Y Magazine

To All: How AI is Helping Share Gospel Messages in Other Languages

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

“Language is probably one of the most pervasive uses of AI,” says BYU computer science professor Steve D. Richardson (BS ’77, MA ’80).

It’s prophesied in scripture that “every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue” (D&C 90:11), but, asks Richardson, “how is that going to happen when there are 7,000 languages in the world?”

The Pathsay project, a collaborative effort between BYU researchers and BYU Pathway students from all over Africa, are working on a way to bridge the gap by recording audio in low-resource languages like Xhosa, Twi, and Zulu and use it to train AI translation models. Richardson joins Y Magazine podcast host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) to discuss how the origins of this project, how it’s growing, and how it will serve communities around the world.

This episode is based on the article “Sounded in Every Ear” from the Winter 2026 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy “Tech Support: Parenting Kids to Thrive in a Digital World,” and “BYU’s World Campus with Kennedy Center Director Stan Benfell.”

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How to Fix Youth Sports: Game-Changing BYU Researchers Have Ideas

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Sports benefit kids in numerous ways: they reduce the risk of disease and mental illness, they improve performance in school, and they can even help kids do better at work later in life, says Matthew K. Seeley, a BYU biomechanics professor. But we’re also in the midst of what Seeley calls a “youth-sport culture crisis,” where kids are being pushed to specialize too early, chase scholarships, and train year-round—all things that can do more harm than good.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, listen in as Seeley talks with host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) about his initiative, the Strong Youth Project, which aims to improve youth sports, and offers advice to parents and coaches on how to help kids experience the benefits of sports without the burnout and stress.

You can learn more about the Strong Youth Project and access their podcast at exsc.byu.edu.

This episode is based on the article “Raising Happy Athletes” from the Winter 2026 issue of Y Magazine.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy “Lifelong Wellness,” where BYU student wellness instructors offer personal health tips, and “Refugee Soccer: Finding Belonging Through Sport,” where a BYU alum shares his experience creating belonging in refugee communities through soccer.

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Bible Backstory: Why Read Other Translations?

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Which translations of the Bible should you use in your family or personal study? How did different Bible translations come about in the first place? Join host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) in learning from BYU ancient scripture professor Matthew J. Grey (BA ’03) about the Church’s new policy on Bible translations, the history of those translations, and where to start your own study.

Try exploring these verses using different Bible translations:

Matthew 6:25–34, Matthew 5:22, John 1:1, and 1 John 2:2.

You can access all of the modern translations recommended in the Church Handbook online at Bible.com.

This episode is based on the article that will publish in the Summer 2026 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy “10 Tips from BYU Religion Professors to Deepen Your Book of Mormon Study” and “Gospel on the Go: Three BYU Podcasts to Enrich Your Study.”

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How to Put Down the Phone and Pick Up a Conversation

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

In an age of digital communication, remote work, and social media, the World Health Organization recognizes social disconnection as a worldwide epidemic. What is the solution? Othello L. Richards (BA ’03, MA ’17), communications professor and former on-air reporter, has some ideas.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Richards joins host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) in a conversation about conversations—how to start them, how to keep them going, and how to get better at them.

This episode is based on the article “Asking Good Questions” from the Fall 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy “Loneliness and Social Connection with Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad,” an episode exploring the physical impact of isolation, and “Disagree Without Disaster: How to Talk Politics With Family,” where a political science professor discusses how to have better disagreements.

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Loving the Least of These: How a BYU Alum Helps the Homeless

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:25:01 +0000

For Brent S. Crane (BS ’93), caring for individuals living in poverty or without homes is about more than just providing food. As executive director of Provo’s Food & Care Coalition, Crane helps provide meals, hot showers, clean clothes, hygiene products, and healthcare services every day—and the mission of each service is to provide dignity and care to individuals, no matter the circumstances they’re coming from.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Crane joins host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) to discuss the power of humanizing unhoused and low-income populations, and how the community has come together to serve those in need.

This episode is based on the article “Opening Opportunities” in the Fall 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

You can learn more about the Food & Care Coalition and look for volunteer opportunities at foodandcare.org. You can also watch a video about BYU’s hydroponics partnership here.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy “Refugee Soccer: Finding Belonging Through Sport,” where a BYU alum shares his efforts to help refugees find belonging in the US through soccer.

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Career Shift: A Guide for Moms Reentering the Workforce

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

How do you include raising a family and managing a home on a resume? What’s the business term for “stay-at-home mom”? When Heather Nemelka faced a sudden divorce and had to find a job after years of dedicating herself to her kids, she had to tackle these questions head-on.

Now, as the founder of Elavare, a company that supports women who are re-entering the workforce, Nemelka joins Y Magazine podcast host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) in an empowering conversation about how women—whether young mothers, or empty nesters—can seek education, develop their talents, and apply homemaking skills toward employment opportunities.

This episode accompanies an article about Heather Nemelka in the Fall 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like “BYU’s Pioneers in Chaplaincy,” an episode about the first women in BYU’s chaplaincy program, and “Cake by Courtney: Baking, Business, and Faith,” an episode about another alumni entrepreneur. You might also enjoy “In Good Company: Students Build Real Businesses in Two Semesters.”

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Faith, Journalism, and Grief with The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

When journalist and BYU alum McKay Coppins received news of the tragic attack on a Latter-day Saint chapel in Grand Blanc, Michigan, he’d already been planning an article for The Atlantic in memory of President Russell M. Nelson, who had died the day before. Now Coppins wondered, “How would [President Nelson] have responded to the horrific violence in Michigan if he’d lived one more day?”

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Coppins about the interplay between his faith and his journalism career—and how that relationship was shaped in part by advice from President Nelson himself.

The episode is based on a feature article in the upcoming Fall 2025 issue of Y Magazine. Check out Coppins’s articles discussed in the episode: “A Prophet’s Diagnosis” (2025) and “The Most American Religion” (2020).

