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Do you remember the once-trendy term “big, hairy, audacious goal?”
Jim Collins coined the term, also known as a BHAG, in his legendary 2001 management book “Good to Great.”
Big, audacious goals pack the BYU centennial talk that church President Spencer W. Kimball gave in 1975.
In fact, he crammed a list of breathtaking ambitions for the second century of Brigham Young University into a single, memorable sentence:
“I am both hopeful and expectant that out of this university and the Church Educational System there will rise brilliant stars in drama, literature, music, sculpture, painting, science and in all the scholarly graces.”
He was just clearing his throat. Later he added this:
“BYU should become the acknowledged language capital of the world.”
Let’s take a look at that one, because there are some strong ways to measure it. Here’s where the university stands 50 years after President Kimball set that BHAG:
- More than 60% of BYU students speak a second language.
- The student body speaks at least 121 languages.
- BYU is No. 1 in the nation in the number of language courses it offers.
- BYU ranked first in the country in the number of advanced language enrollments, too, the last time they were counted.
In one of those categories, the university is well ahead of the competition.
| School | Language courses |
|---|---|
| BYU | 84 |
| Harvard | 78 |
| Cal-Berkeley | 59 |
It laps the field in the other.
| School | Advanced language |
|---|---|
| BYU | 4,578 |
| Minnesota | 2,034 |
| Indiana | 2,004 |
These rankings come from the latest study done by the Modern Language Association of America, a leading advocate for the humanities and the understanding of languages, literatures and culture.
A BYU news release this week described the school as “the premier language university.” It also called the achievements an example of being prophetically directed.
A major component of this success, of course, is the global missionary program of BYU’s sponsor, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
One of my nephews recently returned from a Vietnamese-speaking mission in California, for example, after language training at the Provo Missionary Training Center adjacent to BYU.
President Kimball said all of this should be a natural outgrowth of missions in his full comment half a century ago:
“BYU should become the acknowledged language capital of the world in terms of our academic competency and through the marvelous ‘laboratory’ that sends young men and women forth to service in the mission field. I refer, of course, to the Language Training Mission (now called missionary training centers).
“There is no reason why this university could not become the place where, perhaps more than anywhere else, the concern for literacy and the teaching of English as a second language is firmly headquartered in terms of unarguable competency as well as deep concern.”
BYU’s news release has more about the school’s study abroad offerings and other immersion programs and its language research here.
My recent stories
- In new interview, Elder Clark G. Gilbert shares details of his call as an apostle, what has shaped him (Feb. 13)
- President Oaks calls another apostle: Elder Clark G. Gilbert joins Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (Feb. 12)
About the church
- A BYU landmark will now host President Dallin H. Oaks’ vision for the university.
- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a devotional at the Provo MTC and asked the missionaries to be messengers and examples of faith and hope.
- Please read my latest story about the new apostle, Elder Clark G. Gilbert, who shared a fun anecdote about the first time he met an apostle. (Hint, you read about him at the top of this newsletter.) He also talked about staying up late into the night with his wife after receiving the calling and what they talked about.
- Then you can read 10 quotes from his five years as a General Authority.
- Here’s how to follow him on social media.
- Here’s what a church historian learned while writing President Jeffrey R. Holland’s upcoming biography.
- I’ve made this walk, how about you? (See my photo below; I was there on a warmer day): More than 200 church members and missionaries marked the 180th anniversary of the early Latter-day Saint exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, during a milelong walk to Mississippi River in frigid weather.
What I’m reading
- If you missed the following story, read it now: It’s interesting and inspiring how one football player gave up a shot at the biggest stages in college football to play for a coach he trusts.
- A church member started out as a sprinter. Now he’s pushing a bobsled at the Winter Olympics.
Behind the scenes
One of the most language-rich places a person can visit is Temple Square in Salt Lake City, where missionaries from around the world are called. These missionaries host the 1 million annual visitors, many of whom speak languages other than English.
The Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission is being absorbed into surrounding missions, but those missions will continue to assign missionaries to host visitors so they can comfortably speak their own languages during tours.
The change was a big surprise that generated big reactions that made for great images.
