September 20, 2012 by Ke Alaka'i News

September 20, 2012

Volume 101: Issue 3

Ke Alaka i THE LEADER

Leading the Way Meet the Senior V.P.s of BYUHSA 6

Furthering the Future: Career Services provides job opportunities in Taiwan and Samoa 8

Making some Waves: Student helps assemble men’s ensemble “Sound Waves” 12

Ke Alaka i

Table of Contents

September 20, 2012 • Volume 101: Issue 3 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVISOR

M a r i ssa E l d e r

L e e an n L amb e r t

HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

M ei Y i n

COPY EDITOR

VIDEO PRODUCTION

Na t ha ni e l Wa s d e n

P h illip A n dr us

PHOTOGRAPHERS

ART & GRAPHICS

M ei Y i n Ba r t Jol l ey

Mic h ae l Gulde n Ste ph an ie T s e Make n z ie H e ad

Members of the BYUH Women’s Organization gather together to learn of Tongan culture and enjoy their monthly luncheon. Photo by Mei Yin

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS G i sel l e R a mi re z , M a ke n z ie H e ad, A b igayle B ut l er, M o rga n B o u wh u i s , L is a T uttle, Ma. V i s O. Ta g u ba , Te r i n a C h r is ty, Ste ph any F ra nc e, C l ove r C h e n g, Matth ew B le ds o e, Amy Ku n i h i ro INTERNS M ei Y i n Phi l l i p A n d r u s

AD MANAGER Matth ew B le ds o e

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B Y UH SA Presi dency

BYU H Women’s Conf erence f e a ture s To n ga n her i t age

[page 12]

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Stude n ts f or m Sou nd Waves a cappel l a c h o ir

CONTACT

E-mail: kealakai@byuh.edu Ad Information: kealakaiads@gmail.com Phone: (808) 675-3694 Fax: (808) 675-3491 Office: Campus, Aloha Center 134

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ON THE COVER

Dalo Fiaui was one of a group of BYUHawaii students who travelled to Samoa through the Career Connect program, to learn about job opportunities for themselves and others in their home country, Photo courtesy of Dalo Fiaui.

Women’s Soccer Shu t ou t

Wednesday September 26 11 am—2 pm

Stress Screening Day Counseling Center Relaxation training every 30 minutes! Come learn how to recognize and deal with your stress

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Free Snacks!

SEPT

CALENDAR

groups, Irie Love and Rebel 21 Two Souljahz are to perform at the PCC.

The show is from 8 to 11 p.m. and costs $15 per person for general admission and $10 for Annual Pass members. . TVA family day will begin at 11 a.m.

NOTE WORTHY news headlines

annual event set between Buildings “L” and “N.” Free food will be offered and community resources will be available. The activity will also have door prizes and kids games.

Lady Seasiders soccer takes 24 BYUH on Fresno Pacific at 3 p.m. in a con-

ference match at the BYUH soccer field. At 7:30 p.m. of the same day, the women’s volleyball team will play Grand Canyon in the CAC. Free admission to both athletic events for students.

‘‘

SEPT

22 All TVA families are invited to this

The week in

QUOTES

“O ne thing is ver y clea r: t h e s a f est pl a ce and the best p rot e ct io n a ga i nst the moral and s p ir it u a l di sea ses is a stable ho m e a n d f a mi ly. T his has always be e n t r u e; i t wi l l be tr ue f orever. We m u s t keep t hat f oremost in o u r m in d s .” -Presi dent Boyd K. Packe r s a id in a ta l k entitled “D o N ot Fe a r.”

“Ja pa n should rein in i t s be h avior a nd stop any words and a ct s t ha t u nder mine China’s sove re ig nt y a nd ter r itor ial integr ity.” -C hi na ’s future leader, X i J in g p ing, tol d v i siting U.S. D ef ens e S e cre ta r y Leon Panetta on We d n e s d ay tha t Ja pan’s purchase o f t he is l a nds was a f arce, acco rd ing t o t h e of f i ci a l Xinhua N ews A gen cy. “I t wa s impossible not t o be moved by her quiet res o lve, h e r hi dden yet luminous he rois m .” -Kentu c ky Senator, Mit ch M cCon nel l sa i d of Suu Kyi, a receiver of the C ongressional Med a l of H oo r a nd her path of peacefu l res is ta nc e t o Mar tin Luther K in g.

Students often result to fast food, such as McDonalds, late at night or early in the morning because they are hungry. This hunger often stems from poorly timed meals through the rest of the day or the day before. Photo by AP

Freshman 15 may be due to meal time s Preventing the freshman 15 is not just about what you are eating, but when you are eating it. Drinking skim milk for breakfast and eating salad with low calorie dressing for lunch can help keep off the pounds, but other factors play into weight gain other than what you are eating. Sometimes the time at which students can eat limits their options of healthy snacks. Sam Frederick, a freshman majoring in EXS, shared, “The school should definitely consider opening up a late night food shack. With all the student activities that are running until 9 o’clock or later there is nothing to eat on campus after the event concludes, which only forces us to choose unhealthier food options.” Boone Sylvester, a freshman majoring in EXS, explained, “It’s hard to find the perfect time to eat because you know you’ll always be hungry three hours later. With having access to the cafeteria, it is easier just to eat when your get hungry.” A study by Satchidananda Panda of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies confirms that the experiences of these students are natural. Panda makes observations suggesting that the health consequences of

