Y Magazine Podcast

A Vict’ry Story: Tom Holmoe on Two Decades Leading BYU Athletics

For the past two decades, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe (BS ’83, MS ’95) has been calling the shots.

High on a Mountain Top: Rescue Training in the Himalayas

Forget house calls—try mountain calls at 13,000 feet.

Pop Goes the Question: Proposal Stories from BYU Alumni

Love stories abound at BYU, and in this Valentine’s Day special of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) talks to three BYU alumni couples about their proposal stories.

Tech Support: Parenting Kids to Thrive in a Digital World

How much screen time should kids have? At what age should they be allowed to have a smartphone? BYU alum Richard Culatta answers these questions.

Never Too Late: Adults Learn to Play New Instruments with the New Horizons Orchestra

How old is too old to learn to play an instrument? The New Horizons Orchestra gives adults over 40 a chance to learn a string instrument—even if they’ve never played one before.

How to Help Kids Love Reading with BYU Professor Paul Ricks

With so many distractions, how do you encourage children to read? BYU professor Paul Ricks has tips and tricks to turn children into bookworms.

Cougar Cyclists and Cardboard Castles: Behind the scenes of BYU's Sustainability Efforts

What do you see when you look at a pile of cardboard? BYU Recycling Supervisor Bill Rudy sees trees.

BYU’s World Campus with Kennedy Center Director Stan Benfell

BYU offers over 150 study abroad options each year to help students enhance their global perspectives

Do Utahns Talk Funny? Research on Pronunciation, Usage, and Naming Trends

Does a “Utah accent” exist? According to David Eddington, BYU emeritus linguistics professor, the language and accents in Utah are always changing.

Life and Breath: BYU Students Improve Public Health in Nepal

BYU public health professor Steven Thygerson started the Nepal Global Health International Study Program.

Building Bridges: How to Enrich Interfaith Relationships

What can you learn from other faith traditions? BYU religion professor Andrew Reed says interfaith efforts can help us develop, “generosity of spirit.”

Write It Down: Advice from the New Deseret News Editor on Recording Your Life

BYU alum Sarah Jane Weaver, as the first female editor of the Deseret News, will continue recording truth for a global audience.

Refugee Soccer: Finding Belonging Through Sport

BYU alum Adam Miles realized more needed to be done to help refugees find belonging in the US. His solution? Soccer.

How to Be a Planetary Explorer—Right Here on Earth

Janiradebaugh is a minor planet nestled between Mars and Jupiter. But Jani Radebaugh is also a professor of geology at BYU.

Fast Friends: Olympians Conner Mantz and Clayton Young

Olympians Clayton A. Young (BS ’19, MS ’22) and Conner B. Mantz (BS ’22) are competitors—but they’re also close friends.

Artful Parenting: How to Make Creativity Part of Your Family Culture

For Paige Crosland Anderson (BFA ’11), art is not only a profession but a way to connect with her family and her divine identity.

In Good Company: Students Build Real Businesses in Two Semesters

Could you build a business in two semesters? Sandbox gives students the opportunity to try.

Saving Days: Ending Period Poverty with Days for Girls

When Celeste Humphrey Mergens (’81) found out that girls in Kenya were trying to manage their periods with pieces of cardboard, she created the nonprofit Days for Girls.

Gospel on the Go: Three BYU Podcasts to Enrich Your Study

Casting about for a great podcast to enrich your gospel study? Look no further.

An American Journey: What a BYU Grad Discovered on a 500-Day Walk Across the United States

Isaiah G. Shields (BS ’19) realized that there was a whole world for him to discover—and he was missing it. And so he decided to take a walk—a really, really long walk.

Making Peace: How to Mediate Conflict in Our Families

Who wouldn’t want a peaceful life? Emily de Schweinitz Taylor (BA ’97, PhD ’24) believes that even toddlers can learn to navigate conflict effectively.

Going Forth—It’s What We Do: How BYU Grads Are Making a Difference

BYU alumni are leaning into the second half of the university’s motto: “Go forth to serve.” Hear three different stories about alums who have turned their unique circumstances into opportunities to serve others.

