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Elder Michael and Sister Annene Hogge, education missionaries at BYU–Hawaii, shared the steps to deepening the roots of an eternal character on the August 25, BYU–Hawaii devotional. Standing side by side with arms around each other, Elder & Sister Hogge took turns sharing a message gleaned through a lifetime learning.

First Term has begun at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, introducing the first full school year under the new academic calendar, and administrators say they can already see the benefits. Some of the positive outcomes reported are facilities being utilized year-round, an increase of parents in attendance at orientation with their children, more than 1,250 First Term students were able to continue their studies, and the university is offering more credits in 2009 than in 2008. Vice President of Academics Max Checketts said that facts already show the university’s three main objectives created under the direction of President Steven C. Wheelwright are being accomplished because of the new academic schedule, which are:

With extra seats arranged on the sides of the auditorium and people filling up another room, the Laie Hawaii Temple Visitor’s Center was filled to the brim as Joe Ah Quin (pictured right), a Laie singing legend who once lost his voice for over two months, drew an overflow crowd when he performed at the August 2, Sunday evening musical fireside.

Elder Tad R. Callister, First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency and member of the Quorum of the Seventy, spoke at BYU–Hawaii's devotional on Tuesday, August 18, 2009. Callister, who was joined by his wife Kathryn, is a native of Los Angeles, California. He recently served as President of the Canada Toronto East Mission (2005-2008), and he and his wife are currently based out of New Zealand.

'Conversation with the President' with President Steven C. Wheelwright, which took place Thursday, August 20, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. to noon at the Aloha Center Mall, was a student-driven open forum—an informal setting. According to the event's Facebook page, 'Conversation with the President' allowed "students to have the chance to identify concerns here on campus and also to identify possible solutions with President Wheelwright."

Aaron Shumway (pictured right), a BYU–Hawaii alumnus, former adjunct professor, and son of former President Eric B. Shumway, spoke at BYU–Hawaii's devotional this past Tuesday, August 11, 2009, which was held at the Cannon Activities Center. Shumway, currently practicing law with Ashford & Wriston, began by recounting his strong ties to the university.

A new coach with a familiar face will lead the BYU–Hawaii women's softball team into the 2009-2010 season. Scott Lowe (pictured top) will add to his duties as both the Assistant Athletic Director and the Sports Information Director at BYU–Hawaii and take the reins of the softball team for the upcoming season. Lowe was named to the position after Jackson Mapu, BYU–Hawaii softball coach for the past ten years, retired earlier this summer.

Robert Grow expounded upon the example of the Brother of Jared and his relationship with the Lord at a BYU–Hawaii Devotional on August 4. "I love the story of the Brother of Jared because it is the story of a great man, with great faith, who loves the Lord but also feels paralyzing fear when faced with an overwhelming challenge," said Grow, founding Chair Emeritus of Envision Utah and chief consultant of Envision Laie (pictured top). "It is the story of how the Lord leads him through that fear until he exercises greater faith than any prior mortal. His experiences teach us the process the Lord uses in our lives to overcome our fears and help us act with faith."

Brigham Young University–Hawaii Biology students Daniel Ka’onohi and Keone Young (pictured top) are knee deep in a three-year long mentoring program provided in conjunction with Brigham Young University in Provo, BYU–Hawaii, and a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Last year Professors Dr. David Bybee of BYU–Hawaii and Dr. Michael Whiting of BYU joined forces to take a group of biology students from both institutions to Papua New Guinea, a remote and relatively unstudied region of the southwest Pacific. "We decided that we could get a collaboration going," explained Bybee. "Whiting, an entomologist, would do the rain forest work, I, a marine biologist, would do the coral reef work, and the students we brought with us would get valuable field work experience in both terrestrial and marine environments."

The new BYUHSA presidency is now in place and working hard to better the school. Alma Fonua, senior in international business management from Utah, is the new president. He ran for the presidency because, "it was almost like I was prepared for this position. I kind of felt like I was almost obligated, like I needed to reach out to more people on a wider scale." Now he’s working toward accomplishing the promise of 'peace by piece' he made during his candidacy. According to Fonua, "It is about helping others and going forth to serve and fulfilling the prophecy. But we also wanted to focus also on the individual person, how you can grow individually and fulfill your own potential in becoming more like your Heavenly Father."

Working first as a club president and then becoming BYUHSA president during this past academic year has given Hemaloto Tatafu (pictured right) the confidence to do things he never thought he would do.

BYU–Hawaii First Lady Margaret Wheelwright was the first devotional speaker for First Term 2009, held Tuesday, July 28, at the BYU–Hawaii Cannon Activities Center. She was introduced by her husband President Steven C. Wheelwright as an eternal companion, a sweetheart, and an incredible mother.

On June 23, about 225 residents attended a community meeting as a follow-up to the surveys and workshops conducted in April, and to provide additional public input. On June 30, nine members of the City of Honolulu's Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) submitted changes to the City's land use plan in support of Envision Laie proposals. These proposed changes include expansion options for BYU–Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center, the relocation of housing designations to Malaekahana with sufficient unit numbers to address pent-up demand and growth, and village centers in Laie and Malaekahana.

The BYU–Hawaii distance learning program that began in Spring Term 2008 has since gone international. This program was designed to help prospective students that are denied admission to BYU–Hawaii due to low English scores or to students that are offered admission but lack the funds to enter school during that semester. The program also enables participating students to have some credit before coming to BYU–Hawaii, and encourages students to learn American academic style prior to arriving on American shores.

Richard D. McBride, faculty member in BYU–Hawaii's the History Department (pictured at right with student), is one of a few in the Unites States who can read both ancient Chinese and ancient Korean. McBride came to BYU–Hawaii last year, and he specializes in Asian, Chinese, and early Korean history.

"We have been going through a process of recruitment,” said BYU–Hawaii’s Social Work Department Chair John Reeves, citing a newly produced brochure as well as marketing attempts toward local high schools. “A large number of students are undecided when they arrive on campus,” he said. “We want to offer social work as a viable option.” (Pictured top: students engrossed in a lecture)

International Cultural Studies-Anthropology and Pacific Island Studies Professor, Doctor Tevita Ka’ili (pictured top) was one of thirty anthropologists from all over the world invited to attend a conference on Indigenous Anthropology at Oxford-Brooks University in Oxford, England, from June 14 through 18. Ka’ili presented a paper that he wrote, titled, ‘Anthropologizing Indigeneity and Indigenizing Anthropology.’ His theory was, “People in the Pacific are engaged in rearranging time and space to create harmony, symmetry and beauty.”