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Eye on the Y: BYU devotionals positively impact students, Malaysian ambassador to US visits BYU, students explore summer job fair

BYU devotionals positively impact students

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Elder Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addresses students at a BYU devotional in Dec. 2017. Research proves BYU's weekly devotionals increase students' feelings of connectedness across campus. (Photo Courtesy of Nate Edwards/BYU Photo)

An experience design study was conducted at BYU to explore students’ feelings of connectedness to the university. The study concluded BYU’s weekly devotionals create greater feelings of connection compared to athletic events, clubs or intramural sports.

BYU professors Brian Hill and Patti Freeman, along with Texas A&M colleague Gary Ellis analyzed the results of nearly 900 students who participated in more than 20 hours of on-campus events.

The events, ranging from intramural sports to club activities, all contributed to the students' feelings of connectedness, but none were ranked as high as attending the weekly devotional. Some BYU students even claimed weekly devotionals were a key factor in their decision to go to BYU.

Malaysian ambassador to US visits BYU

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Shane Reese (President of Brigham Young University) and Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Ambassador of Malaysia) converse with one another. Nazri visited Utah and stopped at BYU to talk to students as well as President Reese. (Embassy of Malaysia, Washington, D.C. on X)

The Malaysian ambassador to the U.S., Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, recently visited Utah and made a stop at BYU on March 1. Nazri is the 17th Malaysian ambassador to the U.S., working to serve and protect U.S. citizens in Malaysia. Nazri has held various cabinet posts and has specialized in a handful of issues such as human, constitutional and governance rights in his 28 years of politics. 

During his visit to BYU, he spoke to students at the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. Nazri also met with the BYU President Shane Reese. The two conversed over strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties between the U.S. and Malaysia. Nazri and President Reese also discussed cooperative educational opportunities.

While in Utah, Nazri's other stops included meeting with Diedre M. Henderson, the lieutenant governor for the state of Utah and attending an event held by the World Trade Center of Utah and Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Nzari had more encounters with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visiting the FamilySearch Center in Salt Lake City and Missionary Training Center in Provo. He also met with President Russell M. Nelson and attended a dinner reception hosted by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve. 

Students explore summer job fair

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BYU students explore job opportunities at a BYU career fair. Over 300 employers visit BYU each fall and winter to meet students, hoping to recruit future employees. (Photo Courtesy of Sawyer Nunley/BYU Engineering)

BYU Career Services hosted another career fair at BYU. The summer job fair took place all day on campus on Thursday, Feb. 29. The fair focused on all majors and invited all students to attend. 

More than 1,000 students attended the fair, and more than 50 companies came to find potential future employees. Students prepared and attended the event to network and possibly find a job or internship for the summer. 

BYU encourages all students to attend their career fairs held throughout the year. More than 300 employers visit BYU each fall and winter with hopes of recruiting BYU students into their workforce. BYU also pushes students to prepare thoroughly for the fairs, by printing hard copies of resumes and having an elevator pitch. More information about career fairs can be found here.