Eli Samuel Holmes

Celine Duffau, an assistant professor in psychology, shares about her life, pursuits, and interests.

As BYU–Hawaii concludes another remarkable semester, the university celebrates the accomplishments of its newest graduating class—students who have learned, served, and grown in this unique ʻāina at the crossroads of the Pacific.

Over the summer of 2025, a group of BYU–Hawaii students from the Office of Customer Experience found a creative way to further the mission of the university. Due to campus renovations, losing access to the Seasider Snackbar was inevitable as a result of the Aloha Center closing. “We wanted to provide students with another option for food on campus,” shared Losaline Uhila, a senior from Tonga studying hospitality and tourism management and the lead student on the project, “so we thought, ‘why not a food truck?’”

The Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship held the annual Great Ideas Competition, providing students with an opportunity to bring their businesses to life while solving real-world problems across Asia and the Pacific. This year’s Great Ideas Competition was definitely one to remember. The contestants passionately shared their projects and radiated confidence in their solutions to the problems they hoped to overcome.

Earlier this month, BYU–Hawaii students traveled to Korea to present their original research on an international stage during the 2025 World Congress on Kinesiology & Sport Science conference focused on healthy living. Accompanied and mentored by professors Joel Reece and Ben Chase, the students gave it their all in sharing their findings and competing to win alongside representatives from various other universities.