Several years before Sanchez would ever step foot on the beautiful tropical campus of Brigham Young University – Hawaii, her life already began to steer her in a direction that would ultimately lead her directly here. Now a senior in international cultural studies focusing on communication, Sanchez’s unique story and vibrant cultural past provided the foundation and passion that now shapes the future path she intends to take.
Although Sanchez hails from Arizona, she is in close touch with her family’s roots. Her father is a member of the Totonac, an indigenous Native American tribe centered in what is today part of Mexico. In addition, her mother is a member of the Navajo tribe in what is now part of the southwestern United States. Sanchez’s Native American roots have played an important part in her life and offered her an incredible perspective of the world, notably here at BYU-Hawaii.
After she graduated from high school, Sanchez first elected to study at the BYU campus in Provo, Utah. After two years of hard work, Sanchez put her schooling on hold to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for two years in Albania, a small largely agnostic nation of more than four million people on the Balkan Coast in Eastern Europe.
Upon arrival back in the United States at the conclusion of her mission, Sanchez returned to BYU in Provo to continue her education. “Unfortunately, I felt that academically, that year was somewhat unsuccessful,” Sanchez explained. She decided to leave school and return to Arizona to live closer to family and take up work with her father’s company.
Sanchez said that back in Arizona, she sometimes wondered about attending BYU-Hawaii. Still, she was uncertain that it would be the right move for her at that point in her life. Reassurance would soon come. “One day at church, I had this feeling that I needed to go back to school,” Sanchez remembered, “And honestly, I tried to ignore it. I was doing well at my job, with my relationships, and I didn’t really want to go back right then. My company had offered me the opportunity to eventually go back and finish school and then continue my work with them. It didn’t make sense to me to just leave at that point.” Fate, however, continued to assert itself in Sanchez’s life. “The feeling that I needed to go back to school came back, and I argued with it, but I soon realized that I was receiving it for a reason, and I resolved to follow it and go back to school.”
That prompting soon led to a series of events that led Sanchez to apply to BYU-Hawaii. She applied and even acquired her plane ticket to Hawaii, yet she did not hear from the university. Once she arrived in Hawaii, with just a few weeks before classes were to begin, Sanchez received a call from the admissions office. “The admissions office called me, and Dean Meha told me that my application had been on his desk for a long time and that he needed to know why. He asked me where I was, and when he discovered I was already in Hawaii, he invited me to his office the very next day.” The next morning, Sanchez visited with Dean Meha and left with an offer of acceptance to the university. Elated and relieved, Sanchez felt her life was right on track.
While studying at BYU-Hawaii, Sanchez has truly made the most of her opportunities and taken advantage of her experiences here. “I never thought I would be here,” she admits, “But I knew it was where I needed to be.” Sanchez has recognized the Lord’s hand in her life. “I got the confirmation that the Lord had really put me here and that though it was a change, the Lord had put my life in motion.”
Sanchez has been able to participate in the international environment at BYU-Hawaii and believes she will take with her a truly global outlook upon graduation. “There are so many cultures to learn from and chances to communicate with others. I have grown incredibly here.” Sanchez says she plans to put her degree to use: “I want to return to the Navajo reservation as an ambassador to lead and help my tribe and make a difference.” She hopes to make connections with others and act as a mediator for her tribe.
“BYU-Hawaii has really been a blessing in my life,” Sanchez recounts, “It has been such a blessing to see how people respect the cultures. That cultural identity has opened my eyes to a new world of communication.” As all students here often feel, BYU-Hawaii has provided Sanchez with an invaluable and golden opportunity to discover the world and people that live on it as an active negotiator of peace and understanding. As Sanchez prepares to graduate and move on to the next chapter of life --- graduate school, a career, and a family --- her experiences at BYU-Hawaii will undoubtedly continue to influence and resonate within her forever.