Learn about how Elder and Sister Johnson can help you prepare for your online degree
Starting a new chapter of your educational journey can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. For students who are not members or who are not as familiar with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the online degree application experience can carry a similar mix of emotions. Luckily, BYU-Pathway's first-ever chaplains, Elder John and Sister Patrice Johnson, are excited to help friends of the Church navigate this process.
What does a chaplain do?
Chaplains help those who aren’t members of the Church understand the standards for students before they enroll in any institution in the Church Educational System, including BYU-Pathway. Together, chaplains and students discuss their willingness to live a Christ-centered life. This includes academic honesty and spiritual preparation during an ecclesiastical endorsement interview.
What do they help students with?
The ecclesiastical endorsement includes two interviews with local religious leaders. This is a great opportunity for students to ask questions before beginning their online degree program. For more information, see our article, “ 3 Answers to Your Questions About the Ecclesiastical Endorsement .”
Latter-day Saints: Members of the Church typically meet with their bishop or branch president first, then they meet with their stake president.
Friends of the Church: Students can meet with any local leader of their faith. The second interview will be with BYU-Pathway's chaplains.
Get to know BYU-Pathway’s chaplains!
Both Sister and Elder Johnson are uniquely qualified for their roles since they both attended and graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, before eventually joining the Church. “We can relate to what these students are experiencing coming in,” Elder Johnson said.
They are excited to help students prepare for their university experience. Their goals as chaplains are to:
- Bring students closer to Jesus Christ,
- Use every interview as a teaching situation, and
- Help students understand what they are committing to strive for.
By focusing on these elements, the Johnsons hope to increase the commitment of students while also strengthening their faith in Jesus Christ.
To students preparing for their ecclesiastical endorsement, the Johnsons say, “We're excited to meet you! We're here to help you succeed. The most important thing for us is that you leave with hope and confidence and that you feel ready for your online degree program."