The April 2006 BYU-Hawaii Alumni eNewsletter contains the following:
BYU-Hawaii President Eric B. Shumway and a contingent of other visitors from the University and the Polynesian Cultural Center met with hundreds of Utah Chapter and PCC alumni in a special fireside meeting on the evening of April 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah, following Church General Conference sessions. P. Alfred Grace ('88, Travel Management), Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Cultural Center, represented PCC President Von Orgill.
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President Shumway...in Utah meeting |
"There are so many people here who have made BYU-Hawaii into the great institution that it is," he said in greeting the alumni and others formerly associated with the University. "Every one of you who has worked there, went to school there, who labored there to build the place, you own a very special place in our hearts and in the history of our remarkable campus."
President Shumway emphasized he wanted "to establish two things permanently in our minds":
"First, you cannot think of BYU-Hawaii unless you also think of the Polynesian Cultural Center. You know what Paul said about one Lord, one faith, one baptism, well we've got one heart and one mission with the Polynesian Cultural Center, which hires about 750 of our BYU-Hawaii students. Many of you here would have never been able to get through school without working there; and what you learned there, in terms of job skills, customer service and time management, is truly an extension of our campus."
"I would like also to point out that the Culture of Beliefs are seven things we identified that we want to be known for. This is a belief culture that was not imposed, but generated from the students, staff and faculty who came together in workshops and were asked the questions: What is it that we believe? What is it that motivates and drives our behavior toward each other and the mission of the University?"
The BYU-Hawaii Culture of Beliefs, "which President Shumway described as remarkable, consists of:
"Second, fix in your minds that BYU-Hawaii — supported and strengthened by the Polynesian Cultural Center — is an academic institution. It is a university. It is a point of learning, and when President David O. McKay prophesied what it would become, he made it very clear that it was to take its place by its sister institutions and be an influence for good in all educational circles."
Noting that BYU-Hawaii underwent a three-day Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accrediting team visit in mid-February, President Shumway recalled Elder Neal A. Maxwell made it clear during President Dan W. Andersen's tenure that "as the university grows and develops, some day anyone who attended BYU-Hawaii will be proud to announce to anyone in the world that they attended this wonderful institution of higher learning."
President Shumway explained the WASC team came "to review our capacity and to investigate what we had written is truly what happens on our campus," and shared some of the accreditors' comments, including:
"BYU-Hawaii is an academic institution of stature, rigor and responsibility," President Shumway said. "Thanks to so many good people who have worked in that direction."
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Utah alumni at the meeting |
Next, President Shumway recommended everybody learn the Tongan proverb, Si'i kai hä. "Si'i means small and hä means to appear, [or] small makes its appearance everywhere," he said, adding that General Authorities who have labored anywhere in Asia or the South Pacific always ask him about the University, and "Area Presidencies in Asia the South Pacific look to BYU-Hawaii as the great source of leadership and strength in unfolding the Restoration in those countries."
"I also want to make very clear that any of you, who has any connection with BYU-Hawaii, has a great and profound responsibility. It is no small matter to be an alumnus or alumna of BYU-Hawaii. It means that you and I are part of that prophecy that must come to pass and be fulfilled through us, wherever you are on this planet."
"We believe — and I believe it now more than I did before the Jubilee — that when those wonderful climactic moments occurred during the Jubilee, and we felt that wonderful outpouring of the spirit, it was if the Lord were saying, Well done. I approve of the campus."
"There was no sense of boasting. It was just pure unadulterated gratitude, and a clear manifestation that what has gone on up to this point has been acceptable before the Lord. The results are very clear that what is yet expected of us is even greater than what has been accomplished."
"More and more I see the radiance and goodness of our alumni, and the impact they're making," President Shumway said, also encouraging them to be involved in the alumni chapter and to participate in donations.
"Our alumni do not financially support the campus the way other [university] alumni do. Part of it is because we haven't reached all of you enough," he said, "but I hope as you budget that you can plan to participate in some way. We're not asking for specific amounts, we're asking for participation."
President Shumway explained that the next day he and other BYU-Hawaii and PCC visitors would meet with the President's Leadership Council — volunteer donors who helped raise over $10 million towards scholarships and other endowments this past year. The goal for this year is $12 million.
