Campus Community

Because many people associate pineapples with Hawaii, Dr. Max L. Checketts, BYUH Vice President for Academic Affairs, used the imagery to create an easy-to-remember representation initiatives and objectives derived from the university's two-fold mission and imperatives:

Much better than a promise, James Ritchie gave a guarantee for a successful and happy life during his devotional address October 21. Ritchie, the director of the BYU-Hawaii Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship, said following his six-step formula—which includes working hard, getting up early and preparing for Church service—is secured by scriptures and prophets alike.

As part of Brigham Young University Hawaii's ongoing reorganization, the former Center for Instructional Technology and Outreach (CITO) has split into three functional areas:

The Brigham Young University Hawaii administration has adapted the counsel of Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to rely more on councils in planning and decision-making at the university.

One glance at the Brigham Young University Hawaii campus, and it is easy to see that our students hail from around the world. We fly across oceans, deserts, and rainforests to this university to learn, to serve, and to share and explore our experiences with others. It is truly impossible to attend BYU-Hawaii without developing a new perspective. As we come to discover and appreciate better our global understanding, we form a tightly-knit, caring, and trusting community, uniquely and appropriately positioned in the cross-roads of the Pacific. Yet, despite the differences between us, we come to realize and celebrate that we often have more in common than not.

Ryan Anderson | University Relations | 14 October 2008


Part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is helping those around us who are in need, and we must help them to obtain our own salvation, taught Judge Robert Johnston, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Nevada, during his devotional address at BYU-Hawaii on October 14. His thoughts were centered on the idea that students should “reach out that we perish not.”

Judge Johnston used the words of King Benjamin to teach about spiritual death: “But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.”

Brigham Young University Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright [pictured on the right] and other members of the President's Council clarified inquiries on student wages, full-time faculty loads under the new academic calendar, the student demographic mix, distance learning and three new degrees, and other subjects at the monthly question-and-answer forum on October 10 in the Little Theater.

Publishing peace is a key element of the prophetic mission of BYU-Hawaii and it is now the focus of a new program offered through the David O. McKay Center for Intercultural Understanding. The International Peace Building Certificate is focused on helping students "publish" peace in the business and religious arenas through mediation and conflict management, explained Dr. Chad Ford, Director of the McKay Center and Associate Professor in International Cultural Studies.

Ryan Anderson | University Relations | 9 October 2008

Honesty, education, truth, and missionary work were a just a few of the topics addressed by BYU-Hawaii education professor Dr. Hiagi Wesley during his devotional address October 7. He told the students by putting God and the Church first in their lives they would “be following a more excellent way.”

Dr. Wesley, a convert to the LDS Church originally from Rotuma, opened his address by encouraging the students to follow a more excellent way, and he said, “To ensure that we can be partakers of that gift, the Savior declared: Come, follow me!  To truly acquire a more excellent way, we must be willing to follow line upon line, precept upon precept and live by every word which proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.”

Timely advice given by a panel of BYU-Hawaii professors echoes the warnings of President Gordon B. Hinckley, given a decade ago, almost to the day. These professors were the panelists at the School of Business Financial Crisis Forum and they encouraged students to stay away from debt and prepare for upcoming troubles. Such a pressing issue has the attention of many; the turnout for the forum was so large the event had to be moved from Aloha Center rooms 155 and 156 into the ballroom, and even then the over 300 attendees filled more than half the room.

To share great examples of hope during his devotional address September 30, BYU-Hawaii Vice President for Academics, exemplified his pioneer ancestors during his devotional address September 30. Dr. Max L. Checketts used his ancestor’s pioneer stories, and stories from the lives of Book of Mormon and Bible prophets, to teach how hope is the way “for us to overcome our adversity and challenges.”

Brigham Young University Hawaii will follow a new year-round academic calendar starting in January 2009 that features shorter winter and fall semesters with longer class hours, three terms over the spring and summer, and shorter breaks in between. The new schedule will enable a diligent student taking a full load to complete a bachelor's degree in three years.

Our faith will never be enough to get us all the way to the Savior, but, if we can get close enough to reach out our hand and ask for help, we are close enough for Him to reach out and meet us, explained Elder Keith R. Edwards of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, during his devotional at BYU-Hawaii on Sept. 23. He built his address around the idea that “faith is not built on minimums” and encouraged all in attendance to increase their faith by doing more than is expected of them.

Faculty, staff, students and volunteers continue to refine Brigham Young University Hawaii's on-line learning model and develop early distance learning courses that will better prepare incoming students, facilitate current students to take more classes and cost-effectively extend BYUH's reach well beyond the campus.

Perched atop the Mount of Olives overlooking the Holy City itself, Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies dominates the eastern skyline of perhaps the world’s most sacred cities. The center boasts beautiful arches that adorn its buildings constructed from Jerusalem limestone. An olive and wine press are nestled in gardens of flowers, olive trees, and vineyards, while an abundance of windows within gives way to terraces featuring breathtaking views overlooking the steep Kidron Valley, the Old City, and beyond to modern West Jerusalem. A fountain pouring water echoes across the marble floors, empowering mind and spirit, the center itself an inspiring beacon of cross-cultural understanding and tolerant peace.

BYU Hawaii alumnus David Ing presented a motivational lecture at the weekly Entrepreneurship Lecture Series on Thursday, September 11, 2008. Ing focused on the entrepreneurial prospects and skills by sharing his own personal experiences and insight on what it takes to prove successful not only in business, but also in life.

Developing a testimony of Jesus Christ, holding to the iron rod, and having a positive attitude was advice given to BYU-Hawaii students at the September 16 devotional by President George Kaluhiokalani, president of the Kaneohe, Hawaii Stake. He counseled students to use adversity to strengthen their testimonies rather than let it sour their experiences.

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