Campus Community

One of the most prominent displays on BYU–Hawaii’s Laie campus is the large tile mosaic showcasing an American flag raising ceremony on February 7, 1921, attended by then Elder David O. McKay and Hugh J. Cannon. The two were on assignment from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to visit members of the Church throughout the world when they stopped in Laie. It was at this flag raising that Elder McKay saw an institution of higher learning that would bring students together from all across the globe, and then send them back as learners, leaders and builders in their respective countries.

This weekend, the BYU–Hawaii Music and Theatre Department will present a musical production of Little Women. The story portrays the love shared between four sisters and their mother, battling through tragedy, loss, and tests of strength.

Spirit Week begins Monday, February 11, with “Seasider Red Day.” Students, faculty and staff across campus donned red apparel to honor the birthday anniversary of BYU–Hawaii. Daily activities along with campus-wide dress themes will take place all week. Spirit Week is a series of events highlighting the ground breaking of the Church College of Hawaii, now BYU–Hawaii, that occurred on February 12, 1955, by David O. McKay.

Drawing from several influential philosophers, Dean Phillip McArthur presented an engaging address on language and the challenges and opportunities it presents with regard to meaning. The address was the 2013 annual David O. McKay Lecture which welcomed hundreds of students and others from the campus community to the Cannon Activities Center to listen to McArthur and his remarks entitled, "Shadows, Curtains, and a Shiny Canoe...to Consider (earnestly) the Uncertainty of Meaning.”

On January 21, 2013, Ryan Chaffin launched his company NFNT, pronounced infinite, showcasing a product called The Big Face Woody, a light-weight, durable and eco-friendly bamboo wood watch. Chaffin is a senior at BYU–Hawaii, studying finance, but has always had a love for entrepreneurship.

The McKay Foyer overflowed with students, professors, faculty, and Rotarians including Chet Dal Santo, district governor of the Rotary Club 5000, and Susan Case, Rotary Club of Honolulu President, as the BYU–Hawaii Rotaract Club held its first official meeting.

In appreciation of BYU–Hawaii’s blood contributions, Aaron Knapp, the director of donor services at Blood Bank Hawaii, presented the members of the service team and the Director of Student Leadership, Activities and Service David Lucero with an Award of Excellence.

“Living by faith is not living blindly, but living in such a way to experience and know what is real. The knowledge gained by exercising faith is not abstract and impersonal, but experiential and lived knowledge.” This was the message shared by Sister Jennifer Lane, Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum, concerning living a life that is bound to faith and knowledge in her Devotional address, “Faith in the Redemption,” on Tuesday, January 15, 2013.

Effective this semester (Winter 2013) there has been a split in the Fine Arts department. It is now divided into two separate departments: Visual Arts, and Music and Theater.

When a construction project reaches its highest building point, the milestone is often commemorated with a ceremonial ‘topping’ or ‘capping’ of the building. BYU–Hawaii’s new multi-use building reached this point in December and celebrated the milestone with students, faculty, staff, contractors and community members on Thursday, December 13, 2012.

Someday, Oahu’s Koolau and Waianae mountains will be reduced to nothing more than a flat, low-lying island like Midway.

On Tuesday, December 11, nine students studying Finance presented to fellow students and community members on market trends and their investment projections. Splitting the presentations into different segments, they addressed what is happening on the world level, and more specifically in Europe, North America, Indonesia, China, and Australian markets, as well as what is currently happening in the banking and financial, communication, entertainment, and technology sectors.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will address more than 270 BYU–Hawaii graduates who will be participating in commencement on Saturday, December 15, 2012. The exercises will begin at 9:30 AM in the Cannon Activities Center.

On December 7 and 8, 2012, the Brigham Young University–Hawaii Concert Choir and the

As part of the IT 224 class, BYU–Hawaii Information Technology students host a free computer diagnostic workshop for students and community. The workshop provides the opportunity for students and community members to bring in troubled electronics for IT students to examine them and help to resolve the problems.

On Wednesday, December 5th, 2012, at 6 PM, Brigham Young University–Hawaii will host its annual Christmas Lighting program in the Cannon Activities Center. The event will include special musical performances from Laie Elementary School’s students and faculty and brings the community together.

BYU–Hawaii held its annual Great Ideas Conference on November 28-29 with more than 60 students from all disciplines bringing their best business ideas forward. Each student has exactly 2 minutes to give an “elevator pitch” of their Great Idea to a panel of judges who ranked the ideas on criteria such as creativity, viability, and performance.

Fifth-ranked BYU–Hawaii women’s volleyball will play host to seven other contenders in the West Regional of the 2012 NCAA Division II National Tournament. The host location and teams were announced Sunday, November 18, on the NCAA Selection Show. The tournament matches will take place in BYU–Hawaii’s 4,500-seat Cannon Activities Center on the Laie, Hawaii, campus on November 29-December 1.