"All of the major donors had no connection with BYU-Hawaii whatsoever until they came on campus and became converted," President Shumway continued. "Just walking on campus, they felt the spirit. Talking to students, they felt the spirit. Hearing their stories and testimonies was just an amazing thing to them, and they want to be a part of BYU-Hawaii's future."
President Shumway thanked all those who participated in the fireside, including Irwin Purcell ('69) and the Utah Polynesian Choir, the PCC Promo Team, and a men's ensemble from BYU-Hawaii.
Earlier in the program, Alumni Association President Les Steward ('72, Business Management) told the Utah-based group, "We're grateful for the great spirit you bring. We feel it." He added Utah — with approximately 8,000 graduates and affiliated friends — is the largest of the 48 current chapters that "help keep the spirit of the university alive, and our chapters are growing as we graduate approximately 500 a year
"We see the great strength among our students and graduates," he said. "We see it right here among you and appreciate all that you're doing in building your part of the kingdom and of sharing your talents as you immerse yourselves in the communities you live in, and in the Church wards and stakes that you're serving in. We're grateful for the added measure of spirit that you lend to all those you come into contact with."
"It's been a wonderful awakening for me to see the actual fulfillment of the prophetic destiny of the campus," he said, adding that the Culture of Beliefs "helps those of us who are on campus be much better in moving forward."
"I'm grateful that I come from a university that shares those beliefs, that fill us with a desire to follow Christ. I'm grateful for all of you who do likewise in sharing your testimony with your friends. You, too, can make a difference in bringing all unto Christ. We hope that you'll use alumni activities to get to know the Savior better."
Alumni Executive Director Rowena Reid ('76, Social Work) noted the program also included two DVDs. "The people were so excited to see these, and felt connected when hey saw scenes of the Jubilee highlights," she said.
Reid also thanked several alumni who helped with the fireside, including Utah chapter chairs David and Sue Settle, and leadership committee member Craig Huish ('68), who represented the Settles at the fireside; also Luana Philipoom ('71), Liu Lemau Toelupe ('89, Office Management), her husband Toalei Toelupe ('85), Dofi Fiso Fa'asou ('79); and Irwin Purcell ('69) and the Utah Polynesian Choir, about 20 of whose members are BYU-Hawaii alumni, including Huish.
The CCH/BYU-Hawaii Alumni Association board and the BYU-Hawaii President's Council recently approved the latest "genuine gold" representatives and honorees. Church President David O. McKay used that term over 50 years ago to characterize the quality and integrity of the university's graduates.
Their pictures and vitae will appear for approximately the next year in the permanent Genuine Gold display in the Aloha Center mall, which was established during BYU-Hawaii's 50th anniversary Golden Jubilee celebration. The inaugural display included 12 alumni and 12 labor missionary representatives. From time to time other Genuine Gold representatives will be named.
The most recent representatives, who will be formally acknowledged during Homecoming 2007, include:
Two additional awards are also included among this year's honors:
Hubner to succeed Wilson as dean of the School of Business
Dr. Keith Roberts, BYU-Hawaii Vice President of Academics, recently announced that Dr. Clayton Hubner will succeed Dr. Brent Wilson as dean of the University's School of Business, effective August 1, 2006.
Dr. Wilson, who has led the School of Business for the past five years, will return to teaching at the BYU Marriott School of Management in Provo. Dr. Hubner, who joined the BYU-Hawaii business faculty in 2003 after extensive international and domestic executive experience, including leading the information technology (IT) function of three publicly traded companies, has been teaching operations management and the capstone course in business strategy. For more information...
BYU-Hawaii to expand student, faculty housing
John Elkington ('75, Business Management), BYU-Hawaii Director of Housing, recently explained that the mounds of dirt that had been piled up between TVA and the Student Stake Center will be used in the foundations of "three new buildings for married students which will be called U, V and W.
"Each building will have eight two-bedroom apartments and will accommodate 24 married couples," he said, adding that S and T buildings will also have their parking stalls there as well.
Elkington also said a fourth new building will be the new home of the BYU-Hawaii Housing Office, which is currently located in the Administration Building, as well as laundry facilities with 22 washers and dryers and a Family Resource Center.
