BYU 150: Presidents Panel

Vice President Justin Collings: Good morning! And welcome to this special BYU 150 forum assembly. My name is Justin Collings, and I serve as BYU’s academic vice president. This year’s sesquicentennial celebrations allow us to honor our past, envision our future, and highlight the divine gifts of light that BYU cultivates in all of us.

We will be blessed this morning to hear from four past or current BYU presidents: Elder Merrill J. Bateman, who served as BYU president from 1996 to 2003; Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, who served from 2003 to 2014; President Kevin J Worthen, who served from 2014 to 2023; and President C. Shane Reese, who became BYU’s 14th president on May 1, 2023.

We will first hear a special message from two former BYU presidents who are unable to be with us in person in the Marriott Center this morning. [A video was shown: Honoring BYU at 150: A Conversation with President Dallin H. Oaks and President Jeffrey R. Holland, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, YouTube, 9 November 2025, 14:47–19:04, youtube.com/watch?v=6M5_S1PjM4s.] 

President Oaks and President Holland, if you’re somehow listening, we love you, we sustain you, and we pray for you as you fulfill the mighty responsibilities of your callings as the two senior apostles in the Lord’s Church. Your alma mater could not be prouder of you or more grateful for your service.

In that spirit of gratitude, we also acknowledge the memory and legacy of President Rex E. Lee, who served as president of BYU from 1989 to 1995 and who was taken from us too early after a grueling and courageous battle with cancer.

Today as we honor our current president and past presidents, we also want to recognize current and past first ladies of Brigham Young University. We first honor the legacy and memory of Sister Marilyn Bateman. We’re also pleased to have with us in the Marriott Center Janet Lee Chamberlain with her husband Wayne, Sharon G. Samuelson, Peggy S. Worthen, and Wendy W. Reese. We love you, and we’re grateful to have you with us.

It is a thrill and an honor to have with us this morning Presidents Merrill J. Bateman, Cecil O. Samuelson, Kevin J Worthen, and C. Shane Reese. Will you please join me in extending a warm Cougar welcome to these four remarkable leaders?

President Bateman, we’re going to give the first word to you. You were my president when I arrived on the BYU campus a couple of years ago.

President Merrill J. Bateman: Yes, a couple of years ago! The students here all arrived when I was the president—but arrived as babies!

Vice President Collings: Would you kick us off and share something about your feelings regarding the unique, prophetic mission of Brigham Young University?

President Bateman: Thank you, brothers and sisters, for being here. It’s an honor for us to be with you.

I’m going to share words from three prophets and then a story. The first prophet I want to begin with is President Spencer W. Kimball. In 1975, he gave a devotional here in this big, beautiful room. It was the beginning of the second century for BYU, and he said the following:

As previous First Presidencies have said, and we say again to you, we expect (we do not simply hope) that Brigham Young University will “become a leader among the great universities of the world.”¹

In fact, I’ve looked at data, and that’s happening. We expect BYU to “become a unique university.”² I’m going to really emphasize the word unique—unique in the sense that BYU is by far the finest world university that brings together academic work with spiritual quality. That’s what’s unique.

President Brigham Young counseled Karl G. Maeser: “You ought not to teach even the alphabet . . . without the Spirit of God.”³

A few years later, President John Taylor was visited by Sister Zina Young Williams, a daughter of Brigham Young. She was very concerned about the financial difficulties at the university and wanted to speak to President Taylor about them. After listening to her, President Taylor said:

My dear child, I have something of importance to tell you that I know will make you happy. I have been visited by your father. He came to me in the silence of the night clothed in brightness and, with a face beaming with love and confidence, told me many things of great importance, and, among others, that the school being taught by Brother Maeser was accepted in the heavens and was a part of the great plan of life and salvation; that . . . there was a bright future in store . . . ; and that Christ Himself was directing and had a care over this school.⁴

I wish to speak about the uniqueness of BYU in the sense that it brings academic and spiritual things together. In the year 2000, the Palmyra New York Temple was dedicated. Prior to the dedication, the First Presidency gave instructions that those of the student body of the university who wanted to attend the service via broadcast were to do so in wards, in the chapels here in Provo.

