Different from other universities, BYU-Hawaii stands out from among its sister schools due to a large number of cultures the student body represents, according to the new students. The BYUH website says the university represents over 70 countries, and students shared how the beauty of the island and the spirit of the people helped them become excited about their futures here.
“We knew automatically no matter any other situation or any other tribulation, we would do anything we could to come to BYUH,” said Danilo Mantilla, a junior from Colombia studying marketing. After arriving in Hawaii, Mantilla said, “it was a relief to be here. We felt like it was the right thing and we felt like this was the right place.
Mantilla was originally going to LDS Business College and was looking to transfer to BYU-Provo but there was an issue with credit transferring. Eventually, he applied to BYUH and he was accepted.
He said, “I really like how BYUH is so diverse... I want to be accepting towards other cultures in learning about them. Learning about other cultures will make me a better person and help me not judge someone based on how they look. I’ll see them for as they are as a person.”
BYUH has 2871 students are who currently enrolled at the university. Those students are categorized into five sub-categories, based on their home country. According to the BYUH website, 46 percent come from U.S. mainland, 25 percent Asia, 15 percent Pacific, 10 percent Hawaii, and 4 percent other international locations.
When Hope Iokia, a freshman from Hawaii studying elementary education, was accepted to BYUH, she said she immediately knew she was going to attend. She said she loved the distance of BYUH to her home town of Waianae.
One of Iokia’s favorite parts of campus is “the scenery. I have a different view of the island. I see a lot of green and trees. It’s beautiful. The first thing I noticed about campus is there were a lot of foreigners, not just a lot of Caucasians, but people from all parts of the world. It was nice to see a diverse group of cultures and backgrounds. I thought it was really neat.”
BYUH was named the best value college in Hawaii in 2018 by bestvalueschools.com for its tuition prices, student environment, and location. BYUH is known for working with the PCC and Laie, which is known for being called “a place of refuge.”
The natural and tropical look is something Nathan Blanchard, a freshman from Washington studying business, noticed as well after he decided to research BYUH. Blanchard said he was surprised when he received the acceptance letter, but “I was super excited. My mom actually went here. That was the reason I decided to come here. I had a couple of other ideas like BYU-Idaho, which was a big one for me. I really felt like I was prompted to come here.”
Before making the decision, Blanchard also researched campus life on YouTube, online Facebook pages, friends and their experiences, and Instagram. He commented how useful and friendly the school website was. He recommended it would help anyone find answers to their questions.
“Once I was here I was pretty nervous. But it was pretty easy to make friends and eventually feel comfortable here,” said Blanchard. “I felt like there is an experience you can get here that you can’t get anywhere else. This was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I decided to take it.
“The biggest thing I learned was how to adapt to new things. This is a completely new experience for me, and this is something I was not used to in the suburbs of Washington. I learned how to step out of my comfort zone and meet new people. For example, I’ve never had a roommate before. Sometimes, you just need to step out of your comfort zone, even if you don’t feel comfortable doing it.”
Mantilla expressed how grateful he was to have his number one supporter with him to help him adapt to island life. He said, “My wife is like my second part. I can’t say ‘I’ anymore. I was a little overwhelmed, but my wife is very supportive. She tells me, ‘It’s alright. We are going to be fine. We are here.’ We go to the beach like almost every day. We love it here. She always gives me the comfort I need.”
Iokia expressed how the New Student Experience program was a great chance for her to socialize with the other new students. She said getting to know others made her feel welcome in her new home.
“I was very excited for the social activities they provided for us and getting to dive into the different cultures. Being from Polynesia, it was great to meet and greet people taking the same step as me. I’m happy to be in a spiritual environment where I can prepare for a mission surrounded by people who have the same belief as I do.”
Writer: Dani Castro