PathwayConnect participants and BYUH students say the online program builds bridges to help gather Israel
BYU-Pathway's program, PathwayConnect, stands as a beacon of hope for individuals seeking to further their educations with low-cost tuition, said Michael Adam Caducio, a sophomore majoring in hotel and tourism management from the Philippines. PathwayConnect is a 21-week long reduced-cost online program that prepares students to start or finish a degree, says The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website. Caducio explained, “The knowledge we gain from our education helps us to be influential and eventually helps in assisting in gathering Israel.”
History
According to BYU-Pathway Worldwide’s website, the program was designed to help individuals in a flexible and affordable way to earn college credits and valuable skills in the comfort of their own homes. It says the program’s mission is to develop disciples of Jesus Christ in their homes, the Church and communities.
The website says the program’s history started with a prophetic statement given by President Henry B. Eyring to Ricks College, the university that later became BYU-Idaho. President Eyring said Ricks College would “find direct ways to move the blessing of education… from this campus out into the lives of men and women everywhere.”
The program started in 2009 with 50 students but has now grown to 65,000 students from 180 countries.
Touching lives
Minka Sonia Otuonye, a recent graduate of the program from Nigeria, said she was motivated to enroll because she loved education when she was growing up. However, because of the socio-economic problems in her country, she said she had to stop school. The program was introduced to her country in 2018. She said during her time enrolled in BYU-Pathway she saw how much the Church values education. It reminded her that it is a commandment from God to get one.
“I have learned valuable lessons about leadership and the principles of a fixed and growth mindset throughout my time as a student in the BYU-Pathway program,” she said, “These key learnings helped me to grow as a person and a daughter of God.”
Christian Cabalza, a sophomore majoring in accounting from the Philippines, said he enrolled in BYU-Pathway because he saw an opportunity to learn and grow spiritually and secularly. He said he was attracted to the structure of the program that allowed him to have freedom with his time while studying and a lot of real-life applications every week.
He said aside from the typical classes he took in high school, the program helped him value education and learn from the doctrines of the Church.
“My academic goals helped me to reap success in my classes, which led me to study and apply the same principles I learned at BYUH,” Cabalza said.
Caducio said he heard about the program after his two-year service as a missionary for the Church. He said upon learning about the program, he was eager to enroll and see what it offered him. His missionary service and experiences propelled his desire to further his skills and enroll at BYU-Pathway Worldwide, he said.
“The [PathwayConnect] semester was filled with meetings and discussions throughout the week where we had the chance to lead the discussions on assigned topics and help out with its application,” Caducio explained.
The modules at BYU-Pathway had him set smart goals every semester, Caducio said, and they helped him stretch his abilities and achieve goals within a specific time frame.
Caducio said his academic goal during his time at BYU-Pathway was to set a specific study time for his assignments. He would typically take two or three hours a day, he said, to dive in with the materials and prepare himself for the weekly discussions.
Caducio said the program elevated his study habits and gospel learning, which led to his admission to BYUH. He said his established learning patterns at PathwayConnect helped him apply the same principles in the university.
Growing in knowledge and wisdom
Caducio shared a quote from Brigham Young that encapsulates the mission of BYU-Pathway for anyone who enrolls. He said, “If you wish to become like your Heavenly Father, you must grow in knowledge and wisdom.”
Caducio said the program educates people about secular subjects and emphasizes that the knowledge acquired is crucial for the gathering of Israel.
His enrollment in the BYU-Pathway's PathwayConnect program led one of his close friends from another religious sect to look into the program. Caducio believes his friend’s experience serves as a testament to how programs associated with the Church consistently reach out to touch lives and guide people to understand the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Otuonye said she had a similar experience. “Upon finishing the course, I met with my friends who were interested to know more about the program. I gave them the link to enroll, and little did I know that I was also helping them to follow Jesus Christ.” •