How students named Prince and Princess got their names
Two students at BYU-Hawaii have the actual names of Prince and Princess. Here's their stories behind their names.
Prince
Prince Owusu, a freshman from Ghana studying international cultural studies, said he was named after his dad, a chief of royal lineage. “Both my mom and dad are of royal lineage in my tribe, but I don’t cherish the fact I am part of a royal family.”
Owusu said he appreciates the sacrifices and work his mother did for him and his family. “We are a family of 11, with eight boys and me being the 10th,” said Owusu. “We didn’t grow up with a dad, and my mom went through a lot to help provide for the family. Because of my mom and what she went through, I cherish women a lot.”
When Owusu was 8 years old, a childhood disagreement turned into a life-altering event, which left him with only one arm. After his teacher put him in charge of the class during a meeting, Owusu’s friend spread a rumor to another friend that Owusu intended to report him to school authority.
“So when I went home that day, that friend and another classmate dug a hole for an electricity post, and they pushed me into the pit,” said Owusu, “and I broke my arm.”
Owusu said his mom did not have enough money for him to go to a hospital, and they instead visited someone who used traditional medicine. The man couldn’t treat it very well, and within a week it was badly infected and had to be amputated.
Because of the incident, Owusu moved to another school where the owner was a member of the LDS Church. “I loved him, and he taught me a lot. I made a decision to become a member and went on to serve in the Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan Mission. I wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t lost my arm,” added Owusu.
“It’s still hard to talk about it, but I have learned to forgive and move on,” he continued. “When I got back from the mission, I went back to tell the guy who caused my arm to break. He probably thought I would never forgive him and that we were enemies. But I spoke with him and we are friends.”
His advice to others is to “not always try to be right.” Owusu said, “Sometimes you need to be a loser in order to be great. When I focus more on others, I feel like I am leaving positive footprints and making a difference.”
One of Owusu’s friends, Lucy Gorniak, a freshman from Australia studying international cultural studies, shared, “He is a good example of faith. I was able to hear him teach once in the Kiribati Chapter, and you can tell he is a confident and enthusiastic person. He seems to always be happy when I see him around campus.”
Back in Ghana, Owusu was able to help build and open schools in some villages so people could graduate from high school. “It’s amazing how my little contribution could help so many people, and till now, even my brothers are studying in that school,” said Owusu.
Wanting to branch out his influence outside Ghana, Owusu decided to study at BYU–Hawaii. “My life goal is to establish my country. There are so many people in Africa who are intelligent but are not able to reach their potential because they lack the means. Thus, their talents are hidden.”
Owusu said he was one of those whose talents were hidden. “But I wanted to get a better education and get a job that could help me accomplish my goal to help others with the same issue,” he continued.
“I learned that this school was a place where good leaders are trained. I enrolled so that in the future I could help not only people in Africa but wherever I go.”
Princess
Princess Donato, a sophomore studying exercise science major who was born in the Philippines and moved to Qatar at age 14, said she has had a number of funny experiences with her royal-sounding name.
Boarding the plane to Hawaii, Donato said a travel officer addressed her as “your highness,” thinking her father was the king of Qatar.
“Princess is a common name in the Philippines. However, my parents have said that I was named after my great-great-great-grandmother, who was a princess from one of the islands in the Philippines called Mindanao,” said Donato. “I don’t know how true that statement is. My parents might just be joking.”
Whether or not she has royalty in her ancestry, Donato said she treasures the family she has been blessed with. Part of a small family, including her parents, younger brother and herself, Donato said she has a close relationship with each family member.
“My dad always taught us to be brave. So whenever I find that life is giving me obstacles, I think of it as my chance to be brave,” said Donato. She shared she especially applied this teaching when she came to BYU–Hawaii, away from the protection of her family.
“In college, I feel like I need courage when choosing friends, or even with just my choice of words. Each situation I am in, I need to stand for what I know to be true,” shared Donato.
For Donato, kindness is an attribute she is constantly striving for and wants to exude. “My mother always said, ‘Leave footprints of kindness everywhere.’ That’s why I love meeting different people and cultures. I learn so much about them,” she said.
Teako Otia, a freshman political science major from Kiribati and Donato’s roommate, said Donato has done plenty of kind acts for her. She described Donato as “one of the kindest and most considerate people.”
Otia shared a time when she was grieving, and said Donato knew just what to do. “I remember when my closest friend’s mother died I cried a lot and was very sad. Princess knew that. So the moment I got off the bed, she hugged me and comforted me,” said Otia. “She is just a really good friend to have.”
Donato said maintaining her attitude of kindness is not always easy. “There are days when it is hard to be happy and kind because there does not seem to be anything to be happy about,” she said. “But even though I feel that way, I try to just smile to everyone. Somehow, that makes my day better because it felt good to make other people happier.”
Donato shared an experience of watching some people bully a particular person in her school. “I could tell she was lonely and needed friends. So I would always smile at her and talk to her,” said Donato.
The kind deeds Donato gave to this person helped her do missionary work while she served in the Washington D.C. South Mission. She was assigned to this person’s family ward. “Her family was an answer to our prayers,” said Donato. “They would give us referrals, which contributed a lot to the success of the missionary work of that ward.”
Donato said she learned to look outside herself and focus on others. “During my mission, I didn’t think of anyone else other than the people I was teaching and my companion. I was out of my comfort zone and tried to be brave and kind. That was when I felt the most rewarded,” continued Donato. She said she realized the blessings of her kindness could be received in many different ways.
Donato said she felt students at BYUH should always be especially grateful and happy. “I think that it is everyone’s dream to study here in BYUH. Ever since I was young, I wanted to come to BYUH,” said Donato.
She said what makes the school so beautiful are the different cultures and the scenery in Hawaii. “I just want to encourage everyone to be kind because there is a lot of blessings that come with it,” continued Donato.
Using courage and kindness, Donato said she hopes to achieve her goals to “graduate with honors, go to grad school, get married in the temple, and have a family.”