Through his love of art, Jeff Merrill is helping his students reach their greatest artistic potential. As a teacher of painting and drawing at BYU-Hawaii, Merrill’ said his love for visual art has blossomed throughout his life. “When I was little, I would get bored, and I would always gravitate towards art,” he said. “I would make little drawings or grab some watercolors and paint something. It’s always been part of my life.”Although art would have seemed like an obvious career choice, Merrill said he planned on going to school to become an orthodontist. However, after his mission, Merrill said he knew he wanted to strictly do art. Merrill went to BYU in Provo and graduated with a bachelor’s of fine arts in illustration. Shortly after graduating, Merrill started at a software company that produced educational software. “I started illustrating children’s books and interactive graphics for the games that are now on iPads,” Merrill explained. He then began to make the visual arts his career. “I was working as an illustrator at a place called the Waterford Institute in Provo, and I got into all sorts of things. I took a pottery class, so I learned all about making pots. I took an upholstery class, so I learned how to upholster furniture, and I also started building some furniture that we now have in our house,” Merrill said. As Merrill’s personal artistic style has developed throughout his career, he has tried not to put labels on his work. “I think my art is realistic,” he said. “I’m definitely a representational artist. I draw things. I draw people. I draw artists. It’s mainly still life, landscapes, traditional subject matter, but I try to do it in a way that has a little bit of an expressive quality to it so that it’s not super highly rendered.”He continued, “I like just enough visual interference in the painting strokes and things. It allows the viewer to bring something to it. I think I’m an expressive realist.”Merrill said he takes his passionate attitude and tries to instill it in his students. He teaches painting and drawing but desires for his students to learn more than just that.“I want them to see,” he explained. “That may sound really simple on the surface, but what it means is to learn to see through the eyes of an artist. It means an understanding of abstract principles of shapes and colors and lines and to see them for what they really are.”If they can see, then they’re gonna be successful in whatever they do--whether it be graphic design, photography, sculpting, or whatever visual art thing they pursue--and that will be one of the most important things for them.”Merrill said he believes trusting in your own creativity and ideas will greatly benefit a student’s academic and social growth. “They need to let the understanding of how they see themselves as an artist influence their development so that they can grow and prosper on their own instead of having somebody feed them and tell them, ‘Oh, you should do this,’ or ‘Have you thought about this?’ Ultimately those ideas have to come from themselves,” he explained. “I think trusting in yourself is true with whatever you do, even if it’s not the arts. You’re in college to learn how to think and to analyze information and to use it to your advantage. You’re here to help your development and growth.”As an artist, Merrill said he draws his inspiration from other artistic fields. “The simplicity and the elegance of those who have mastered a skill come from a lot of hard work and toil and mistakes,” he explained. He was particularly inspired by one of his mission companions who was a concert pianist. “It was amazing to see that it wasn’t just flowing out of his fingers, but it was a culmination of the rhythm and all the things that I don’t understand about music, and it still looks amazing.”Merrill added, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When I see a painting that has a limited number of brush strokes, that means much more than a greater number of brush strokes. The whole painting is greater than all of those things individually.” Simplicity and ease are Merrill’s greatest motivators. Since he began teaching at BYUH three years ago, Merrill has won awards. As a consistent accepted applicant of the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition, Merrill won first place in the Oil Painters of America Fall Online Showcase 2011 and 2013, and a Gold Medal Award in the Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition in 2014.“I think if I weren’t painting, I’d have to do something with my hands. I’ve always done things that have related to the arts,” Merrill said.

Prospective attorneys have BYU-Hawaii’s new Legal Studies Certificate to gain practical experience in law and legal writing. The Legal Studies Certificate is available for students from all majors and is applicable to students from all regions of the world, said Michael Murdock, Political Science Department chair at BYUH. “I think it is a very promising opportunity and will help in my journey to go to law school and to provide better services in society. As Pres. David O. McKay said as the purpose of this school, ‘From this school will go forth men and women who will establish peace internationally.’ I believe this certificate is inspired and it is a contribution to the fulfillment of ... McKay’s words,” said Kilapoe Sheppard, a senior in political science from Samoa.While BYUH has a mandate to address concerns in Asia, which has a focus in business and the Pacific, Murdock said that puts more emphasis on government. “The Legal Studies Certificate equips students with the skills to break into right after graduation entry level government jobs or any organization that has a legal department,” said Murdock. BYUH is the only university in the Pacific that offers this certificate, said Murdock.The need for this certificate was assessed last year when a school survey of 106 Pacific Island students revealed 97 percent wanted the program and found it beneficial. Jennifer Kajiyama, professor of Political Science and advisor to the Pre-Law Society, said, “This certificate will teach students to think and research like an attorney.” With this certificate BYUH students will have a competitive edge in the field of law, not just as attorneys, but as legal assistants and paralegals, said Kajiyama. Historical trends provided by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. in its 2006 Compensation & Benefits Study Report show that over a 13-year period through 2006, gross salaries for paralegals climbed 61 percent.Not only does the certificate give BYUH students training for legal work, but also according to Murdock, “This certificate opens doors for internships.” He continued, “The Legal Studies Certificate is the crown jewel of our department and pushes to equip students with something more practical.”The Legal Studies Certificate has already helped some students get job interviews and internships. Jerica Naeole, a senior in Political Science from Hawaii, said, “The Legal Studies Certificate prepared me for my internship with Judge Bode Uale at the Family Court in Kapolei. Although still an undergraduate, I was able to do an internship with a judge competing with other law students for that position.”The certificate requires 15-credit hours and one of the required classes for the certificate is offered Winter 2015. Contact Murdock or Kajiyama for more information.

