Campus Community

"Our unwavering purpose as a university is to help each of you become learners, leaders and builders," said President Steven C. Wheelwright in the opening Devotional of the winter semester at BYU–Hawaii. He focused his remarks on the second of the triplet - leadership - sharing first the vision of President David O. McKay about the students who study here.

With each semester, students graduate and leave, and new students come to BYU–Hawaii. The graduates move on to the next chapter of their lives, and the new students are just beginning their journey. Most come with few possessions – the bare essentials – all that would fit in their luggage. For many, a challenge arises: how to find and afford all the things needed to live.

“Many think that intelligence is fixed, and that whatever you are given, that is all you have to work with. I don’t worry about IQ – I choose to concern myself with people who want to expand their thinking,” says Dr. Morris Graham, BYU–Hawaii professor of Organizational Behavior and author of the new book Executive Thinking: From Brightness to Brilliance.

Elder Jeffery R. Holland urged students to live up to their potential at the BYU–Hawaii Commencement Exercises on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Approximately 225 students will participate in the upcoming BYU–Hawaii commencement exercises on Saturday, December 17, 2011. Addressing the graduates will be Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Elder Paul V. Johnson, the Commissioner of the Church Educational System and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. The event will be held at 9:30 AM in the George Q. Cannon Activities Center and will be streamed live online at http://tv.byuh.edu/livestream/livestream.php.

Making the transition to a college student can be a daunting, anxiety-filled experience during that first year. It is not uncommon for new students fresh out of high school, from a different country, or even coming back to school after a long absence to struggle with managing their academic requirements, social life, and future goals while living in Hawaii and attending this university. Homesickness, culture shock, and being unaware of the expectations required at BYU–Hawaii all can contribute to a stressful transition to campus and college life. A new online video series developed by students, faculty and staff at BYU–Hawaii is set to help with the transition to college life at the Laie, Hawaii campus.

Students and faculty filed into the CAC to hear Gary Cornia’s devotional centered on measuring one’s life as a child of God. Gary C. Cornia, Dean of the Marriott School of Business at BYU Provo, explained that there is a lot expected from each of God’s children. While nobody is perfect it is important to strive to live up to one’s potential.

The Polynesian Cultural Center celebrated an unforgettable occasion as they opened their doors to the new and improved Gateway Restaurant, during its grand opening on Thursday, November 10, 2011. The newly renovated Gateway restaurant showcases majestic Polynesian tradition and culture, set in a beautiful Hawaiian theme. The much anticipated completion of this restaurant made for a very successful event.

What is culture, and what impact does it have on ethical behavior?” This was one of the questions posed by Dr. Lee Radebaugh in his forum entitled “Behaving Ethically in a Global Economy: Does Culture Matter?” Dr. Radebaugh’s forum was presented by the BYU–Hawaii Student Chapter of the BYU Management Society. Dr. Radebaugh is an internationally recognized expert in ethics and leadership, and is the Whitmore Professor of International Business and Director of the Kay and Yvonne Whitmore Global Management Center and Center for International Business Education and Research at BYU in Provo, Utah.

With the international gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) happening in Hawaii on November 8-13, many BYU–Hawaii students were privileged to meet with dignitaries from around the world. One government head with ties to the Church and the university is the Prime Minister of Tonga, Lord Tu’ivakano, who made time to take the one-hour drive from Honolulu to Laie on Monday, November 14, and meet with students, faculty, and members of the Tongan community. The Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife, Lady Tu’ivakano, and by the Governor of Vava’u; Lord Fulivai.

As many of the leaders and officials from various nations gathered in Hawaii for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), several dignitaries gave some of their time to come and visit BYU–Hawaii. Among these leaders was Peter O’Neill, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Accompanied by his wife Lynda May Babao, the Prime Minister visited the Laie campus on Thursday, November 10, amid a very tight schedule of APEC-related meetings. Students from the university’s Hawaiian and Pacific Studies program greeted the visitors with a traditional Hawaiian chant, after which students from Papua New Guinea performed a cultural welcome of their native land. Following an official welcome to the university by Vice President for Academics Max Checketts, Mr. O’Neill addressed a gathering held in the David O. McKay Foyer.

BYU–Hawaii’s student body is the most international in the nation, with students from over 70 different countries – many of which are represented at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. APEC holds annual meetings to discuss ways to promote free trade and cooperation in the Pacific Rim. Twenty-one countries are involved, and this year the gathering was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 8-13, 2011. This unique situation afforded students a rare opportunity to meet the leaders of their countries, albeit far from home.

On Wednesday, November 16, 2011, the Music Department will present the ‘Evening of Concertos’ concert, with performers including BYU–Hawaii’s Concert Choir and seven soloists, accompanied by an orchestra comprised of both the Honolulu Symphony and BYU–Hawaii.

John C. Dalton, the Mission President of the Honolulu, spoke about the importance of each individual in his devotional address on November 8, 2011. He focused on missionary work and the worth of each person in the Lord’s work. He started by putting into perspective how many people are on the earth, demographers have recently discovered that there are over seven billion people in the world, then he reminded us that Heavenly Father sees each of his children; he loves them and expects great things from them.

On November 2-3, 2011, BYU–Hawaii’s Willies Center for International Entrepreneurship presented the “Great Ideas Exchange,” a campus-wide event that encourages students to come up with an idea from their chosen field and then share it with their peers and mentors.

After graduation, how does one get a job amongst so many others holding the same degree they do? Creating an edge that puts one ahead in the job hunt can be challenging, but there are ways to get the attention of employers even when the competition is high. These skills were discussed and taught at the International Institute of Professional Protocol (IIPP) Conference sponsored by the Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation (BBJFF).

This week, a select group of philanthropists and friends of BYU–Hawaii are gathering on campus and at the Polynesian Cultural Center for the annual Presidents’ Leadership Council meeting in Laie. Their purpose? To meet together with fellow donors, administrators, faculty, and students and build on their common interest in supporting both BYU–Hawaii and the PCC.

Visitors from all over the island and the world have flocked to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) to see this year’s Haunted Lagoon.