Hawaii Student Association (BYUHSA) two years ago because of a friend who served as one of the vice presidents. She helped him with some activities as a volunteer.
"This year I thought I should apply to serve as a vice president," said Ha Le. "I chose Service and Learning because I really want to help the students on this campus."
Her goals for the academic year include helping students achieve goals in three areas: gaining skills to obtain employment in their native lands, becoming more proficient in English, and becoming more spiritual. Providing opportunities for the BYU-Hawaii students to serve the community of Laie in which they live is another goal Ha Le is working toward.
"Serving as part of the student body government is a great experience," said Ha Le. She encourages other students to take advantage of opportunities to serve. "You don't realize how much difference you can make for the other students and the community as you serve," she said.
"Everyone on our team has a different personality. We each have our own way of talking, walking, dressing, thinking-but we work as one team, like a circle," said Ha Le. "We have become one in our desire to serve the students at BYU-Hawaii."
Joshua Steffen
Vice President of Social Activities
“I gain some of my greatest joy, and I have the most fun, when I know I’m creating fun and joy for others,” said Joshua Steffens, this year’s BYU-Hawaii Vice President of Social Activities.
According to Steffens, a desire to help BYU-Hawaii students enjoy themselves while in Lai’e, along with developing their skills and talents, motivated him to get involved with the BYU-Hawaii Student Association.
Steffens brings the right background to his current position. As a young boy he sang in the Honolulu Boys’ Choir, and as a teen-ager, he was involved with the musical theatre program at Castle High School, one of the best in the nation. He did everything from act to build sets and help with lighting.
“After four years in high school I decided I loved theatre so much that I wanted to do theatre for a living,” said Steffens. So he attended the University of Nevada at Las Vegas for a year and studied technical theatre, focusing on lighting.
However, upon his return from serving an LDS mission in Sweden, he made the decision to move into the management side of theatre and became an accounting major at BYU-Hawaii. Along with his BYUHSA position, Steffens also works with the CITO Aloha ESL program on campus; off campus he keeps his finger in the theatre side of things by working with Theatrics Hawaii doing theatrical lighting and event management.
As a senior at BYU-Hawaii this year, he said he was impressed with Feki Po’uha, BYUHSA President, and Steve Lowe, BYUHSA Executive Vice President. “I really had a desire to work with them,” he said, “ because I felt such a good spirit from them.”
He felt he could “help build up the goals of the school and the goals of the team to become one fold, one shepherd.”
Steffens’ Hawaiian roots go deep. He and his mother, Ho'olaule'a Steffen, were born and raised in Kaneohe. His maternal grandmother, Audrey Bridges, was born in Lai’e near Pounder’s Beach, and his grandfather, George Bridges, was from Kapahulu.
Everton Santos
Vice President of Sports
Everton Santos, current BYU-Hawaii Student Association Vice President of Sports, is a dreamer, a dreamer with the energy, focus, and desire to work hard to make his dreams reality.
After serving a mission for the LDS Church in the Anaheim California mission, and achieving one of his three big dreams, he came to BYU-Hawaii in June of 2004, accomplishing his second dream. “I appreciate the international atmosphere, the cultural diversity, and the student aid offered here,” said Santos, a Business Management major.
One good thing leads to another. It was on the BYU-Hawaii campus that he courted a girl from his hometown in Brazil. A year ago, Santos achieved his third big dream when he married his sweetheart in the Porto Alegre LDS temple in Brazil.
Since his arrival on the BYU-Hawaii campus, Santos has been involved in service activities. During his first semester on the campus he served as president of the Brazil Club. He has also served on the Student Advisory Council, and volunteered as an Ohana group leader during new student orientation.
Encouraged by his wife and friends he applied for a position in the BYU-Hawaii Student Association. Initially he applied to serve as the Alumni Vice President, hoping to help with return-ability. “I wanted to help in that regard,” said Santos, “but I also wanted to make it fun and enjoyable. So I planned a lot of sports and recreation activities.”
His enthusiasm for sports and recreational activities made him the perfect candidate to serve as Vice President of Sports, and he was offered that position instead. “I played volleyball and basketball in high school and just love sports,” said Santos. “It was a great opportunity to be selected for this position.”
His goals for the year include promoting peace and harmony through sports and wholesome activities, helping the athletic department promote their games, and promoting campus recreational activities--to give students some stress relief.