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like “Write It Down: Advice from the New Deseret News Editor on Recording Your Life,” a conversation with Deseret News editor Sarah Jane Weaver (BA ’94). You can learn more about talking politics peacefully by listening to “Disagree Without Disaster: How to Talk Politics with Family.”

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Prepare to Care: Navigating Loved Ones’ Later Years

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Caring for an aging loved one can be challenging—it makes demands on time and resources that can strain relationships. Despite the challenge, it can also be an “angelic and special time,” says BYU family life professor Jeremy B. Yorgason (BS ’97).

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Yorgason about both the blessings and the burdens of being a caregiver for aging loved ones.

This episode is based on the article “Prepare to Care” by Tyler Stahle in the Winter 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may enjoy other episodes about having difficult conversations, like “Disagree Without Disaster: How to Talk Politics with Family” and “Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families.”

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Are the Cougars in Their Golden Era? Looking Back on BYU Sports History

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 21:02:59 +0000

Whether you prefer the energy of football in LaVell Edwards Stadium, the roar of the Marriott Center during a basketball game, or the thrill of a women’s volleyball match in the Smith Fieldhouse, one thing’s for sure: it’s an exciting time to be a BYU fan.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks all things BYU athletics with BYU Sports Nation hosts Jarom T. Jordan (BA ’09) and Spencer K. Linton (BA ’07).

This episode accompanies the Summer 2025 issue of Y Magazine, an issue entirely dedicated to 150 years of BYU history in honor of the university’s sesquicentennial anniversary.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like our episode with retired BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, “A Vic’try Story” and our conversation with Olympians Conner Mantz and Clayton Young in “Fast Friends.” You may also enjoy the episode “BYU Joins the Big 12” with coaches Jennifer Rockwood, Diljeet Taylor, and Mark Pope.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d appreciate your feedback so we can make more of the kinds of episodes you like best. Take the survey.

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Disagree Without Disaster: How to Talk Politics with Family

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

How do you handle political disagreement in your family? In a world rife with political division, it can feel difficult to share your opinion without feeling attacked or misunderstood—or thinking everyone else is wrong.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) discusses the art of disagreement with Marianne Holt Viray (BA ’96), executive director of the nonprofit organization Disagree Better. Disagreement, Viray says, isn’t bad—nor are political conversations. What matters is how those conversations are held.

This episode is based on “Doing Disagreement Better” by Julia K. Nebeker (BA ’24) and Anna E. Sneddon (’27), found in the Spring 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may be interested in Disagree Better’s free online courses and the Dignity Index. Visit disagreebetter.us to learn more.

You may also like the episodes “Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families” and “How to Be a Good Citizen with the American Moms.” If you’re interested in how to have faith-related conversations, you may like “Building Bridges: How to Enrich Interfaith Relationships.”

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d appreciate your feedback so we can make more of the kinds of episodes you’d like best. Take the survey.

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Three Skills for Money-Smart Kids

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

One of the most important lessons parents can teach their children is how to manage money.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Ashley LeBaron-Black (BS ’16, MS ’18) to discuss the best ways to teach kids about finances. LeBaron-Black is a BYU family life professor who researches financial socialization in families.

This episode is based on “For Love and Money” by Tyler S. Stahle, found in the Spring 2022 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like other episodes about parenting: “Artful Parenting: How to Make Creativity Part of Your Family Culture,” “Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families,” and “How to Help Kids Love Reading with BYU Professor Paul Ricks.”

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d appreciate your feedback so we can make more of the kinds of episodes you like best. Take the survey.

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Stressing Perfection: How Religion Affects Perfectionism—and Vice Versa

Thu, 01 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

What is the difference between perfectionism and scrupulosity? Do religious people experience more or less toxic perfectionism that non-religious people? What can we do to minimize toxic perfectionism?

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) chats with BYU religion professor Michael Goodman (PHD ’04), one of several professors conducting a long-term study about the relationship between perfectionism and religion.

This episode is based on the article “The Perfect Problem” by Brooklyn Hughes Roemer (BA ’22), in the Spring 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

Read the issue of BYU Studies devoted to Latter-day Saints and Perfectionism here.

For some great general conference talks about perfectionism, check out “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually” and “Perfection Pending.”

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A Vict’ry Story: Tom Holmoe on Two Decades Leading BYU Athletics

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

For the past two decades, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe (BS ’83, MS ’95) has been calling the shots.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) sits down with Holmoe to discuss what brought him to BYU, what made him keep coming back, and the remarkable people he’s worked with along the way.

If you liked this episode, you might also enjoy these sports-related episodes: “BYU Joins the Big 12” and “Fast Friends: Olympians Conner Mantz and Clayton Young.”

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d appreciate your feedback so we can make more of the kinds of episodes you like best. Take the survey.

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High on a Mountain Top: Rescue Training in the Himalayas

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Forget house calls—try mountain calls at 13,000 feet.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) chats with Craig Nuttall (MS ’11), the BYU nursing professor and emergency nurse practitioner who founded the Mountain People Project. Nuttall talks about his experience bringing critical healthcare to people traveling through the Garhwal Himalayas.

This episode is based on the article “Healing in High Places,” by Abi Falin Horspool (’24), in the Winter 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like other episodes about international service: “Saving Days: Ending Period Poverty with Days for Girls” and “Life and Breath: BYU Students Improve Public Health in Nepal.” And you can hear Archibald’s story of her rock-climbing fall in “Spiritual Lessons and a 30-Foot Fall.”

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d appreciate your feedback so we can make more of the kinds of episodes you like best. Take the survey.

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Pop Goes the Question: Proposal Stories from BYU Alumni

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Love stories abound at BYU, and in this Valentine’s Day special of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks to three BYU alumni couples about their proposal stories.

High school sweethearts Stephanie Smith Eliason (BA ’91, MA ’95) and Eric Eliason (BA ’92) tell their story of flat tires and reconnection, Matthew Scott (BM ’06) and Heather Brown Scott (BA ’06) recount a chance encounter at the BYU Creamery and a showstopping proposal during a concert, and Kim Thornock (BA ’91) and Kareen Hursman Thornock (BA ’92) talk about their dancing dates.

