1. A Returnability Study of BYUH Alumni (1993-2007 Graduates)
Return Migration
A Returnability Study of BYUH Alumni
( Graduates)
Elaine Walton
Wendel Walton
Samantha Palefau
Thomas Dearden

2. Four-Phase Project Pilot study Online alumni survey
Follow-up telephone interviews
In-country interviews

3. Online Alumni Survey (n = 675)

4. Demographics 95.2% LDS 56.2% female
68.9% married (21% married to an American)
72.1% employed full time
32.8% enrolled in or completed graduate school
46.2% currently residing in the U.S.
63 countries represented *
Is that 21% of the married ones are married to an American or 21% of the total?

5. Major Countries Represented
Hong Kong (11.7%) New Zealand (7.1%) Japan (6.7%) Samoa (5.5%) Fiji (4.7%) Taiwan (4.7%) Philippines (4.1%) Tonga (4.1%) Korea (3.9%) French Polynesia (3.3%) Canada (3.3%) *

6. Primary Questions for Investigation
Satisfaction with BYUH?
Post-BYUH success?
Returnability
Current and planned residence?
Correlates for return home? (opinions and motivations) *

7. Foci for Data Analysis Home country (four economic regions)
Current residence
Graduation year ( )

8. Current Residence by Graduation Year*
This is interesting… 

9. Current Residence by Home Region*

10. Current Residence by Spouse’s Home Country*
n = 413
(X2 = 96.35; df = 2; p < .001)

11. Current Residence by Academic Major*

12. Satisfaction with BYUH Preparation for . . .
I would probably put “Strongly agree” at the top, and “Slightly agree” at the bottom. Not necessary though, just an idea.
n = 644

13. Most Important Aspect of BYUH Experience

14. Most Important Aspect by Home Region Testimony versus Career
(X2 = ; df = 3; p = .008)
(X2 = 7.323; df = 3; p = .062)

15. In Retrospect, Would Choose Again

16. Relevance of Academic Majors (Majors most frequently cited)
Would choose again
Wouldn’t choose again
Major not relevant
Accounting (17.1%)
Information systems (20.4%)
Information systems (17.1%)
Information systems (15.1%)
Hosp. and tour mgmt. (11.8%)
Psychology (9.6%)
Intern. Bus. Mgmt. (11.1%)
Intern. Bus. Mgmt. (9.0%)
Social Work (9.6%)
TESOL (6.0%)
Accounting (7.7%)
Accounting (7.5%)
Psychology (5.7%)
TESOL (7.2%)
Hosp. and Tour. Mgmt. (7.5%)
Intern. Cult. Studies (5.4%)
Social Work (6.8%)
Intern. Bus. Mgmt. (6.2%)
Social Work (4.9%)
Psychology (5.4%)
Intern. Cult. Studies (4.8%)
Do these percentages only include the “Definitely” choices? So the other 75.2% of Accounting majors for example were in the “maybe” answers?
(Percent of total)

17. Relevance of Academic Majors (Percent within major)
Would choose again
Wouldn’t choose again
Major not relevant
Computer science (78%)
Hawaiian Studies (100%)
Accounting (77%)
History (80%)
Int. Cultural Studies (76%)
Hospitality & Tour Mgmt (65%)
Special Ed. (75%)
Art (71%)
Pacific Island Studies (62.5%)
Pacific Island Studies (50%)
Political science (71%)
Elementary Ed. (50%)
Math (45%)
Biology (68%)
Special Ed. (50%)
Psychology (44%)
Exercise & Sports Science (67%)
English (46%)
Social Work (42%)
Do these percentages only include the “Definitely” choices? So the other 75.2% of Accounting majors for example were in the “maybe” answers?

