Senior missionaries and BYU–Hawaii students work together at the Center for Academic Success to teach lifelong skills such as organization, time management, and study habits. Thought of as a refuge by the senior missionaries, they said ithey prepare students to build the kingdom on campus, in their homes and in their home countries.
The Center for Academic Success
Sister King, a missionary from Utah explained, “We have students who transition from another university or a new country to this university. There is a lot expected and challenging...We can help them transition into university life.”
The senior missionaries said they welcome all students to stop by the CAS, from incoming freshman to graduates. They also all agreed they serve as a bridge from home to university and provide students with tools to succeed. Elder King, a senior missionary from Utah, said he helps students position themselves for success and provides support for students to reach their academic pursuits.
Welina Fetner, a senior from Hauula, Hawaii, studying music, shared her perspective changed as she spent time at the CAS. When Fetner came to BYUH a freshman, she said she was enthralled with friends and a life full of freedom. She recalled, “I stopped going to classes and I didn’t want to listen to teachers or anybody else. Then something happened in my life that traumatized me a lot, so I dropped out of school all together.”
Because of low grades and leaving school, Fetner could not return unless she went to the CAS. She explained Admissions employees wanted to make sure she was going to be reliable and responsible.
When Fetner went to the CAS, she remembered feeling like they were open, kind and didn’t seem to judge at all. Rather than critiquing her, she said the missionaries helped with time management, organization, and did grade checks to make sure she was doing what was needed to become successful.
Fetner emphasized her growth from her freshman to senior year at the CAS with the support of the senior missionaries. She said, “I didn’t have very high confidence, but they were beside me.” She added the CAS is a welcoming place where students should feel secure.
Now an employee of the CAS, Fetner said she works with students who were in the same boat as she was. Thoughtfully, Fetner said she greets the new students with a smile and introduces them to the missionaries because it can be scary to come if they are unfamiliar with the center. “I think that’s one of the main things everyone here has been trying to do - to build up a community. That way students will feel comfortable coming in to receive help.”
In reflection of her five years at the CAS, Fetner said, “I didn’t realize everything I did back then would affect me so much in the future. You never realize how much your choices to not go to class and not get help will affect you. Coming in to the CAS is just one of the simplest and happiest choices.”
Sister Rickey from Nevada, said, “The students and their desire are amazing. We are just trying to take their desire and turn it into reality. Sometimes your desires, what you want to do, what you dream about, life gets in the way and you get a little off track. We want to see them succeed and finish. We’ve been called and set apart and our main jobs is to make connections with the students. We love everyone who comes through that door.”
Elder King said he works with a diverse group of students, from those who struggle and those who need another set of eyes. He said, “The upperclassmen were coming here and saying, ‘Oh I wish that I would’ve known this as a freshman!’ We want the freshman to stop by.”
Diversity
When students enter the ASC, the senior missionaries ask the student to write their name and country on a board behind them and eagerly take their photo. Last semester, Elder King remembered there were 32 countries listed on the board.
“Many of our students have not been away from home. We encourage them to use their time in an organized manner. They are working, going to church, have callings, school, social life and the beach. We show them there are ways they can do what they want, and we but also show them the things they need to do,” explained Sister Rickey.
Sister King said the needs vary from each student and include language for international students, homesickness, or cultural interaction and the assimilation into a new diversity.
“We truly get to be right on the front line to interact with students,” said Elder Rawley from Utah. “It’s exciting as we get to teach each student that comes in to find out their name, what country they are from, see whether they have served a mission, and if they are first, second, or third generation members of the church.”
Ohana feel
An early graduate from high school, Danielle Sheridan, explained college can be scary for a 17 year-old.
“I feel very new to everything, but [the senior missionaries] just made me feel very comfortable,” Sheridan said.
“I am a challenged student so the first week of school I had to come here and meet them. At first it was annoying because it was a hassle, but when you come in here you really feel the Spirit because they just love you so much.”
Sheridan said when her paper was due, Elder King reviewed her work. She said, “He helped edit my thesis and helped me look up articles that I needed. They really take their time. Just to know that they care about you. If you miss your parents, come in here. It’s all the senior missionaries in here.”
Sister Rickey said, “We all have a lot of children. Young adult children.” Elder King added, “We are called to be academic grandparents.”
“It’s our blessing, I have learned more from the students. They are blessing to us every day,” Sister King said. “We don’t want any of our kids to go home. It doesn’t matter if they are our students or not, they are ours. I am sure there are many teachers on this campus that feel the same way. We don’t want to see them go home, we will do everything we can.”
“A lot of students come in here because they just want to see them or because they need somebody to talk to,” explained Fetner. In response, Kathleen Laceste, a sophomore in art education from Laie encouraged, “Don’t be afraid to come in and talk.”
Building the Kingdom
“Most of us here feel there isn’t a student here by accident. They are here because they are at the right place at the right time. We don’t feel that we are here by accident either. We are here at the right place at the right time where the Lord would have us here too,” Elder Baker from Utah said.
He continued, “It’s a wonderful opportunity to realize we are here to help serve the students. The idea is that the Lord wants them to receive their education and we are going to help them in the best way we can.”
Sister King from Utah fondly recalled her mission assignment, “When we first got our mission call we knew we would have students from over 70 different countries. We knew the students here would be leaders in their countries, so our vision is to help build the kingdom.”
Elder Baker said as missionaries they strive to touch the hearts and lives of students not only academically but spiritually.
“We encourage them to not forget to seek the Spirit in their studies, learning and tests. We do prepare these classes with skills, but we do invite the Spirit to be with us in our preparations and in our presentations and that the Spirit will be with the students. It’s not only to strengthen them academically but it’s to uplift them, and the Spirit uplifts.”
He emphasized the students need to be buoyed up by the Spirit and by their relationship with their Heavenly Father and Savior. Elder King added, “We could never tell anyone else to make the Holy Ghost your study buddy.”
The senior missionaries also teach student development classes. Sheridan explained good habits are taught, and one of the classes helped her know what to do to help herself study in different ways to accomplish tasks for classes and teachers.
“I liked the talk given by President Nelson describing that education is our responsibility, because we are all about education and academics. But we know there is nothing done without being spiritual in its core. Being a full-time missionary in academics is kind of the marriage of those two between those two points,” Elder King said.
Elder Rickey summarized a promise from Doctrine & Covenants 19, “As missionaries we are promised that as we serve not only our lives will be blessed, but our family’s lives will be blessed. We take that seriously, like a covenant. As we sacrifice to serve, the blessings are promised and we receive the blessings because we are serving.”
Sister Rickey explained the word sacrifice in Latin means “to make holy” and does not mean to give something up. She said sacrifice is the action to make something holy. From the sacrifices of the senior missionaries, students, and families to come to BYUH, Sister Rickey said it means to become holy.
“We are all making this sacrifice so we can take it to our hearts and minds and offer it to the next person, whether it’s these students that go back to their countries, or us as we go back to our families,” said Sister Rickey.
Writer: Geena DeMaio