This episode was based on the article “Popping the Question” from the Summer 2021 issue of Y Magazine.

If you liked this episode, you might enjoy another episode with alumni stories, “True Blue Friendship,” about friendships forged at BYU, and one about alumni service: “Going Forth—It’s What We Do: How BYU Grads are Making a Difference.”

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Tech Support: Parenting Kids to Thrive in a Digital World

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

How much screen time should kids have? At what age should they be allowed to have a smartphone?

BYU alum Richard Culatta (BA ’03, MS ’06) answers these questions and more with helpful advice for parents trying to guide children through the digital world.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Culatta and explores how parents can create a family digital culture focused on responsibility and balance.

This episode is based on the article “Mind the App,” by Sara Atwood (BA ’10, MA ‘15), which will appear in the Winter 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

If you’d like to listen to more episodes with great parenting advice, check out these three: “How to Help Kids Love Reading with BYU Professor Paul Ricks,” “Artful Parenting: How to Make Creativity Part of Your Family Culture,” and “Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families.”

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Never Too Late: Adults Learn to Play New Instruments with the New Horizons Orchestra

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

How old is too old to learn to play an instrument?

The New Horizons Orchestra gives adults over 40 a chance to learn a string instrument—even if they’ve never played one before.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with director Allison Bennett Taylor (BMu ’12, MMu ’22) and orchestra members about how the orchestra is about more than just music.

This episode is based on the article “Strings of Support,” by Abi Falin Horspool (’24), which will appear in the Winter 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like another musical episode: “Take a Tour of BYU’s New Music Building,” or our episode “Lifelong Wellness.”

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How to Help Kids Love Reading with BYU Professor Paul Ricks

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

How do you inspire a love of reading in your children, siblings, nieces, nephews, or grandkids? With so many distractions, it can be difficult to make reading a priority. But Paul Ricks, BYU professor of children’s literature, says if we want children to value reading, we need to show them that we value it too.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Ricks about how to make reading an interactive and enriching experience for both children and adults. Ricks also gives several book recommendations, listed below:

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klaussen, I Talk Like a Like a River by Jordan Scott, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, Spiders by Nic Bishop, Seen and Unseen by Elizabeth Partridge, Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, and Big by Vashti Harrison.

This episode is based on an upcoming article about about encouraging kids to love reading that will appear in the winter 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

You might also like these episodes: Artful Parenting: Making Creativity Part of Your Family Culture and Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families.

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Cougar Cyclists and Cardboard Castles: Behind the scenes of BYU's Sustainability Efforts

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:00:00 +0000

What do you see when you look at a pile of cardboard?

BYU Recycling Supervisor Bill Rudy sees trees.

BYU has been ramping up its sustainability efforts for decades, with recycling, responsible food service practices, energy efficiency, transportation options and more. This fall, BYU was recognized as one of just 140 institutions with a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) takes listeners behind the scenes of BYU’s sustainability efforts by talking to Rudy; Bremen J. Leak (BA ’05), associate director of sustainability at BYU; Aaron Skabelund (BA ’95), bike enthusiast and director of the Office of Civic Engagement at BYU; and two students.

This episode is based on an upcoming article about BYU’s sustainability efforts that will appear in the winter 2025 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out other behind the scenes episodes: Take a Tour of BYU’s New Music Building and A Chat With President C. Shane Reese.

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BYU’s World Campus with Kennedy Center Director Stan Benfell

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

BYU was named the No. 1 university for students studying abroad in a recent report from the International Institute of Education. BYU currently offers over 150 study abroad options each year to help students enhance their global perspectives while learning valuable lessons that couldn’t be taught in the classroom.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with the director of BYU’s David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, V. Stanley Benfell (BA ’87). Benfell discusses his own experience studying abroad as a student, the great programs BYU offers, and how alumni can make the most of their experiences abroad.

This episode is based on Benfell’s article “A World Campus,” from the fall 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out these episodes about specific study abroad programs: Life and Breath: BYU Students Improve Public Health in Nepal, Students Engineer Prosthetic Solutions for Ecuador and Happiness 101.

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Do Utahns Talk Funny? Research on Pronunciation, Usage, and Naming Trends

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Does a “Utah accent” exist?

According to David S. Eddington (BA ’86, MA ’89), BYU emeritus linguistics professor, the language and accents used in Utah are always changing. But if you’ve heard the word “feel” pronounced like “fill” or the word “mountain” pronounced with a strong “t,” you might be hearing newer elements of a Utah accent. And what about those names—and unique spellings?

In this episode, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) breaks down Utah accents, language, and names with two BYU linguistics professors: Eddington, author of Utah English, and Dallin D. Oaks (BA ‘84) who recently co-edited a book called Perspectives about Latter-day Saint Names and Naming.

This episode is based on two Y Magazine articles: “Do Utahns Talk Funny,” written by Jennifer G. Jones (BS ’12), from the winter 2012 issue, and “What’s in a Baby Neighm?” by Miriam Brantley Merrill (’24), which appeared in the fall 2023 issue.

Check out another episode about how Artificial Intelligence is changing the landscape of language and writing: “Writing and Teaching with ChatGPT.”

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Life and Breath: BYU Students Improve Public Health in Nepal

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Since moving to the United States at age 8, Sabina Magar (’26) has always had a desire to return to her home country of Nepal. When Magar learned about BYU’s Nepal Global Health International Study Program, she saw it as the perfect opportunity.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with BYU public health professor Steven M. Thygerson (BS ‘98), about starting the Nepal Global Health International Study Program and Magar about her experience returning to Nepal.

This episode is based on the article “Life and Breath,” written by Kate Hansen Roberson (BA ‘24), which appeared in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Learn more about the organization Days for Girls our episode with the founder and CEO, both of whom are BYU alumni: Saving Days: Ending Period Poverty with Days for Girls.