The Curious Life of Byron Adams: How a BYU Biologist Turned ADHD into His Superpower

Byron J. Adams (BS ’93), BYU’s always-chill “worm herder,” lives in Antarctica for months each year to conduct some mind-blowing microfauna research. On this episode of the <i>Y Magazine<i/> podcast, join Adams and host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) to uncover his passion for the natural world. From his origins as a free-range kid with a fascination for Mother Nature to a biologist who has a nematode namesake, Adams harnesses his curiosity and even his ADHD (which he calls his superpower) to ask the big scientific questions—and he helps his students do the same. Listen in for Adams’s adventures and his ideas on fostering our innate creativity.

Not Your Grandma’s Family History: How BYU’s Record Linking Lab is Building the Family Tree

When BYU economics professor Joseph P. Price (BA ’03) realized that FamilySearch lacked coverage of many African American and international individuals, he employed AI tools to expand coverage of the human family and help build our genealogical ties. Through BYU’s Record Linking Lab (rll.byu.edu), his team has already added 50 million people to the tree. But the work isn’t done. The lab calls on the rising generation to broaden its circle of love by adding to the family tree and creating a wealth of names ready for temple ordinances. On this episode of the <i>Y Magazine<i/> podcast, join host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) and Joe Price as they unpack the inspiration behind the Record Linking Lab, how it finds and connects people, and how you can get involved.

Loneliness and Social Connection with Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad

Odds are, you’ve experienced loneliness at least a time or two. According to BYU psychology professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad (BS ’94, MS ’98), loneliness is a part of everyone’s human experience; and feeling isolated can be worse for your health than big-name problems like obesity, alcoholism, and pollution. On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) and Holt-Lunstad discuss the biological explanation behind feelings of loneliness, the effects of social isolation on physical health, and the power of social connection. Listen in for tips on maintaining a healthy social life and connecting with those around you.

True Blue BYU Friendship

Have you ever made an unlikely friend who ended up changing your life? Turns out, that’s not so uncommon here at Brigham Young University. In this episode, we’ll hear from four alumni who share their unique stories of friendship—each starting on campus and making a lasting impact. From unrequited crushes to Christlike service, these tales can teach us a thing or two about how to be a true friend.

10 Tips from BYU Religion Professors to Deepen Your Book of Mormon Study

To enhance your Come, Follow Me study of Book of Mormon in 2024, learn 10 study techniques from BYU religion professors Joseph M. Spencer (BA ’04) and Daniel L. Belnap (BA ’96, MA ’99). Whether you’re studying the Book of Mormon individually, as a family, in a seminary or institute class, or in Sunday School, Spencer and Belnap suggest we “zoom in and out” as we read, looking at the scriptures on both a micro and macro level.

Spiritual Lessons and a 30-Foot Fall

This summer, Y Magazine podcast host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) took a serious tumble—a fall of 30 feet while rock climbing in Rock Canyon Park. Miraculously, she landed in the only Whitney-shaped clearing possible—an inch or two higher or to the right, and she would have hit her head on a rock. The injuries she did sustain weren’t insignificant—from a shattered sacrum to a grisly compound wrist fracture, Whitney had a long road to recovery ahead of her. However, Whitney recalls the immediate spiritual promptings she received from God as soon as the accident occurred that let her know that this experience was going to help her—and her family—learn and grow. She shares her spiritual lessons in this episode of the Y Magazine podcast.

Going Forth to Teach

Who comes to mind when you think of your favorite teacher? It’s probably someone who ignited a passion, instilled confidence, or cared deeply.

Students Engineer Prosthetic Solutions for Ecuador

In May 2023, a group of BYU engineering students touched down at the airport in Quito, Ecuador. They were headed to Prótesis Imbabura, a small prosthetics clinic. It was time to put their work to the test: the students had been designing and redesigning two key components for prosthetic legs—liners and foot shells.

Take a Tour of BYU’s New Music Building

Join our host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) and assistant director of the School of Music Mark J. Ammons (BMu ’85) on an audio tour of BYU’s new Music Building.