I did a little bit of investigation, and I determined that very few students would be able to get into those chapels because the ward members also wanted to participate in the dedication. They had a strong interest in the place where the First Vision had occurred. Consequently, I asked President Gordon B. Hinckley if the service could be shown in the Marriott Center. Although there was some concern that it would be difficult to feel the Spirit during the service in this large space, he granted permission.

Students with recommends were asked to be in their seats 30 minutes before the meeting began. I arrived early and took a seat on the floor. As I entered this space through one of the tunnels, I immediately noticed extreme quiet in the room. There were no sounds. There were no whisperings. Almost every student had a set of scriptures, and each was quietly reading or pondering the events of the next two hours. A quiet, reverent attitude prevailed throughout the dedication.

Near the end, following the dedicatory prayer, the 20,000 students who were here stood and, with white handkerchiefs waving, repeated the Hosanna Shout. It was electric. The sea of handkerchiefs was like a field of grain waving in the wind. I have attended a number of other temple dedications—but not one like that one.

Following the closing hymn and prayer, the Holy Spirit pervaded every corner of this building. We watched President Hinckley and others walk out of the celestial room in Palmyra. I then approached the microphone and excused those in attendance to return to their classes. The few of us on the floor stood and waited for the audience to leave, but no one moved. After another minute, I went to the microphone and again invited those in attendance to return to class. Slowly, quietly, people rose and left the building.

It was one of the great spiritual moments of my time at this university. This building became an extension of the Palmyra temple for the two hours of the meeting.

Brigham Young University is a great university, but, more than that, it’s a great temple of learning. Each building on this campus has been dedicated to the Lord as a house of learning. I’m grateful to have been part of this great effort.

Vice President Collings: Thank you, President Bateman, for sharing that sacred and moving experience and for your ongoing faith and conviction about the destiny and mission of this university.

A few years ago, President Dallin H. Oaks, speaking on this campus, said:

[I] firmly believe that it is the destiny of Brigham Young University to become what those prophetic statements predicted it would become. But inherent in being the University of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the reality that this great goal will not be attained in exactly the same way that other universities have achieved their greatness. . . . It will become the great university of the Lord—not in the world’s way but in the Lord’s way.⁵

President Samuelson, you spoke memorably about the BYU way and our need to do things in the Lord’s way. Would you reflect a little bit about some of your experiences as president and doing things the Lord’s way?

President Cecil O. Samuelson: Thank you, President Reese and all of your outstanding colleagues, for this opportunity to be part of this 150th anniversary celebration.

One of the ways we sought to help BYU become greater in the Lord’s way can be demonstrated by the many small miracles that surrounded the beginning of the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center on campus.

I was on this beautiful campus with some regularity even before I received the assignment to come full-time. After arriving and visiting with students, staff, and faculty, as well as with many of our loyal supporters and financial donors, it became apparent that even with such wonderful facilities as were then available, there was one special thing we felt we lacked: a single place that would allow our BYU campus family to gather together with alumni, friends, and distinguished visitors and that would also be a place where they could learn and understand so much of what makes BYU unique. We wanted that space to include a clear description of our dependence on, relationship with, and support of our prophets and Church leaders; the history of the development of our university and the Restoration of the gospel; and, particularly and especially, our key role in helping our students and all who might come here become more loyal, effective, and productive disciples of Jesus Christ.

Early in 2004, I was approached by three of our most loyal and generous supporters—Jack Wheatley, King Husein, and Ira Fulton. They shared great enthusiasm for the notion of a new building, and they then offered to raise all of the money for the project so that there would be no request for Church funds to accomplish this great task. They had one condition, however, and that was that the building must be named for the prophet at that time, Gordon B. Hinckley.

I felt joy at their proposal but also great trepidation because I knew that there was a firm policy to not name facilities for living Church leaders. After many prayers and a few sleepless nights, I raised the matter with President Henry B. Eyring, who was then commissioner of the Church Educational System. He listened carefully and seemed supportive but suggested that if I were to present the idea to the board of trustees at that point, it might be embarrassing to President Hinckley and uncomfortable for everyone else.

