Y Magazine BYU

Sitting in a humdrum office, recent BYU grad Isaiah G. Shields (BS ’19) realized that there was a whole world out there for him to discover—and he was missing it. And so he decided to take a walk—a really, really long walk. In early 2020 he stepped from his Provo home’s driveway and began his journey across America, traversing 28 states and 8,600 miles over 500 days. In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Shields joins host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA’ 01) to share stories that he’ll remember forever from his trek. Listen in for Shield’s experiences braving the elements, sharing powerful moments with ordinary people, and feeling the satisfaction of challenge.  

This episode is based in the article “Getting His Steps In,” written Maya Lund (’24), which will appear in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Watch here to tag along on Isaiah Shields’s most recent adventures.

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Who wouldn’t want a peaceful life? Making that desire a reality is where many of us get stuck. But Emily de Schweinitz Taylor (BA ’97, PhD ’24), an expert in mediation and conflict resolution, believes that even a three-year-old can learn to navigate conflict effectively. The trick? Practicing a few simple communication tools.

On this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, Taylor and host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) discuss five ways to deal with disagreement and how to help children do the same. Listen in and learn how to mediate and de-escalate conflict with Taylor’s five conflict resolution skills.

This episode is based on the article “Blessed Are the Peacemakers” written by Sara Smith Atwood which will appear in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

Check out Emily de Schweinitz Taylor’s books Raising Mediators and Conflict Fluent: Mastering the Five Conflict Approaches.

Listen to Elder Uchtdorf’s referenced talk here.

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BYU alumni from all walks of life are leaning into the second half of the university’s motto: "Go forth to serve." In this episode of the Y Magazine podcast, hear three different stories about alums who have bloomed where they were planted—turning their unique circumstances into opportunities to serve others. Listen in as host Whitney Singley Archibald (BA ’01) uncovers stories of preemie miracles and playhouses, hope for foster children, and mental-health help for farmers.

This episode is based on the magazine’s Going Forth section, which appears in each issue of Y Magazine.

If you know a BYU alum who is making the world a better place through their service, please let us know by sending an email to alumninews@byu.edu.

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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 Y Magazine 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.

This episode is based in the article “Byron’s Excellent Adventure,” written by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07), which will appear in the spring 2024 issue of Y Magazine.

To learn more about Byron Adams and his story, watch here, here, and here.

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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 Y Magazine 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.

This episode was based on the article “Linking Families” by Miriam Brantley Merrill in the winter 2023 issue of Y Magazine.

Get involved with the Record Linking Lab here and find more BYU-created family-history resources from the Family History Technology Lab.

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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.

This episode was based on the article “Loneliness: The Shadow Pandemic” by Melody McGrath Warnick in the summer 2020 issue of Y Magazine.

If you’re enjoying this podcast, we’d really appreciate your feedback in a listener survey, so we can make more of the types of episodes you like best. Take the survey here.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. New episodes post biweekly on Thursdays.
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