From Refugee to Student to Teacher

As a member of the displaced Karen people, BYU international-relations student Laesgaw K’Chawtee (’25) spent his early childhood in a Thailand refugee camp—about as far from Provo, Utah, as you can get. So how did he become a sophomore at Brigham Young University teaching a 300-level Karen-language course for returned missionaries?

Religious Freedom with Elizabeth Clark

Elizabeth Clark, of BYU's International Center for Law and Religion Studies, shares insights on what religious freedom really is, why it matters, and what we can do to stand up for it.

BYU Joins the Big 12

Listen to thoughts from women's soccer coach Jen Rockwood, women's cross-country coach Diljeet Taylor, and men's basketball coach Mark Pope about BYU joining the Big 12.

Lifelong Wellness

Learn tips and tricks from BYU student wellness (SWELL) class instructors that apply whether you're doing Zumba for credit or simply exercising on your home from home. Take a trip down memory lane and remember your own sports and fitness classes from BYU.

Essentially and Simply with Greg McKeown

Feeling like you’ve whittled down your responsibilities to the absolute essentials but can’t ever shake utter exhaustion? Learn from Greg McKeown (BA ’03), BYU alum and the best-selling author of Essentialism and Effortless, about his own journey through burnout to simplicity.

BYU Photo and the Art of Mentorship

Follow BYU photographer Jaren S. Wilkey (BA ’01) through the creative process of capturing a masterpiece photo. Wilkey talks through a recent favorite shoot, featuring linebacker Pepe M. Tanuvasa (BS ’22) smashing through a sugar glass pane, eyes fixed on the foe.

Mapping Molokai

For L. Kala’i Ellis (BS ’20, MS ’22), reef conservation on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, is more than a research interest—it’s part of his heritage. Ellis, who recently obtained his graduate degree in biology, was the lead student researcher in a project involving cutting-edge technology, from 3D-modeling software to aquatic and aerial drones, to learn about Molokai’s reefs and the environmental factors threatening their survival. Tune in to discover a scientific adventure reaching from the peaks of the Wasatch front to the shallows of the Molokai reef.

How to Be a Good Citizen with the American Moms

One truth was clear to sisters Brittany Candrian Richman (BA ’04) and Andrea Candrian Reeve (BA ’04): “People don’t understand what it takes to make a difference in our country.” Andrea and Brittany, twin BYU journalism grads with respective careers in politics, resolved to change that. They started the American Moms, a blog and Instagram account devoted to offering tips on civil engagement and involvement in public life.

Writing and Teaching with ChatGPT

Tune in for a chat with BYU writing instructor Meredith Reed to learn about how artificial intelligence is changing writing and classroom learning.

A Chat with President C. Shane Reese

President C. Shane Reese is enthusiastic about a lot of things: sports from football to pickleball, reading, gardening, peanut butter, and his chosen field of study—statistics. He brings his trademark passion to his new position as president of BYU.

BYU Pioneers in Chaplaincy

When Dawn Dimick (’23) decided to join the army, she had several career choices ahead of her. Through it all she felt prompted in one direction: to become a military chaplain. Dimick is now the first female military chaplaincy student at BYU, and she will be among the first endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Hear about Dimick’s journey and meet two others helping pioneer the field of chaplaincy for Latter-day Saint women at BYU: Delacie Barney (BA ’94, MA ’19), BYU’s first-ever healthcare chaplain grad, and Tamara Fitzgerald Harris (’79), chaplain services manager for the Church.

Cake By Courtney: Baking, Business, and Faith

Chocolate cheesecake cake with an Oreo crust and cream cheese filling? Biscoff strawberry cake with a strawberry jelly buttercream? If those descriptions make your mouth water—or make you want to google a recipe—join us to hear from Courtney Carlston Rich (BA ’05), creator of the <em>Cake by Courtney</em> blog, culinary teacher, entrepreneur, mom, and BYU grad.

Happiness 101

How do we find happiness? The question is just about the oldest one out there, and we haven’t stopped asking it. In this inaugural episode, hear from four BYU professors across campus who tackle the question of happiness.