Check out other episodes about BYU’s study abroad programs: Mapping Molokai and Students Engineer Prosthetic Solutions for Ecuador.

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Building Bridges: How to Enrich Interfaith Relationships

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

What can you learn from other faith traditions?

BYU religion professor Andrew C. Reed (BA ’04) says that interfaith efforts can help us develop, “generosity of spirit.” Reed is the Chair of the BYU Council for Interfaith Engagement, and he leads BYU students in interfaith efforts through the Interfaith Student Association and a study abroad focused on interfaith leadership.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Reed about how we can connect with people of other faith traditions.

This episode is based on the article “Friendship Among Faiths” by Kate Hansen Roberson (BA ’24) that appeared in the summer 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out another episode on faith and service: “Religious Freedom with Elizabeth Clark.”

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Write It Down: Advice from the New Deseret News Editor on Recording Your Life

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

For 29 years, BYU alum Sarah Jane Weaver (BA ’94) traveled across the world reporting on ministry tours, temple dedications, and humanitarian outreach as a writer and then the editor for the Church News. Now in her new role as the first female editor of the Deseret News, Weaver will continue recording truth for a global audience.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Weaver about her experiences at the Church News and the importance of being a record keeper.

This episode is based on an article about Sarah Jane Weaver written by Brooklyn Hughes Roemer (BA ’22) that will appear in the fall 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out another episode on faith and service: “BYU Pioneers in Chaplaincy.”

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d appreciate your feedback so we can make more of the types of episodes you like best. Take the survey.

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Refugee Soccer: Finding Belonging Through Sport

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 14:22:16 +0000

In 2010, BYU alum Adam C. Miles (BA ’92) started a non-profit organization to help reunite refugee families who were resettling in the United States from Africa. Over the years, he realized more needed to be done to help refugees find belonging in the US.

His solution? Soccer.

in 2016 Adam Miles launched Refugee Soccer, with the three-fold mission of play, equip, and compete—raising money for refugee kids to join local teams, collecting used gear to make sure the kids have the equipment they need to play, and helping them travel to competitions.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Miles about how soccer creates connections for refugees in a unique way.

This episode is based on the article “Goals for Refugee Girls” written by Julia K. Nebeker (’24) that appears in the summer 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out another episode on alumni service: “Saving Days, Ending Period Poverty with Days for Girls.”

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How to Be a Planetary Explorer—Right Here on Earth

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000

45690Janiradebaugh is a minor planet nestled in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. But Jani Radebaugh is also a professor of geology at BYU. Radebaugh’s research in planetary exploration and involvement with the Dragonfly mission have earned her a place among the stars.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Jani Radebaugh (BS ’93, MS ’99) about how we can be planetary explorers here on Earth.

This episode is based on the article “The Little Planet” written by Jedidiah A. Flores (’26) that appears in the summer 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Read more about Jani Radebaugh: "Between Heaven and Earth.”

Check out other episodes on exploration: “The Curious Life of Byron Adams: How a BYU Biologist Turned ADHD into His Superpower” and “An American Journey: What a BYU Grad Discovered on a 500-Day Walk Across the United States.”

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Fast Friends: Olympians Conner Mantz and Clayton Young

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Olympians Clayton A. Young (BS ’19, MS ’22) and Conner B. Mantz (BS ’22) are competitors—but they’re also close friends. Both BYU alumni will be running the Olympic marathon on Aug. 10, but they’ve been keeping stride with each other for years.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Young and Mantz about the 2024 Paris Olympics, their friendship, the competition, and their faith.

This episode is based on the article “Fast Feats” written by R. Jeffrey Call (BA ’94) that will appear in the summer 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Listen to or read the BYU Devotional “Wrestling With Comparisons“ by J.B. Haws.

Check out another episode on exercise and wellness: “Lifelong Wellness.”

More on beauty and mundanity: “Artful Parenting: How to Make Creativity Part of Your Family Culture.”

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Artful Parenting: How to Make Creativity Part of Your Family Culture

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

For Paige Crosland Anderson (BFA ’11), art is not only a profession but a way to connect with her family and her divine identity. As the mother of four daughters, Anderson often creates her art with the help of her children—though their help can sometimes be an obstacle.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Anderson about how her abstract approach to understanding the atonement of Jesus Christ and our divine creativity weaves itself through her art.

This episode is based on an article that will appear in the summer 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

See Anderson’s “Again, Glorified” triptych.

Check out other episodes about family life: Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families and How to Be a Good Citizen with the American Moms.

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In Good Company: Students Build Real Businesses in Two Semesters

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Could you build a company over the course of two semesters?

BYU students have the opportunity to try through a new program: Sandbox. This 18-credit class motivates students to turn their ideas into real tech startups that solve problems for people from various industries, from therapists and dentists to river guides and Dungeons and Dragons fans.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Sandbox director Christopher B. Crittenden (BS ’06, MAcc ’07) and student Pearl Hulbert (BS ’24) about how Sandbox is turning students into builders and creators.

This episode is based in the article “Incubating Ideas,” written by Josh Rust (BA ’24), which appeared in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out other episodes about student innovation: Students Engineer Prosthetic Solution for Ecuador and Mapping Molokai.

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Saving Days: Ending Period Poverty with Days for Girls

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

When Celeste Humphrey Mergens (’81) found out that girls in Kenya were trying to manage their periods with pieces of cardboard, she immediately began looking for solutions. She discovered that girls and women all around the world were missing weeks out of every year due to period poverty.

Mergens’s solution? A nonprofit called Days for Girls.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with Mergens and current Days for Girls CEO Tiffany Niland Larson (BA ’02) about how the nonprofit is working to end period poverty, advocate for menstrual health, and reach every girl. Everywhere. Period.

This episode is based in the article “Reclaiming Days for Girls,” written Andrew T. Bay (BA ’91, MA ’94), which appeared in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out another episode about humanitarian outreach: Students Engineer Prosthetic Solution for Ecuador.

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Gospel on the Go: Three BYU Podcasts to Enrich Your Study

Thu, 09 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Casting about for a great podcast to enrich your gospel study? Look no further. Podcasts are a great way to tune into spiritually enriching stories, devotionals, and research wherever you are.

In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks with three different podcast producers from across BYU campus about their podcasts—BYU Speeches, Y Religion Podcast, and the Maxwell Institute Podcast. Whitney delves into the rich tapestry of faith-based content offered by these podcasts and where listeners might want to start.

These three are just a few of the dozens of podcasts on campus. Check out other great BYU podcasts below.

This episode is based in the article “Find Your BYU Podcast,” written Brooklyn Hughes Roemer (BA ’22), which appeared in the spring 2022 issue of Y Magazine.

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Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. New episodes post on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

Episodes mentioned in this podcast:

BYU Speeches: Miracles

BYU Speeches: Raising the World to a Higher Plane of Mortality

BYU Speeches: What Will You Make Room for in Your Wagon?

BYU Speeches: The Tree, the Fruit, and the Building

Y Religion: Jacob and Mental Health

Maxwell Institute: How Does God Grieve?

Other Podcasts on BYU Campus:

BYU Sports Nation

BYU Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Football, and Baseball

Behind the Mic

Her Y

BYU Football with Kalani Sitake

Cougar Tailgate

Deep Blue

In Good Faith

Scripture Conversations (BYU Religious Education)

BYU Studies (BYU Studies)

Come Follow Up

Constant Wonder

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

The Lisa Show

Seek Learning (BYU Education Society)

Faith and Imagination (BYU Humanities Center)

Moral and Ethical Leadership (BYU Management Society)

Writing Westward (BYU Redd Center)

The International Cinema Podcast

Y Life Science (Bean Life Science Museum)

The Apple Seed

Kaboom

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An American Journey: What a BYU Grad Discovered on a 500-Day Walk Across the United States

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Sitting in a humdrum office, recent BYU grad Isaiah G. Shields (BS ’19) realized that there was a whole world out there for him to discover—and he was missing it. And so he decided to take a walk—a really, really long walk. In early 2020 he stepped from his Provo home’s driveway and began his journey across America, traversing 28 states and 8,600 miles over 500 days. In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Shields joins host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA’ 01) to share stories that he’ll remember forever from his trek. Listen in for Shield’s experiences braving the elements, sharing powerful moments with ordinary people, and feeling the satisfaction of challenge.

This episode is based in the article “Getting His Steps In,” written Maya Lund (’24), which will appear in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Watch here to tag along on Isaiah Shields’s most recent adventures.

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Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Who wouldn’t want a peaceful life? Making that desire a reality is where many of us get stuck. But Emily de Schweinitz Taylor (BA ’97, PhD ’24), an expert in mediation and conflict resolution, believes that even a three-year-old can learn to navigate conflict effectively. The trick? Practicing a few simple communication tools.

On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Taylor and host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) discuss five ways to deal with disagreement and how to help children do the same. Listen in and learn how to mediate and de-escalate conflict with Taylor’s five conflict resolution skills.

This episode is based on the article “Blessed Are the Peacemakers” written by Sara Smith Atwood which will appear in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out Emily de Schweinitz Taylor’s books Raising Mediators and Conflict Fluent: Mastering the Five Conflict Approaches.

Listen to Elder Uchtdorf’s referenced talk here.

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Going Forth—It’s What We Do: How BYU Grads Are Making a Difference

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

BYU alumni from all walks of life are leaning into the second half of the university’s motto: "Go forth to serve." In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, hear three different stories about alums who have bloomed where they were planted—turning their unique circumstances into opportunities to serve others. Listen in as host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) uncovers stories of preemie miracles and playhouses, hope for foster children, and mental-health help for farmers.

This episode is based on the magazine’s Going Forth section, which appears in each issue of Y Magazine.

If you know a BYU alum who is making the world a better place through their service, please let us know by sending an email to alumninews@byu.edu.

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The Curious Life of Byron Adams: How a BYU Biologist Turned ADHD into His Superpower

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 21:30:58 +0000

Byron J. Adams (BS ’93), BYU’s always-chill “worm herder,” lives in Antarctica for months each year to conduct some mind-blowing microfauna research. On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, join Adams and host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) to uncover his passion for the natural world. From his origins as a free-range kid with a fascination for Mother Nature to a biologist who has a nematode namesake, Adams harnesses his curiosity and even his ADHD (which he calls his superpower) to ask the big scientific questions—and he helps his students do the same. Listen in for Adams’s adventures and his ideas on fostering our innate creativity.

This episode is based in the article “Byron’s Excellent Adventure,” written by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07), which will appear in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

To learn more about Byron Adams and his story, watch here, here, and here.

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Not Your Grandma’s Family History: How BYU’s Record Linking Lab Is Building the Family Tree

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000

When BYU economics professor Joseph P. Price (BA ’03) realized that FamilySearch lacked coverage of many African American and international individuals, he employed AI tools to expand coverage of the human family and help build our genealogical ties. Through BYU’s Record Linking Lab (rll.byu.edu), his team has already added 50 million people to the tree. But the work isn’t done. The lab calls on the rising generation to broaden its circle of love by adding to the family tree and creating a wealth of names ready for temple ordinances. On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, join host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) and Joe Price as they unpack the inspiration behind the Record Linking Lab, how it finds and connects people, and how you can get involved.

This episode was based on the article “Linking Families” by Miriam Brantley Merrill in the winter 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

Get involved with the Record Linking Lab here and find more BYU-created family-history resources from the Family History Technology Lab.

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Loneliness and Social Connection with Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Odds are, you’ve experienced loneliness at least a time or two. According to BYU psychology professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad (BS ’94, MS ’98), loneliness is a part of everyone’s human experience; and feeling isolated can be worse for your health than big-name problems like obesity, alcoholism, and pollution. On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) and Holt-Lunstad discuss the biological explanation behind feelings of loneliness, the effects of social isolation on physical health, and the power of social connection. Listen in for tips on maintaining a healthy social life and connecting with those around you.

This episode was based on the article “Loneliness: The Shadow Pandemic” by Melody McGrath Warnick in the summer 2020 issue of Y Magazine.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d really appreciate your feedback in a listener survey, so we can make more of the types of episodes you like best. Take the survey here.

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True Blue BYU Friendship

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Have you ever made an unlikely friend who ended up changing your life? Turns out, that’s not so uncommon here at Brigham Young University. In this episode, we’ll hear from four alumni who share their unique stories of friendship—each starting on campus and making a lasting impact. From unrequited crushes to Christlike service, these tales can teach us a thing or two about how to be a true friend.

This episode is based on the First Person article “Forever BYU Friends” in the winter 2024 issue of Y Magazine. If you’d like to submit a BYU memory for publication in First Person for a future issue, we’re currently collecting your (reverently) humorous, heartwarming, or inspiring stories about the Provo Temple. The deadline to submit an experience is March, 20, 2023. Email firstperson@byu.edu with ancedotes of up to 300 words.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d really appreciate your feedback in a listener survey, so we can make more of the types of episodes you like best. Take the survey here.

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10 Tips from BYU Religion Professors to Deepen Your Book of Mormon Study

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 17:59:00 +0000

To enhance your Come, Follow Me study of Book of Mormon in 2024, learn 10 study techniques from BYU religion professors Joseph M. Spencer (BA ’04) and Daniel L. Belnap (BA ’96, MA ’99). Whether you’re studying the Book of Mormon individually, as a family, in a seminary or institute class, or in Sunday School, Spencer and Belnap suggest we “zoom in and out” as we read, looking at the scriptures on both a micro and macro level.

Technique 1: Investigate the social and cultural context.
Technique 2: Think about Mormon’s editorial choices.
Technique 3: Apply what you read to your own life.
Technique 4: Look at each book as a whole.
Technique 5: Read sermons of individual prophets and look for themes.
Technique 6: Analyze (and even act out) individual stories.
Technique 7: Focus on one verse and ask specific questions.
Technique 8: Remove the punctuation and then add it back in yourself.
Technique 9: Look up meanings of individual words.
Technique 10: Read the entire Book of Mormon in a short period of time.

Articles and Resources by Dan Belnap
Articles and Resources by Joseph Spencer

This is episode is based on the article “Slow Down Your Book of Mormon Study,” a Q&A with Spencer in the winter 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

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Spiritual Lessons and a 30-Foot Fall

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

This summer, Y Magazine podcast host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) took a serious tumble—a fall of 30 feet while rock climbing in Provo's Rock Canyon. Miraculously, she landed in the only Whitney-shaped clearing possible—an inch or two higher or to the right, and she would have hit her head on a rock. The injuries she did sustain weren’t insignificant—from a shattered sacrum to a grisly compound wrist fracture, Whitney had a long road to recovery ahead of her. However, Whitney recalls the immediate spiritual promptings she received from God as soon as the accident occurred that let her know that this experience was going to help her—and her family—learn and grow. She shares her spiritual lessons in this episode of the Y Magazine podcast.

This episode is based on the upcoming article “Lessons from the Fall” by Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) from the winter 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Also, if you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d really appreciate your feedback in a listener survey, so we can make more of the types of episodes you like best. Take the survey here.

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Going Forth to Teach

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:45:00 +0000

Who comes to mind when you think of your favorite teacher? It’s probably someone who ignited a passion, instilled confidence, or cared deeply. On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, join host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) in chatting with two inspiring teachers who graduated from BYU and went forth to teach: high school physics teacher Wesley R. Morgan (BS ’18) in Springville, Utah, and ESL and ethnic-studies teacher Natalia Alvarez Benjamin (BS ’99, MA ’07) in Rochester, Minnesota.

Learn about how these teachers get creative to reach their pupils—from Morgan’s remote-control cars, balloon experiments, and daily hands-on lab activities to Benjamin’s assignment for students to interview an admirable person in their community. Then hear about what drives these teachers in their profession. You may even be inspired to go thank a teacher of your own.

This episode is based on the article “A Mile in Their Shoes” by Margaret J. Sheffield (’23) in the winter 2022 issue and the article “Resonating Lessons” by Rachel Hatch Webb (’24) in the fall 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Students Engineer Prosthetic Solutions for Ecuador

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In May 2023, a group of BYU engineering students touched down at the airport in Quito, Ecuador. They were headed to Prótesis Imbabura, a small prosthetics clinic. It was time to put their work to the test: the students had been designing and redesigning two key components for prosthetic legs—liners and foot shells. Their goal was to make components that were both affordable and comfortable and that could be manufactured locally to avoid import costs. This project was done by a team of students in the Global Engineering Outreach Program (GEO) at BYU and an engineering capstone class.

In this episode, hear about the prosthetics project from chemical-engineering professor Randy S. Lewis (BS ’89) and students Anya R. Jeppsen (’24), Cody Messick (BS ’23), and Joshua S. Frei (BS ’20).

This episode is based on the article “Making Strides” in the fall 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Take a Tour of BYU’s New Music Building

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:46:00 +0000

Join our host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) and assistant director of the School of Music Mark J. Ammons (BMu ’85) on an audio tour of BYU’s new Music Building. This state-of-the-art building opened in January 2023 and houses acoustically impressive performance halls, upgraded recording studios, and improved classrooms and practice spaces for daily use. From the Concert Hall to Studio Y to the Percussion Rehearsal Room, the building is designed for the needs of today’s music students.

To see 360 videos and hear musical performances and rehearsals from rooms in the building, visit the article “Hitting the Right Notes” in the fall 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

Special thanks to Hayley Singley Kirkland (BS ’10) for creating the musical subheads and the BYU Jazz Voices for singing in the episode. Commercial-music student Adam M.Keith (’25) ran the recording session for those subheads.

This episode is based on the article “Hitting the Right Notes” by Denya I. Palmer (BA ’16) in the fall 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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From Refugee to Student to Teacher

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 15:39:49 +0000

As a member of the displaced Karen people, BYU international-relations student Laesgaw K’Chawtee (’25) spent his early childhood in a Thailand refugee camp—about as far from Provo, Utah, as you can get. So how did he become a sophomore at Brigham Young University teaching a 300-level Karen-language course for returned missionaries?

Speaking with his friend and Y Magazine intern Coleman S. Numbers (’26), K’Chawtee shares how his family’s immigration to Buffalo, New York, eventually led him to find The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serve a mission in Kentucky, where he taught and served fellow Karen immigrants. Following his mission he came to BYU to study and would later teach the first Karen language class at the university. Tune in to find out how BYU guided K’Chawtee in his personal faith journey and helped him form a lifelong vision for serving his people.

This episode is based on the article “Called for Life” by Coleman S. Numbers (’26) in the fall 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Religious Freedom with Elizabeth Clark

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

“Religious freedom isn’t just for believers,” says Elizabeth A. Clark (BA ’94, JD ’97), associate director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies at BYU. “What religious freedom does is preserve a space where people can make choices.”

In this episode, Whitney and Elizabeth Clark discuss religious freedom—what it really is, why it matters, and what we can do to stand up for it. They cover how religious freedom impacts international relations, communities, and individuals, and they discuss how religious freedom is vital for everyone, whether you follow a faith tradition or not. Listen to learn more and get suggestions on what you can do in your own life to support religious freedom.

Check out the Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, happening Oct. 1–3, 2023. Recordings of the plenaries and breakout session will be made available after the event.

This episode is based on the article “Liberty for All” in the fall 2023 issue of Y Magazine, publishing later this year.

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BYU Joins the Big 12

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 15:50:00 +0000

With BYU entering the Big 12 athletic conference this season, Cougar Nation is buzzing with excitement. As the 2023 schedules are set, the challenges and advantages of being in a power-5 conference are becoming a reality. And the Cougars are getting ready to compete on a national stage. “The expectation is high,” says women’s soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood (BS ’89). “There’s pressure, we’re nervous. But you know, you want that in your program.”

Listen as Rockwood, women’s cross-country coach Diljeet Taylor, and men’s basketball coach Mark Pope share what joining the Big 12 means for BYU, especially how it will broaden BYU’s national influence. “It’s going to be a bigger and better challenge for us,” says Taylor. But “[we] feel that BYU is going to bring a different level of athlete, a different level of fan, just a different feel to the Big 12. It’s really exciting.”

This episode is based on the article “This is Big” by Michael R. Walker (BA ’90) in the Summer 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Lifelong Wellness

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Over the years, fitness and sports classes at BYU have gone by many names. For a while, they were part of the exercise-science department, then the course catalog listed them as STAC classes, and as of 2019, they’re known as student wellness (SWELL) classes. Through all that time, though, one thing’s stayed true: the classes are a source of fun, activity, and exploration for students. And every year, the SWELL program seeks to expand its repertoire of wellness offerings, tapping increasingly popular pursuits like pickleball and meditation.

Our host Whitney Archibald spoke with SWELL course and extramural coordinator Emily
Andrews as well as three SWELL instructors: Kimberly Lindstrom, who teaches weightlifting and functional fitness; Spencer Budd, who heads up gymnastics; and Maria Jensen, who teaches everything from running to yoga. Along the way Whitney picks up a plethora of personal health and wellness how-tos that apply whether you're doing Zumba for credit or exercising on your own from home.

This episode is based on the article “All is Swell” by Miriam Brantley Merrill in the summer 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Essentially and Simply with Greg McKeown

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Feeling like you’ve whittled down your responsibilities to the absolute essentials but can’t ever shake utter exhaustion? You are not alone. Join Y Magazine podcast host Whitney Archibald as she talks to Greg McKeown (BA ’03), BYU alum and the best-selling author of Essentialism and Effortless, about his own journey through burnout to simplicity.

As a young father feeling weighed down with work obligations and spending time with his family, Greg knew he needed to make a change. His subsequent soul-searching led him down a path that would form Essentialism.

Now an author and public speaker, Greg helps others find their way out of discouragement. “Your family is important. Your business is important. The relationships are important,” Greg recalls telling a woman close to burnout. “But what if there’s a different way to go about it that isn’t so hard all the time?”

Combining scriptural and prophetic examples as well as past experiences, Greg and Whitney discuss how to make the essentials effortless. This episode is based on the article “The Essentialist” by Denya I. Palmer (BA ’16) in the spring 2022 issue of Y Magazine.

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BYU Photo and the Art of Mentorship

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

“The world is our campus,” reads the familiar BYU mantra. And epic photos captured all over the world verify this fact to grads, fans, and families. But where do these high-quality captures come from?

In this episode, follow BYU photographer Jaren S. Wilkey (BA ’01) through the creative process of capturing a masterpiece photo. Wilkey talks through a recent favorite shoot, featuring linebacker Pepe M. Tanuvasa (BS ’22) smashing through a sugar glass pane, eyes fixed on the foe.

Take a peek through Wilkey’s camera to view BYU backstage—what it takes to keep the photos coming and how students are mentored and trained to join the surprisingly small but highly elite photography team. Plus, get a few tips and tricks from Wilkey and BYU Photo student Donovan K. Kelly (’23) on improving your own photography.

This episode of the podcast is based on the article “Breakthrough” in the Summer 2023 issue of Y Magazine. View a detailed walkthrough of the sugar glass photo process as well as a photo gallery and explanatory video on the BYU Photo website.

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Mapping Molokai

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

For L. Kala’i Ellis (BS ‘20, MS ‘22), reef conservation on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, is more than a research interest—it’s part of his heritage. His grandmother grew up on the centrally located island and was a lifelong advocate for both ecological and social reform on the island, a cause his father inherited passion for and passed along to Ellis.

