BYU College of Family, Home, & Social Sciences

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Dear Friend of the College,

Part of our mission in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences is “equipping students with tools and methods to pursue truth and to solve complicated global issues from a foundation of faith.”

This aligns beautifully with the mission of Brigham Young University: “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.” Our work is to provide education that is both intellectually enlarging and spiritually strengthening in an atmosphere that fosters covenant belonging.

The Inspiring Learning Initiative, funded by friends like you, helps an increasing number of our students have extraordinary learning experiences that expand their minds while deepening their faith in Jesus Christ.

I invite you to donate in support of our students’ efforts to learn and to prepare for their futures. You can direct your contributions to any department or center in the college or to the college itself. Your generosity will bless students. 

I appreciate your support and involvement.
Laura Padilla-Walker, Dean

Field Study

Sociology student Citlalli Zavala traveled to Bolivia with BYU’s Project Evaluation and Assessment Team (PEAT). PEAT provides students with hands-on experience gathering and assessing data to improve the effectiveness of nonprofits or other organizations that seek to do good in the world.

“We gathered a lot of data,” says Zavala. “I’m fluent in Spanish, so most of what I did in Bolivia was translate during our interviews with administrators and families.”

In Bolivia, PEAT students evaluated projects sponsored by Yapay Bolivia, an education and healthcare nonprofit. As observers, PEAT students made recommendations that will bless many people in need.

Mentored Research

Growing up in a military family, Emily Dana moved a lot, so keeping friends and making new ones was extremely difficult for her. She often felt lonely and rejected. Maintaining her mental health was a struggle, but true friends made a huge difference. She wants to return the favor.

After taking a break from school to work through some personal trials, Dana transferred to BYU for a fresh start. She considered changing her major to statistics but ultimately decided to continue her human development studies.

At BYU she got involved in mentored research with Project ADEPT—a national study on the mental and emotional health of teens. “When I got involved in research, I realized that all my interests could fit together,” she says. “I can study human development, apply statistics, and help people. It is a perfect fit for me.”

Civil Rights Seminars

The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander seminar provides an inspiring learning experience for participating students as they prepare for lifelong service to Christ, in His restored Church, and in their families and communities.

Professor Jonathan Sandberg, faculty advisor on this year’s seminar, says, “Our students fully engaged in connecting with their primary identity as children of God and discovering what He needs them to do in service to the Pacific Islander community. This perspective allows them to use their cultural identity as a source of strength and direction, not just at BYU but in every aspect of their lives.”

In the seminar, students learn about cultural erosion and its effects on the mental and physical health of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Participants connect with indigenous ways of understanding and provide service to NHPI communities in Utah and the Pacific. 

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