He did suggest that I quietly arrange a visit with President Hinckley’s counselors, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust, to seek their guidance. I was soon able to meet together with President Monson and President Faust. They listened, but they gently said that if we were to really be committed to the project, I needed to see President Hinckley privately and present the matter to him. I asked if they would be there with me, and they smiled and said no.

I was able to schedule an appointment with President Hinckley shortly thereafter. I sensed he had been briefed on our plan, but this was not acknowledged. I explained the project—including the proposal and conditions of Brothers Wheatley, Husein, and Fulton and our desire to not ask for Church funds. With great reluctance and many more questions, President Hinckley said we could present the matter to the board of trustees and see if they would approve it. Of course the board’s approval was unanimous and enthusiastic, and we went ahead with the many details of planning, research, and preparation.

Interestingly, when word of approval became public, there was great excitement, with many wanting to contribute. While the major donors were true to their commitments, more than 70,000 individuals also donated to the project—including thousands of students and alumni.

With the blessings of heaven and the very hard work of many, we were able to break ground for the building on June 23, 2006: President Hinckley’s 96th birthday. Just shortly thereafter—one year later—on June 23, 2007 (President Hinckley’s 97th birthday), the building was dedicated. I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the many miraculous circumstances that made this beautiful addition to our campus possible.

Vice President Collings: Thank you, President Samuelson, for that reminder of the miracles that lie behind every single one of the temples of learning on this campus.

Would any of the other presidents like to share thoughts about what it means to become the Lord’s university in the Lord’s way?

President Bateman: What a privilege to have the Lord as the leader and to have a prophet to take care of His desires.

Vice President Collings: Absolutely. Thank you. That’s wonderful—amen.

Earlier we were able to watch a brief excerpt of President Holland speaking so movingly about his own inauguration as BYU president and that touching experience of seeing the Y lit up for him.

Four years ago on this campus, he also spoke of an earlier experience connected with the Y on the mountain when as a seven-year-old passing by on the freeway, he asked, “Mom, what is that big Y on that mountain?”

And she responded, “Jeff, it stands for the university here in Provo: Brigham Young University.”

And seven-year-old Jeff Holland said, “Well, it must be the greatest university in the world.”

Speaking 73 years later, he commented, “And so, for me, it is.” And then he added:

I bless each one of you with every righteous desire of your heart, and I thank you for giving your love and loyalty to BYU, to students like me and my beloved wife. Please, from one who owes so much to this school and who has loved her so deeply for so long, keep her not only standing but standing for what she uniquely and prophetically was meant to be.⁶

President Worthen, I know you share President Holland’s great love for this university and for its students. Would you share something about how that love developed and how it changed and deepened during your service as president of BYU?

President Kevin J Worthen: Yes, I’d be happy to.

I have my own kind of young Jeff Holland moment. The first time that I can recall coming on campus, I was four or five years old. My father was getting his master’s degree in educational leadership while he was teaching. He would come up in the summers and take a class or two. On one occasion I was able to come with him, and as near as I can remember, that’s the first time I was on campus. For some reason that I couldn’t explain then and that I can’t explain fully now, I felt this was the most wonderful place in the world.

Now part of it may have been that there was ice cream involved—I’m sure that was part of it. But there was something else. It wasn’t too long after that that I first went to Disneyland, and I thought, “BYU is just as cool as Disneyland.”

As president, my love for the university increased. I began to understand in more detail what made me feel that way as a child, and it deepened my testimony of three things.

Number one is the Lord’s direction of and heavenly influence on what happens at this university. President Bateman quoted John Taylor and others who talked about the leadership of this university and of Christ being at the helm. Serving as BYU president was, for me, an opportunity to see the heavens open up—not only for me but for members of the President’s Council, for faculty, and for students—and to be directed by Heavenly Father.

