A love of Pacific Island and global cultures, a desire to go to university with a gospel-centered environment and personal inspiration were reasons students said they choose to come to BYU-Hawaii. As part of a class assignment, students taking Communications 211 Media Writing interviewed their fellow students in and around the Aloha Center on Sept. 9, the second day of Fall Semester 2014.While the reasons varied among students as to exactly why they came here, they said they felt a connection with this college out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean even if they hadn’t ever been here before."I came to BYU-Hawaii because I was asked to play volleyball. I also came because of the gospel-oriented atmosphere," said Mallory Reid, a freshman from Utah majoring in exercise and sports science.The combination of being a student athlete and having an adventurous spirit are what brought Casey Carpenter, a sophomore majoring in EXS from Idaho Falls, Idaho, to BYUH. "I was choosing between BYUH and BYUI,” she said, “but I love adventures so I decided to come here. I was blessed to be on the Cross Country team, so it sealed the deal.” However, Carpenter said she also felt the “Lord wanted me to come to Hawaii.”The gospel culture found at BYUH likewise brought Kier Austria, a freshman from the Philippines majoring in marketing, to this North Shore town. But that wasn’t the only draw for Austria. “I came here for IWORK. It allows me to study without asking much from my parents,” he said.Kelly Walker, a freshman majoring in business marketing from Utah, said he came here because of personal revelation. “It felt good,” he explained. “God told me to.”With students from more than 70 countries attending BYUH, the wide range of cultures on campus are was why Tanner Chel, a freshman from Taiwan majoring in marketing, said he came to Laie. “Being the diverse kid I am, I wanted to be able go to an environment where people speak Chinese... and French,” said Chel. “I just wanted to meet different cultures and get to know them.”Another student, Ben Taylor, a freshman majoring in biology from Canada, said he came to BYUH because “people here are so accepting and open minded of other culture,” plus he said he likes being able to “eat anytime at the Cafeteria.”A strong connection with Polynesians and Pacific Island cultures were more reasons students said they were drawn to BYUH.Blake Fisher, a junior from Dallas, Texas, majoring in Pacific Island Studies with a minor in psychology, said his grandparents are from Pearl City, Hawaii and he served his in LDS mission in the Pacific Islands. Fisher said all his friends are Polynesian and he thinks he was just made to live the island lifestyle."I feel at home in the Pacific,” he said. “I love the cultural aspect." Fisher said jokingly, "I feel like God’s got a sense of humor letting me be born the wrong color."Lucas Schwalger, a freshman majoring in biology, feels at home in Laie because he is from here. “Growing up in Laie, my family and I always went to Seasider basketball games, and ever since I can remember I always wanted to go here." He added, "My Dad and Mom both went to school here, and so I guess I just wanted to do what they did." Tara Smith, a senior majoring in EXS from Southern California, said also when she was asked why she came to BYUH, "It felt like home." But she added, “I didn’t get into BYU Provo."Dahlia Gatoloai, a senior majoring in psychology from Los Angeles, said she came to BYUH “to get away from California.” She choose her major after taking a career test in high school that told her she would do well studying psychology."We have really good professors,” added Gatoloai. “It's really fortunate. We have a low student-teacher ratio that allows teachers to mentor us, and no other BYU does that.” Fisher also said he enjoys the smaller class sizes at BYUH. He transferred here from BYU in Provo. A senior in social work from Salem, Ore., Kelly Ray said she choose to come to BYUH even through other family members when to BYU in Provo. “Two of my sisters went to Provo. I was kind of the black sheep of my family,” she said, for choosing Hawaii over Utah. “I never liked snow or the feel of Provo,” she added. “I like how I have a name here and I'm not just a number. The professors get to know you, ya know?”Talking about the impact faculty members and instructors have had on her, Gatoloai said, “The teachers lead us and prepare us for life." After graduation, Gatoloai said she would like to go into the military.Additionally, Austria said at BYUH, “I have learned balance here: skyping with the family, school work, social life, and work.”But for Kambry Jensen, an undeclared freshman from Utah, the connection she has with BYUH has been building for a long time. “Coming to BYUH has always been a dream of mine. I applied to school and got in,” she said. “When I got accepted, I was really excited. Then I went through a phase where I was really nervous about coming. But as the time to leave got closer, I got excited again.”
Writer: LeeAnn Lambert and Communications 211 students