"By the end of this year we will also present a plan for a new single students Hale Seven, which will be at the back of Hale Six. The project will start in 2007, finish in 2008, and accommodate 250 junior and senior students," he continued, pointing out the intent is to get more junior and senior students living back on campus. Other plans call for building four or five smaller dormitories, each with single rooms for approximately 50 students, with one of them to be an honors dorm for those who excel in their studies.
When all the new buildings are in place, Elkington said approximately 80% of all students should be living on campus. "We currently accommodate 60% of the student body on campus," Elkington said, "while 850 students — both single and married — are living off campus. That's too high."
In relation to faculty housing, Elkington said three new duplexes behind Laie Elementary School should already be finished and "some of the old homes in the community will be replaced. [The above information is partially rewritten from Ke Alaka'i.]
PCC implements new web site, changes
The Polynesian Cultural Center has completely refreshed the design and rich media content of its web site, which can be viewed at www.polynesia.com. Check it out.
In efforts to address impacts to this year's challenging tourism economy, the PCC recently announced two changes:
For your information, the Cultural Center has recently updated several cumulative historical figures that reflect its significant contributions and impact on BYU-Hawaii, Laie and the surrounding communities:
Also, all BYU-Hawaii alumni are reminded you can subscribe to the PCC online newsletter. The latest issue includes a description of the seventh annual Maori Whakataetae (competition). The PCC online gift shop also sells BYU-Hawaii alumni and Golden Jubilee souvenir items.
BYUH names first women's basketball coach
Wendy Anae ('97, Secondary Education) will be the first women's basketball coach when the BYU-Hawaii lady Seasiders take the court in the 2006-07 season as part of a recent Pacific West Conference realignment of sports to satisfy NCAA Division II requirements.
Anae, who was raised in Laie and was named Hawaii High School coach of the year in 2003, said she "always hoped that BYU-Hawaii would add women's basketball and that I could be the coach. I'm excited at the prospect of starting from scratch and establishing our own tradition."
Anae coached the Kahuku High girls team to Oahu Interscholastic Association championship titles in 2004 and 2005, and spent the past year coaching at Timpview High School in Utah. For more information on her appointment...
In other sports news, BYU-Hawaii honored women's volleyball player Yu Chuan Weng and men's basketball player Austin Smylie as Seasider Athletes of the Year. Both are seniors.
Weng, who is from Hsinchu, Taiwan, was the was Daktronics NCAA Division II National Player-of-the-Year this past season as well as a First-Team All-American. She ended her Seasider career as the all-time kills leader at BYU-Hawaii with 1,768 and broke the school's record for kills in a season this year with 636. Smylie, who comes from Salt Lake City, Utah, was named to the Daktronics All-West Region Basketball Team this season and averaged 22.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He ended his career as the sixth all time scorer in BYU-Hawaii history with 1,456 points, is fourth all-time in rebounds with 682 and second in Seasider history with a .620 field goal percentage.
For more on other BYUH sports...
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Reid (right, front) with Korea chapter leadership in Seoul |
Alumni Executive Director trains Asia chapter leaders
From March 17-26, BYU-Hawaii Alumni Executive Director Rowena Reid, in a joint effort with BYU Provo alumni representative Roy Brinkerhoff, conducted chapter leadership training in several Asian countries.
"I hadn't been there in a while, so it was a good visit," Reid said. ""All of our alumni throughout Asia really look forward to meeting with faculty, when they travel; and it was also evident in our travels that all of these countries really need our alumni."
More specifically, she reported on the following visits:
Taiwan: Reid met with chapter chairs Alex Kou ('96, Accounting) and his wife, Mei-Yi Pao Kou ('96, Commercial Art), and chapter secretary Gillian Chen ('99, TESOL) who "really want to network with other alumni. Surprisingly, Provo has more alumni in Taiwan than we do."
"They also really feel that BYU-Hawaii needs to connect with Taiwan's high-tech industry," Reid said. She added that one of the "most impressive things about Taiwan is the brand new Church building right next to the temple."