I began to really focus in on that guidance at my own inauguration when President Eyring, who was then vice chair of the board of trustees, said that there would come moments that would “appear to be crises.” He said that I would be at peace because of the course that had been set and maintained by the leaders who had gone before, which included Presidents Bateman and Samuelson but also included prophets, seers, and revelators.⁷

I saw that happen many times during my administration—none more obviously than in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were a lot of decisions that had to be made, and we had to make decisions without full information, at least from a scientific viewpoint. I saw not only the administration receive inspiration but also the faculty. As I recall, we went from not having any COVID protocol when we talked about it on a Thursday to opening up the university with virtual learning options on the following Tuesday. I’m looking at President Reese—he was the academic vice president at the time we had this task.

It was a miracle. And keeping the school open throughout the pandemic was the result of inspiration that came directly from heaven. But it wasn’t limited, as I say, just to the administration or the faculty.

During that same summer, as many of you will remember, there was the death of George Floyd, which caused great unrest throughout the United States and here in Provo, including on campus. One of the ways in which people expressed their feelings about this event—and their feelings were very deep—was that professional athletes would put a message on the back of their jerseys about what they stood for, one way or the other. They were evaluated and criticized or praised, depending on what their message was.

Our football team that fall was in the midst of all of this and was trying to decide what to do. In a players-only meeting, they said, “So what is our message to the world? What are we going to say? Are we going to emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion, or are we going to emphasize something else?”

Through their own inspiration, they came up with what was a perfect solution. The front of the T-shirt said, “We Are One.” Unity. On the back it said, “Love One Another.” Those two ideas are connected and are a great example of people, including students, receiving inspiration and following gospel principles here on campus.

The second thing that I found essential to what I felt on campus is the light that comes from everyone here, but particularly from the students. As president, I came to appreciate that if I wanted somebody to be impressed by the university—whether they were donors, whether they were skeptics, whether they were an accreditation team, or whether they were ambassadors who came on campus—I should get them out among the students. And if they were out among the students, something changed.

It was interesting to see as I visited with many of these guests that they struggled to explain what it was they were feeling. They didn’t quite know how to explain it, but they knew they’d felt something.

On one occasion when I asked a visitor if she had any questions, she said, “Do you have a happiness initiative on campus?”

I said, “A what?”

She said, “A happiness initiative.”

I said, “No; explain.”

And she said, “Well, all of the students seem so happy. I’ve never been at a university where the students are so happy. How do you explain that?”

I gave what I think is maybe the second-best answer that I could have come up with. I didn’t think of the best—I’ll tell you that in a second. The one I thought of was “This is just the way they are. Before we have anything to do with them, they’ve had 18 years of training in their homes. They just come this way. We don’t really do anything.”

It was about two hours later that it dawned on me that I had missed the most obvious missionary opportunity in the world. When that visitor asked, “Is this a happiness initiative?” I should have said, “Yes, we call it the plan of happiness. And we can arrange for a couple of our students to visit with you, and they can explain everything about the plan of happiness.”

I came to appreciate that that was part of what I felt and what the visitors were feeling: the fruits of gospel living manifested in the lives of our students.

And that leads to the third key. I’ve come to believe that BYU is at least a partial fulfillment of the promise made in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 1:6: “There shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.”

Come to find out, I wasn’t the only one who had a BYU experience before becoming a BYU student or faculty member. When I visited with faculty members while serving as president, I came to understand that almost all of them had a BYU story about what they felt here and what they felt—individually, for them—it meant to be here.

Many of the students had a BYU story as well. Sometimes it took them a few years to figure out that feeling they had before coming here, but others came to BYU knowing already what was here. It’s that combination of having direction from prophets and other leaders and the inspiration available to all of us, then being willing to see that light play itself out in the lives of the students and others, and also recognizing that there is something for each one of us to do. God has brought us here to this campus—each of us individually—for some reason that can contribute to building His kingdom.

Vice President Collings: That’s so beautifully expressed. I’ve always been so inspired, President Worthen, by your love for our students here at BYU. 

President Reese, you’ve sounded the clarion call for us to try, in our day, to fulfill the prophecies of the past and to become the university that President Kimball and others have foretold. And you’ve brought to this assignment a great spirit and fire—it extends to crowd-surfing after football games!

