When Serafina Saui’a came to BYU-Hawaii in 1993 as a freshman from Samoa, she was not thinking about a military career. She wanted to serve a mission, and came to BYU-Hawaii because it was a Church school, and she had an older sister already attending.
But while taking a break from an economics class she ran into an Army recruiter in the hallway. It took six months for him to talk her into enrolling in the ROTC program at University of Hawaii, but at the beginning of her junior year she did enroll.
She had participated in the Junior ROTC program while in high school, learning leadership traits such as how to take charge and to work as part of a team. “It was the most beneficial class I ever took,” said Captain Saui’a. She graduated from BYU-Hawaii in 1997 with a B.S. in Information Systems.
Now, after serving for 13 years in the Army, most recently in American Samoa as an Assistant Professor of Military Science, and commander of the 793rd Engineer Utility Detachment, she is back on Oahu to teach freshman and sophomore ROTC classes on the BYU-Hawaii campus. (watch video clip )
“Learning the skills taught in ROTC classes,” said Captain Saui’a, “ will help any student become a better citizen of whatever country they live in.” According to Captain Saui’a, those who serve in the military do so to preserve freedom, and to keep peace in whatever country they serve.
The classes will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. One class period a week will be held on the BYU-Hawaii campus; another will be held on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Transportation will be provided to the University of Hawaii campus.
Classes will include instruction in leadership traits and attributes, time management, Army values, and how to accomplish tasks. They will also offer physical fitness training three times a week on campus as part of the instruction.
The classes are open to all students—no matter what their major or nationality is. “The focus of the classes,” said Captain Saui’a, “is on leadership development, building character and self-esteem, working as a team member, and becoming physically fit.”
For more information about ROTC classes go to: http://www.hawaii.edu/armyrotc/
For BYU-Hawaii class registration go to: http://apps.byuh.edu/catalog/2007-2008/Academic_Departments_&_Programs/Directory/ROTC.php
