Three legacy students share their connection to BYUH, recounting their experiences of returning to their birthplace to continue the educational journey their parents started
Following in their parents’ footsteps, three legacy students, each born on campus while their parents were studying and living in BYU–Hawaii’s Temple View Apartments, shared their experiences of returning to the same university their parents attended. With a strong bond between past and present, they said they found inspiration in their parents’ journeys, leading them to choose BYUH for their own educational path.
Roots of inspiration
Tutana Tunutu, a junior biology major from Tahiti, said she was born in Kahuku and her parents often talked about their time at BYUH. “They met here, got their education, and were involved in club activities … My dad even held me during his graduation,” she recalled.
Tunutu said her parents were highly involved in campus life, with her mother serving as president of the Math Club and her father leading the Tahiti Club. “They were very engaged in campus activities, and that sense of involvement inspired me to join club activities,” she shared.
Tunutu’s parents both majored in mathematics during their time at BYUH, but she said she decided to take a different academic path by pursuing biology. She explained, “My mother excelled in math, and sometimes I felt pressured to perform well in the same classes she took.” Tunutu said her goal is to attend medical school. By studying biology, she said, “I’ve found my own path, which has helped ease that pressure.”
A notable connection from her parents’ time at BYUH is Dr. Paul Hurst, a professor who “helped my mother secure a scholarship in science,” Tunutu explained. Having the opportunity to meet the same professor who supported her mother created a meaningful link to her family’s history at the university, she shared. “Every time we meet, it feels like he’s part of our family,” she added.
Empowered by education
Miriam Palmer, a freshman from Hauula and Laie majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said she spent her first six months of her life in TVA. Although she doesn’t remember much about her experience on campus, she said she decided to come to BYUH because she wanted to attend a local university. “I think the fact my parents were here [for their studies] is just like a bonus. Not only do I get to get an education, but I also get to carry on this tradition of education [because] education is super important in our family,” she said.
She said education helps people contribute to the community and make better decisions. “The more you know the more [it applies] to other subjects. The wider your knowledge base, the better you can cope with the world,” she shared.
Palmer said her grandparents moved here in 1984 so her grandfather could teach in Hawaii. “He was only a professor for two or three years before he passed away. That’s the reason my dad grew up here,” she said. On her mother’s side, her ancestors came to Hawaii to work on the sugar cane plantations in the 1860s, Palmer said. “For me, it’s the culmination of several generations of work to get us here,” she added.
“Everything my ancestors have ever done has led to me being here. I would like to think that I am like my own person, my own product, but I think it’s really important to remember [where] we are coming from and everyone who came before [us]. We have a legacy to protect,” she said.
Palmer shared some stories about her parents’ time as students at BYUH. “They said the walls were really thin so you could hear everything,” she said. Her mom, who was pregnant, had to listen to the National Spelling Bee after their neighbor left the TV on all night, Palmer added. “[My mom] joked she should’ve just gone into his house and turned off the TV,” she said with a laugh.
Continuing a multi-generational legacy
Manu Tefan, a senior majoring in marketing from Tahiti, said he has a deep-rooted connection to BYUH. “Both of my parents studied here… Not just [them], but also my grandparents, uncles and cousins,” he said. Out of his three siblings born in Utah, Tefan said, as the oldest child, he was the only one born and raised in Hawaii for just over a year before moving back to Tahiti.
Reflecting on his decision to attend the same university as his parents, he said, “It gives me a sense of familiarity…It’s good to finally see what [my family has] been talking about.”
Tefan said his parents worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center during their time as students. He said his parents worked in the Tahitian Village as tour guides, and his mother also danced in the Night Show. He added, “One fun thing is meeting professors who knew my parents through work when they were still students. [Like] Sister Numaga, [an assistant professor in the Faculty of Business & Government] who knew my mother from the Night Show,” Tefan recalled.
Tefan also has a personal connection with Sister Natasha Gillette, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education & Social Work, and her family. Gillette is the wife of Tefan’s father’s law school friend, who now teaches at BYUH. “Their son also attends school here, so we hang out from time to time,” he added.
Tefan said the school has changed a lot from his parents’ time to now. “But I love that it changed a lot. Changes are exciting, especially when they benefit students. I hope my kids choose to study here one day, and I can’t wait to see how much the school will change in the future,” he said.