Korea: Reid conducted training with Alumni board member and Asia Regional Director P.J. Rogers ('94, International Business Management); stake president Yoon Hwan Choi ('88, Information Systems), who is also the Church's managing director for temporal affairs in South Korea ("They have a newly renovated office building in Seoul," she said.); and Choi's wife, Bon Kyung Koo ('88, Travel Industry Management).
"At an alumni potluck event, we visited with Hwansoo Park ('98, Travel Industry Management), and his wife, Eun Lan Yi Park ('96, Travel Industry Management)," Reid continued, adding she also visited with Luke Yoo ('93, Information Systems), who's the president and director for NuSkin Enterprises Korea.
"They're planning a spring-summer family activity at the Han River, and they're coordinating their placement efforts with our Career Placement office," Reid said. "They're also looking at how they can extend the BYU-Hawaii experience to others, such as through an English language program."
Hong Kong: Reid met with chapter chairs Wayne Shek ('94, Art), an art teacher, and his wife, Wah Sha Salina Shek ('97, TESOL); and other committee members and alumni including Stanley Wan ('79, Office Management), the Area Authority Seventy who oversees the employment program there; Caroline Man-Yuk Kwok ('79, Travel Management); Bill Lok Ka Shum ('90, Information Systems), a translation supervisor, who is over the mentoring program; Spencer Ko ('98, Accounting); and Nicole Sau Wai Hui ('00, English), who works closely with Doris Pai and the BYU Management Alumni Chapter organization.
"We also met with the Area Presidency in a brand new building the Church has built. They told us the area covers 35 countries, and the Church is in 23 of them. They're very anxious to set up a placement council like the one we have in Japan," Reid said. She added that the chapter is also considering setting up young alumni and emeritus, or older, constituent groups there.
Singapore: "We had a really good meeting with our alumni there," Reid continued, "including Stephen Lai ('77) our chapter chair there; stake president Victor Chen ('86, Business Management), and his wife, Dorothy Chen ('86), who have two daughters who go to school here now, Charlene and Charmaine; and Philip M.T. Loh ('89, Human Resources), who was our tour guide (his wife, Wing Yin Loh ('91, Social Work), also went to school here). They want to help connect with their students."
"Later we met with Flory Parker Lam ('91, Travel), who is originally from Samoa. She is now a real estate person and tutors English, and her husband, Dennis Lam ('91, English), who used to be the chapter chair; Eng K. Choo ('97, Information Systems), who currently works for Oracle, and his wife, June Lin Choo ('99, Hospitality and Tourism Management); and Jaykant Jayaseelan ('96, International Business Management), who is originally from Sri Lanka and works in New York City as a manager for Citigroup, and his wife, Iku Ichimori Jayaseelan ('97), who is originally from Japan."
Please update chapter web pages
Jeremiah Lim ('06, International Business Management), a special assistant in the Alumni Association, reminds all chapter chairs and other leaders to submit current information. For example:
CCHers Network (1955-64)
All CCH (1955-64) alumni whose current contact information is on file with the Alumni Association should have received registration information for the June 22-25 reunion. If you are in this category but did not receive the information, please contact the Alumni office at 808-293-3648, or 55-220 Kulanui Street #1951, Laie, Hawaii 96762.
Insurance benefits for accident-free alumni:
Liberty Mutual, which provides insurance benefits to BYU-Hawaii alumni and subsequently makes contributions to the Alumni Association, has recently added its new Exceptional 5 Advantage feature that lets new policy holders with clean driving records for the past five years take advantage of "accident forgiveness" benefits. To qualify for such benefits a policy holder would normally have to remain with the same insurer. For more information..
Alaska:
The Alaska Chapter will hold a college scholarship fundraiser dinner and show, featuring Polynesian dancers, for Alaskan Seminary graduates on Saturday, June 3, from 5:30 p.m. at Wendler Jr. High at Northern Lights and Lake Otis in Anchorage. Tickets are now available by calling 332-2005 or 240-8382; or contact chapter chair Carolyn Fautanu ('89, Mathematics Education). The cost is $15 each for ages 14 and up, $10 each for ages 8-13, and children under 8 are free.
New York:
The New York chapter is planning a fireside meeting on June 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the new Harlem chapel featuring the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir. The Choir and five other participating ensembles will also perform on Monday, June 5 at 8 p.m. in Carnegie Hall.
