Name: Victor Francis Kaufusi
BYUH employee since: 2007, a professor since 2015
BYUH alum: class of 2010
My job at BYUH is… assistant professor of social work and director of field education.
I grew up… in Inglewood, California and Provo, Utah.
I chose to teach at BYUH because… it played such a pivotal role in me and my family’s life. My parents immigrated here to Hawaii in the 1970s so they could go to school here. My dad graduated here, and my wife and I graduated here. It’s such a special place and I wanted an opportunity to give back through whatever role I had.
My favorite thing about teaching… are the students’ stories. There is so much commonality in all our stories that we can connect to social work. I love hearing and learning about their cultural backgrounds, upbringings, and experiences, and overall recognizing the Lord’s hand in their journey.
What sparked my interest in my field… was growing up in poverty in Inglewood, California. My dad was a door-to-door handyman and my mom moved from one odd job to another to make ends meet. The blessings of neighbors, church members, community members, and strangers all helped us along the way and that means something to me. I wanted to give back and social work provided me with that opportunity to do so.
You’ll never find me without… my Costco Card. I am always ready to head to the food court.
If I could travel anywhere, I would go to… Thailand. I had a student do a “hometown presentation” of Thailand and it looked so peaceful and beautiful.
When I have 30 minutes of free time… I read about BYU sports. Football, basketball, baseball, all of it. Go cougars!
I have always… tried to see the good in people. Whether it’s family members, students, friends, I always do my best to do so, even though it’s not easy.
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life… it would be lupulu! I can live and die with lupulu.
I am currently reading… Heart of The Matter: Russel M. Nelson
The last TV show I binge-watched… was ESPN documentaries. I don’t watch traditional TV shows, but I’ll watch anything that’s sports.
I’m most looking forward to… my wife’s graduation from college, as she’s finishing up her PhD. It’s been 4 years and we’re almost there.
My favorite quote is… “Hard work outweighs talent-every time” (Kobe Bryant).
As a Laker fan, this quote resonates deeply with me because it embodies the belief that we can achieve our goals through hard work and perseverance.
The title of my autobiography would be… “Against all Odds: A Journey of Resilience and Faith”
One item on my bucket list is… skydiving. Because why not? I’ve always been scared of it but I want to jump out of a plane before I die.