Y-Wishes grants requests for students needing a boost

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Camilla Stimpson didn’t know she had an on-campus fairy godmother until a group of BYUSA students came knocking at her door. BYUSA executive director Malorie Black responded to an anonymous tip that Stimpson was having a stressful week by delivering balloons, an ice cream coupon and a vinyl sign that read, “Camilla is amazing” to her apartment door.

Whitney Hales
Camilla Stimpson smiles after being surprised by Y Wishes. Y Wishes performs simple acts of service for students needing a boost. (Whitney Hales)

“I was really touched that someone thought to do that,” Stimpson said. “It was so simple but so profound.”

The act of kindness was part of BYUSA’s recently created Y-Wishes program, a service that allows students to request acts of service for their friends and classmates who are in need of a boost.

“Knowing that someone loved me and went out of their way to come to my apartment — that in and of itself was touching,” Stimpson said.

Weston Gleave, BYUSA vice president of student honor, said the Y-Wishes program has two purposes: helping out students and inspiring them to serve each other.

“It’s nice to be supportive of students here,” Gleave said. “We want to facilitate a feeling of love and community and family here at BYU.”

Y-Wishes serves students who are sick, struggling with grades, recovering from a breakup or going through any other challenge. The program aims to lift students’ spirits through simple acts of service.

“We try to focus on not spending very much money,” Gleave said. “We look for different ways that we can connect with individuals and show support.”

Students can submit wish requests for their friends at byusa.byu.edu/ywishes.
Y-Wishes is a new service program operating under BYUSA where students can request small acts of service to be done for their struggling friends. “Wish requests” can be submitted online on BYUSA’s website. (BYUSA)

Black said it’s best when students ask for something that would be meaningful to their friends. Students can request things such as car washes, free scoops of ice cream and movie tickets for their struggling friends.

“We get some creative requests,” Black said. “One person requested a bouquet of flowers from Tanner Mangum for her friend.”

BYUSA hopes Y-Wishes can make a difference in helping the student body to be aware of each other’s needs.

“There is more depression than we realize here on campus,” Black said. “By these small means, we’re going to inspire students to notice when people are having bad days. It will bring more unity and camaraderie to campus.”

Y-Wishes request forms are available online at BYUSA’s website.

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