Meeting Recording

Here is the link to the recording of the on-line training held on December 10:

http://byui.na6.acrobat.com/p87796696/

Thank you.

SD

Secular Decisions Lead to Spiritual Service - Melrose, MA. (Cambridge Stake)

Greetings!  I've been a BYU-I/Rick College Alumni Representative since 2001 and have enjoyed seeing the ever increasing impact the school has had in my own stake and wards. 

When my wife and I moved to Boston, shortly after graduating from the Y, we thought Boston was where we needed to work and possibly go to school, but after only a few short months we quickly realized that we are in Boston to serve in our ward and stake, the job and school was just something to do along the way.  Little did either of us know that after a few months attending our home ward would we be called by our stake presidency to serve in the bishopric and youth organizations of the Spanish ward in our stake.  We were even more enlightened when we realized that more than 50% of the Spanish ward members were originally from Guatemala, where my wife lived as an adolescent and where years later, I served my mission.  

This experience and many others have caused me to truly understand how important BYU-I and other church schools are to the Lord’s work around the world.  I have to brag a little that I have overheard past members of our stake presidency having said that BYU-I students seem to be especially (must be how the chilly Rexburg winters compare to Boston in January/February) prepared to serve in vital callings in our wards and branches.  

About 12 families in my current ward (Revere 2) are students (mostly Dental) at Tufts, Boston University, and Harvard and it's wonderful to see almost as many coming from BYU-I as from BYU and others.  We love these students in our local units because they are able to serve diligently for a significant amount of time.  We've seen students/spouses serve in Bishoprics, YM/YW Presidencies, RS presidencies, Stake YW presidencies, and we've seen how their service blesses their life and the lives of those they serve.  I am personally grateful for the service rendered in my ward and stake by students and their families—I only wish there was an easy way to convince more of them to plant roots and stay a bit longer than 2-4 years;).

Josh Iverson

 

Thoughts on the Heber J. Grant Program (from Christine Velasco, Regional Rep for the West Region)

Heber J. Grant Scholarship
Hello fellow BYU-I Alumni Ambassadors! I am Christine Velasco, your regional representative. I started just like each of you--with a desire to share the excitement about BYU-Idaho to those who live in my area and now we have the privledge of getting a polo shirt and some pass-along cards to make us look more official! :)

Today I had an "Aha! Moment" and thought I'd pass it along to you. Today's plug is for the Heber J. Grant Scholarship at BYU-Idaho. Please check it out at www.byui.edu/heberjgrant. This scholarship seeks applicants who:have low income,whose parents who didn't graduate from college,were raised in a single-parent home,whose parents are not active LDS members,were raised in an area where few attended college,or have overcome other long-term disadvantages.

The "Aha! Moment" came when I realized that anybody as young as 13 years old can apply for this scholarship. What a brilliant idea! Once these young students are accepted for the scholarship, they are eligible for individual advisement in admissions, financial aid, and contact from current students, alumni (like you and me), until they are old enough to actually apply to BYU-Idaho. They still have to apply and be accepted to BYU-Idaho, but imagine the difference this can make in a teenager's college planning knowing that they already have a scholarship waiting for them IF they keep their grades up, continue attending seminary, etc.

So my PERSONAL VISION FOR 2009 is to find FOUR youth in my stake and help them apply for the Heber J. Grant Scholarship.

I have typed up the HBJ essay questions on a separate word document. If you would like them, simply email me at losvelasco@gmail.com and I will pass them along. This way the youth can prepare their answers before actually going online and applying for the scholarship.We have a unique opportunity to be sharing the excitement of BYU-Idaho with these youth. Now, more than ever, we need to be enlightening them on the benefits of having a solid education to back up their marketable skills.

Sincerely,Christine Velasco, San Jose, CA

Resources for Alumni Ambassadors (from Audrey Martinez Midwest Region Area Rep)

In the process of learning what our roles are as Alumni Ambassadors I have come across some valuable resources that might help make your job more effective. First, if you are planning to host a BYU-Idaho event in your stake, whether it be an information night, fireside, etc, please contact the BYU-I Admissions Office Area Representative for your state. Your representative has access to the official printed materials, pamphlets and catalogs you might want to use at your event.

To find the Area Representative for your respective state please click here. They also enjoy knowing what is going on in each state and how BYU-Idaho's name is being received. Also, if there is anybody in your stake even remotely interested in attending BYU-Idaho please direct them to this website: http://www.byui.edu/prepare/. This is new website developed specifically for prospective students trying to get a feel for what BYU–Idaho has to offer them. Finally, there are BYU-Idaho Student Ambassadors assigned to your area, who are current BYU-I students that have volunteered to connect with prospective students and help them get a student’s perspective on BYU–Idaho.

You can contact your Admissions Area Representative to find out the name and contact information for these student and how they can help you in talking with prospective students. Some of us haven't been on the BYU-Idaho campus recently and this might be helpful in informing potential students what Rexburg and BYU-I are like today.

An Idea form the Midwest Region -- Pass along your Scrolls

Derek and Audrey Martinez, AA Regional Reps in the Midwest Region mentioned that they pass along their weekly copy of the Scroll to youth in the ward and stake who may have some interest in BYU-Idaho. What a great way to bring up BYU-Idaho in conversations with young people and to get more mileage out of your weekly Scroll mailing.

Thanks Derek and Audrey

Sadie and Scott Goddard

Sadie:
I Attended BYU-Idaho from September 2001 to April of 2005. I studied communications with an emphasis in public relations. For my final two years at BYU-Idaho I worked in the public relations office. I started out organizing and giving tours to school children as well as devotional speakers and finished writing stories and editing the weekly faculty and staff news letter, News and Notes. I also spent a lot of time participating in recreation sports seeking to win a championship t-shirt. The highlight of my time at BYU-Idaho was finally achieving my dream of owning one of those covenanted shirts. I still have it and wear it with pride.

Scott:
He attended BYU-Idaho from September of 2000, took a leave of absence to serve a mission in the Chili Conception Mission, then returned and finished in April of 2006. He got his degree in math education with a minor in Spanish. While at BYU-Idaho Scott was part of the dance board and later organized the social board of the activities program with one of his friends. He sang baritone for the Collegiate Choir. He also participated in recreation sports and was one of the first to sink in the battleship wars.

Scott and Sadie:
We got married in September of 2005 after meeting each other in our campus ward. We have two sons. Jeff was born in 2006 in the LA suburban area. Nate was born in 2008 in the NYC suburban area. We've been coast to coast since we got married and have had some great adventures. Scott is an actuary working in retirement for a consulting firm. I stay home with our boys. We both have had some great service and missionary opportunities living in this area and we have loved it. We love BYU-Idaho and the impact attending that university has had on our lives. We find much joy in helping others find their way to snowy eastern Idaho.

Bradley Rhoton

My name is Bradley Rhoton. I studied at BYU-Idaho from 2003-2006. I graduated in Business Management / Marketing, Portuguese in April 2006. I also danced with Contemporary Dance Theater during my years in Rexburg, Idaho. I am currently working in State College, Pennsylvania for Conduit Internet Technologies and dancing with Ballet Theater of Central Pennsylvania. Here are a few pictures from my most recent performances with BTCP.

Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker December 2008



Prince in Firebird June 2008



Gypsy in Petrushka June 2008