This new program offers online courses and in-person education around the globe.
Ten years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley encouraged the youth of the Church: “Educate your minds and hands, whatever your chosen field. Whether it be repairing refrigerators, or the work of a skilled surgeon, you must train yourselves. Seek for the best schooling available.”
On February 7, 2017, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the BYU–Pathway Worldwide program, which will help people of all ages fulfill President Hinckley’s instruction, no matter where they live.
Led by the previous president of BYU–Idaho, Clark G. Gilbert, this new program will combine online courses and in-person gatherings to provide education to students in almost 500 locations around the globe. Students can apply without an application fee, standardized test scores, or even an ecclesiastical endorsement.
According to the new website, the three-fold purpose of BYU–Pathway Worldwide is the following:
- “Get the gospel down into the students’ hearts.”
- “Help students become capable learners.”
- “Prepare students to lead and support families.”
This program is unprecedented, combining religious instruction with secular classes at a low cost to its students. It is truly fulfilling President Hinckley’s instruction to gain an “understanding of ourselves, of the purposes of life, of our relationship to God who is our Father, of the great divinely given principles that for centuries have provided the sinew of man’s real progress!” With BYU–Pathway Worldwide, the Church will have a unique opportunity to both give service and spread the gospel.
Read the Church’s full news release about BYU–Pathway Worldwide.
Source: Mormon Newsroom
—Morgan Lewis, Mormon Insights
feature image by ben white
Find more insights
Explore the BYU–Pathway Worldwide program and find out how to apply at pathway.lds.org.
Listen to President Russell M. Nelson’s general conference talk about the importance of education: “Where Is Wisdom?”
Read the Mormon Insights article “Education for Women Takes a Variety of Forms” by Leah Davis to learn about women and education in the Church.
This is amazing! I am so excited for this program to expand. I can only imagine how this will change the lives of so many people by allowing them access to education. We are encouraged to seek learning by study and also by faith and the pathway program does that. Education is enriched when we educate both our minds and our spirits. I am excited to see how this strengthens people all over the world.
This is so great. I definitely want to find out more about it after reading this, but it sounds like such a wonderful idea. My younger sister is fifteen years old, and she was telling me about this just a couple days ago. I’m interested to see its growth and impact in the future!