Name: Jeff Christensen
BYUH Employee since: 2019
My job at BYUH is... director for the Center for Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTM).
I grew up in... Farmington, New Mexico, USA.
I chose to teach at BYUH because... I love helping students recognize and reach their divine potential. I also feel a deep personal connection to the university... Hospitality is more than a career field to me. It is a revealed concept with biblical origins and deep spiritual roots. I love that BYU–Hawaii allows me to teach hospitality not only as a profession, but also as a way to bless individuals, families, and communities...I have seen firsthand how tourism can be a powerful force for good, and I love helping students understand and apply that potential, [allowing] me to help students from around the world develop the knowledge, confidence, and practical experience to strengthen tourism in their own home countries.
I'm currently working on... helping prepare Christmas Island, Kiribati, for its debut at the March 2027 Travel & Adventure Show, North America’s largest destination-to-consumer travel exhibition. I am also collaborating on hospitality and resort-development projects in Indonesia [to] create valuable opportunities for students to gain professional experience in guest-experience design, marketing, and destination development.
My favorite thing about teaching... is watching students recognize and reach their divine potential...It's rewarding to see students connect hospitality and tourism principles to the needs of their own countries and discover...that their culture, creativity, and perspective can create meaningful experiences and bless their communities; teaching becomes deeply rewarding.
The best-kept secret at BYUH is... how deeply the professors care about their students and how much they do behind the scenes to help them succeed. Students may not always see the time, personal sacrifices, mentoring, advocacy, and extra effort that faculty members quietly invest in their progress.
Best advice I've ever received about teaching... actually came from the Spirit. Content is important, but students learn best when they know their professor cares about them, believes in their potential, and is invested in their success... My role is not just to transfer information, but to help students discover what they can become.
My most cherished memory at BYUH... was watching some of our HTM students from Kiribati present at a special session of the 80th General Assembly United Nations. They spoke with such composure and confidence that delegates from more than 60 countries asked me how they had developed those abilities. We also had the opportunity to meet the president of their country at the event.
My advice to incoming first-year students is... to make the most of your time at BYU–Hawaii. Your three and a half years here will go by quickly, so do not waste them. Remember, you are not here only to earn a degree [but] to receive an education and grow spiritually, socially, and mentally, just as the Savior did.
My favorite spot on campus is... my office. I spend more time there than anywhere else (even my own home). It is filled with reminders of the incredible experiences I have had while traveling around the world... My office is where I prepare lessons, meet with students, reflect on experiences, and plan new opportunities for them. It feels like a small reflection of the people and places that have shaped my life.
On Saturday mornings, you'll find me... in my office, working hard to help make my students’ dreams and goals a reality.
The title of my autobiography would be... The World Is My Classroom; travel has taught me as much as any formal education, and my experiences around the world continue to shape who I am, how I teach, and how I serve others.
One item on my bucket list is... to abseil down Sipi Falls in Uganda...I would also love to swim with whales in Tonga and kayak among the icebergs in Greenland.
What projects are currently taking place in your class? How are you involving students?
One of the most exciting projects currently taking place in HTM is helping Christmas Island, Kiribati, prepare for its debut at the Travel & Adventure Show, North America’s largest destination-to-consumer travel exhibition. Our students are helping develop the island’s destination brand, including its logo, story, presentation... and other promotional materials. This gives them the opportunity to apply what they’re learning about destination marketing, storytelling, event management, and guest experience.
