2018 Key Milestones

Success Network Organized

January 2018

The Success Network unifies a support system of mentors, instructors, and service missionaries to help students receive encouragement throughout the semester and successfully finish PathwayConnect. (Read more about BYU-Pathway’s mentoring efforts .)

President’s Leadership Council

May 2018

BYU-Pathway established a President’s Leadership Council, a group of innovative business and community leaders who invest their time, resources, and talent to help BYU-Pathway accomplish its mission of developing disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities. At their first meeting in May 2018, council members and BYU-Pathway’s executive leadership collaborated on plans to increase student success.

New Vice President of Field Operations

June 2018

Brian Ashton joined the BYU-Pathway family as vice president of field operations. In this new position, Brian travels the globe, meeting with and training Area Presidencies and local priesthood leaders on how BYU-Pathway can strengthen the Church in their areas. He also currently serves as second counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency. (Read more about BYU-Pathway’s work with Area Presidencies .)

New Headquarters in Salt Lake City

August 2018

Stepping out in faith, 70 BYU-Pathway employees and their families finished their relocation from Rexburg, Idaho, to Salt Lake City, Utah, the new BYU-Pathway headquarters. An additional 18 full-time employees joined the team in 2018. Now, with an innovative workplace and closer proximity to Church headquarters, BYU-Pathway can collaborate with Church leaders and departments on a more regular basis as the organization continues to evolve. (Take a closer look at BYU-Pathway’s new home .)

Certificate-first Approach & New Degree Structure Formalized

September 2018

BYU-Pathway announced a new online degree structure launching in April. The new programs follow a certificate-first approach, encouraging students who complete PathwayConnect to obtain a job-ready certificate on their way to a bachelor’s degree. Those who earn a certificate are 41% more likely to continue on to a bachelor’s degree. (Read more about BYU-Pathway’s new degree structure .)

Monthly Worldwide Devotionals

September 2018

BYU-Pathway implemented short-form monthly devotionals in fall semester, directed specifically to BYU-Pathway students and the opportunities and concerns they have as they pursue higher education. These devotionals are designed to build testimony and strengthen faith, while also encouraging students to endure to the end and successfully achieve their academic goals. To view devotionals, visit byupathway.org/speeches . (Learn more about devotionals .)

Student Portal Created

September 2018

BYU-Pathway launched a new user-friendly student portal for PathwayConnect students, which serves as a single resource for accessing courses, viewing to-do items and deadlines, paying tuition, and more. In 2019, a portal will be built for online degree-seeking students as well.

A New Church Entity

October 2018

After the creation of BYU-Pathway Worldwide in 2017, it continued to operate under the umbrella of BYU-Idaho. But last October, BYU-Pathway became a separate entity within the Church Educational System.

Executive Committee Visit

November 2018

The Church Board of Education Executive Committee visited BYU-Pathway headquarters and provided a special broadcast to students throughout the world, encouraging them to press forward in their education. The discussion panel consisted of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder David A. Bednar, Elder Quentin L. Cook, Sister Jean B. Bingham, and Elder Robert C. Gay. Elder Kim B. Clark, Church Commissioner of Education, and President Clark G. Gilbert and his wife, Christine, also joined the panel. (Read more about the broadcast .)

Expansion of Virtual Gatherings

November 2018

Since 2014, BYU-Pathway has been piloting virtual gatherings in remote areas where in-person gatherings are not possible. Previously, virtual gatherings were limited to Europe, the Caribbean, and the southeastern United States. This year, the pilot expanded to Brazil, northern Asia, and the northeastern United States, with nearly 1,000 students participating. Virtual gatherings were made available to 961 stakes and districts in January 2019, including all of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific.

Returned-Missionary Scholarship

December 2018

BYU-Pathway began piloting a scholarship for returned missionaries in Brazil and the Caribbean. In this pilot, missionaries who have returned home in the past five years may receive a tuition discount for PathwayConnect. It is anticipated that this effort will expand across the globe this fall. (Learn more about BYU-Pathway’s scholarship initiative .)

40,000 Students Served

December 2018

In 2018, BYU-Pathway enrollment increased by nearly 10 percent, serving 41,426 students in 100 countries and all 50 states in the U.S.