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BYU–Hawaii students from APCC employers share desire to recruit on campus to promote IWORK program and student success BY BROOKE GURYN International employers from New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, and American Samoa shared they accepted the invitation to attend the Asia-Pacific Career Conference to continue the mission of IWORK and create opportunities for Pacific Islander and Asian students to succeed. Many of the employers were BYU–Hawaii alumni, and they shared how they believe students from BYUH are impressive and wellrounded in the way they manage work, school, and social life. “They are definitely [well-prepared]. Some of them are already supervising 20-to30 people at work,” shared Sharon Prasad, a representative from Punja & Sons Ltd in Fiji. She said students balance their lives so well adding, “I don’t know how they get the energy to do it.” Kenneth Kuaea, vice president from Klaod Solutions in American Samoa, described how, “There’s a wholesomeness about the students here. I value that.” Kuaea graduated from BYU in Provo, and his wife attended BYUH. He wanted to come to BYUH to recruit because of the caliber of students and the values they share, he said. Merehani Parker, representing Tahiti Travel from Tahiti, noted, “BYUH students stand out to the world...I have seen enough mediocre people. We need people who stand out.” Pursuing the mission of IWORK According to the BYUH website, “The IWORK (International Work Opportunity Return-ability Kuleana) program is to assist students from the Pacific Rim (South Pacific &
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Alumni said they returned to BYUH for APCC due to a belief in the mission of IWORK. Photo by Keyu Xiao