a poor diet may result in part from a mismatch between our body clocks and our eating schedules. In this study, Panda explains how each organ has a clock and has an ideal time when it works at its best. College students tend to eat infrequently resulted by classes, sports, and spending spare time with friends; therefore, our body clocks are offset entirely. For example, students will eat a quick piece of toast for breakfast and head to the beach with friends early morning. Returning from the beach, the student realizes he or she has 10 minutes before their next class so they eat a salad because it’s the healthiest and lightest of choices. After class, they rush to soccer practice eating a granola bar. While the foods being chosen are healthy, the timing makes it unhealthy. Having such little food at an inconsistent rate could leave you searching for a McDonald’s at midnight because you are tired, hungry and will eat anything at impulse just to satisfy your craving. This is a dangerous spot to be, as consuming a fair amount before a person sleeps leaves one worse off than if he or she would have eaten a well-proportioned meal three times a day. This late night binge eating leaves organs to digest that food inefficiently. -ALE C BARNE Y

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

“When I first came to BYUH, Polynesian men were “It’s hard, but you greeting me with hug and kiss on the cheek.” -Jennifer Herrera can sit and feel uncomfortable, or “I found people speak English very fast.” “It doesn’t mean -Saiya Ogaki right or wrong. It just you can get out and means different.” “Hawaii rains a lot and very sudden.” -Paul Buckingham -Sho Sasaki party. For me, I like to party!” “Food in America is double sized compared with Japan.” -Megumi Suita

-Barbara Shelton

“Men here wear skirts and couples kiss in public areas.” -Masa Narita

New semester in a new country: Students weigh in on how to combat culture shock Fall Semester has started and new students on the BYU-Hawaii campus might experience some kind of culture shock regardless if they are from the United States or international. Masa Narita, an undeclared major from Japan, shared his experiences with culture shock. He said, “Men here wear skirts and couples kiss in public areas. If I get a job in PCC, I might need to wear skirt too. It feels so strange but also very funny. About kissing, I would pretend I see nothing.” “I found people speak English very fast!” said Saiya Ogaki, an accounting major also from Japan. “It is challenging, but I am motivated to learn from them. I will study hard and make many friends from different countries. We can help each other.” Sho Sasaki, a psychology major from Japan, said even the weather can leave students with some shock. “Hawaii rains a lot and very suddenly. I would bring umbrella and jacket with me wherever I go. Culture shock is a good thing. I learned to accept the way it is. From all these different experience, I can grow and to be a stronger person.” Food size is something that varies 4

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quite a bit from country to country and can catch new international students off guard. “Food in America is double sized compared with Japan.” said Megumi Suita, an IDD major also from Japan. She said when she ordered a single scope of ice cream, she was given a “giant” scope. “From now on, I will share the ice cream and split the cost with my friends, so we can save money and eat it all. I don’t like to waste anything!” Other students who have experienced culture shock and learned to adjust to it can provide insight to newer students who are still shaken up. “When I first got here, I literally could not make friends for about the first three months,” said Barbara Shelton, a senior majoring in political science from Saudi Arabia. She said culture shock is inevitable and it would happen to anyone. She encouraged students to take culture shock as a good experience. She said, “If you have culture shock, then just go for it. I have moved around 13 times and every time I experience a little bit of culture shock. It’s hard, but you can sit and feel uncomfortable, or you can get out and party. For me, I like to party!” Even students who originate from

the United States get initial culture shock. “When I first came to BYUH, Polynesian men were greeting me with hug and kiss on the cheek.” said Jennifer Herrera, a senior in communications from Texas. Although she is an American, Herrera said she experienced culture shock like international students. She agreed culture shock is a good thing because she got to explore and learn from other cultures. She advised new students to keep an open mind and to accept new things. Paul Buckingham, director and counselor from BYUH Counseling Service, defined culture shock as “an exposure to cultural value in communication, relationship, and problem solving that are so different and opposite to your own framework reference that makes it different to cope with. It doesn’t mean right or wrong. It just means different.” Buckingham extended a special invitation to students who are struggling to visit the counseling service. “Don’t feel shame. It is not a shame to have problem.” -CLOVE R CHE NG

BYUH Counseling Service is located in McKay Building Room 181 and is open from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.. For an appointment, please call 808-675-3518.

WORLD FEST

BYUH provides vast network of clubs for students

Blasting music, bowls of candy and fliers all competed for the attention of BYU-Hawaii students, as they chose what clubs they wanted to join at the Fall 2012 Worldfest. Tables crowded the Aloha Center Thursday, Sept. 13 through Friday, Sept. 14, and with the influx of new students, the traffic was heavy. The event marked the first week of Fall Semester with an invitation for all students to join a community and learn more about activities and cultures present at BYUH. The overwhelming majority of clubs offered were nation focused; from Indonesian club to Brazil club, every inch of the globe was represented. But there was also a fair amount of hobby-centered clubs, such as the Photography club and the Music club. Cory Parks, a junior in ICS from Oahu, is the vice president of the American Sign Language club. “I’ve been studying ASL my whole life,” Parks explained. “My Father is deaf and my mother heads the ASL online department.” This semester, the ASL club hopes to organize gospel forums and bring ASL learners together for conversation experience. Peace focused clubs included the Peace Through Music chapter, Rotaract Service club, and the McKay Center for Peace. The McKay Center offered an extensive list of activities for prospective

members, according to Denise Burnett, a senior in peace building from Washington. “The McKay Center embodies the mission of this university,” said Burnett. “We focus on the spirit of Aloha, from peace day to helping local families, to forums to help us better understand other cultures. The center is really for all students from every culture.”

