Carrie Collingridge

Online classes are an option for students who are already attending BYU–Hawaii and live on the island, and students who are preparing to attend. Students can register for online classes in the same way that they register for all their other courses, but should note that the online classes are the 300 and 301 section courses. The online department is located in the back of the Mac Lab to the left of the library entrance on BYU–Hawaii campus. Mike Griffiths, Director of BYU–Hawaii Online, said, "Each semester we are building new classes. Our first priority is to create online general education classes for on-campus students, and online EIL classes to help students prepare to come to campus."

BYU–Hawaii's Social Work curriculum has recently changed, and with the university’s new academic calendar of two semesters and three terms, students in the program can now graduate in three years.

Louie Kaman is a sophomore in accounting from Papua New Guinea, where he is the chief son of a tribe called Kwika, which has 10,000 people. "We have 800,000 people [in Papua New Guinea] and we speak 860 languages, but I only speak five," said Kaman. His native language is Kuma; he learned English and Motu in school, and picked up Simbu and New Guinea pidgin socially. "New Guinea Pidgin is useful because you can speak it on the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu," Kaman said. Kaman is the fifth of seven biological and three adopted siblings. Kaman will be taking his dad's place as chief, after his father dies, though Kaman is working with him already. "The first thing you have to do is know 10,000 names. I've known them since my early life, so it’s easy," he said.

The BYU–Hawaii Alumni "Meet and Greet" took place in the McKay Auditorium of the BYU–Hawaii campus earlier this month. It was homecoming week; a time to welcome alumni home, noted Corbin Thomander, the BYU–Hawaii alumni manager. "It's a reception; something to say thank you. The purpose is to show school spirit and come back to the university," said Thomander. Originally from California, Thomander graduated from BYU–Hawaii in 2002 with a major in business; he now lives in Hauula with his wife and daughter.

Viktor Bezhani plays center-midfielder on BYU–Hawaii's soccer team and is less than a handful of students at the school from Albania, located in Southeast Europe between Greece and the Adriatic Sea, with a population of 3.6 million. "It's too far, it's on the other side of the globe," he said.

BYU-Hawaii's Student Association has welcomed new leaders to their team for 2010. The purpose of the BYUHSA representatives is to act as a voice for the students to the faculty and staff and to take action on the issues that are brought to attention. "I am basically a representative for the student to administration," said Manny Alboroto, vice president for BYUHSA. "The main responsibilities for me as VP of SAC (Student Advisory Council) is to be available for students to come and talk to me when they need help with issues they might be going through as a student in the university. I am the guy finding the way to help students out."

BYU–Hawaii's new Physician's Assistant, Aaron Jensen (top), is a graduate of the school. "I went to elementary, high school and college here, and now I work here," he said. Jensen earned a master's degree in Health Science from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. "[After college] I was in plastic surgery for a year and I enjoyed it," Jensen said.

The Reading and Writing Center at Brigham Young University–Hawaii can be a valuable resource for students. Dafka Yadamsuren, sophomore in social work from Mongolia, said, "I go there for help with writing my papers. It is really helpful to me."

Brigham Young University–Hawaii's first devotional of 2010 will be led by the President of BYU–Hawaii, Steven C. Wheelwright, tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12, at 11 a.m., at the Cannon Activity Center. President Wheelwright's devotional will be entitled "Integrity: Honoring Our Word."