“I had a feeling that this is where I belonged.”
For Bailee Atkins, a senior from Palmer, Alaska, majoring in social work, that feeling would lead her thousands of miles from her home all the way to Brigham Young University–Hawaii, and would shape a journey filled with faith, service, and personal growth.
A Foundation of Faith
Growing up, Atkins said that she always had a foundation of faith. “I have had the privilege of growing up with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a heavy influence in my life,” she shared. “I attended seminary in high school with some of my best friends and learned so much from my seminary teacher, Brother Davidson, who taught me that questions about the gospel weren’t supposed to scare me but create motivation to pray on my own and search the scriptures.”
However, it wasn’t until she attended BYU–Hawaii in her freshman year that she finally understood the meaning of conversion. “At the time I was taking Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel with Sister Marcum, where I had the opportunity to learn and analyze The Living Christ,” Atkins said. “Through study and prayer, I was thankful to understand the gospel and develop a love for it.”
She was then endowed later that same year, and continued her conversion through teaching in Sunday School, and participating in the Church in any way she could. This, she said, marked a new beginning for her.
Growth Through Academics
When asked what experiences impacted her the most in her academic journey at BYU–Hawaii, she alluded to several different things but ultimately landed on her major and minors. “I speak very highly of the social work program at BYUH and that is simply because the faculty who choose to teach the students are the best people I have ever met,” she explained. “In each course that I had taken within social work I was continuously learning more about myself and how I interact with others.”
“Every moment, every class, and every lesson was taught in love and assurance that this field is where I belonged,” she shared. “My professors taught me how to be a better person, and I will credit everything I do in my career to them. I learned empathy, compassion, strength, accountability, curiosity, and so much more from each of them.”
When it comes to her minors of psychology and music, she said that they also played a huge role in her growth. Psychology helped her build a foundation for understanding different populations, and although the courses were some of the most rigorous she took, they proved valuable in preparing her to work with and support clients. Her music minor, on the other hand, pushed her to step outside of her comfort zone and develop confidence in herself.
Applying Skills Through Internship
Bailee Atkins is currently interning with Utah Foster Care in Murray, where she supports foster families and helps create safe, caring environments for children in need. “Being a foster parent is difficult,” she said. “Utah Foster Care focuses on those foster families and always strives to help, heal, and enrich the lives of abused and neglected children.”
Atkins works with retention services, including care communities, which are designed to provide foster families with the support they need. “These are communities that are created to provide help to those foster parents in whatever they may need,” she said. Through her internship, Atkins has also had the opportunity to meet with Abby Cox and other leadership from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, further expanding her professional experience.
She said the internship has allowed her to gain hands-on experience and apply what she learned in the classroom to real-life situations. “Being able to see the direct impact of support and advocacy has been one of the most meaningful parts of my internship,” Atkins said.
Strengthening Discipleship at BYU–Hawaii
Bailee Atkins said her time at Brigham Young University–Hawaii has not only shaped her academically and professionally, but spiritually as well. “My time at BYU–Hawaii has helped strengthen my faith and my understanding of what it means to follow Jesus Christ,” she said.
Being surrounded by students striving to live the gospel encouraged Atkins to become more intentional in her own discipleship. “Through service, classes, and relationships with others, I have learned how Christlike attributes such as compassion, patience, and love can guide the way we treat people,” she said.
Atkins also shared that the diverse environment at BYU–Hawaii played an important role in her growth. “Meeting people from different cultures than my own has developed a deep understanding and humility towards others,” she said.
Through these experiences, Atkins said she has come to better understand what it means to follow Jesus Christ in everyday life. “My experiences here have reminded me that discipleship is not only about belief, but about action and how we care for others,” she shared.
She added that BYU–Hawaii helped her see how her faith connects directly with her future career. “BYU–Hawaii has helped me see how my faith and my future profession can work together in serving others,” Atkins said.