18. Helpful Resources *
Is this from the question that asks if they WERE helpful to them, or if they WOULD be helpful in general?
n = 608

19. Helpful Resources over Time BYUH Career Services*
(X2 = ; df = 6; p = .075)

20. Satisfaction with Employment and BYUH Preparation for Employment*
n = 517

21. Difficulty Finding Employment at Home by Region
Mean rating on 6-point scale *
(F = 2.514; df = 3; p = .058)

22. Graduate School Attendance by Home Region*
(X2 = ; df = 3; p < .001)

23. Church Activity by Home Region
Mean score on a 4-pont scale (4-8) *
(F = 4.658; df = 3; p = .003)

24. Church Activity by Current Residence
Mean score on 4-pont scale (4-8) *
(F = 7.981; df = 2; p < .001)

25. Church Leadership by Current Residence (Male)*
(X2 = 6.629; df = 2; p = .036)

26. Church Leadership by Current Residence (Female)*
(X2 = ; df = 2; p = .002)

27. Advantages and Disadvantages of Remaining (U.S. Residents Only)*
(n = 259)

28. Advantages and Disadvantages of Returning (U.S. Residents Only)*
I switched this slide with the next one so it’s Returning then Remaining, like the previous pair
(n = 259)

29. Trends Over Time (1993-2007) Increasing Decreasing
emphasis on career (contrasted with strengthened testimony)
access to BYUH career services and LDS Employment Services
difficulty finding employment at home
Decreasing
satisfaction with employment
satisfaction with BYUH experience and preparation for employment
positive attitude about returning home
attendance in graduate school
Church activity and Church leadership experience
community service *

30. Follow-up Telephone Interviews with Alumni (n = 50)

31. Common Themes Gratitude for BYUH experience Returnability
Multicultural environment
Strengthened testimony
Returnability
Sacrifice to return, but worthwhile
Exception
Risks associated with remaining in the U.S.
Difficulty finding a job in home country
Wish for more help in preparation for job search
More hands-on experiences and Internships
Career services
General suggestions
Importance of English skills
Identify appropriate major early

32. In-Country Interviews Church leaders LDS Business Executives Seminary & Institute Coordinators Alumni (N = 72)

33. Sample of Nine Countries
Japan
Korea
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Singapore
Philippines
Indonesia
New Zealand
Australia

34. Focus of Interviews Returnability
Career preparation (relevance of BYUH major)
History of successful employment
Preparation for leadership
Support for returning graduates
Recruitment

35. Returnability Graduates needed at home
Graduates who remained in U.S. are worse off
Dissenting opinions

36. Career Preparation Appropriate majors
Business (especially accounting) in all countries
Computer science (IT and IS) in all countries
Science and engineering (New Zealand)
Social sciences (NZ, AU, Singapore)
In Asia majors selected by test scores
Students unprepared to choose a major
Enhanced curriculum, individual guidance, & assertiveness training needed
Academic performance more important than choice of major

37. Successful Employment
Success in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore (mostly business and computer-related jobs)
Koreans struggle (mostly teaching English and employed by the Church)
Developing countries
Record poor for obtaining good jobs
Many entrepreneurial opportunities
Pacific
Underemployment
Most jobs unrelated to BYUH education

38. Preparation for Leadership
Gratitude for BYUH Church experience
Many graduates in leadership positions

39. Support for Returning Graduates
Networking difficult from a distance
Alumni chapters not well organized
LDS Employment Resource Centers helpful in a few countries

40. Recruitment
Recruit only those who have made a commitment to return (Japan and Korea)
Focus on middle class – poor students less likely to return (Philippines and Indonesia)
Resistance to BYUH recruitment (New Zealand and Australia)

41. Academic Standing of BYUH (Common Theme)
BYUH unknown or known for lack of rigor
Standing not important in developing countries
Desire to raise academic standard
Problematic for those who need BYUH most
Need to clarify BYUH’s mission

42. Alignment of Universities (Common Theme)
British educational system
No G.E. courses
More lengthy focus on specialization
BYUH graduates’ qualifications not recognized
BYUH admission standards
Problem accepting “O Levels”
Problem requiring “A Levels”
Compensating Factors
Innovation and creative thinking
Ethical foundation

43. Ideas for Volunteering
Mentoring database in Australia
Participation in BYUH entrepreneurial efforts
Japanese workshop for BYUH students
BYUH International Service Center in Hong Kong
Entrepreneurial internships in Indonesia and Philippines

44. Recommendations Define returnability more broadly.
Increase the international flavor of BYUH.
Develop strong connections to key countries.
Enhance BYUH Career Services
Strengthen BYUH’s relationship to BYU
Enhance marketing efforts.
Address alignment issues.
Revisit the mission of BYUH.
Periodic evaluation