“I’m looking for a fun time and to meet new people”

-Kalei Soon

Students also had the option of affiliating themselves with pre-professional clubs such as Pre-Med club, Pre-Denistry club and the Psychology club. There were also a wide selection of sports clubs from Badminton to Cycling. “I joined Dance club,” said Kalei Soon, a freshman studying Psychology from Oahu. “I’m looking for a fun time and to meet new people.” The variety of clubs offered ensured something of interest for all students. The clubs aim to bring students together who may not typically interact or have an opportunity to meet one another and provide a network of friends for new students. -AMY KU NIHIRO

Students navigate their way around the various stands at Worldfest in the Aloha Center. Photo by Mei Yin SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Students may be unaware of what BYUHSA is and who this year’s

“I oversee and lead the vice presidents serving over Publicity, Special Events, and Service,” said Fryhoff. His main goal is “to create more unity within BYUHSA, as well as better involve the student alumni chapters.” Additionally, Fryhoff said: “I just got married in the Nauvoo, Illnois temple on May 4, 2012.”

new team members are. The initials stand for Brigham Young University-Hawaii Student Association. BYUHSA is a student association providing leadership opportunities for students, while gaining skills and experience needed for the rest of their lives, said David Lucero, Director of Student Leadership, Activities, and Service. He continued, “I have two major goals for BYUHSA: I want students with leadership positions to have a higher quality of leadership experience by receiving training and project management experiences and also a better coordination of the variety of activities for the students.”

BYUHSA Presidency El Akkari describes some of his duties at BYUHSA as finding out the vision of each department throughout campus and making sure it relates to the student body. He said he wants to find out students needs by “visiting hale’s, TVA, athletics and other places on campus. I want to get students more involved with BYUHSA because everything we do is for the students,” said El Akkari, smiling. “I just want students to feel free to come in at BYUHSA’s office....This is a place to confess any complaints almost like a bishop,” El Akkari said jokingly.

“Feel free to come to my house. We can go out to dinner. I love ideas!”

Mustapha El Akkari BYUHSA president

Senior in business management from Tripoli, Lebanon elakkari@go.byuh.edu 6

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John Fryhoff

BYUHSA executive vice president

Senior in hospitality and tourism management with an emphasis in human resources from St. Charles, Mo. j.fryhoff@gmail.com “I want students to feel comfortable voicing any ideas, and BYUHSA is the place to come voice their ideas or concerns,” said Kaufusi. “I want to make them feel as though we are a family.” She added some of her duties are to “create, prepare, and coordinate student leadership training and oversee the BYUHSA departments.

Kesaia Kaufusi, a.k.a, Kesa

BYUHSA vice president

Sophomore in accounting from Navutoka, Tonga kaufusif@go.byuh.edu

The BYUHSA senior vice presidents were asked to share a little about their departments and what their goals are: “We are trying to make students aware about what the Student Advisory Council is, which is also known as SAC,” said Naulu. “SAC provides a place for students to have their voices heard and gives us the opportunity to put them into action….We can put your concerns together in a way that can be presentable to the administration. Don’t be afraid to speak out.” SAC has a Facebook page at facebook. com/byuhsac where students are able to privately message or comment about anything including housing, BYUH policies, campus areas, academics and more, said Naulu.

Vika Naulu

Student Advisory Council Senior in social work vnaulu@go.byuh.edu

Krystelle Dimaya

Clubs and Organizations Junior in social work from Laguna, Philippines kdimaya@go.byuh.edu

Leavitt is definitely on the same page as Uele. Leavitt said she is “in charge of bringing all the students together, have them have a good time and meet new people. We plan the activities, budget, choose themes, food, and decorations.” Leavitt’s main goal for the students is to have them get to know all the different cultures of BYUH.

Sarah Leavitt Social Activities

Senior in social work from Downey, Calif. sarah_783@hotmail.com

Agnes Slade

Special Events Junior in pre-biology from Samoa aslade88@go.byuh.edu -CO M PILED B Y JENNIF E R H E R R E R A

Jennifer Herrera “We plan special events for students,” said Slade. “Our main focus is to get them to know each other in terms of dating. We want everyone to get married and go to the temple,” she said jokingly. “We want to provide opportunities for students to meet each other in an environment that is not awkward or that is not spiritual,” said Slade. “We come up with ideas as a team and correlate with other departments to make sure activities serve as a good purpose for the students. We do not want to focus on the same old activities all the time. We want a variety of new events students can enjoy.” She added although the school is very diverse, “we want to come up with something that we can all enjoy. Bring your ideas and we will be more than happy to make it happen.’

Publicity

Senior in international cultural studies emphasis in communications from Houston, Texas herrera2@go.byuh.edu

Lauren Bergaust Service

Junior in international cultural studies and peace building from Atlanta,Georgia lobergy@go.byuh.edu

“Our department correlates with school clubs by setting rules and policies. We help them organize events such as Foodfest, Culture Night, Worldfest, Songfest; anything that has to do with clubs,” said Dimaya smiling. “We set meetings with club presidents and go over rules, procedures, and policies with them. My future goals for this department are to come up with an activity where all clubs unite as one.” Dimaya said she believes they are the best department because “we work with everybody and all activities need an approval by us,” Dimaya said laughing.

“My goal is to attract students by promoting, in an appealing way where it captures their attention, in hopes they are enthusiastic and motivated to participate in our school events. I want students to be involved in the promotion process so they can feel like they are part of BYUHSA by participating in media, photography, interviews and spreading the word to other students. I want to be able to reach student awareness to 100 percent.”

