Aug. 19-23, thousands of individuals of a variety of ages and from dozens of countries will converge on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah, with the shared interest of learning and growing faith in Jesus Christ during 2024 BYU Education Week.
The purpose of the five-day conference is to strengthen an individual’s testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and contribute to the “balanced development of the total person,” explained program administrator Bruce Payne, quoting BYU’s mission statement.
Last year, Education Week attracted more than 17,000 registrants, who participated in close to 1,000 classes taught by 260 presenters. This year, Education Week is adding new presenters to the program to accompany those who return, which creates “a great blend for our audience,” Payne noted.
One of the highlights for 2024 will be the devotional by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Classes will also be presented by the general presidencies of the Relief Society, Young Men, Young Women and Primary organizations, as well as representatives from the Church Educational System — including Seminaries and Institutes of Religion — and the Church History Department and other experts and professionals in various fields. The Church News staff will present classes on Monday at 3:10 p.m. and then Tuesday through Friday at 9:50 a.m. (See pages 5-6 of the schedule.)
“Each year I love to hear of the impact that the classes have had on the audience,” Payne said. “Getting tremendous presenters together with an audience that is interested in learning about a particular subject creates a great atmosphere for learning.”
The theme for this year is found in Romans 12:2, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,” which highlights the apostle Paul’s instruction to grow in faith, develop individual gifts and together become “one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5).
The welcome note from the Education Week administrators printed in this year’s schedule states, “Through the classes at Education Week, we encourage you to strengthen your testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, to feel of Their grace, and to develop your various gifts and strive to be an influence on others.”
Things to remember
Classes are Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. and Tuesday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 9:25 p.m.
Most classes are 55 minutes in length. Breaks between classes are 25 minutes. All classes are first-come, first-seated.
Education Week is for adults and for youth ages 14 and over. There are classes geared specifically toward youth ages 14-18 as well as a youth dance at 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22.
Those who wish to attend can register online at educationweek.byu.edu/registration. Individuals can choose whether to register for the full program — Monday through Friday — or from partial- or single-day options.
BYU’s a cappella groups, Vocal Point and Noteworthy, will perform concerts on Wednesday and Thursday nights in the Marriott Center. “Tickets for these amazing performances are open not only to the Education Week audience but also the general public,” Payne noted.
Each year, the planning committee receives statements from first-time attendees who say, “I had no idea how incredible Education Week is, I’m coming back every year,” Payne said. “I’m confident that people who attend Education Week will come away inspired and better prepared to face their individual challenges. It’s a refreshing week, and whether someone can come for only part of a day or for the entire week, they will grow in some way, and that feels good.”
The Church News is providing coverage from BYU Education Week. See TheChurchNews.com in coming days for updates.
