Students often wonder what they’ll do when they graduate. Some recent BYU-Hawaii graduates have begun the next stage of life and embrace different opportunities and work hard to achieve personal goals.
Eddie Lee, a BYUH alumnus, is about to start his biochemistry Ph.D. program at BYU at Provo. Lee graduated in Winter 2015-2016 and will begin his next step in education this June. He said when he was at BYUH, he was not sure if he wanted to be a researcher in the future, even though he loved science.
Lee’s eight-week internship at BYU motivated him to pursue an advanced degree in biochemistry. “The environment was really good. There are really nice laboratories and other facilities for experiments, so I became really motivated to learn things here,” said Lee.
When it comes to the application process, Lee mentioned it took him six months to finish his application and get accepted. He said taking the GRE exam was the most challenging part.
“The Ph.D. program will prepare me to work in the biochemistry field in the future,” explained Lee. He said he hasn’t decided on any particular jobs after he finished his studies. He emphasized, “In the field, lots of jobs require an MA or Ph.D. degree.”
Lee described the benefits of his academic path. In America, all the biochemistry Ph.D. programs provide stipends, covering tuition, housing, and food. “We contribute our research to American society in exchange,” said Lee.
Lee offered advice to current BYUH students: “It's important to start looking for connections. I started this program early because I made a connection with a professor here during my internship.”
Jared Kwak, another BYUH alumnus, has enjoyed applying for jobs and connecting with people after graduating in February 2016.
Kwak emphasized the importance of connecting with professionals. He said networking can be worthwhile and enjoyable. “They are more than happy to help. They give me advice and recommendations, and show me direction," said Kwak.
Kwak said he has been interviewed for eight job positions in Hawaii so far. With a bachelor’s degree in finance, Kwak is planning to work as a financial advisor or financial analyst. “
The top three positions I am trying to get are with Nike, Edward Jones, and Hawaiian Airlines,” said Kwak. Besides looking for jobs and enjoying his hobbies, Kwak likes to spend time with family. He mentioned he felt so good to finally be done with homework and exams.
Zachary Giles, a BYUH alumnus, said he appreciates the experiences he had at BYUH that have helped him embrace Middle Eastern culture.
Giles graduated in November 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in international cultural studies. He began a new journey at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Israel. Giles recalled invaluable memories of visiting biblical sites and attractions. “I got to see places where Christ lived.”
Giles has gone on camel rides and visited pyramids in Jordan and Egypt. “I got to visit and enter the pyramid, and visit the Valley of the King,” said Giles excitedly.“One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to read the Arabic signs to see if I can recognize their meaning,” said Giles. He emphasized scriptural and cultural learning while visiting biblical sites, old cities, and street markets.
Giles mentioned how BYUH helped him to understand a variety of cultures. “The people here are so different compared to the western world. I am able to appreciate them more because of my experience at BYUH,” he said.
“I can learn things better and see things with different eyes.”After his journey in the Middle East, Giles plans to start preparing for a master's program and build his career. He said he would like to work in a place where he can apply his anthropological skills.
Désirée Moore Burnham got married in Utah after graduating from BYUH in November 2015. Burnham plans to volunteer with her husband in Uganda to work on childcare and HIV/AIDs projects.
Burnham majored in elementary education. She has been interested in international development and childcare. She and her husband decided to put goals into action this summer. “We are leaving in June and we are so excited,” she said.
Burnham and her husband are fundraising for their volunteer trip. They are trying to raise $2400 for program fees and transportation. She mentioned the need for financial assistance to complete the trip since they are a newly-married couple.
Burnham said if their funding goes beyond $2400, the extra money could go toward their HIV/AIDs projects and local communities. She said in some orphanages three kids have to sleep in one bed. “With extra money, we can buy them new beds so every child can have their own bed to sleep on,” she explained.