Wearing the traditional robe of academia and adorned in colorful flower leis, President Howard W. Hunter officially installed Eric B. Shumway as the eighth president of Brigham Young University-Hawaii campus on Friday, Nov. 18.
With his wife, Inis, by his side, President Hunter was near the front of the inaugural procession, waving to hundreds of onlookers who lined the walkways on campus from the Aloha Center to the Cannon Activities Center, where an audience of some 5,600 assembled for the installation of the new university president.The fact that this was the first time a prophet has participated in the inauguration of a president since the school was founded in 1955 was not lost on either the university's administration, faculty, staff or students. It seemed that no effort was spared to make the inauguration "the event" of the institution's nearly 40-year history. (The school was founded under direction of President David O. McKay on the north shore of Hawaii's island of Oahu Sept. 26, 1955. It was originally the Church College of Hawaii; it was renamed Brigham Young University-Hawaii Campus on April 13, 1974. See page 8 for more information about the university.)
Weeks and months before the inauguration and President Hunter's arrival, the campus was spruced up, with trees pruned and buildings repainted or touched up where needed. Even sidewalks received last-minute repairs.
But outshining the gleam of the campus was the glow on the faces of its inhabitants. Everyone seemed to be all smiles. Eyes sparkled with excitement and, in many cases, with tears as those affiliated with the university gave vent to their emotions at having the prophet and his wife visit what Pres. Shumway described as their "small and somewhat remote" campus in the middle of the Pacific.
One young woman, so overwhelmed by the fact that she was in the presence of the prophet, stood with her mouth open as she caught her first in-person glimpse of President Hunter. After he had passed within inches of her, she wiped tears from her eyes, and then, it seemed, finally remembered she had a camera in her hand and began taking pictures.
The islands' traditional "Aloha Spirit" dominated the solemn occasion of the inauguration, making it a festive event. Dozens of BYU-Hawaii students, many of them wearing costumes of the 60 nations represented among the student body, held garlands of flowers that served as "gateways" that opened up as the procession approached.
Among those in the inaugural procession with President Hunter were Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve, who delivered an inaugural address, and Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Seventy and LDS Church Commissioner of Education, who conducted the program and extended greetings to the new president of BYU-Hawaii. Brigham Young University Pres. Rex E. Lee also spoke at the inauguration ceremony and brought greetings from "the other campus, located 3,556 miles to the east" in Provo. (See story above for a report on messages delivered by Elder Maxwell, Elder Eyring and Pres. Lee.) Edward Jensen, coordinator of faculty and instructional development at BYU-Hawaii, was grand marshal of the inaugural procession.
Also attending the ceremony were four of the seven former presidents of the institution: Owen Cook, Dan Andersen, Elliot Cameron and Alton Wade. Pres. Wade, who is now Vice President of Student Life at BYU in Provo, offered the invocation. Elaine L. Jack, general president of the Relief Society, gave the benediction.
At the ceremony, President Hunter announced that he was acting for the Board of Trustees of BYU-Hawaii to give President Shumway his charge of responsibility and to install him formally in office. (See story above for the formal charge given and Pres. Shumway's response.)
In introductory remarks, President Hunter thanked the audience "for being here on this significant occasion." He recalled some of the history of the university and spoke of those who laid the groundwork for the institution. (See page 8 for comments by President Hunter about the history of the Church in Hawaii and about BYU-Hawaii.)
"The BYU-Hawaii campus was established to fulfill the admonition of the Lord to seek learning, even by study and also by faith,' " President Hunter said. "In this same revelation the Saints were admonished to studythings both in heaven and in the earth, . . . things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms.' "