“I plan service projects that students would be interested in,” Bergaust said. “We try to do a wide variety of service projects....We are looking for new ideas and we want students to get involved.” She explained her departments’ main goal: “We want to give back to the community and serve one another and help one another. …At times there are students that want to do something but they just don’t know how. So we have a ‘Stop and Serve’ table set up about every other week in the Aloha Center, where students are able to submit ideas or sign up to volunteer.” She also explained her love for service: “I honestly think service is the best thing you can do. I get a lot out of it. If students want to find ways to get involved and be happy, this is the best way. It’s a great thing. Service saved my life,” said Bergaust with a smile. SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Furthering the Future:

Chowen, Taala take students to Taiwan and Samoa to gain professional experience Building the mission of BYU-Hawaii to mentally and spiritually educate and prepare students around the world that they may be successful servants in their home countries, both campus Career Services Director and Program Manager, Jodi Chowen and Theone Taala, took a group of students from Taiwan and Samoa to their home regions to network with different companies. They looked at professional career opportunities for students after graduation. Participants of this activity learned the importance of attitude in job seeking, they said.

TAIWAN TRIP

Last Sept. 2-9, Chowen together with Jennifer Chen, BYUH accounting professor and Taiwan chapter faculty adviser, travelled with 15 students who are from Taiwan majoring in business management, accounting, information system, art, science and other courses to their home country. They visited 13 companies, met with successful businessmen and government officials and sought for possible internships and career opportunities. “We learned a lot of things. Our theme is about the importance of having a good attitude and work ethics. These trips open up doors to our campus. We work a lot with the Latter-day Saints network. We cooperated with the members in Taiwan [and] they love to see students be back [in their home country],” informed Chowen. Participants for this trip shared their different experiences and their plans after attending the activity. Lindy Cheng, a junior in human resources management, said, “I had learned a lot from the experience they had when they were founding their companies. They had their dreams, set goals, tried, failed, and succeeded. The most important KE ALAKA‘I

Above: BYUH students and leaders meet with Mayor Hu during their Career Connect visit to Taiwan earlier this month. Below: Students in Taiwan tour a factory. Photos courtesy of Career Services.

thing they taught [us] is attitude. If we can have passion for the things we are doing, we will have the chance to become a shining star in our profession. Passion is one of the most important things in success, but having experiences and gaining knowledge in our professional areas that can put on our resumes can give us the chance to let the interviewers and managers to see our passion.” Tzu Miao Wang, a Taiwanese sophomore in biology, said, “We went to Taiwan, faced the reality, and visited different kinds of companies from various areas. It was tiring, but we did learn a lot of important and meaningful principles which we won’t learn in class, especially it is related to our future. We see the abilities which we may have, the skills which we need to improve ourselves, [preparing for] competition, the advantages and disadvantages which we do have since we study abroad.” Chia-Yu Chou, senior in business management-marketing track from Taiwan, said of the trip, “From the Taiwan Career Connect, I learned about how the industries in Taiwan function, and I learned about three different major industries in Taiwan (Travel Service, IT, and traditional). It helped me to think about what industry fits me the best. [After the trip], I’m planning to get TOEFL certificate and make my English become my specialty. It helped me to learn

more about what I will be facing in the future when I go back to Taiwan.” Rena Chen, a senior majoring in business management-human resource and marketing from Taiwan, commented on how she benefitted from the said trip. “It was a well-organized and wonderful trip and I am really grateful for the support from BYUH and from the church in Taiwan. Having more understanding of the business environment in Taiwan most benefited me.” Wilford Wu, a Taiwanese junior in human resource management and business management, said, “I feel this is a valuable trip because I’m able to have personal experience with several companies and organizations. It allows me to know how a company runs and what they value. Meeting with Mayor Hu is a great experience. I feel that I see further for my future due to his personal story and perspective of global view. This experience refreshed my mind for pursuing my career in the future and strengthened my knowledge and understanding about the working environment in my own country.” Chowen said, “This was an excellent group. They were ready and knew what they were supposed to do. They were really eager to learn. They took notes and asked questions. They gained great perspectives with different opportunities.”

SAMOAN TRIP

From Aug. 31- Sept. 7, Theone Taala, with the assistance of Christina Akanoa, internship coordinator for Political Science, landed on the island of Upolu, Samoa, bringing 10 students to see what the promising jobs were in their home country. They had a firsthand experience with the prime minister and 20 employers from both government and nongovernment offices such as the ministry of foreign trade, tourism, communication and information technology, public service commission, “Samoan Observer,” a local news company, Digicel mobile network, law firms and NGOs. Taala spoke of the goal of this activity. “The purpose of this Career Connect is to introduce them to the job market, employers, government organization and entrepreneurs. They learn expectations from employers and know possible internship and employment opportunities when they return home. We want students to experience what Career Connect is. They’re not really aware of what it is until they’re there.” Career Connect to Samoa only happens once every three years. With their first trip, attendees said they appreciate the experiences they gained. “I am truly grateful that I got the opportunity to be involved in this very first Career Connect to Samoa.

Above: In Samoa, students toured businesses as part of the Career Connect. Below: One of the places they toured was the newspaper. Photos courtesy of Career Services.