President Franklin S. Harris, who was president of BYU 100 years ago, said:

There has grown out of the history of the institution [Brigham Young University] a particular mandate that must be respected—a certain fire that must be kept burning. . . .

The first task of the future is to preserve at the institution this spirit that comes to us from the past—the true spirit of the Brigham Young University. This spirit places character above learning and indelibly burns into the consciousness of the student the fact that the most enduring joy is dependent on spiritual growth which looks toward eternal progression.⁸

President Reese, I wonder what counsel you might have for students today to help them keep alive the spirit that comes to us from the past—to keep the BYU banner flying high and the BYU spirit burning bright.

President C. Shane Reese: Well, I love this question, Justin, because I love history and I love our students. I’ll talk about that in just a second.

But if it’s okay, we didn’t quite get the chance to properly recognize the first ladies who are here in attendance. So, Janet, Sharon, Peggy, and Wendy, will you stand up so that we can give you a round of applause as well?

You know, as I’ve thought about this question, I have reflected that I might have a unique perspective here among these presidents.

You see, when Wendy and I were called to meet with the First Presidency, President Oaks was in the room, and he spent time, as a former president of this university, giving us some sweet, tender, powerful counsel. So we have this deep love and respect for President Oaks.

Wendy and I were in Jerusalem shortly after we were invited to accept this assignment, and the very first phone call I received in Jerusalem was from President Holland. President Holland talked to us and gave us mentoring advice about what lay ahead and shared his love for this institution. So President Holland has had such a profound and deep impact on us.

When I came to BYU as a very new, very fresh, very unfamiliar freshman—pretty much lost in this place—President and Sister Lee were the president and first lady. They had a powerful influence on my life. I am so grateful for President and Sister Lee and for the deep impact they had on a young freshman as he was here at BYU trying to learn his way. That was President and Sister Lee’s first year as well, so we started together.

Likewise, President Bateman, you were the president when I first interviewed here at BYU and started my career as a faculty member. What a remarkable, powerful leader you were for me as someone who was just starting to understand what it means to learn in an atmosphere of study and faith. As a faculty member, I had such great admiration for you and your leadership.

President Samuelson continued to lead me. Most of you don’t know this, but President Samuelson interviewed me while he was a General Authority before he became the president. And as he reminded me today, he interviewed me twice. I’m not going to say what happened in the first interview, but I passed the second one! So, President Samuelson, your leadership has meant the world to me, and I’m grateful that you passed me on that interview because otherwise I may not have been here today.

President Worthen, this is always going to be hard for me to share without getting emotional. As I have mentioned, when I first came to BYU, I was a little bit lost as a freshman. When I decided that I was going to pack it in and go home, the bishop of my home ward said, “You should go talk to my brother before you decide to pack it in.” My bishop at home was Bishop Clyde Worthen, who is President Worthen’s brother.

So I went into President Worthen’s office, ready to go home. President Worthen knew me by name, he spent time with me, and he let me know that he thought if I would just stick with it that I would grow to love BYU like he did. He’s been my mentor and my friend ever since that day.

I’m so grateful for all of these amazing leaders who have had such a profound impact on me.

When I think of your question, Justin, I feel that it is a question for our students. What is it that you students can learn from the history of BYU that will help you keep the flame afire?

When I think of history, I think about events, I think about dates, I think about buildings, and I think about places, which are all aspects of history. But when I look back at history and I want to learn something, it’s the people who make the difference.

When you look at the history of BYU, if you study the people who have had a hand in the founding of this institution, all of them shared some basic characteristics that I think will be a lesson to you. That you can develop those same characteristics is what I hope and pray for you who are going to carry this flame of BYU as we stand here in the middle of the second half of our second century as a university.

We look to the past so that we can learn from those lessons of history, but we’re also looking forward. And so those of us who have been presidents of this institution look to you, our students, with such a great sense of hope for what you’re going to go out and do. I hope you’ll remember the three characteristics that I’ve seen in all of those who have helped to build this fire—the fire that we hope you keep alight in your lives.

