As part of BYU-Hawaii's reorganization and to enable our alumni to play a greater role in mentoring and assisting current and future students, the BYUH/CCH Alumni Association has recently transferred from the University Relations department (formerly called University Advancement) to the Student Development and Services division, led by newly named Vice President and alumna Dr. Debbie Hippolite Wright, LCSW, Ph.D.
Hippolite Wright [pictured at upper left] explained that within her division the Alumni Association now comes under the newly reorganized Student Work, Career and Alumni Services department, led by Kimbrelyn Austin, Director; and effective August 4, former Alumni Association Executive Director Rowena Reid now serves as the Career Counselor in that department.
"As a proud 'golden' alum of BYU-Hawaii, I'm very passionate about this place and its prophetic destiny. My life has been intertwined with BYUH since I was 16 years old," said Hippolite Wright, who also served on the BYUH social work faculty for 17 years. "I still feel that. In fact, I feel even more excited because I see grander plans for the development of the alumni and how they can benefit the students who are here now."
"We've been challenged to step it up, to matriculate more well trained men and women of integrity, so we need to get even better at what we've been doing for years. One critical piece of raising the bar in this process is to rely more on our alumni to contribute to the students: Not necessarily in money, but as mentors."
"Many of our alumni are not wealthy people — some are — but what we do have, and what our alumni excel at is forming relationships: We're professional people. We're well liked in our communities and are aware of our surroundings," she said. "We're now asked to step it up and find ways to mentor, support and assist new and current students, and to help recent graduates enter their chosen professions."
"It's simple, really: Generally we don't have the money, but we can keep the students and new alumni informed about jobs. We can mentor and encourage them. We can help them network and make links in the professional world," continued Hippolite Wright, who compared graduating from BYU-Hawaii to "leaving from your mission: You miss the camaraderie and the feeling of aloha. When you're back in Mongolia, Taiwan or wherever by yourself, we know you really miss your past association with being a student here."
"We're going to rely even more on our alumni, and Kim [Austin] has some wonderful plans. Alumni services here on campus are not going to diminish: We're going to change how we do things, but the purpose is still to reach out more broadly to our alumni across the world, and to get you more involved in helping."
Austin [pictured at right], who has been with BYU-Hawaii since 2003, explained that the newly named Student Work, Career and Alumni Services department is a combination of part of the former Student Employment office, Internships, Career Services and Alumni Relations. Under her direction, the department now focuses on career development, experiential education — including student employment and internships, and alumni and employer relations.
The Alumni Office will remain in its Aloha Center location, with Phyllis Peters continuing as the office manager. Austin will move into the space previously occupied there by Reid, while most other departmental functions — including Reid's office — will be located in the Career Center next to the cafeteria.
She added that her department is currently seeking an Assistant Director of Alumni and Employer Relations. "This person will focus on the day-to-day responsibilities of connecting both employers and alumni — who may be one and the same — with the students." And while some of the reorganization is still in transition, Austin said she anticipates the assistant alumni director and office staff will work closely with regional representatives, who will probably be volunteers. "We're actually going to have more people working with alumni than we did in the past," she said, "and they'll tie in with the other people in the department. The key here is we're building on the foundation we've already got, and I think it's exciting."
Austin noted that Reid will be the first full-time career counselor. "We had a Church service volunteer before, but Rowena's position requires a licensed professional counselor with a career development counseling credential." She also praised Reid who has served the Alumni Association for the past 10 years and pointed out that prior to joining the BYUH staff, her previous employment included Human Resources management for Starkist, Inc., an H.J. Heinz subsidiary in American Samoa, and also a number of years as a counselor in both Hawaii and later in American Samoa. She holds a master's degree in counseling from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Social Work degree from BYU-Hawaii."
"Her combined professional experience makes her a perfect fit for the Career Center. I also know that working with people is her passion, and that she has touched so many lives," Austin continued. "To have her here gives us stability in this position. She's committed to the students and loves the university and its mission. Her experience with the alumni is going to help us make better connections with people in our target area who might help. Rowena is the perfect fit."
"Changes are healthy for an organization to be more effective, and I'm excited about this one," responded Reid [pictured at left], who described her new role in Career Services as an opportunity to "prepare students to become better alumni."
"I'm grateful for the experiences I had with the Alumni Association, and I thank all the chapter chairs for your dedication and commitment to BYU-Hawaii. Many of you have served beyond the call of duty and have sacrificed much because of your love for our alma mater. I urge you to please continue your service during this period of transition and offer the same support to Kim as you have to me over the years. I challenge you to be prepared to serve in new and different ways."
Reid added that while chapters usually connect socially, "what's really unique about BYU-Hawaii alumni is the spiritual education and experience we gained here. I know many of you who are successful professionally, but I know even more of you are 'successful' leaders in the Church. That's a testament of BYU-Hawaii's prophetic mission. As I've traveled in our target area, many of you have told me we need even more students to come back as leaders, which makes me even more excited to interact directly with these young people on campus. To see them grow is like being a missionary: By the time they leave, they're totally different people. It's our role — with your help — to get them prepared spiritually."
Many chapter and other alumni leaders have already responded to the reorganization. For example, in an email to Reid former Association president Bobby" Akoi Jr. wrote, "I anticipated the change and trust the Lord and His leaders know what we need to do to move forward at BYU-Hawaii." He also pointed out that under Reid's leadership the association grew to "61 alumni chapters throughout the world. That’s a huge accomplishment," and also worked closely with BYU Provo’s Alumni Association to establish a close working relationship with chapters throughout the Pacific and Asia. "We have been truly blessed to have you at the helm for so many years."
In commenting on the reorganization, BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright [pictured at right] pointed out that alumni associations at other U.S. institutions primarily focus on raising money and secondarily on finding good students. "Fundraising in our target and developing areas traditionally hasn't fit our mission, so we have focused on attracting and developing the best students who go on to become great leaders and help build the Kingdom. If you think of the importance of our mission, it's clear that our focus should be on strengthening and fulfilling that mission by organizing and enlisting the full help of the alumni, going forward."
"We have an amazing constituency — that includes alumni, donors and friends — who are all involved in helping these young people prepare for their future roles," he continued. "If you're looking to engage, this is part of a wonderful opportunity. For some people, the best they can do is to give money; for many of you the best you can do at this phase of your lives is to help the students in other ways."
"Alumni need to help us attract the best students, help them prepare and know what the standards are, help them set correct expectations and help them get here. Then once they're here we need to help them in maintaining their ties with the home countries, such as in the internship program; and once they graduate, helping them get good jobs. As alumni, we sometimes forget how impressionable the young students are. They need to regularly hear from their leaders back home and to think about their connections. That's where the Alumni Association needs can be invaluable. That's part of what these changes are designed to help us do better."