San Francisco:
Chapter chair Raymond Jou ('90, Information Systems) invites all alumni in the San Francisco Bay area to "Enjoy a Day of Polynesian Culture" at the Foster City Polynesian Festival 2006 on Saturday, May 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Leo J. Ryan Park Amphitheatre, 650 Shell Boulevard (corner of E. Hillsdale Boulevard) in Foster City, California. Jou added he needs volunteer fundraising help by selling beverages at the event. For more information, contact him at 408-568-8989.
Stockton, California:
Peni Basalusalu ('00, Political Science) and his wife, Amy Baird Basalusalu ('98, Political Science) are trying to drum up interest for a new alumni chapter in Stockton. Contact them if you live close by.
1950s and 60s
In preparation for the CCHers Network (1955-64) reunion in June, Tom Stokoe ('61) writes, "I came from Western Samoa with Mareko Taosoga and Tagaloa Tapusoa in 1959. Some of the Samoan students at the time were Pitone Ioane, Fotu Aiono, Tauivi Tuinei, Fotu Soliai, Le'ia Mapu, Misi Tialavea, Fola Afele, Eliu Ieremia, Iosefa Salea, Wang Chan Boon, Misiluki Mathis, Bill Fruean, Mapu Palepoi, Nick Levy, Whitney Te'o, Mauga Tapusoa, Ma'aola and William Ah Mu. I was in a couple of plays, including The Late Christopher Bean and Angel Street and worked part-time on the groundskeeping crew under Ross Sorenson: the 75 cents and hour pay was awesome. I had never made so much money per hour in my life. I totally enjoyed pulling weeds and mowing grass, and when I received my paycheck I felt like a millionaire. But theater was my real interest, and I have been a high school and junior high school drama teacher for the past 37 years in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Skyline High and now Mountain Ridge Jr. High. I retired once but returned to education after three months. My wife, Diane, and I have six sons. The CCH years were fun and special, and I cherish them. I consider it a privilege to have had the opportunity to attend CCH, an opportunity that would never have been possible except for missionaries who served in Samoa. It was a period of educational and spiritual growth — a choice time in life. It's always good to run into former CCHers at the Samoan missionary reunions held here in conjunction with April and October General Conferences. My hero at CCH was President Wootton. He was a great example and inspiration to me as he was undoubtedly to many of the student body. I believe what we learned at CCH and the molding of character that occurred among us all will traverse the veil and have far-reaching effects beyond."
Another CCHer, Irene Holmes Tukuafu, ('64) writes she "married Tomasi Finau Tukuafu ('67, Biological Sciences) in the Hawaii Temple in July 1964. We have 14 children, 37 grandchildren and 2 'in the hatch.' We lived in Punaluu for 30 years, a little time in Tonga and now on the mainland. We moved to Ashland, Oregon, in 1994 with the seven children we had at home — the first seven had moved already to the mainland. We lived in Ashland for six years, then moved to Payson, Utah, for five years, and have just moved back to Ashland. Tomasi is a retired science teacher from Kahuku High. He's now writing a book. We are both temple workers at the Medford, Oregon, Temple. I am a harp and instrument maker and woodworker. I also play the harp for weddings and other special occasions. We have been 'hired' to work in Nauvoo, Illinois, from May-July making tables for a restaurant and I'll make a few harps there, too. We celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary on July 30, and are still so very much in love, and celebrating finally being 'empty nesters'. Aloha."
Elder Keith R. Edwards ('64) was serving as an Area Authority Seventy in the North America Southwest Area when he was called as a General Authority in the Second Quorum of the Seventy during the April General Conference. After leaving CCH, he graduated from BYU Provo in political science, and then earned a law degree from the University of Utah. He previously served as a mission president, area welfare director, stake president, and other callings.
1970s
Former student body president Melila Purcell ('78, Physical Education and Social Work) is temporarily stationed at Schofield Barracks in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and recuperating from injuries he sustained while serving as a U.S. Army Reserve staff sergeant with Company B, 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry, in Iraq. Before deploying from American Samoa in August 2004, Purcell worked in human resources for 19 years at StarKist Tuna in Pago Pago, and for 11 years before that with the American Samoa Department of Education.
