Through her role as vice president of advancement for BYU-Pathway Worldwide and her previous work as managing director of philanthropy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tanise Chun-hoon has seen “the best in people.”
At Philanthropies, we helped people understand how they could give their time, talents, money, and testimony to support higher education, humanitarian aid, missions, and the church’s general fund.
Now, she will build relationships at BYU-Pathway and increase opportunities for initiatives that support the institution’s rapidly growing student body of approximately 89,000 students from 180 countries.
Chun-hoon said that what inspires her most in her work are the miracles she sees in individual lives. She gave two examples in a Church News podcast interview.
The first is Enkumar Gemel from Mongolia, a student at Brigham Young University in Hawaii. Gemmell learned about the gospel and joined the church as a teenager.
After being scouted as a basketball player in Japan, she felt inspired to serve in a mission and was called to the Tokyo South Mission in Japan. She then wanted to improve her English and enrolled in EnglishConnect classes through the BYU-Pathway Worldwide curriculum.
Wanting to further her education, Gemmell enrolled at BYU-Hawaii, where she met her husband while working at the Polynesian Cultural Center. They are currently preparing for graduate work in his native New Zealand.
“We talk about our 89,000 students in 180 countries and the incredible reach of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, but it’s always about one thing,” Chung-Hoon said.
The next example she gave was a student in Uganda, who she said exemplified a “small world, one-on-one concept” like Zion.
Faith Kisakye, a BYU Pathway student from Kampala, Uganda, was invited to offer the opening prayer before the 2024 BYU home football game. Her virtual prayer was projected on a large screen.
“It was amazing to see her share her testimony and serve nearly 70,000 people at LaVell Edwards Stadium,” Chung-Hoon said.
Under the guidance of BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake, the Cougars are coaching BYU Pathway students through video calls and other connections.
Chun-hoon said BYU Pathway students “love all of our brothers performing in blue and white.”
those who give
While there are countless examples of people receiving such opportunities, Chung-hoon said miracles also come to those who give.
“Those who give sacrifice and learn to be like the Lord through giving, and those who receive are blessed and are able to use their gifts to become better, to be able to give and to bless,” Chung-hoon said.
She wants people to know that everyone can give something to uplift those around them, whether it’s time, talent, money or testimony.
“Our goal is to help (people) live the two great commandments of loving God and loving your neighbor, and to make it an inspiring giving experience,” she said.
Chung-hoon has also seen students benefit from networking, mentorship and scholarships. She personally had a college scholarship, which made a huge difference to her and her family. “And we think that will expand to students around the world.”
Other opportunities you can offer include becoming a BYU Pathway missionary and offering jobs to graduates. Chung-hoon called it a “warehouse” of human relationships.
“It’s always about yourself, and that’s what I love about the work that we’ve done in Philanthropy and the work that I’ve seen happening at BYU Pathways, where the Lord cares so much about each of His children and wants to give each of them every opportunity,” she said.
learn more
To learn more about the church’s priorities and ways to give, visit philanthropies.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and BYUpathway.edu.
To learn more about BYU Pathways, watch the BYUtv documentary “Pathway to Hope.”
