From left, standing: Derwin Gray, Rachel and David Weidman, and Ann Takasaki; seated: Jorge Cocco and Bruce Hafen. Photo by Jaren Wilkey.
In March BYU honored six individuals for their dedicated service to their profession, community, nation, church, or alma mater. Here the recipients of the 2026 Distinguished Alumni and Honorary Alumni Awards share stories of formative experiences from their lives.
David N. (BS ’78) and Rachel Nielsen Weidman (BA ’77)
Former California Los Angeles Mission leaders. David is a former chemical company CEO and current director of the Missionary Department.
Rachel Weidman
An Answer to Prayer. “I was expecting my fifth child, and my husband spent a lot of hours away from home in his job and as bishop of our ward. I was praying about this as the baby was soon to be born. I couldn’t figure out how there were any extra hours in the day to give. The Lord helped me to understand a way of looking at this so that I wouldn’t wake up every morning feeling anxious about getting everything done. Imagine a circle: Inside the circle are the things that I can control; outside the circle are the things that I can’t. I could pray about those things within the circle, and He would bless me to be able to do whatever was needed; for those things outside the circle, I could ask Him to take care of them, and He would.
“The Lord honored those prayers. His grace is what gets us through and makes everything work. Now as I think back on that time, it is bright and blessed.”
David Weidman
Trust in God. “When we’d been married for about 10 years, a lot of things hit at once: health challenges, financial difficulties, a busy calling. And I was working for an individual who was very hard to work for.
“I remember going through that time deep in prayer, trying to understand how to deal with the dynamics of a difficult work environment and other pressures. And through that period—and it took a couple of years—I was changed. I learned to deal with those circumstances the best I could and to increase my trust in God. He helped me change my approach to dealing with trying circumstances and working with challenging people.
“I was changed, and things resolved themselves over time. The boss who was so difficult to work with? We became very good friends. He was diagnosed with cancer, and he asked me to be heavily involved in some things in his personal life before he passed. I now cherish how God changed me through those experiences.”
Derwin L. Gray (BS ’96)
Former football player; cofounder and lead pastor of the Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina; and author of It’s Time to Heal.
Mending Hearts. “As a little boy I couldn’t understand why my dad was not involved in my life. Now at 55 I understand substance abuse and mental health issues. But when you’re 6 and 13 and 15, you just want to know, ‘Why isn’t my dad there?’ Throughout my life, I wanted to show my dad, ‘I don’t need you. I can make it.’ But even though I achieved an NFL career, my heart was still broken. Success couldn’t mend my heart.
“In 1998 I had just become a follower of Christ, and I was typing letters to family and friends about how forgiving Jesus was. And then I heard a voice that said, ‘Go find your father.’ Next thing I knew, I was on the ground in a puddle of tears. In that moment, I felt like God lifted me up, put me on his lap, let me cry, and said, ‘You’re right, your dad may not deserve you going to find him, but you didn’t deserve my Son Jesus going to find you. I forgave you so you could forgive him.’
“He was in prison, and my letter was short: ‘Dad, I love you. I forgive you. You have some wonderful grandkids I’d like for you to know.’ When I read his return letter, I was blown away. He said, ‘Son, thank you for forgiving me. I want to know my grandkids.’ But here were the words I’d never heard before: ‘And I love you.’ That moment freed my heart to love at a greater capacity, to have greater compassion.”
HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD
Jorge Cocco Santángelo
Religious painter and art educator.
What God Has Given. “I spent a lot of time developing my skill with secular themes. I didn’t do religious art until I came to know the gospel in my youth. I understood that this gift had been given to me to communicate the most important things about our relationship with God through art.
“I approach my art style, which I call ‘sacrocubism’ (or sacred cubism), to set aside superficial visual details and get to the core of the gospel’s content. I express myself much more through shadows, shapes, and colors rather than through a portrait of what was in each religious story.
“My mission as an artist is to express everything God has given me to share with my fellow beings and to help refine their character, their relationship with the highest and most beautiful things, and above all, their relationship with our Creator.”
Bruce C. Hafen (BA ’66)
Emeritus general authority, former BYU–Idaho president, former BYU Law dean and professor, and author
On Student Priorities. “First, give priority to finding your life’s companion. Probably the most important thing that happened to me at BYU was finding my wife, Marie [Kartchner Hafen (BA ’64, MA ’66)]. We have had the most fulfilling, rewarding marriage I can imagine. She has richly influenced my adult understanding of children, the gospel, and life. Ask the Lord to guide you to such a person soon. I’m not saying be reckless. Just make that a matter of your highest spiritual priority.
“Second, take your academic courses, homework, personal essays, and research papers very seriously. Trying to do that has greatly blessed me. And when you’re behind or confused or lost, (a) find and stay close to a good faculty mentor, and (b) discover the library! I read widely about my subjects, and that gave me a whole different feel for what I was doing.”
E. Ann Inouye Takasaki (BA ’75, BA ’79)
Dance therapist
Dance and the Atonement. “As a Japanese American in an all-White community, I felt uncomfortable being different. For example, I put Scotch tape on my eyelids to create double eyelids. But dance and the ability to connect with my body and mind helped me appreciate my unique identity and freed me to make my life meaningful.
“When I learned about dance therapy, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I found a remarkable modern-dance pioneer named Alma Hawkins at UCLA.
“During my fieldwork I had an experience at the VA Hospital that taught me about the connection between body, mind, and spirit. My friend and I were teaching veterans about self-space, helping them enlarge the self-defined bubble around themselves to include others. After one session, a veteran who had not spoken to anyone for two years put his arm around a fellow patient and walked out of the room talking to him. I was amazed by the power of this therapy. However, I also realized that my ability to help someone heal was limited and that real, enduring healing and self-actualization come only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and covenant connection with Him.”