“Our number one priority is to promote peace and harmony among the students,” said Santos. “We believe that sports can unify people and nations.” His office also recruits students to help with publicity for the team sports, and has provided bus rides to some of the away games this year.
“As I have had the opportunity to interact, serve, contribute, and learn about the mission, the vision, and the purpose of this campus, I have come to believe that this is a special place,” said Santos. “I’d like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve.”
When he leaves BYU-Hawaii, Santos has another dream: to get an MBA and go back to Brazil to work for an American company. With the track record he has established, there is no doubt his dream will be realized.
Sean Kalani Benito
Vice President of Sports and Activities
When Sean Kalani Benito dropped out of school at BYU-Hawaii in 1995, he would not have imagined ever serving as the Vice President of Sports and Activities in the BYU-Hawaii Student Association, let alone having a 3.08 grade point.
But that is exactly what he is doing. After serving an LDS mission in Japan, marrying, and working as a Japanese tour guide, he was involved in an industrial accident. The workers’ compensation program allowed him to return to school, and he chose to return to BYU-Hawaii to finish what he had begun.
As the Vice President of Sports and Activities his main goals for the 2006-2007 school year are: to follow the example of Christ; to serve fellow students, the university community, and the Laie community; and to develop leaders.
Benito’s duties include organizing three major annual events: Culture Night, Song Fest, and Food Fest, as well as working with the campus club presidents as they organize, plan, and execute club activities. “I love teaching people how to do what I do,” said Benito.
There are over forty clubs on campus—about 20 culture clubs and 20 special interest clubs. Approximately 90 percent of the 2400 BYU-Hawaii students belong to a club. Part of Benito’s job is to help the club presidents learn leadership skills and accountability.
“Hopefully,” said Benito, “they will magnify their talents as they go along and become leaders when they go home.”
The first time Benito came to BYU-Hawaii he said he felt he missed out by not getting involved with the student body activities. “So having this second chance to serve,” he said, “is awesome. When you serve you’re blessed a thousand times. Your talents are magnified, you get to do things and meet people that you wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to. I just find peace in that.”
A native of Hilo, Hawaii, Benito is the son of the late Clarence and Leilani Benito. His parents would be proud.
Kaj Kellgren
Vice President of Student Advisory Council
Coming to BYU-Hawaii nor serving as Vice President of the Student Advisory Council was ever part of Kaj Kellgren's plan. "I honestly never pictured myself coming to BYU-Hawaii," said Kellgren. After graduating from high school in the Salt Lake City area, he attended the University of Utah before serving an LDS mission in the Lubbock Texas mission. Upon his return he attended Salt Lake Community College.
One of his friends from Utah was getting married to a girl in Laie, so he and a couple of friends from Hawaii came for the wedding and stayed a week. They liked it so much they planned to return and live for a few months. "I had already applied to school," said Kellgren, "because I didn't want to come here and just do nothing." The friends backed out of the plan, but Kellgren said, "the more I thought about it, the better I felt." So he came to school at BYU-Hawaii (what semester and year?)
It was through a fellow student political science major that Kellgren first heard about student government service opportunities. Although at first he didn't think he was qualified to apply to be a student leader, he decided to apply anyway.
He is no stranger to service. While attending Salt Lake Community College he participated in a service learning project as part of a math class. "At first I thought I was too busy," said Kellgren, "because I was working full-time and going to school full-time. I didn't think I could fit it in. But I decided it would be a good experience that might be helpful in the future."
Time spent in Mexico City as a teenager, along with two summers in Tonga, a family trip to Denmark, and a summer in Paris have all helped him get to know and serve people from other cultures and countries. As he filled out the student leader application form, he could see that his past experience was exactly what was wanted.
One of his goals as Vice President of Student Advisory Council is to help international students work through the challenges of being in a university environment for the first time. "I know it can really be frustrating, scary, and just a different experience for somebody to come to a university setting who's never been here before," said Kellgren. "That was me when I went from high school to a university."
If there is one piece of advice Kellgren would share with others, it is to not be afraid of taking opportunities as they come because of feelings of fear or inadequacy. "It's so important to go with an attitude that there are no limitations," said Kellgren. "You don't have to be the smartest person in the world, but as long as you are just obedient and do your best, with whatever comes your way, then you achieve a lot more than you could ever imagine."