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The Brigham Young University Hawaii women's basketball team opened a new era in Seasider sports November 18 as they opened their inaugural season with a 77-67 loss to Oakland City. A crowd of over 600 fans cheered the Seasiders on in the first-ever BYU-Hawaii women's basketball despite seeing their team fall short on the scoreboard.

Elder Pita Vamanrav, a 1971 BYU-Hawaii alumnus and current Area Authority Seventy of Tonga for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, promised students at the Oct. 16 devotional that they will find a deeper meaning of charity through service.

BYU-Hawaii President Eric B. Shumway said Elder Vamanrav had distinguished himself as a student, athlete, Polynesian Cultural Center manager, Church leader and a "man of Christ [who] fits perfectly in the vision of David O. McKay, (former president of the Church) who declared that this school would produce 'leaders the world is hungering for...genuine gold.'"

UH president praises BYU-Hawaii for its Pacific island contributions

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 14 November 2006 The recently concluded American Money Group Asia Pacific Basketball Classic not only provided two nights of exciting action on the court but also helped fulfill BYU-Hawaii objectives in its target areas.

This year's tournament, held November 10-11 in the Cannon Activities Center, featured a team from Civil Aviation University of China in Tianjin and the national team of New Caledonia, which won the South Pacific Games title three years ago, versus Chaminade University, Hawaii Pacific University and, of course, our own BYU-Hawaii men's basketball team.

The BYU-Hawaii men's basketball team romped to a 101-57 victory over Civil Aviation University of China on November 11 in the closing round of the American Money Group Asia Pacific Basketball Classic

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 6 November 2006 Richard N. Holzapfel, Ph.D., author of numerous books and articles on Latter-day Saint Church history, doctrine and scripture, will present the BYU-Hawaii Department of Religious Education's thirteenth annual Joseph Smith Lecture Series this week, including:

• Wednesday, November 8, 7:30 p.m.: The Creation, The House of Israel and God's Rescue Mission; Stake Center North Chapel

 

• Thursday, November 9, 10 a.m.: Joseph Smith and the Power of Forgiveness; Cannon Activities Center

 

• Friday, November 10, 2:30 p.m.: The Prophet Joseph Smith and the Succession in Presidency: Wilford Woodruff's Testimony; Aloha Center 155/165

 

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 3 November 2006 The first annual 2006 International Business Conference, held on campus this past week, provided a unique opportunity for Latter-day Saint entrepreneurs and business owners to participate in a wide range of educational sessions while also familiarizing them with the mission of BYU-Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Following a five-day visit on October 21-25, a State of Hawaii Board of Education accreditation team issued their preliminary report indicating the BYU Hawaii School of Education U.S. licensing teacher education program meets the standards required of all such programs in Hawaii. The final seven-year accreditation report is expected in May 2007.

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 31 October 2006 The 2006 International Business Conference got underway on October 30 in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Hale Aloha amphitheater with a breakfast, Promo Team performance, welcoming chant by BYUH Hawaiian Studies Director "Uncle Bill" Wallace, and opening speeches by two prominent Latter-day Saint business leaders: Mark Willes, who spoke about being "taught from on high" and having a greater desire to give; and Sheri Dew, who delivered the keynote address on the leadership characteristics of prophets.

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 28 October 2006 Internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and best-selling author Andy Andrews will present one of the most interesting sessions at the 2006 International Business Conference — Traveler's Gift: The Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success. The conference, entitled "Creating Wealth in a Global Economy," will be held on campus from October 30 through November 4.

Internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and best-selling author Andy Andrews will present one of the most interesting sessions at the 2006 International Business Conference — Traveler's Gift: The Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success.

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 27 October 2006 One of the first BYU-Hawaii/Polynesian Cultural Center alumni to join the Presidents' Leadership Council told School of Business students on October 24 that if they want to be successful entrepreneurs, "it all comes down to you."

"Who's going to make you successful?" asked Joseph S. "Joe" Berardy ('89), President & CEO of DBI Hawaii. "My job is not to tell you that you should go out and work for a corporation; but the best thing I did when I left the Polynesian Cultural Center was to go into business for myself."

BYU-Hawaii Religion professor Aaron Schade showed Honors students in their October 18 colloquium how scholars relate ancient texts and inscriptions to scriptural connections.

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 17 October 2006 While television coverage of Big Island earthquake damage and Honolulu International Airport delays caused some of the mainland recruiters to stay home at the last minute, BYU-Hawaii students met with approximately 40 potential employers on October 17 in the Cannon Activities Center during the Fall Career Fair.

"In spite of all of that, we've had a good turnout today," said Kim Austin, BYU-Hawaii Director of Career Services. "We have some new employers here for the first time this year, including Target, the big accounting firm of Deloitte, Old Navy and First Command among others. Each year we're seeing more of the larger companies that want to come to our campus, and that's very exciting for us."

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 10 October 2006 The Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) organization, which is associated with the BYU-Hawaii School of Business, sponsored a financial education seminar on October 10 that focused on retirement planning.

Michelangelo "Miki" Domine — who grew up in Tonga, has family ties in Laie and is executive director for the American Money Group (AMG) in Covina, California — explained, "I'm not here to teach you how to get rich quick...but to try to educate you a little bit about financial planning, starting now. I'm hoping you'll have an epiphany — one of those ah-hah moments."

Justin Smith | University Advancement | 10 October 2006 American Money Group, Inc., a local financial services company, recently announced their sponsorship of the 2006 Asia-Pacific Basketball Classic at Brigham Young University Hawaii, November 10-11.

"The Asia-Pacific Basketball Classic is at the heart of BYU-Hawaii's international mission," stated CEO Frank Peck. "Our mission at AMG is to educate and enrich the lives of others, a mission statement shared by the university. We feel that partnering with BYU-Hawaii will assist in accomplishing these goals."

In addition to the American Money Group, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Joe and Caryn Morton (co-founder of Xango) were key contributors to this event.

Mike Foley | University Advancement | 9 October 2006 Elder Kent Watson, a volunteer service missionary who helped grow his public accounting firm in China into one of the largest operations of its kind in the world, recently shared with BYU-Hawaii School of Business students some of his successful experiences as well as the realities faced there.

Watson is the former Chairman and CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers in the People's Republic of China. He also twice served as a mission president in Taiwan and now volunteers in the BYU-Hawaii Career Center.