It was quite a learning and an eye opening experience for me. Career-wise, it opened a lot of internship and job opportunities for all of us and those that were there. I felt that it was indeed a great blessing,” explained Fu’a Jahnke, a senior in political science from Samoa. “The Career Connect to Samoa was a really fantastic experience for me. I am grateful we had this chance to go back and see what is really going on in Samoa. I was able to find out what my country really needed. Samoa is hungry for well educated people to lead its government. I learned in most of the ministries that we have visited that your attitude is the most important thing that most departments and companies are looking for. You got to have a positive and a good attitude. No matter how skillful, knowledgeable and qualified you are, it won’t do anything for you if you have a bad attitude,” said Talosaga Fiaui, the Samoan Club president. “My experience on this Samoa Career Connect was priceless. I was able to experience and see firsthand the need for educated ethical young people in Samoa. We were able to visit with top personnel in the different sections of the government along with many private sector companies. During these visits we were presented with current standings and needs of both the public and private sector of Samoa, relatively to each company and government section. I left Samoa better equipped with the invalu-

able knowledge and experience making my overall experience valuable,” explained BYUH student Mandy Leuluai. Leuluai also shared the benefits of this trip and her plans for the future. “The biggest benefit I received while doing this was working with the local Samoans. There was no information more valuable than the information received from professionals from Samoa. I plan on returning to Samoa. I saw firsthand with the little boys selling cheap products in the streets, to my own family members, the need of proper education. Samoa is a place rich [with] natural resources that are not being used because of one thing or the other. I hope to return to help teach them how to properly utilize these resources. But first I need to educate myself properly,” she explained. Taala said of the trip and the participants: “What is gratifying to me is to see that students understand the program and how they presented well. We’re able to understand that there are opportunities for students. I believe that once they catch the vision and understand, it does change lives about having a desire to return to their home country and be willing to understand how they can give back to their home region while building the kingdom of God,” she expressed. “It was an eye opening experience for the students. Not everyone can go to visit the prime minister and NGOs. They exceeded what they expected.”

-MA VIS TAGU BA

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

U.S. Capitol internship PNG student’s view of democracy changes

Learning how democracy works while interning in Washington, D.C., Issac McDew Opehema, a senior majoring in political science from Papua New Guinea, said he was impressed by the way bills become laws in the United States. “It is an amazing experience for me to have this opportunity to look at the different dimensions and try to discern the embedded processes of different political ideologies and philosophies and different functions of the Republic-style government,” said Opehema. “The hierarchy of how the government functions is decentralized in such a way that is more effective and efficient in running the affairs of the country. The United States truly represents the model of the pure democracy on planet Earth, giving freedom of speech to the media and allowing individuals the right to express their opinions.” As a student from BYU-Hawaii and a Papua New Guinea national, he said, “It is a dream come true for me to do my internship here at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Working in the Office of Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, the member of the U.S. Congress in the House of Representative representing the Territory of American Samoa, is a huge step for me to get to know U.S. politics right at its heart.” Opehema said he was able to see how freedom of speech and the rights of individuals, lobbyists, and groups are protected and that they are able to express their opinions and views in the free world. This helps maintain a check and balance of the government, he said. “During my tenure as an intern, I learned how bills were passed, and to my surprise, I was astonished at the process,” he said. Bills are introduced into the Congress and then go through rigorous steps, each with discussion periods where people and organizations can negotiate with legislators about their contents. Despite the dif10

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ferences between the political parties and the House and the Senate, members of Congress do work together to address and implement bills conducive to the development and prosperity of the country, its social well-being and national security, Opehema said. “This makes U.S. politics unique and outstanding in the world and maintains the true spirit of democracy and the credibility of the rule of law.” Opehema said, however, these processes “are not used in my country where decisions are made by elite ministers and members of the parliament. This gives leverage to the government to take advantage of their position and power to pass any bills in any way they want because there are no lobbyists, associations, and religious groups that lobby the government. In this way, the government deprives third parties of their rights and freedom of speech to express their opinions and views and to know how the proposed bills will impact them before they are enacted into laws. “My internship on the Capitol Hill has been eye opening for me to see how democracy is meant to function and how it is translated into politics,” he said. “I see that there is something missing in most of the democratic countries around the world. My experiences here have been overwhelming and it has helped me see how democracy should be practiced anywhere in the world.”

- ISSAC O PEH EM A AN D L E E ANN LAMBE RT

Believing

Christ

Author, professor says we can gain exaltation

tephen E. Robinson, well-known for his book, “Believing Christ” and “Are Mormons Christians?,” spoke at a YSA 5th Ward fireside in the Aloha Center Ballroom on Sunday, Sept. 16. Cary Wasden, Bishop of the YSA 5th Ward, introduced Robinson by saying, “There are a handful of people I would like to sit and spend some time around the fire with, and he’s one of them. He is a friend and a brother.”

“

We need to keep the Atonement in mind and start repenting now. It is never too late to change.

”

- Dana Balsley

Robinson approached the microphone and had the audience engaged in laughter within the first 20 seconds of speaking, when he said, “And for my next trick, I will walk on water.” Robinson’s voice and energy radiated through the ballroom during the entire hour of his message. Jason Oswald, a senior in biochemistry from Alaska, shared, “As a speaker, he was phenomenal. He was relatable. He was fun to listen to and easy to understand, and so entertaining [and] informative.” Oswald summed up the main message he gained

from the fireside, “We can make it to the celestial kingdom,” he said. Dana Balsley, a junior in biology from California, said, “It was eye opening. He really put things into perspective. The play on words, not only believing in Christ but also believing Christ is really relative to our situation as members of the church.” She added, “We can get caught up in our lives and we forget to be disciples. But we need to keep the atonement in mind and start repenting now. It is never too late to change.” Robinson shared one major theme in his message, “People believe in Christ, but they don’t believe him. Believing in Christ is only half of it and believing Christ is the other half.” He shared the scripture Isaiah 1:18, “Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” He stressed the importance of the Atonement and that Christ can do everything he said he would do. Robinson said, “If Christ has promised us exaltation and glory with his father in his kingdom, why can’t we have it?” Peter Wasden, a sophomore in hospitality and tourism management from Connecticut, said, “The main thing I got from his message is that we are way too hard on ourselves when it comes to following Christ. He made me understand that it’s not a tally system for us to get to heaven. It is us accepting Christ as our savior.”