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Purcell |
Purcell described his service in Iraq as being "responsible for 19 soldiers, making sure the humvees were taken care of, and the supplies to carry out missions outside the wire were accounted for. We were also responsible for the scheduling outside the wire and making sure the soldiers were getting their rest before their next rotation. We did a lot of dismounting patrol on foot. We also did a lot of intelligence gathering in the villages and within our areas of operation." Of the country he said there were "little villages scattered throughout the area with a lot of agriculture. It was dusty, dirty, and very hot. From May–September it was in the 120s, and we still had to carry our full gear. Unfortunately, a lot of the humvees had broken AC's."
He added that there were about 50 Latter-day Saints in his battalion — including Capt. Lawrence Apo ('97, Business Management) — and that the "ohana [family] spirit that seemed to radiate from the Polynesian soldiers provided a buffer zone with the people. We knew we had to respect them. We would go to the head of the house, and though we made sure we searched thoroughly, we didn't tear down everything and we were very respectful of their women, according to their customs. The Iraqis recognized us from the torch insignia on our uniforms, and when they asked us, we told them we were from Hawaii and Samoa."
Purcell had been in country about five months when he was climbing on a water treatment plant gangway in Bakr that "gave way, and I came straight down on my knee. That pretty well took care of my ACL, and I pretty much lived through the pain until we got back last February."
Purcell said his testimony grew while he was in Iraq. In an incident while on mounted patrol, Purcell said he normally manned the machine guns in the fourth humvee, but "one day we were one this road about 100 meters from the Tigris River that was always suspicious of IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. We stopped short of this one culvert, and the lieutenant told me to take a foot patrol along the river. As we were finishing, I radioed him that we were done, but as the vehicles moved out the second one in line got hit by an IED. Fortunately, no one was wounded, but we had three soldiers who had to be treated for temporary loss of hearing, and about four weeks later two soldiers from Saipan were killed in the exact same area."
"That was the only day I got taken out of the vehicles. I don't know why the lieutenant took me away that day, but I feel I was taken out of harm's way," he said.
"Iraq is basically the holy country that we study about in the Old Testament," Purcell continued. "For example, there's a small village at the border of Kuwait and Iraq where a historian said he believes Abraham grew up before he started his journey to the north. I also had a chance to stand on the grounds of the great Babylonian civilization. I had only read about it in history books, and now stepping on the soil and actually seeing the ruins was amazing. The streets were wide and straight, like the ones in Salt Lake City. The city of Mosul was the city of Nineveh in biblical times. We wondered how in the world did the whale bring Jonah to preach there, but it's right by the Tigris River, which is deep."
Purcell added he hopes his treatment will be finished by July so he can return to American Samoa.
1980s
San Diego Alumni Chapter chairs Adolf Singh ('81, Business Management) and his wife, Avis Cabacungan Singh ('78, Secretarial Science), of Carlsbad, California, recently wrote of their campus visit during Jubilee Week: "It was a wonderful and memorable week for us as we reunited with friends we hadn't seen for nearly 25 years. The week-long celebration was well worth attending." Their son, Alan, was recently called to the India Bangalore mission, an English-speaking assignment that includes Nepal where his great-grandparents still live.
Shauna Thorne Requilman ('83, Social Work), who was married to the late Kaleo Requilman ('81), lives in Provo, Utah, and works at Utah Valley State College. She writes: "The best years of my life were spent at BYU-Hawaii. The atmosphere was unlike any other, the beautiful surroundings were breathtaking, and the professors were personable and accessible. Most memorable in my mind was the love, admiration and respect given to all ethnic backgrounds and the melting pot of cultural diversity from which to learn. The spirit of acceptance and interest in each other's backgrounds and the willingness to share traditions created the most rewarding experiences. BYU-Hawaii will forever hold a significant place in my heart."