A half-cup of rice or a plateful of meat and vegetables. Participants didn’t know which they would call their dinner as they entered the Hunger Banquet, but as they ate their allotted portion, they were urged to take action against hunger. Brandon Bodkin, a senior in political science from California, organized the event. He said, “The point is to raise awareness for world hunger and let people experience how people in other parts of the world eat. How much, or rather, how little they eat. We are also doing a food drive in November, so hopefully this will kick it off.” Put on by the McKay Center on Nov. 4, the Hunger Banquet simulates three different economic classes from the world’s population. During the event, participants were split into these classes based on real world numbers. Because 10 percent of the world is upper class, for the simulation at the banquet only six participants ate unlimited amounts of meat, vegetables and rice off of real dishes with tall glasses of juice to drink.Thirty percent of the world is middle class. Accordingly, a larger group was given a generous helping of rice and vegetables and large plastic cups of water. Sixty percent of the world is lower class, so the rest of the people participating in the banquet sat on the ground with a cup half-filled with rice and just one drink of water. Sery Kone, a junior in finance from the Ivory Coast, shared his childhood experience with hunger. “I know what it is to have this [one cup of rice]. Sometimes I would eat this once a day, or once every two days. I’m so grateful for the person who came up with this. It reminded me of where I was 15 years ago. It has helped me reinforce my desire to do good. You don’t know what you have done to me today,” he said. Kone is the president of Enactus and has created an NGO called Well Africa. “I don’t want people to come to Africa to fix Africa. Come to help them fix themselves.” You Sophorn (Rany), a senior in university studies from Cambodia, shared her experience as a child gathering with her extended family for dinner in their home without light. The food was heaped on only two plates. “There wasn’t enough, so we all ate really fast. It was fun, but also sad.” She said now that her family is better off, they help the poor by giving them food or water, but not money. “That’s one of the greatest things I think my family does.” Rand Blimes, a professor of political science, relayed a story of Dr. Amporn Wuthanavongs, who went from a street orphan in Bangkok to a diplomat for Thailand. Dr. Wuthanavongs started a daycare for Bangkok’s street children, and his purpose, according to Blimes, was simply to feed them one healthy meal a day. Blimes explained how LDS Church members giving a generous fast offering is a regular way people can help. “You should feel a little pinch when you give a fast offering. If you do that, you’ll fend off this process of convincing yourself that you can’t do anything because you are doing something. It doesn’t matter what you do, but for Pete’s sake do something! Because if you don’t, the information you get tonight will turn you into a cold, uncaring person, and you don’t want to be that way,” Blimes said. Kasha Coombs, a senior in peacebuilding from California, was one of the few at the “upper class” table. Coombs said, “I realized how much I really have and how much we can do. I was saying ‘amen’ to everything Rand was saying.”

Thirteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attack the resurrected World Trade Center has opened its doors again, marking an emotional milestone for both New Yorkers and the nation. The 104-story, $3.9 billion skyscraper dominates the Manhattan skyline. The fact Americans can move past the attacks and rebuild what was lost has given America a sense of pride and nationalism, said Christina Akanoa, professor of political science at BYU-Hawaii. “Rebuilding the Towers shows any other extreme group that we can prevail. We picked ourselves up and are moving on.”The publishing giant, Conde Nast, became the first commercial tenant in America’s tallest building, the new 1 World Trade Center. Staff began working in the tower on Nov. 3.The building is the centerpiece of the 16-acre site where the decimated Twin Towers once stood and where more than 2,700 people died on Sept. 11, 2001, buried under smoking mounds of fiery debris, said Associated Press.“The New York City skyline is whole again, as 1 World Trade Center takes its place in Lower Manhattan,” said Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Patrick Foye, whose company owns both the building and the World Trade Center site. Jaden McCarrey, a senior in peacebuilding from Alaska, said, “It’s not that we can forget the past, but healing cannot take place if we don’t move on.” Foye’s agency began moving into neighboring 4 World Trade Center two weeks ago. He said 1 World Trade Center “sets new standards of design, construction, prestige and sustainability; the opening of this iconic building is a major milestone in the transformation of Lower Manhattan into a thriving 24/7 neighborhood,” according to an article by the Associated Press.“The Trade Towers are the place for international trade and business,” said Professor Akanoa. “We rely on each other to foster relations. All the people there speak a universal language, regardless of nationality, the language of economics.” There is no country that does not want economic development, said Professor Akanoa.Still, it’s a bittersweet victory, one achieved with the past in mind as the architects created 1 World Trade Center. T.J. Gottesdiener, of the architectural company Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, told the Associated Press the high-rise was built with steel-reinforced concrete making it as terror attack-proof as possible. He said the firm went beyond the city’s existing building codes to achieve that. “We did it. We finally did it,” Gottesdiener said.“I think the 1 World Trade Center now being the tallest building in America is symbolic. American is…able to rise above the tragedy and atrocities that occurred,” said Davis Kane, a BYUH alumnus from Hawaii.

“William is one of those people that is hard to use words to describe. He’s very interesting but in a very good way… Just talking to him you can tell that there’s something different about him, whether it’s serving his mission in Vanuatu or the goals and ideals he has… You’ll just have to talk to him for yourself,” said Erik Adams, a senior in biology from Oregon, who shares the same living space as William Walter Arnett III.Arnett, who is not of any relation to the celebrity Will Arnett (30 Rock, Blades of Glory, Arrested Development), is a junior studying music from Arizona. He served a full-time mission in Vanuatu, where he served in positions such as Zone Leader and even as a Branch President and learned a pidgin based version of English known as Bislama. Most of his mission was in small villages with no roads, and with a chance to email his family once every three months.As a zone leader, his duties included flying from one island to another once a week on planes that only flew once every three days. When asked if he was ever home, his response was “barely.” While landing one day, one of the planes suffered a wreck, which tore off half of the wing. Luckily nobody was injured.According to him, when he got off the plane the other missionaries asked him if he was okay, his response was “[Elder], the party don’t start til I walk in.” Arnett added that he still does not know why he responded that way, and that looking back it was definitely the Spirit protecting them.Arnett mentioned that one of the many lessons he learned on his mission is that education is not what gives someone value in society. He learned that we tend to respect people more for being well educated, for being doctors and professors, mathematicians and psychologists, when in reality that does not matter in determining the value of a person.While saying we should all seek out as much education as we can get, he also mentioned that many of the people he taught and baptized could not read, yet he describes them as some of the wisest, most intelligent people he has ever met.“It was amazing to see how happy they could be without having all these things we value, like education, money, nice things” said Arnett. “It was sad to see people who didn’t have proper medical care, and I tried to help them the best I could, but you really come away with a ‘life is good’ and ‘God is good’ perspective, because they are at the mercy of God at all times.”This past Summer Arnett took the chance to go back to Vanuatu to build houses for the church’s missionaries. During his five-week stay he lived in a tent before returning back to school in Hawaii.Arnett comes from a family of 5 children, he being the oldest. He was born on January 13th, 1992, during a snowstorm in Chicago at 11:11pm, “A make a wish baby” as he said himself, and the only white baby in the hospital born that week according to him.While Arnett has no concrete plans for a future career, he mentioned his various ideas of using his music major in the future such as owning a recording studio, performing, composing and even the idea of writing songs for other artists. “I think the correct answer to your question ‘what do you plan on doing with your degree,’ is making money,” said Arnett. “And you may think that’s funny, but some people don’t plan on that. They just think ‘oh, I’ll just be well rounded’ No, I plan to make money.”In closing, Arnett remarked that even though all these things have value for us, he learned that none of these things matter in life. “You can never forget everything that God has given you… these family relationships are what matters most in the eternal perspective. And nothing will make you happier than recognizing the people that are around you, and all that God has given you.”

