A look at milestones, events in Church education during 2025 – Church News

2025 has been a historic year for the Church Educational System in many ways — from record-level enrollments to milestone anniversaries and from innovations to expansions.

During his final general conference address, President Russell M. Nelson noted, “The rising generation is rising up as stalwart followers of Jesus Christ.”

In speaking to tens of thousands of university, college, seminary and institute teachers around the world this past June, Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and the Church commissioner of education, said he hoped they felt the truth of President Nelson’s words.

“Seminary enrollment is at a record level across this Church,” Elder Gilbert explained, “both the total number of students and the percentages participating. Enrollment at our universities continues to set records. Even at a time when many people are not going to college, institute is at its highest level ever in the history of the Church.”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who now serves as chairman of the Church Board of Education, noted in April general conference that the Lord is hastening educational opportunities across the world.

“One of the things that distinguishes us as a church is our emphasis on education,” said Elder Rasband. “The Lord commanded in the early days of the Restoration to ‘seek learning, even by study and also by faith’ (Doctrine and Covenants 88:118). That is happening today and is worthy of a resounding ‘hurrah.’”

Here’s a look back at some of the highlights and milestones in Church education from the past year that are worthy of a “resounding ‘hurrah.’”

BYU 150th anniversary

Brigham Young University’s first devotional of the new school year, titled “Celebrating Gifts of Light,” kicked off a year of celebratory activities and events surrounding the school’s 150th anniversary.

BYU 150 events so far have included devotionals, such as BYU President C. Shane Reese’s opening address for the school year and the time capsule reveal on Founder’s Day, Thursday, Oct. 16 — exactly 150 years after the deed of trust was signed for the founding of Brigham Young Academy.

A prime aspect of the sesquicentennial celebration has been an invitation to serve. For example, for BYU’s football season, the BYU Alumni Association hosted a service project during pregame tailgate festivities at every road game. BYU 150 celebration organizers also challenged students, employees, alumni and friends to each perform 150 hours of service in honor of 150 years of the university.

In a recent Church News podcast, President Reese said the sesquicentennial has offered university leaders and administrators the opportunity to look back and assess, “What progress have we made thus far?” And to look forward and ask, “Now what work have we left to do?”

Also of note at BYU this year:

BYU–Idaho’s 25th anniversary

On June 23, 2000, Church President Gordon B. Hinckley held a news conference from the Church Administration Building in downtown Salt Lake City.

“I am pleased to announce that Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, will change from its present two-year, junior-college status to a four-year institution,” President Hinckley said.

Earlier this summer, BYU–Idaho kicked off some 18 months of events and activities honoring the 25th anniversary of that historic announcement and celebrating the growth and impact of the university.

Also of note from BYU–Idaho:

Ensign College rolls out ongoing innovations

2025 was an important year for the Church college.

February 2025 marked the fifth anniversary of the announcement that LDS Business College was becoming Ensign College. The name change to the now-139-year-old educational institution came along with an expanded educational offering as well as symbolic and historic significance.

In May, Ensign College also revamped its entire academic calendar, transitioning from a traditional 14-week semester to seven-week blocks. The new block system provides more flexibility while improving the student experience.

In October, the Church college announced its three-year bachelor’s degrees, previously available only to online students, was being expanded to include campus students.

Also of note from Ensign College:

• Former Church commissioner of education Elder Kim B. Clark spoke to Ensign College students about the dangers and benefits of AI use in an education setting.
• Joseph Kerry, chair of the Communication Department at Ensign College, joined the Church News podcast to share counsel on how to wisely use social media while increasing one’s discipleship of Jesus Christ.

Investment into the future of BYU–Hawaii

Church, civic and university leaders — many adorned with bright-colored floral leis —gathered on the Laie, Hawaii, campus in August for the groundbreaking ceremony of a projected five-year project to renew and revitalize the heart of campus.

Four existing buildings — the David O. McKay Classroom Building, Flag Circle, Aloha Center and McKay Faculty Building — will be demolished and replaced with five new buildings that will house classrooms, offices, conference rooms, an auditorium, stores, a snack bar, a welcome center, a post office, tutoring spaces and student recreational spaces.

“Our students should know that they’re loved, that they’re valued and that they have great capacity to serve in the future,” said BYU–Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe III.

Also of note from BYU–Hawaii:

• The university began the year by hosting the Church Educational System’s Executive Committee — then-Elder Christofferson, who was serving as the chairman, as well as Elder Rasband and Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson— in addition to several special guests.
• In March, the Church announced how it is striving to make its multiple properties on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, energy-independent by 2026. Those properties include Brigham Young University–Hawaii, the Laie Hawaii Temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
• In September, President Kauwe announced his cancer diagnosis.

Seminary growth, milestones

In 2025, more than 900,000 students worldwide enrolled in seminary and institute, the highest enrollment in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

At a time when religious activity is declining among young people, the trend is reversed among the youth of the Church, with more than 235,000 seminary and institute students added over the last four years.

In an effort to further strengthen the relevance and impact of seminary, the First Presidency approved changes to the curriculum — rolled out in 2025 — which add life resource lessons to the weekly instruction happening in seminary.

The new lessons help youth “navigate modern challenges with confidence and peace,” said Becky Scott, associate administrator of Seminaries and Institutes.

Also of note from Seminaries and Institutes of Religion:

BYU–Pathway Worldwide’s growing impact

Emmy-Award winning journalist Jane Clayson Johnson offered a preview of her documentary about the sacrifices and accomplishments of BYU–Pathway students in Africa, during a BYU forum in September.

“What I saw in Africa changed me profoundly,” Clayson Johnson told Church News. “What I experienced in these students’ homes, hearing about their lives, hearing about the sacrifices that they make to get an education was so inspiring to me. I have never seen anything like it.”

Currently, more than 85,000 students in 180 countries are enrolled in BYU–Pathway, with more than half of those students in Africa.

The entire documentary can be viewed at BYUtv.org.

Also of note from BYU–Pathway:

• The Ashaiman Ghana Stake Center was filled with smiles, songs and the spirit of accomplishment on Saturday, July 19, as 144 students from Ghana graduated from BYU–Pathway Worldwide’s PathwayConnect program.
• Both Elder Bednar and Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offered counsel to BYU–Pathway students during monthly devotional broadcasts.