According to Assistant to the President Laura Tevaga, the COVID-19 vaccination policy at BYU–Hawaii was seen as the best way to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 for the university and the surrounding community. Tevaga, gave insights into how the policy came to be and her hopes for Fall Semester.

The coronavirus has negatively impacted students and their aspirations to complete internships, they said, border closures in countries also prevented them from returning home once their internships were completed. BYU–Hawaii professors suggested online internships as possible alternatives.

Campus safety officials and students discuss recent criticism of masks and why wearing masks is important, urging students to wear masks in public, both on and off-campus.

Josh Eui Yong Jung, an alumnus from Korea, said his experience at BYU–Hawaii was instrumental as he applied the methods he learned from TESOL to teaching his students enrolled in EIL (English International Language) courses.

Teaming up with the Health Center and ward Relief Societies, Sister Kathy Edgar, the senior missionary in charge of the Visiting Nurse Program at BYU–Hawaii, said she visits students who are in need of counsel. She teaches them knowledge on how to be prepared for childbirth and parenting.

According to BYU–Hawaii students, social media provides a way to communicate with family and friends and allows users to be themselves and share creativity. Students also shared social media influences them to compare themselves to what other students are doing on the island, which makes them feel like they are not good enough.

For Josh Wallace, there are three things he considers central to his identity: Being adopted, a musician and a BYU–Hawaii alumnus. Wallace shared how being a “Seasider through and through” has influenced his experiences following graduation, including performing around the world and reconnecting with his birth parents.

From cleaning checks to aiding students in distress, BYU–Hawaii Resident Advisors (RAs) said they agree their primary duty is to balance the concerns of students with the standards of Housing while managing the shifting landscape of supervising students.

The Maka'ala Human Rights Club members hosted a booth in front of the Aloha Center on Oct. 24 to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations.