How the Right Choices Led to Life Changes

July 2025

“It’s crazy to compare myself now with the Emma I was before BYU–Hawaii,” says Enkhmaa “Emma” Gemmell, a business management student from Mongolia. “Physically, mentally, spiritually, and academically, I feel so different.”

Emma’s journey to success has been shaped by deliberate choices and determination. Born in mountainous western Mongolia, she and her family raised sheep and horses. Though her parents did not have access to higher education, they wished Emma and her siblings could have an opportunity to attend college. This desire led them to move to Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar—a decision that changed Emma’s life trajectory.

During her teen years in Ulaanbaatar, Emma mademany important decisions. She decided to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said yes to playing basketball professionally in Japan after being recruited from her high school team, and chose to serve a mission instead of attending college immediately after graduation.

After serving a mission in Tokyo, Japan, Emma faced another pivotal decision: where to attend college. She says, “I thought BYU–Hawaii was for someone else, not me. But then I had an impression that I should go, and when everything went smoothly with the application process, I knew I should go to this university.”

She continues, “I did BYU–Pathway Worldwide, and I learned to speak English. I learned that I was passionate about people and saw that communicating, organizing, and helping others came naturally to me. So, I chose to major in business management at BYU–Hawaii with an emphasis on human resources.”

At BYU–Hawaii, Emma participated in IWORK, taking a job as a tour guide at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). “The coolest things happened on campus and at PCC. I feel like it helped me find myself,” she says. Emma later served as a student mentor for incoming freshmen, and she now works as a student administrative representative.

After graduation, Emma and her husband, Paora, plan to move to his home country of New Zealand in hopes of pursuing master’s degrees and beginning their careers. Emma’s dream is to work in human resources for the Church.

“We are working hard toward these goals because of the scholarships we have,” says Emma. “I feel like I will leave here and do great things that will help people. And it’s possible because of donors and the financial help I have had along the way.”

She continues, “The mission of BYU–Hawaii has set me up for success because it’s setting us up to be disciples of Jesus Christ and giving us the confidence to be leaders in a community. My husband and I both see ourselves as disciples because of the resources we have here. We cannot imagine ourselves without the gospel.”