BYU in Provo Religion Professor Stephen Robinson speaks on campus. His book “Believing Christ” has helped people better understand the Atonement and how it relates to personal repentance. Photo by Bart Jolley

“

He made me understand that it’s not a tally system for us to get to heaven.

”

-Peter Wasden

Near the closing of his message, Robinson said, “I like to say to my colleagues, ‘Yeah I’m a mess but I don’t have to worry about that. I only have to get to Christ. My sins don’t scare me. I love my Savior and I like to know that I belong to him. And I believe what he promises me.’ ‘If you come unto me, I shall take you home.’” wIn good humor and to the entertainment of his audience, Robinson made a reference likening his message in a secular way: “Willy Wonka is giving you the Chocolate Factory.” The audience erupted into laughter and the message was clear. - GISE LLE RAMIRE Z

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

MAKING ‘SOUND WAVES’ Student helps form men’s a cappella ensemble A volunteer-based men’s a cappella ensemble has recently been formed by sophomore music student Tyler Wood, mentored by Anna Mooy on the BYU-Hawaii campus. The group goes by the name “Sound Waves,” and auditions just ended after the first week of school. Congratulations to all those who are included in this semester’s “Sound Waves” ensemble: Tyler Wood, Justin Cardiff, Mark Ke, Britton Winterrose, Preston Squire, Jaden McCarrey, Seth Young, Satoru Fujino, Jeff Johnston, Carston Feigleson, Jarek Buss, Ian Christy, and Abram Himmer. Wood explained his inspiration for the ensemble. “I like the sound of a small choir and the camaraderie that comes from it. I wanted to add to our music program and give some students that have the talent who do not have time for Concert Choir the opportunity to use it.” The ensemble has taken a lot of effort, research and preparation. Wood spoke with the Music Department Chair David Kammerer, as well as Mooy, to receive per-

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mission to start it. Wood envisions including from eight to 12 auditioned members each semester. Parts include bass, baritone, tenor 1, and tenor 2. His aim is to base the sound of the ensemble off a cappella groups such as BYU-Provo’s Vocal Point. Any soloists will also be volunteers from the group, upon group election as well. Sound Waves currently consists of 13 members out of the 22 who were willing to undergo the audition process. Mooy now works with the group on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. She has also selected several musical pieces that Sound Waves has already begun to learn. The musical repertoire will include anything from musicals and pop to jazz and spiritual selections. The group plans to add dance routines to some of their music, and even features beat boxers some of the time. Mooy said, “I perceive my role to be a facilitator in helping the students. The group is completely student driven, and that is very exciting! It gives me a chance to really focus on what’s going on musically because

Above; Members of Sound Waves pose during a rehearsal on Tuesday night. Below; Anna Mooy gives direction to male a capella volunteers. Photo by Zach Konecki

they take care of the administrative things.” Though Sound Waves is not yet an official club at the school, aspirations run high for its potential. The participating students would like to eventually see it offered as a class because they feel the work they put into it is worth school credit. Even without credit, however, the practices will not go to waste. The performances of Sound Waves are expected in devotionals, firesides, and a highly anticipated showcase this December. “It’s a great opportunity to practice voice, even if you are not a major or not dedicating your life to it. I mean, when are we going to have another chance to sing with an a cappella college choir?” Said Britton Winterrose, a member of the ensemble. He continued by saying, “It’s very challenging to blend 13 voices, but the experience is extremely spiritually rewarding and edifying.” Wood said he wanted the group to have a name that relates to Hawaii. He said, All of a sudden it hit him: “Sound Waves.” A Facebook page has already been created to represent this talented group, and anyone can request to join to keep informed about their performances. With the intention of getting more publicity, Sound Waves plans to raise money by selling t-shirts with their logo on them. The design was created by James Astle as a special favor for Wood. “Our purpose is to just make music and have fun. When I leave this campus, I want Sound Waves to stay” said Wood. - STE P HANY FRANCE

WHEN NATURE CALLS Where to go when you have to go BYU-Hawaii has 28 public bathrooms on campus, some more frequented than others as a variety of students confessed. Students have their preferred bathrooms to use when nature calls. Danny Ploeger, a sophomore majoring in hospitality and tourism major from Colorado, said, “I love the GCB bathroom. It’s so cold and clean. The trash is always empty and the toilets aren’t rusty or anything. But I don’t think it’s fair that the girls GCB bathroom has a couch and the men’s doesn’t.” Jarom Reid, BYUH alum, said, “I love the bathroom right by the game center. It’s very rustic and private and it has an old west feel. I’ve never had any problems in there.” Samantha Som, a sophomore majoring in peace building from Massachusetts, said, “My favorite bathroom is on the second floor of the library. Usually no