Ellis, who recently obtained his graduate degree in biology, was the lead student researcher in a project involving cutting-edge technology, from 3D-modeling software to aquatic and aerial drones, to learn about Molokai’s reefs and the environmental factors threatening their survival. Tune in to discover a scientific adventure reaching from the peaks of the Wasatch front to the shallows of the Molokai reef.

This episode is based on the article “Mauka to Makai” by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07) and Julie Harker Walker (BA ’93) in the Spring 2023 issue of Y Magazine. Check out the article online to read more, see photos of the sweeping landscape, and watch a video about the project.

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How to Be a Good Citizen with the American Moms

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

For some Americans, the outcome of the 2016 presidential election meant elation and victory; for others, a dark and confusing turn in national politics. In the midst of that highly contentious moment, adrift in a sea of supercharged rhetoric and caustic online debate, one truth was clear to sisters Brittany Candrian Richman (BA ’04) and Andrea Candrian Reeve (BA ’04): “People don’t understand what it takes to make a difference in our country.”

Andrea and Brittany, twin BYU journalism grads with respective careers in politics, resolved to change that. They started the American Moms, a blog and Instagram account devoted to offering tips on civil engagement and involvement in public life.

In this episode, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA '01) learns about the life paths that led the sisters into politics and picks their brains about how, in an age of unparalleled division and disagreement, individuals can help to create a healthy American democracy.

This episode is based on the article “American Moms” in the Spring 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Writing and Teaching with ChatGPT

Thu, 18 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000

“Oh, hello there, Y Magazine podcast listeners! Are you ready to dive into the thrilling world of AI and writing? Well, buckle up, because today's episode explores the ever-growing influence of ChatGPT and other cutting-edge AI models on the realm of writing and writing instruction.

“Join us as we chat with Meredith Reed, a writing instructor at BYU who's been keeping a close eye on the AI invasion. Will the fusion of human creativity and machine learning lead to a brave new world of literary innovation, or is it simply another step towards obsolescence? Grab your favorite writing tools, and let's find out together in this stimulating conversation that's equal parts fascinating and unnerving!”

That was ChatGPT's first try at writing this episode's shownotes. What do you think? Tune in to learn about how artificial intelligence is changing writing and classroom learning—along with everything else.

This episode is based on the article “I, Chatbot” written by Sara Smith Atwood in the Spring 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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A Chat with President C. Shane Reese

Thu, 04 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

What’s the probability that the 14th president of Brigham Young University would love faculty basketball and family pickleball, turned down a job with the Philadelphia Eagles, and prefers a PB&J over most other foods? Probably zero, if you asked C. Shane Reese (BS ’94, MS ’95), a statistician by trade and the successor of President Kevin J Worthen (BS ’79, JD ’82).

But for Reese, his story is notable for other reasons—like the series of personal spiritual impressions that led him to switch his major to statistics his freshman year, he and his wife’s decision to leave a “dream existence” in New Mexico to come to Provo, and their passing on a job offer from Andy W. Reid (BS ’82), then head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Y Magazine sat down with Reese to discuss these experiences as well as other parts of his life—diving into his time at BYU, his interests in the field of statistics, and his family. Tune in to learn more about Shane Reese—father, husband, statistics professor, sports nerd, and the new president of BYU.

Read more about President Reese in the Summer 2023 issue of Y Magazine, coming July 2023.

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BYU Pioneers in Chaplaincy

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

When Dawn Dimick (’23) decided to join the army, she had several career choices ahead of her. Through it all she felt prompted in one direction: to become a military chaplain. Dimick is now the first female military chaplaincy student at BYU, and she will be among the first endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In this episode, learn what exactly chaplains do (beyond your knowledge of Father Mulcahy in the TV show M*A*S*H) and how the field of chaplaincy is growing at BYU.

Hear about Dimick’s journey and meet two others helping pioneer the field of chaplaincy for Latter-day Saint women: Delacie Barney (BA ’94, MA ’19), BYU’s first-ever healthcare chaplain grad, and Tamara Fitzgerald Harris (’79), chaplain services manager for the Church.

This episode of podcast is based on the article “Called to Service” by Denya I. Palmer (BA ’16) in the Winter 2023 issue of Y Magazine: https://magazine.byu.edu/article/called-to-service/.

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Cake By Courtney: Baking, Business, and Faith

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Chocolate cheesecake cake with an Oreo crust and cream cheese filling? Biscoff strawberry cake with a strawberry jelly buttercream? If those descriptions make your mouth water—or make you want to google a recipe—join us to hear from Courtney Carlston Rich (BA ’05), creator of the Cake by Courtney blog, culinary teacher, entrepreneur, mom, and BYU grad.

Courtney shares her journey from studying broadcast journalism to becoming a food blogger: she recounts the first cake she ever made, the spiritual impressions she received pursuing this unlikely passion, and how baking cakes has changed her life and the lives of those who love her recipes.

Get recipes for Courtney’s chocolate cheesecake cake and Biscoff strawberry cake in the article “Rich Recipes” from the Winter 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

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Happiness 101

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 19:14:24 +0000

How do we find happiness? The question is just about the oldest one out there, and we haven’t stopped asking it.

In this inaugural episode, hear from four BYU professors across campus who tackle the question of happiness. They offer diverse insights rooted in disciplines from experience design to comparative literature. Central to all their findings: the more we try to chase happiness, the less likely we are to find it. True life satisfaction doesn’t come from pursuing a sense of pleasure or comfort or even joy—instead, the experts all agree, we need to do our best to build habits and relationships that make life worthwhile.

Each professor will dive into how they’ve integrated these ideas into courses they teach at BYU—then they offer all of us some positive well-being homework. These activities, as well as some recommended reading, are included below.

This episode of the podcast is based on the article, “Let Joy Find You” by Emily Smurthwaite Edmonds (BA ’01, MA ’04) in the Winter 2023 issue of Y Magazine.