The first of the defining characteristics is that those people had an incredible sense of gratitude for people who made a difference in their lives. Whether that person is your elementary school teacher, a sibling who inspired you on your path to learning, your parents who gave you a love for learning, or a faculty member during your time here at BYU, I hope that you’ll develop and cultivate a healthy sense of gratitude for those people who have made a difference in your life.

The second is that I hope you have a clear sense of the mission of this place. And not just a sense of mission like Justin Collings has or Kevin Worthen has—by the way, these two incredible leaders of this institution have committed to memory our two-page mission statement. I can barely remember my name at the end of the day, and they’re remembering the entire mission statement. It is an incredible thing.

But it’s not just the statement of our mission that is important. You see, I hope that you can see yourself in that mission. If there is one hope, one aspiration, that I have for all of you as you enter our doors, it is that you can see yourself in our mission—that you can see how you’re going to fulfill that mission as you come into the doors of BYU. You work hard, you study, you pass some exams, and you fail others. I know that’s probably not funny at this time of year. But through all of the happy times, the sad times, the trials, the excitement, and the adulation, we hope that you see yourself in our mission.

And last, something that was absolutely common to every one of the people who have had an influence on Brigham Young University is that they loved our Master, Jesus Christ, and had a deep desire to serve Him. We hope that you leave here as committed disciples of Jesus Christ.

I have to tell you that as the president of this institution—and I know that each one of you former presidents shares this—there is something that happens: We get a vision for all of you students.

It may be at a football game seeing you cheering our Cougars on with adulation when I see the excitement in your eyes. Or it may be in my UNIV 101 class, where I see all of you up close and personal. I see how you have gratitude in your eyes, how you have a sense of who you are in the mission of BYU, and how you have a deep love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Or it may be as this place is filled for a devotional or, as President Bateman just talked about, as an extension of the Palmyra temple. I see your amazing faces, the spirit you bring, your hope, and the love that you have for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Those are our best wishes for you, our students. And we know that that is what is going to help keep that flame of the true spirit of BYU alive here.

Vice President Collings: Thank you so much, President Reese.

As we reach the close of this wonderful time we’ve spent together, I wonder if President Worthen, President Samuelson, and President Bateman would each give these students a few sentences of counsel and testimony. President Worthen, would you go first?

President Worthen: I’d be happy to, and I’ll just echo what President Reese said. If there is one message I’d like to share, it is that you are a child of God and that He loves you more than you can comprehend. One of the blessings of being a president of this university is that you get—commensurate with the stewardship—a greater feeling and sense of God’s love for all of His children.

I bear you my witness that He does lead this university, as I said, not just through the president or the President’s Council or deans or associate deans but through every individual here. And it can be a remarkable thing as you come to understand your potential and the infinite power of the Atonement. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

President Samuelson: Well, it’s wonderful to be with you. It’s wonderful to be on this campus with those who have some understanding of why we’re all here at BYU and what it means. And I’m grateful to share my witness with you that this is the Lord’s university. By gaining all we can and contributing all we must, our lives will be sustained, and we will be prepared to do all of the other things that our Heavenly Father wishes for us to do.

This is a great place, and you’re great people. We know that you have to work hard. We know that you have times when you might be discouraged. But the gospel is true, you are true, and BYU is true. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

President Bateman: As I saw the four sisters stand, I thought about a feeling I had when I came into the room that there would be another sister here—that Sister Bateman is also here.

She loved this university. To us, the greatest thing was to walk across the campus and shake the hands of the students and staff and faculty who we met. What was also interesting was to see their eyes light up: “That’s President Bateman.” I was so grateful to have the opportunity to serve here. This is God’s university.

I did some research on the progress of the different programs over the last 57 years. It was interesting to me that almost all of them have improved their position rank-wise in the United States. I’m so proud of what the faculty, staff, and students are doing.

I bear witness that this is a unique university and say it in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Vice President Collings: Thank you. Three years ago, I was in a small meeting on this campus. President Worthen was giving the final remarks, and I was sitting not far from him. I felt a clear spiritual impression saying, “This is not just a good man. This is a great man. And I’m blessing you with the chance to learn from him.”

We’ve been blessed this morning to learn from four great men. Thank you for what you have given to this university. We love you.

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