Jalyen Fryberg killed five friends after inviting them to lunch in the cafeteria of their Washington state high school. Known as a popular student, according to his classmates and the Associated Press, Fryberg’s violence and suicide comes as a shock to the Washington community.After texting five friends to invite them to lunch, Fryberg pulled out a handgun in the cafeteria and started shooting. The victims were Zoe R. Galasso, 14, who died at the scene; Gia Soriano, 14, Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, 14, who both died at a hospital, and Fryberg’s two cousins, Nate Hatch, 14, and Andrew Fryberg, 15 who survived but were seriously injured. What is shocking about Fryberg’s actions is his social standing among his classmates. He was the homecoming prince and had lots of friends at school, which is uncommon, since most violent shootings at schools are done by social outcasts, said BYUH student Jordan Petersen, a sophomore in business from Washington State. “It’s hard because it is very unexpected,” but there are so many different variables that can lead to these actions, said Petersen. Tony Farrenkopf, a forensic psychologist in Portland, Ore., has created psychological profiles of mass shooters and said, “School shooters often harbor anger and paranoid delusions, have low self-esteem and hang out with an outcast group.” According to the Huffington Post, many mass shootings are motivated by revenge or envy, that's why many take place at a school or a workplace where shooters felt rejected, but Fryberg did not exhibit these signs. Prince of the Homecoming Court, part of the football team, and a member of a prominent Tulalip Indian Tribes family, Fryber was not the usual social outcast. But there were signs he was not doing well, said Associated Press. According to friends, Fryberg seemed happy although he was upset about a girl. His Twitter feed was recently full of vague, anguished postings like, "It won't last ... It'll never last," and "I should have listened. ... You were right ... The whole time you were right," said AP.Detectives are digging through reams of text messages, phone and social media records as part of an investigation that could take months, Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary said at a news conference.Fryberg breaks the stereotype for a school shooter which makes it more difficult to address solutions, said Scott Wilson, a senior in biology from Canada. It’s difficult to know what could have stopped Fryberg from becoming so violent and suicidal, but Stacey Wilson a senior studying music from Canada, believes Fryberg’s actions stem from high stress. Students don’t have good ways to relieve stress, said Wilson, “There needs to be different outlets for children to release stress and emotions.”While Wilson may be on the right track, the Fryberg family and the families of his victims are trying to heal. "The question everybody wants is, 'Why?'" Trenary said. "I don't know that the 'why' is something we can provide."

Cheap Vacations are within your reachUse these tips to make your road trip affordableA roadtrip is a fun alternative to a vacation. Although traveling by car can seem like a cheaper way to travel than by plane, road trips can become very expensive. With these five tips, road trips can be as inexpensive as they are fun.1. Travel with friendsCarpooling will ease individual gas expenses. Use the car with the best gas mileage, and most room to fit all the travelers. Traveling with friends will add excitement throughout the long car ride. “Road trips become 100 times better with friends,” Makayla Maggert, a sophomore majoring in psychology from Georgia, said. “There is never a dull moment, and you’ll always have someone to share those memories with.”`2. Pack your foodConvenience store food can get expensive, and the stops will add up and prolong the road trip. Go to the grocery store before you leave and buy snacks and drinks. Buy supplies to make sandwiches. Everyone will have something that they like, and you will be able to eat healthier as you avoid stopping at fast food restaurants and convenience stores. “Bring lots of water, but don’t drink too much at one time,” Kelsie Gordan, a freshman majoring in biology from Oregon, said. “You don’t want to stop to go to the bathroom too much.” Put all your food in a cooler so it lasts throughout your trip.3. Consider other transportation optionsGoing on a road trip doesn’t always require a car. As you roadtrip around the Hawaiian islands, consider taking the bus. You will be able to stop when needed, and travel for only $2.50. On the mainland, consider taking a train or a Greyhound bus. Visit https://www.greyhound.com/ for routes and tickets. Split the cost of renting a car with friends, or “sharing a ride”. Go to erideshare.com or craigslist.com to find a ride to or from wherever you are going. All you have to do is help with the cost of gas.4. Do not stay in a hotelHotels are usually the biggest expense of any vacation. If weather permits, go camping. Go to airbnb.com to rent a cheap room or apartment for a few nights. Try couchsurfing.com to find someone who will let you sleep on their couch for the night. Road trip to places where friends or family live, and ask to stay at their home. A hotel should be the last resort when it pertains to housing.5. Have free funWhen planning a road trip, find activities and points of interest that are free. Spend your time hiking, going to the beach, visiting national parks, etc. Stop when you reach a point of interest. Spend a day wandering around the city or a small town. Download smartphone applications before you leave so you can make the most of your time. Roadtrippers, free on IOS and Android, helps the user plan a route with the most interesting pit stops. Download Yelp to find reviews on almost every point of interest. “Don’t be afraid to go off the designated route and take the scenic way,” Alyssa Troyanek, a junior majoring in international cultural studies from Arizona, said. “And make sure to have lots of good music.” The majority of a road trip is the journey, so why not make it as fun as possible?