me. We also have some cool chemicals that kill HIV viruses and stuff.” Michael Alboroto, a senior majoring in political science from Honolulu, said, “You know the bathroom in the old gym by the fitness center? I go in there the most. It’s not stinky and there aren’t a lot of stalls. I only use the handicap stall though. I like a lot of space.” Leslie Lobo, a senior majoring in EXS from Georgia, said, “The best bathroom is a tie between the Aloha center and the women’s locker room in the CAC because it’s so big. The worst one is the testing center because “I don’t think it’s it’s gross and there are bugs, and it always smells bad. Using a nice bathroom is important because fair that the girls it affects how you feel. You feel dirty when you GCB bathroom has leave a really disgusting bathroom. It also reflects a couch and the the school.” Students similarly have preferred water men’s doesn’t.” -Danny Ploeger fountains. Ones that have high water pressure, one is in there and I don’t think anyone knows cold water, and stay clean tend to be favorites. These would include the Aloha center fountain it exists.” Stacey Christensen, a freshman from and any in the stake center. 8/10 people said their least favorite drinking fountain is outside Washington majoring in art, knows about the secret library bathroom and says it is her favorite the ballroom. Haley McCaw, a senior majoring in social work from New Zealand, said, “The too. “No one is ever doing their hair in there, or standing around the mirror. It’s always clean, ballroom fountain is warm and it barely comes up a centimeter. Also the tray usually has something and the ceiling is really cool.” She goes on, “In the dorms you don’t have your own bathroom, dead in it.” The Lorenzo Snow building recently installed a water bottle filler to reduce plastic bottle so it’s nice to have some privacy as opposed to waste. Starting Wednesday, Sept. 9, the women’s sharing it with 28 other girls.” restroom in the multi-purpose center will be uni Christensen works as a janitor and sex, and the men’s restroom in the same location spends some of her time cleaning bathrooms. will be closed until Friday, Sept. 28. She finished by saying, “It’s not that hard be- ABIGAYLE BUT LER cause people usually don’t do anything gross. It’s a nice routine and I’m able to fix what bothers

Student Ratings of University Bathrooms

Lorenzo Snow Admin. Bldg.

General Classroom Building

Library

Aloha Center by the Mail Room

Outside the Testing Center

CAC Practice Room Area

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

BYUH Women’s Luncheon Above: Ladies attending the BYUH Women’s Organization monthly luncheon dance in their seats following instructions from speaker Lupe Piena. Left: Piena speaks to the crowd. Photos by Mei Yin

Piena says her Tongan heritage is a foundation of unity and love

The BYU-Hawaii Women’s Luncheon, which took place on Sept. 13, featured the richness of Tongan culture with a guest speaker, Lupe Piena, a BYUH alumna who is over Residential Housing on campus. Piena’s inspirational message unfolded Tongan identity in social and religious aspects and poignantly left attendees hearts inspired. In the beginning of her talk, Piena shared her life growing up in Laie and being reminded by her parents about her ancestry. With a teary eye, she expressed, “What a blessing it was to have parents that reminded me I am a Tongan.” To understand the lifestyle of the Tongan community, she presented a simple but inspiring activity in which she instructed each group to unwrap a piece of tapa cloth on their tables and asked a representative from each team to explain the possible connection of items they found with her culture. Things such as a scrubber, canned fish, cocoa, clock, weaved basket, family picture, and bold colors were some of the things found that symbolize the skills, social relationships and virtues of Tongans. Piena explained, “These things are the best things I can pass on to my children.” She also explained KE ALAKA‘I

the importance of Tongan virtues such as respect and reverence, love of nature, and maintaining good relationships with her and her family. With the help of some Tongan students, Piena showed the skills of Tongans in dancing and singing. All the attendees joined Piena and other Tongan students in dancing the ma’ulu’ulu accompanied by drumming and in singing the Tongan version of the hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour.” “In Tonga, everything is family. Every opportunity to sing and dance together is always a family occasion,” Piena explained. She said what ma’ulu’ulu meant by saying the dance has the “same time and same motion, moving in harmony…Tongan culture is central to family relationships…Dance has something to do with strengthening the relationship of the people.” She ended her talk by presenting a joyful Tongan dance. Miriam Hellereich, one of the guests from Kailua, commented on her learning experiences at the luncheon. “I enjoyed meeting people. I have a broader understanding of Tonga and how their culture really does promote harmony in the community. The interesting thing [for me] is learning about Tongan time. Dur-

ing meetings and ceremonies, Tongan people patiently wait for important people to arrive,” Hellereich said. Colleen Meyer, a guest and who is running for state senate District 23 as a Republican in Hawaii, also shared, “I love the speaker. It was great to see the Polynesian cultures. [The message] is just very personal and very moving… I felt validated by what Lupe said about responsibility and family.” Attendees talked about the importance of the organization and the monthly luncheons. Lynne Hansen, former BYUH professor in linguistics and current Precinct Chair of Republican Party for District 23, said the women’s organization “contributes to our unity and ability to do helpful things. You always learn something useful and enjoy the relationship of sisters.” The theme of this year’s women’s organization is “Together We Can Make a Difference,” said Rosa Maria Hurst, the president of the women’s group who is originally from Peru. “Our goal is to strengthen women with the messages being shared and also to ask for their strength. If we hold and work together, we can make a difference in the lives of the people, especially the students and community.” -MA VIS TAGU BA

