A team from BYUH and the PCC recruits new students from French Polynesia
As the manager of admissions, Maurice Mo’o participated in recruiting efforts for BYU-Hawaii in Tahiti alongside Poerava Brodien Hapairai, an associate professor in the Faculty of Business & Government and the Center for Hospitality & Tourism and Heitiare Pane’e, the Tahitian Village manager at the Polynesian Cultural Center, from June 10 to June 17.
Currently, there are 67 students from French Polynesia who attended the Spring 2023 Semester, which represents a steady increase in enrollment from French Polynesia over the past five years, said Mo’o.
Mo’o said the general purpose of recruitment is to go to countries in BYUH’s target areas of Oceania and the Asian Rim. “We recruit students to come to BYUH, participate in the IWORK program or work-study program and get an education. [As they] participate in the mission of the university and then return home to their home regions, [they] become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ and leaders in their families, communities and chosen fields in building the kingdom of God wherever they're from,” said Mo’o.
The recruitment effort consists of working closely with church employees like the welfare self-reliance managers assigned within the target areas because they oversee education, careers and humanitarian aid within the Church Education System, said Mo’o. “[After working] hand-in-hand with the area welfare self-reliance managers, they then work with local leaders to help us coordinate and organize visits to these countries and meetings with prospective students who want to come to BYUH,” shared Mo’o.
In Tahiti, Noeline Parker, the welfare self-reliance manager, helped organize the recruitment trip and the various events and meetings. “Besides recruitment and admissions, we [also] help to bridge the gap between our students here at BYUH and potential employers there in French Polynesia,” Mo’o said.
Meeting with alumni
The trip started with an alumni gathering of about 50 alumni followed by a question and answer session for prospective students where they spoke about BYUH, said Mo’o. Hapairai talked about the Holokai curriculum and the Hospitality & Tourism Management program that night, Mo’o said.
Pane’e said she mostly talked about working as a student at the PCC. She said, “As long as they go through the admission process, every student can work at the PCC. It is not just for the IWORK students, but for any student looking for a way to finance their studies.”
Meeting with upcoming students
On the second day, the group met with students are planning to come to BYUH for the Fall 2023 Semester to answer questions and help them with the onboarding process, said Mo’o. “Some of the challenges that our international students have to go through to get to BYUH are getting a visa and jumping through a lot of hoops. And we know we can help them navigate those challenges,” said Mo’o.
About 10 students were admitted for the Fall Semester and are in the process of scheduling visa interviews at the U.S. embassy in Auckland, New Zealand, said Mo’o. “However, due to the lack of available appointments, we coordinated some alternative options, one of which was to have some of them attend visa interviews in Suva, Fiji.”
After meeting with the newly admitted students, the group met with another 15 students to answer questions about the application process, including questions about the new English Language Admission Tests for those enrolling for the Winter 2024 Semester, said Mo’o. He explained that 400 students internationally took the new, free online English language admission test administered by BYUH’s EIL Department in preparation for the Winter 2024 Semester.
Nohoarii Estall, a prospective BYUH student from Tahiti, said he gained valuable insights into the Holokai education system during the recruitment visit, which stands apart from the French system. Additionally, he disclosed his primary obstacle, stating, “I overlooked the ELAT test dates due to a misunderstanding, and consequently, I had to pay for the TOEFL test which wasn’t easy.” Despite his challenges, he said, “When I came to Hawaii in April, I knew I had to come to BYUH.”
Making connections
Mo’o said one of the notable experiences during the trip was the visit to Bora Bora, where the group had the privilege of meeting with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, alumni, the mayor, and the Tourism Committee. He said the connection they established may provide potential internship placements and other beneficial prospects for students and faculty.
Mo’o shared another highlight was visiting Tearii Alpha, the mayor of Teva I Uta District, who has begun establishing a cultural center on that part of the island. Mayor Alpha provided a tour to the group to witness his endeavors in creating a cultural center, and Mo’o said the mayor was especially delighted to see Pane’e, who represented the PCC’s Tahitian Village.
They also visited Eliane Tevahitua, the vice president of French Polynesia, to invite her to the PCC’s 60th Anniversary this October and the Asia Pacific Career Conference in March 2024 to connect with BYUH students, said Mo’o.
Facilitating the application process
After an initiative encouraged by BYUH President John S. K. Kauwe, students specifically in French Polynesia can now apply to BYUH before completing their BAC exams, which is an exam determining their graduation from high school]. “Though this approach may not be applicable everywhere, our intention is to enable students to secure their spots at BYUH during their last year in high school and join as soon as possible. We will accept their high school transcripts as part of the application,” said Mo’o.
Continuing the recruitment effort
Mo’o said faculty members from BYUH will continue going on recruiting trips this year to places like the Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mongolia, and Korea.