Helmer Mauga ('89, Social Work) and his wife, Nancy Tinitali Mauga ('83, Office Management) are now living in Tacoma, Washington, where he works as a part-time instructor in a college and operates a family telecommunications business. He writes: "It is great to read the many exciting and great events happening at BYU-Hawaii in the newsletter. Thank you for keeping me in the loop. When I graduated from BYU-Hawaii just shortly after my mission, I felt a great sense of accomplishment, and I have always felt the learning received there has uplifted my life in wanting to accomplish my goals and staying close to the Lord. Our family started our lives together at BYU-Hawaii as a newly wed couple in 1981, and we have been able to grow over the years since then from the experiences we gained from attending BYUH." He previously worked at American Samoa Community College.
Masaru Okuda ('89, Information Systems) recently moved from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Kentucky where he teaches at Murray State University.
1990s
Rava Henon, who works for an airline back home in Tahiti, writes that her BYU-Hawaii "education and learning more about the experiences of Church leaders are my best memories. I would do it again if finances permitted."
Tony Herrera ('91, Human Resource Development), who provides training for 20,000 Pfizer Pharmaceuticals leaders as Global Director of Leadership Education, is working on his doctorate at Columbia University in adult education and organizational leadership and serving in a Manhattan ward bishopric. New York City, he writes, "is a crazy, but exciting place to be."
Inoke Kupu ('92, Accounting and Business Management) and his wife, Moana Fatani Kupu ('98, Accounting and Business Education) live in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, where he is the CES Tonga Country Director. He writes: "BYU-Hawaii gave me the most spiritual experiences of my lifetime. I was taught well by many school and church leaders how to be a loving father and a servant leader of the living gospel of Jesus Christ."
Siuaki Livai ('92, Math Education) has stepped down as head football after 10 years of coaching the Kahuku High varsity football team, which won four out of the past six Hawaii state championships. Livai, who is originally from Tonga, accumulated a 102-20 record at Kahuku. Read more...
Shawn Petty ('99, Hospitality and Tourism Management), who recently went to work for Target, writes he and his wife are expecting their first child in July and he is thinking of going back to school with a new focus on government. "The corporate world is awesome, but I feel the need to make a difference in society on a grander scale and I think public administration or perhaps urban and regional Planning would be more to my liking."
2000s
Marlise Petersen Wing ('02, History), who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, writes: "Thank you so much for your efforts on the wonderful newsletter I receive each month. While I am sitting here looking out at the six inches of snow on the ground, my heart is warmed as I read of BYU-Hawaii and all the tremendous things going on there. As always, it is a place of miracles and my experiences there will never leave me. Mahalo nui loa."
Recent graduate Reid Luszeck ('05, History), who lives in Yucaipa, California, let us know, "I recently got my first book published, God Where Are You? I Need Help! that is available for purchase online."
Former BYU-Hawaii internal auditor, W. Thomas Wride, who now works in the CES Commissioner's Office in Salt Lake City, Utah, wrote the Alumni office to say, "Thanks for sending me the newsletter. I am seeing the importance of your work now that I have left campus and Laie. Any news that we get from that special place on earth — BYU-Hawaii — warms the heart and stirs the fond memories and tender feelings that were experienced there."
Editor's Note: Even though I wasn't at the Utah alumni fireside, I am still touched by President's Shumway's message above. Likewise, I'm touched and inspired by the accomplishments of our fellow alumni and friends. That, after all, is one of our objectives: Now in our fifth year, the BYU-Hawaii Alumni eNewsletter has been trying to help you feel more connected to the University, to let you know some of the happenings and help rekindle the spiritual flames you enjoyed while on campus. We hope it's working for you.
— Mike Foley ('70, TESL), Editor
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The BYU-Hawaii Alumni Newsletter is published by the University Advancement office, under the direction of Napua Baker ['59-61 and '70-72], Vice President; Duane Roberts, Director of Communications & Public Relations; and Rowena Reid ['76, Social Work], Alumni Relations Executive Director. Brigham Young University Hawaii Campus is a four-year comprehensive undergraduate institution sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. About 2,400 students from over 70 nations are currently enrolled.
You have received this e-newsletter because you are an affiliate of BYU-Hawaii. If necessary, please update your alumni profile. If you have received this e-mail inadvertently, or wish to unsubscribe, please send a message with NEWSLETTER UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject line and your e-mail address in the body to alumni@byuh.edu. If you are aware of other BYU-Hawaii alumni who have not received this newsletter, please forward a copy and encourage them to update their profiles. Mahalo.
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