Women’s Soccer Shutout

Coach says 3-0 win meets scoring goal The Lady Seasiders held their opponent scoreless at home in the first game of conference play. Megan McCain recorded her second shutout of the year without having to stop a single shot on goal by Chaminade. Abbie Fronk netted two goals in the first half, both assists from Brittney Evans, and the final dagger in the 56th minute by Terryn Soelburg, winning 3-0. Fronk, a senior from Salt Lake City, talked about her performance after the game, saying, “It was purely my team. They gave me great through balls and I was just there to finish them. Everyone else did all the work.” When asked about her team and the way that they played, she commented, ”I think the team did good. It’s our first conference game so obviously we have a lot to learn and a lot to build on, but I think we performed well.” Coach Alex Ruegner shared some thoughts after the game: “I think that all around, pound for pound, every girl did their job.” Ruegner also had some goals in mind for the team before the game. “I wanted to get at least three goals today so the girls can get confident in their goal scoring. We are struggling finishing a little and we are not going to get as many chances to score in the next games, and over the course of the season.” Coach Ruegner said, “The best teams are the ones that can transition well, compact on defense and spread out on offence, and they did better today than they have all season so far.” Regarding

Kassy Binning, No. 16, goes for the ball in a game a against Chaminade. Photo By Mei Yin

Fronk’s performance, the coach said, “Excellent! She has been waiting and waiting to get those goals and I expect nothing but more goals to come.” The Lady Seasiders look to stay hot as they take on Hawaii Pacific on Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. at home. - M ATTHE W BLE DSOE

Men’s soccer disappointed by tie with Chaminade

Besser Davila, No. 10, takes on Chaminade players during the 0-0 tie on Sept. 15 at the game held at home in Laie. Photo By Mei Yin

The Seasiders men’s soccer team was disappointed on Saturday, Sept. 15, when it was forced to settle win a 0-0 tie in their match against Chaminade. The team expected an easy win against Chaminade after they defeated the team 2-1 in their Sept. 8 match at Chaminade. The team’s record now stands at 1-0-1. The Seasiders took control of the shooting early on but were unable to connect and score despite dominating offensively. According to the BYUH sports information, “The Seasiders dominated the game statistically, holding a 15-5 edge in shots and a 7-1 edge in shots on goal, but could not come up with a goal.”

BYUH sports information also reported the best opportunity to score came in the first overtime, but that the shot was just a hair wide. They also reported that BYUH goalkeeper, Tyler Smedley, saved one goal, while Chaminade keeper, Conor Knox, was much busier saving seven shots. Wil Barber, a senior majoring in English from England, discussed what went wrong for the Seasiders, when he said, “We got a bit antsy in the final third. We had fifteen shots. Some of them were right on target that we should have placed. It’s hard when they [Chaminade] are playing for the draw.” The Seasiders hope to improve their record and win their match, which is on Thursday, Sept. 20. They will play HPU at home at 12:30 p.m.

-MARISSA E LDE R

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Sprinting through the finish line:

Men’s and women’s cross country place first and second at invitational The BYU-Hawaii Men’s Cross Country team took long strides into first place Saturday, Sept. 15 placing seven runners in the top 10 with a total score of 22 points. The Seasiders beat Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade with ease at the BYUH invitational. The determination and mental strength of those in the race was evident as they finished the last mile and fought exhaustion. The runners all have impressive signs of dedication, the way they push through pain, and this pain that is unmistakable in the faces of the runners as they cross the finish line. For the men’s team it was an 8K course was “a little challenging,” according to Nick Jones, a senior in exercise sports science from San Clemente Calif. Coach Kevin Schlag commented during the race: “This is our first 8k, so we are not 100 percent sure what to expect. This race is a tune-up for conference so I am not so worried about personal bests or records, but rather that they focus on strategy.” Strategy was key for Spencer Deavila who said he did his best to stick to his game plan: “I started out doing exactly what I told coach I wanted to do, which was to run a 5:05 mile and I was right on it. I felt really strong, but I lost a few seconds with about 2 miles to go, and I was passed with about .5 miles to go and I just couldn’t keep up with him.” Spencer finished with an official time of 26:36 for second overall and the first of the BYUH team. The men came through in fine style in third Kevin Miller (26:53) 4. Jon Hooke (27:18) 6. Parker Hawkins (27:23) 7. Matt Belliston (27:40) 8. Clayton Kearl (28:00) 16

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BYU-Hawaii women, wearing red, line up at the cross country meet held on campus on Sept. 15. Photo by Bart Jolley

and rounding out the top ten finishers was Yuki Kitahara in ninth (28:11). The Lady Seasiders also had a strong showing Saturday with a second place finish, being edged out by Hawaii Pacific by 7 points. Jessica Paget finished third overall with a stellar time of 19:16, a new personal best. She commented after the race: “It was a tough course; long stretches of being alone. I felt strong the whole race, but I had to push through at the end. I feel really good that I smashed my personal best.” Regarding her team and their performance, Paget commented, “I love the support of the team, I love being with them. I want personal records and to do well but I want to work as a team.” Kassie Mcgonegal in her first race after an injury, shared her thoughts: “I felt good running. I am hurting pretty bad but I hit the time that the coach wanted me to hit. I feel like I could have done a little better, but over all I feel pretty good about it. I think the team is getting better. We are all doing a lot better I have high hopes for us” Four Lady Seasiders finished in the top 10 in a very competitive field, three two runners behind Paget were in fifth Micaela Jaramillo (19:44), eighth Haley Olcott (19:54), and tenth Andrea Martin (20:11) Both the men and women will race on Sept. 22 at the Chaminade Invitational at Central Oahu Regional Park at 4 p.m. - M ATTHE W BLE DSOE