As recently as four years ago, only one BYU-Hawaii international student filled an internship, but for the past three years — thanks to the generosity of Gene and Allyson Yamagata of Las Vegas, who fund round-trip internship transportation to home countries and some other expenses — that number climbed to 102 in 2004 and is expected to exceed 250 by the end of this year.
At a special banquet in his honor on June 23, 2006, the BYU-Hawaii School of Business had its first opportunity to present Gene Yamagata with a belated crystal trophy in honor of receiving the 2005 Executive of the Year award in absentia for his outstanding business success and exceptional consideration.
After accepting the trophy, Yamagata handed BYU-Hawaii President Eric B. Shumway a check for $300,000 to continue funding the unique program that enables international BYU-Hawaii students to return home for practical internship experience.
"I am deeply honored, and feel inadequate in receiving the award," said Yamagata, who explained his parents emigrated from Japan about 1900 and he grew up working every day on their little farm near Jerome, Idaho. About the time Yamagata finished high school, he joined the Church through the influence of a neighbor, turned down a scholarship at the University of Idaho to attend Rick's College (now BYU-Idaho) and, after graduating, was called to serve a mission from 1957–60 in Japan. He credits his mission with the inspiration for associating with that country ever since and the founding of his Yamagata Corporation, a private holdings group that includes Forever Living Products franchises in Japan.
Yamagata thanks BYU faculty and stafffor tremendous job with program
Yamagata thanked the BYU-Hawaii faculty and staff "for doing a tremendous job in making this internship program successful. When I first came to the campus three years ago to participate in the program, there were only just a few students who were able to go. Now I see hundreds of students can go."
"I feel it's been a huge success for the university and for the students," he said, "and I'm especially thankful that I was asked to participate in helping students that need a little assistance in making their careers highly successful in their countries. I truly believe this is an inspired work of the Lord."
He also encouraged the students not to "hesitate to take the money...and go and accomplish your purposes and goals in your home countries," Yamagata said, adding he was "truly thankful to be a small part in assisting this program to go forward."
Internship and placement program directors recognized
President Shumway then recognized "two people on campus who have worked so diligently to make sure that the internship and the placement program works: Meli Lesuma ('87), BYU-Hawaii Director of Academic Internships and Kim Austin, our Director of Placement. Both of these people have made a tremendous impact for good over the years."
Next, Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve, who was in Laie to deliver the BYU-Hawaii commencement address the next morning, expressed the "gratitude of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to Gene and Allyson Yamagata. What you're doing has blessed so many, many lives."
Elder Scott compared the effects of their generosity to "just the beginning of putting yeast in the loaf: It's going to expand, and there will be many, many people blessed because of what you're doing."
"When you said, Brother Yamagata, that you have little part in this, it's like having the motor with no gasoline: Until you put the gas into it, nothing could run here with this program and this great vision," he continued.
"One of the key people was not mentioned today, [President] Eric Shumway. He's had this vision for a long time, and has been able to convince the officers of the Board [of Trustees], the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to support the idea," said Elder Scott, who is chairman of the Board's executive committee.
Elder Scott praises internship program that encourages return-ability
After speaking at a BYU-Hawaii commencement several years ago, Elder Scott recalled he felt sad to realize circumstances at that time did not make it possible for many of the graduates to return to their countries. "Now they have the opportunity, and I hope that every one of us here can help those who come from other lands to return to their country."
"When you're in your own country, when you're able to take back the skills, both spiritually and professionally, you have an opportunity to contribute that won't happen when you're persuaded by the song of materialism: Money and wealth is not where it's at, unless you use those resources wisely," he continued.
"When you return to your countries, when it's possible with this internship program, then not only do you bless yourselves but your children. You build the countries you're in and bless the Church. It has a growing, multiple effect. How grateful I am to see how well it's unfolding."
Elder Scott described Yamagata's early introduction to the homeland of his parents, which has made his generosity possible today, as "miraculous."
He then closed his remarks by invoking a priesthood blessing on the internship program — "a blessing that the resources can be provided to help materially, financially, [and with] human resources; and that everyone who cooperates in expanding this program can be guided by the spirit to perform the part you play effectively to bless lives."
"I especially invoke a blessing on those who are the beneficiaries of the program, that they will use that opportunity wisely and then continue to spread it forth to others," he added, noting many young men and women in the Church in some countries are under such intense pressure that they study instead of going to spiritual meetings so they can secure a place to get an education.
"With this internship program and all the rest that's here at BYU-Hawaii, they get the balance of spiritual guidance as well as professional capability. It's the spiritual center of the Yamagatas that made this generous gift possible. May the Lord bless you in the name of Jesus Christ," Elder Scott said.
Juniors/Seniors gain meaningful employment opportunities
Today, Lesuma confirms "the Yamagatas, who started donating to the program in 2003, are the main contributing factor to the increase" and explains the University's unique internship program enables international students at BYU-Hawaii to return to their home countries during their junior or senior year to gain valuable practical experience and help prepare them for meaningful employment opportunities back home after they graduate.
"The students are encouraged to prepare to do an internship when they first start school. There are two main reasons for this: Number one, this is a trend in higher education. Practical experience, or internships, are very highly sought after, for obvious reasons. Students are going into the workforce better prepared, disciplined, and productive."
"The second reason — and this is particularly true for our international students and the mission of BYU-Hawaii: Internships reconnect them with home countries, family and culture. These are the basic components of returnability, which need to be in place to help our students decide to go home after they graduate."
"About their junior year they need to come into the Career Center, where they can get help with their resumes, undergo pre-internship orientation, and also get help connecting with experience providers back in their home countries," says Lesuma, a former international student who worked for years in his native Fiji before coming back to BYU-Hawaii.
"We have a database of established links, especially in Pacific and Asian countries, for that very purpose. These links are very high-powered. In some cases, priesthood leaders in those countries drive these connections because everybody is trying to help our graduates return so they can help not just the Church but also their families and their communities."
Lesuma adds the students then meet with their academic advisors to determine the projected internships "supports their MAP, or major academic plans, and are relevant to their majors. They also complete paperwork, which has to clear through the International Student Office — to make sure student visas are in order; Housing, Financial Aids, Employment so their supervisors are informed; Insurance — to make sure they're covered while they're out there; and then register for the internship course. Every department has one built into their program. Most internships last about two months."
He adds the Asian and Pacific students qualify for round-trip transportation, which is funded through the Yamagata donations, and a few may also receive a living allowance. "We don't have too many of those requests, however, because many interns are staying at home," Lesuma says.
Students from almost all majors go on internships
He notes that students from almost all majors go on internship, "although some departments and disciplines mandate a particular type. Social Work majors, for example, will usually be attached to a social services agency or a nonprofit organization.
"We have a Church volunteer service internship where, based on requests from Priesthood leaders in those countries, we train the students to go and teach career workshops to the unemployed and underemployed. It's more of a service learning kind of internship, that is administered by the Employment Resource Services of the Church.
In addition to the crystal trophy, the School of business presented the Yamagatas with an 'umeke ka'eo — a "well-filled calabash, or in this case, a well-filled mind" — in appreciation for the students who are blessed through the internship program.
Following up on that theme, President Shumway — a 40-year veteran on campus — said over the years he realized his job "was to graduate students, but more than that, it dawned on me that my job was to help students get connected and find employment."
"Returnability is more than just returning back to your areas," he says. "Returnability means to have the ability to return and be successful, to find employment and be able to establish a family, to serve in the Church, and to carry on the responsibilities that any family person would have."