Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will speak at BYU‒Hawaii’s Winter 2017 Commencement in the Cannon Activities Center on Saturday, February 25, at 9:30 a.m. where more than 200 students will receive diplomas.
BYU–Hawaii Registrar Daryl Whitford said, “204 students are to receive bachelor’s degrees and 52 associate’s degrees; however, not all students will be marching.” The graduates range in ages from 19 years old to 53 years old, Whitford said, and they come from 29 countries.
Elder Oaks has visited with and spoken to the BYU‒Hawaii community on several occasions. The most recent was in a 2012 special fireside broadcasted from Cannon Activities Center when he, along with other church leaders of the Church Education System, emphasized the importance of studying both academically and spiritually. His last time speaking at a BYU‒Hawaii graduation was in Spring 2008 when he addressed all to be masters of, rather than slaves to, their pursuits, interests, and careers.
During this visit Elder Oaks will also rededicate the newly remodeled Hale 4 and Hale 6.
While Elder Oaks will be the keynote speaker, graduation will also have senior Mariah Walsh, an English major from Minnesota, as the student speaker. She says that she will encourage graduates to “take the tools they learned in school and use them in productive and helpful ways. Now is the time,” she continued, “for students to build the kingdom wherever they serve.” Besides completing a degree in English, Walsh minored in linguistics and completed a TESOL certificate.
Graduation begins at 9:30 a.m. and is set to finish at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 25, 2017. With commencement, the 2016-2017 Winter Semester officially concludes. The Spring Semester will begin March 6, 2017, after a week-long break.
