SAVE BYU SOAR
The cancellation of BYU’s Summer of Academic Refinement, or SOAR, marks an alarming decline in the university’s support for multicultural students. The second Trump administration has already seen BYU pull support for its international student base. The quiet cancellation of Multicultural Student Services events—such as the Pow Wow, Luau, and Fiesta—has already set a concerning precedent.
BYU Multicultural Student Services released a statement on their website:
“Due to changes in federal policy Brigham Young University will no longer be able to offer the SOAR program in its current form. We encourage high school students to continue seeking out college preparation opportunities nationwide as they prepare for higher education and beyond.”
Considering BYU’s status as a private institution, this vague message is confusing and concerning. Why would BYU, a private university, feel the need to bend to federal policy in this instance? Why is BYU not willing to stand up for its students, no matter where they’re from, especially when it claims to be the flagship institution of a “worldwide church?” Having no multicultural recruitment does not make us worldwide—it makes our student body increasingly insular and white, an unwelcome sight for any prospective multicultural student.
Countless multicultural students at BYU have credited their decision to attend the university to their participation in SOAR, and without it, we wouldn’t have the same level of diversity, however minimal, that we have in our student body today. By justifying the cancellation of SOAR through vague claims about adhering to federal policy, BYU is sending a clear message: Admitting international and multicultural students in the future is not a priority. These students are instead meant to outsource their college admission help “nationwide”—essentially anywhere that is not BYU.
Prodigal Press encourages its readers to defend the systems that empower our multicultural family. Contact Shane Reese and other university administrators to demand SOAR’s reinstatement. If you have had a positive experience with the SOAR program, send your story to savebyusoar@gmail.com by February 1. Above all, show love and compassion to your multicultural classmates and coworkers. While BYU turns its back on vulnerable students and prospective scholars, community members must continue to show up in every way possible. MSS has not yet replied to our request for a comment.