Campus Community

On April 19, 2011, EcoEffect radio (KGU-AM 760) featured students from BYU–Hawaii on its daily sustainability show. The show, “Charlene on Green” is hosted by Charlene Brown, a graduate from BYU (Provo), and focuses on household and organizational efforts to move toward a more sustainable community. BYU–Hawaii students Chad Jansrikesorn, Lani Harris, Molly Alofipo, and Theresa Holmes discussed various campus initiatives they have been involved in through employment and academics.

During the winter semester, BYU–Hawaii Marketing Research students participated in a consulting project with Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, and on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, the students presented their recommendations to Turtle Bay Resort executives, including the general manager and resort manager. The project dealt particularly with the Turtle Bay Escape Club and was given to students early in the semester with a Request for Proposal. Throughout the semester, students prepared a proposal, conducted and transcribed two focus groups, wrote and collected data on two surveys, and analyzed the data before presenting their findings and recommendations to the manager of the Escape Club. Dr. Lenard Huff, the Marketing Research professor, stated, "The general manager was so impressed that she wants to talk with us about setting up some permanent student internships for BYU–Hawaii students."

Approximately 380 students participated in the BYU–Hawaii commencement exercises on April 9, 2011. As the distinguished guest speaker, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared his vision of the future with graduates. The audience laughed at his observation, "There is good news and bad news," and listened intently to his hope for the future.

BYU–Hawaii President Steven Wheelwright unveiled the university’s new Framework for Student Learning with students in March 2011. Four sessions were held to accommodate students’ schedules and to create a more personal setting. Introducing the Framework, President Wheelwright passed out a case study, then broke the audience into groups of four to six people and asked the students to discuss the issue with a specific question in mind: “Why don’t students often learn what we plan for them to learn?”

LDS Life Launch-2, a seminar for members of the President’s Leadership Council and other donors, was held Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, on the BYU–Hawaii campus. “The seminar exceeded our expectations,” said Dr. Mark Matheson, seminar director. “The presenters came at their own expense and shared deeply moving stories of how God loves his children and cares for them through using people just like us. Many participants expressed that they won't be the same after this weekend.”

Often, when the average university student is asked what they want to do after graduation, they can provide a passionate explanation of their life’s dreams; however, further inquiries about specific strategies for fulfilling those dreams may result in a blank stare. Chances are that every student at BYU–Hawaii has desires to do something meaningful with their education, and further, with their lives. The challenge lies not with desire, but with opportunity and connections.

Students at BYU–Hawaii were mentored and inspired by successful people from all walks of life in the Empower Your Dreams conference held on campus on March 24 and 31.

1,000 paper cranes in the shape of a Japanese flag are displayed proudly in the Aloha Center at BYU–Hawaii. The flag, held up by another 1,000 paper cranes, is a symbol of the university’s support for the Japanese students and the people of Japan who have been affected by the recent natural disasters.

Kupuna, keikei, and everyone in between came together on Saturday, March 19, 2011, to celebrate the dedication of the new Malaekahana bike and pedestrian path. Over 500 people were in attendance at this momentous occasion. Members from the Kahuku and Laie communities, students from BYU–Hawaii and friends from around the island all gathered to witness the unveiling of the path.

On Sunday, March 27, the BYU–Hawaii men’s basketball team was welcomed home by cheering friends and family. Despite the results of the game, the team held their heads high in gratitude for having the great opportunity to represent their ohana, BYU–Hawaii. The final score was 68 – 71, Bellarmine University. Coach Ken Wagner was particularly proud of his team: “When the time called for it, they did the best they could. They were unselfish, and they played as a team.” The Seasiders made history as they became the first BYU–Hawaii team to play in the National Championship game.

Modern education has so many aspects entailed in it– lecture, theory, research, homework, tests, quizzes, and much more. Arguably though, the most important aspect of education is practical application –finding ways to put the knowledge gained into action. That is just what the students in Dr. Helena Hannonen’s Business Management 310 class are experiencing: the chance to use the skills learned in the course outside the classroom.

The BYU–Hawaii History Department has been the host of the Kenneth W. Baldridge Prize for 18 years. The prize is given during the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society Regional Conference in honor of the emeritus professor of history, Kenneth W. Baldridge, who taught at BYU–Hawaii from the 1960’s to 1993. Nominees for the award are submitted to BYU–Hawaii faculty judges and administrators and the winner is announced during the regional conference, hosted by the University of Hawaii–Manoa. The judges choose the historian with the best book published.

“There are few other activities we can engage in that will bring greater benefits to us than the daily, consistent study of the scriptures,” said Elder Michael John U. Teh of the First Quorum of the Seventy in his address to the BYU–Hawaii ohana on Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

The Final Four NCAA Division II men's basketball game between the BYU–Hawaii Seasiders and West Liberty University of West Virginia was televised to a national audience on CBS College Sports on Thursday, March 24. The Seasiders played an amazing game full of great rebounds, energy, and team work. After the game, Marcus Whippy commented, "Coach Wagner set the plan and the team did a great job executing it," upsetting the top-ranked and undefeated West Liberty. The final score was 110-101, with the Seasiders on top. BYU–Hawaii reached the Final Four game after beating Bloomfield College in an Elite Eight game on Wednesday, March 23.

The entire BYU–Hawaii ohana has felt the effects of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan and is united in their efforts to assist in any way possible to relieve the suffering of both the individuals in Japan and also the members of the university ohana who have been impacted by these disasters. “Our hearts go out to our Japanese students,” says Debbie Hippolite Wright, vice president for student development & services. “Our prayers and love are with them and we as a university ohana are doing everything possible to ensure that they are taken care of.”

Joining a youth community basketball team isn’t such a strange thing to do – unless walking into your teammate’s neighborhood means that you get pelted with rocks or urine-filled balloons. Your parents would probably be supportive of you joining the team – unless you had already lost them to AIDS. Basketball doesn’t usually connote the words peace or health – unless you play for PeacePlayers International. To individuals separated from their families, community members, or fellow countrymen by race, disease, religion, or politics, a dream of creating “peace internationally” is just that – a dream. That is why BYU–Hawaii was a perfect gathering place for PeacePlayers International managing directors and volunteers from South Africa, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, and the United States in February 2011.

The BYU–Hawaii SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) team won in the regional competition on Wednesday, March 16, in Honolulu and will be representing the campus in the National SIFE Expo in May. An annual series of regional and national competitions provides a forum for all SIFE teams to present the results of their projects, and to be evaluated by business leaders serving as judges. National champion teams advance to the prestigious SIFE World Cup. BYU–Hawaii has participated in the national competition each year since being organized 13 years ago and was in the top 10 in the U.S. the past two years.

“The only real training for leadership is leadership." This quote by English author Antony Jay can be found not only in words on the new Haumana Adventures website, but also in the development of the students who have initiated this new campus rental service. Many students have had the idea to start a rental service on campus, but one thing that makes BYU–Hawaii students Abram Wimmer, Felix Callejas, Adam Fox, and Jake Hansen unique is that their ideas have become more than just a brainstorm. Partnered with the Student Leadership & Honor staff and the Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship, the student team is utilizing and building their entrepreneurship and leadership skills with their fellow students in mind.