Campus Community

Students, faculty and staff of BYU–Hawaii filled the Cannon Activities Center on Tuesday, September 20, to gather for the semester’s first campus devotional with President Steven C. Wheelwright and his wife Margret. After Sister Wheelwright’s introduction emphasizing how much education can impact a person’s life, President Wheelwright welcomed everyone to the University and encouraged everyone to make weekly devotional attendance a priority in their schedules (Devotionals are held each Tuesday at 11 AM in the Cannon Activities Center).

“The focus of my book is to talk about the aloha spirit, because the aloha spirit to me means peace” says Dr. Ishmael Stagner, a former BYU–Hawaii professor who recently released a book about the history of Hula.

One of the best things college students can do to prepare themselves for life after graduation is to network. Career Services at BYU–Hawaii is expanding their CareerConnect program into countries in the university’s target area to help international students build their network before graduation. CareerConnect takes a group of students to meet with companies and learn more about the career opportunities they have after they graduate. Past cities include Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Dallas, TX; Washington DC, and many more. In early September, CareerConnect took 17 BYU–Hawaii students on the program’s first international trip to the Philippines where they met with 14 different companies.

Brigham Young University-Hawaii women’s tennis player Hewenfei (Elwen) Li Boud has been named one of nine finalists for the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Boud, the ITA Senior Player of the Year, is one of only three finalists from Division II of the NCAA.

The campus community met together for the annual University Ohana Meeting on Friday, September 9. Faculty, staff, missionaries and volunteers all met in the McKay Auditorium for the annual gathering ahead of the Fall 2011 semester. President Steven C. Wheelwright opened the presentation with a report on visits to Asia and the Pacific over the summer months. With the plan of expanding the campus, the university is seeking more prospective students who can come to campus prepared to “Learn, Lead, and Build”. “We want to expand the number of applicants to the university and eventually expand the number of students as we are able,” said President Wheelwright. University leaders met with over 7,000 youth and young single adults on trips to target areas in Asia and the Pacific during the past two months.

The world of finance is changing. With these changes, the business management department at BYU–Hawaii is working to prepare their students to be among the most competent and competitive as they enter this ever-shifting world.

“Our cultural differences are good, as we understand them and learn to appreciate and integrate them, we can get closer to the culture of Christ,” were the thoughts of professor Kevin Castle, as he mused on the diversity that exists at BYU–Hawaii.

James E. Hallstrom, bishop of the Kailua First Ward and a lifetime Oahu resident, addressed a capacity gathering of students and faculty at BYU–Hawaii’s weekly campus devotional on August 23, 2011. Brother Hallstrom attended BYU–Hawaii when it was Church College of Hawaii and opened his remarks by expressing gratitude for being able to speak in the McKay Auditorium because it was the same place where devotionals were given when he was attending Church College of Hawaii.

The impact of and purposes for the 2012 academic calendar were the main topics of discussion at a forum for students and employees held on Thursday, August 18. Students and employees met with BYU–Hawaii Vice President for Academics Max Checketts in the Aloha Center for an information session on the new academic calendar structure. The event, organized by BYUHSA Student Advisory Council, was planned to provide a space for BYU–Hawaii students and employees to have an open discussion with Brother Checketts and the Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum, Jennifer Lane.

If given the chance to travel to an island in the South Pacific, most would immediately think of it as a vacation. For students majoring in biology, however, it was anything but a holiday.

President H. Ross Workman, the President of the Laie temple, began his devotional address with the story of a young man preparing to graduate. President Workman’s August 16th devotional was entitled, “They Rejected the Heavenly Gift, Would You?’ The young man wanted a sports car for his graduation present. When his graduation day came, he was expecting the present because of his father’s wealth. He opened a small box and saw a bible. He rejected the gift from his father and was angry with him because he did not get what he wanted. He had not seen his father for many years and had a family of his own. His father passed away and he went back to the house. He saw the Bible that he had been given and noticed that Matthew 7:11 had been highlighted. A key to the sports car he had asked for then fell out of the Bible. He had rejected the gift that he had wanted without knowing it. He had felt a tremendous amount of regret because he had also rejected his father.

Ronald L. Johnson’s August devotional was entitled, "What Part Will You Play on The Stage of Life?" Johnson, and his wife are service volunteers at BYU–Hawaii. He began his devotional by speaking about the peace that Christ brings to people’s lives. He said, “The gospel of Christ is the gospel of peace.”

Students are following the prophecy to “establish peace internationally,” given by David O. McKay, as the enrollment for the International Peace Building Certificate (IPB) increases. Students of all majors are looking for ways to further build peace, and this certification is preparing them for that.

Students crowded into the McKay Auditorium for Elder Richard Draper’s talk, entitled, "My Five Top Least Favorite Scriptures and What They Teach Me." The July 26 devotional was so full in the auditorium that more than 200 students had to watch from the Aloha Center Ballroom since the Cannon Activities Center is closed for renovations. Draper is a service missionary who teaches Religion on the BYU-Hawaii campus. Draper taught for 22 years at the BYU Provo Department of Ancient Scripture. He is the author of 7 books and over a hundred articles.

A group of BYU–Hawaii students spent a recent Saturday morning playing games with and getting to know residents of a local assistant living community. The event, organized by BYU–Hawaii Student Association (BYUHSA), brought a large group of students to the Ponds at Punaluu for a morning of bingo, a talent show and visiting. With more than 25 students showing up on a Saturday morning in the summer term, the activity was considered a success.

The skies were clear, the water was calm, the crew was ready, and it was time. The 57-foot, nine-ton traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe Iosepa was put to sea once again, to fulfill its purpose as a floating classroom on May 2, 2011, amongst a crowd of community members, students, faculty and others.

Elder Jerry Wilson’s devotional entitled, “The Character of God,” focused on the characteristics of Heavenly Father and the “Lectures on Faith.” Elder Wilson began his July 5th devotional by advising students to, “be careful of what you allow in your knowledge bases, from the world…Please know that you have plenty of examples of those who sought advanced degrees all the while deepening their faith in God in the process.”

Adding practical experience to classroom learning is a critical feature to a total education at BYU–Hawaii. In a genuine effort to reach this ideal, the Political Science Department and gracious supporters of Brigham Young University-Hawaii offered political science majors a chance to intern with various government offices and ministries of the Cook Islands, part of BYU–Hawaii’s target area. Students gained experience while participating government offices received quality work, building key relationships for further learning and employment opportunities in the future.