The progression of technology has led BYU-Hawaii students to offer their insight on Obama’s new endorsement on net neutrality.“The internet has changed our economy and the way we operate,” said Alex Milne, a sophomore from California studying business. “It’s the basis of most jobs and it connects everyone around the world.”President Obama released a statement on the concept of net neutrality explaining that, “an open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life,” according to USA Today.Net neutrality is a term that was created by Columbia University professor, Tim Wu, and is a principle that Internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally and not discriminate or charge differently by user or platform.USA Today also stated that Obama asked the Federal Communications Commission to “create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality” and to make sure that data providers will not be “gatekeepers, restricting what you can do or see online.” The FCC has yet to make a full decision.“I think we are nearing the point where the Internet is almost a necessity for not only companies, but individuals themselves,” said Cassidy Manning, a sophomore from Nevada studying TESOL.Obama pushed for an explicit ban on “paid prioritization,” which is an agreement where providers who use large amounts of content pay Internet companies for better and faster delivery. Companies such as Netflix, Amazon and YouTube are a few companies that fall under these high-traffic sites.Companies like Verizon stated that the approach the FCC has had in place for the past two decades has been the key to the Internet’s success. They also stated that the new rules would invite “strong legal challenges,” according to CNN.Additionally, companies say that the regulation will make network upgrades slower and possibly raise prices.“I feel like the idea is really clear and cut,” said Ethan Secrist, a sophomore from Idaho studying ICS. “There’s always going to be pros and cons to any legal decision, but we won’t know for sure until we actually try.”People in favor of net neutrality have stated that Obama’s statement gives political cover for the FCC to do the right thing, according to USA Today.FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in an interview with CNN, “Like the President, I believe that the Internet must remain an open platform for free expression, we cannot allow broadband networks to cut special deals to prioritize Internet traffic and harm consumers, competition and innovation.”

The 2014-2015 NBA season started two weeks ago and promises to be an exciting and interesting season. Here are the top stories going into this year’s NBA season.LeBron James and Kevin Love move to Cleveland.After his controversial move to Miami in 2010 from Cleveland, LeBron James has once again returned to Cleveland. In what was probably the biggest free-agent decision all summer LeBron James decided to forego a contract extension with the Miami Heat and decided to return to play in his hometown of Cleveland. Following their acquisition of LeBron James the Cleveland Cavaliers made another impressive roster change with the acquisition of Kevin Love. James and Love join Kyle Irving in the NBA’s newest “big three lineups”. Despite their highly touted summer acquisitions, the team has had some struggles in the first two weeks of the season going 2-3. “James going back to Cleveland will take some time to find the same chemistry he had with his Heat teammates. This is more than just about basketball, its about an entire city. Even though it will take time to bring it all together, the Cavaliers just landed the best player in the world for the second time,” said David Urbina, a senior business major from Gilbert, Arizona.Spurs go for repeatThe San Antonio Spurs capped off an impressive season last year beating the Miami Heat and winning the NBA Championship. After the championship fans began to speculate if the veteran line-up of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Mano Ganobli, would be back for another season. To the joy of Spur fans all three decided to continue their careers for another year. Though they will be returning the same lineup as last year’s championship team, the question remains if this veteran group can once again make a run for the championship. The Spurs have had a similar struggling start as the Cavaliers with an identical 2-3 record.Kobe backLast year there was the same hype surrounding Kobe Bryant’s return after injury, however, after playing in six games Bryant injured his Achilles once again. Now, once again back from injury, the 36-year-old Lakers’ great will try to lead the Los Angeles Lakers back to the playoffs. It will not be easy for him as the Lakers lost free agent Pau Gasol and Steve Nash to injury. The Lakers are hoping that rookie Julius Randle and Carlos Boozer will provide enough support for Kobe to take the team to the playoffs. Jabari Parker’s rookie seasonLast year LDS Duke freshman basketball player Jabari Parker captured the nation’s attention with his impressive play and unique faith. Parker was named a first-team All-American, won the USBWA National Freshman of the Year, and was the runner-up for the John R. Wooden Award. After deciding another year at Duke, Parker opted to enter the NBA Draft. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Parker as the number two overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Basketball fans in the LDS community are interested in seeing how Parker performs on the professional level. “It should be interesting to see another LDS pro basketball player in arguably the best basketball league in the world. Being the number two overall pick should also be interesting because with all the hype coming in,” said Brando Barron, a freshman EXS major from Los Angeles, California. Parker has started the 2014-2015 season with two double-doubles, and an average of 11.6 points per game.