“The paper began as almost an experiment in journalism, but it became a reflection of the intellectual caliber of BYU–Hawaii students,” said alumnus Sean Ransom of the Honors journal Hokuloa. This year’s edition, with the theme “Lost in the Shadows” began collecting entries last semester. It normally publishes an issue in Fall and Winter semesters.
Hokuloa: The Morning and the Evening Star is an honors journal of thought with the purpose of providing a platform of publication for student writing that is intellectually based. The content is essays, an essay being defined as a non-fiction piece of prose that works out an idea. It can be a pet topic that students feel passionate about, or it can be something they have been researching in one of their classes. This does not, however, limit the nature of the submissions. Creative or personal essays are accepted as well. “I think students need to have the experience of being published,” said Randal Allred, faculty advisor for the publication. “Among other things, it gives them a marketing chip when they go for graduate school or employment.”
The Hokuloa is an official publication of the Honors Program at BYU–Hawaii, but it didn’t start that way – it began with a student. Sean Ransom was fresh off an internship with what was then the biggest paper on Oahu, the Honolulu Advertiser. He had a passion for journalism and wanted to continue it on campus, so the idea came to make a publication that allowed for free writing but was university based. After assembling a faculty advisory board, and finding a host family of sorts in the Honors Program, the project was allowed to move.
In the beginning, it was what Ransom called “pure journalism” at first, stories that may not have had attention in other places: an army ranger’s view on being a peacemaker, the value of myths in modern culture, the formation of a testimony. The venue allowed for more than just good reporting, though. “The purpose began to change very quickly, students found an outlet for their thoughts and the publication began to be extremely intellectual.” said Ransom. “The idea of expressing your own thoughts in an academic way began to take hold.”
The journal has been in a staple in the Honors Program ever since. Some examples of previous submissions include a piece about the effects of divorce on the life of a student, or a professor wrote a “crusade” against the use of traditional male names for females and visa versa. The intended audience is the campus community, with a focus on the Honors students. Other articles have included a pacifist’s reflections on how much he enjoyed playing “paintball” combat, analyses of Shakespeare works, why Mormons celebrate Christmas, dealing with disturbing material in fiction, Columbus’s legacy, the import of learning in a gospel context, the horrors of habanero peppers, surfing’s spiritual roots, and many more. More recent issues also include photography and student-designed covers.
The effect on students is significant, "It has been an enriching experience to participate in the gathering of magnanimous ideas and creative essays to share with the University community" said current editor-in-chief Hedi Lelle, "I have looked forward each year to participate in the editing process and in helping to portray the vast academic abilities of our students."
Students who submit are not just English majors or Honors students. “That is the beauty of it-students from all majors submit their thoughts,” said Allred. “There is really no publication for that (other than ours) and the Hokuloa tries to fill that niche.” Allred adds, “A broad range of international students have published in this, too, including those from the Philippines, Mexico. Tonga, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea, China, and many others.”
And beyond getting published as undergraduate students, the journal allows students to intertwine their spiritual and secular knowledge. “The beauty of a [Latter-day Saint] Church school is that you can learn and express philosophy alongside spirituality,” said Ransom. “As one grows in knowledge of the world, it gives your spiritual knowledge texture, deepens it, and strengthens it.”
Copies of the Journal will be available in the English department next week.