Asenaca Delaibatiki Ramasima yesterday wished her father was alive to see her  graduate from Brigham Young University, Laie, Hawaii.

Fourteen years ago, under a kavika tree, in Nadali, near Nausori, her father, Aporosa Ramasima, told her he wanted her to further her education at BYU.

A week later, he collapsed and died.

“Coming from a home with a widowed mother and four brothers to help support our family, it was difficult to put all of us through school. The struggles we went through to get us through high school and now here at college.

“I applied for scholarships in Fiji but to no avail, I was not able to secure a spot in one of our institutions in Fiji and I lost all hope of getting a better education.

“Times were hard but I was determined to fulfill the one dream my Dad had for me.

“I worked after Form 7 to try and save up to go to school knowing I could not get scholarships and also applied here to BYU-Hawaii.

“I got here to Brigham Young University Hawaii in 2011 and have had the wonderful opportunity to be surrounded with people from all over the world with a wide variety of 70 different countries represented in the classrooms and campus wide.

“I served a fulltime mission between 2012 to 2014 and resumed school in 2015.

“Coming back from a mission, I was able to finally gain a clearer understanding and view of what I wanted to pursue for a future career.

“To be able to grow, learn leadership skills, be brought out of the comfort zone.”

Ms Ramasima is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) which owns and operates BYU.

She was educated at Fiji LDS College and was dux.

She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management with an emphasis in Marketing and a minor in Pacific Islands studies. She is one of five Fijian students who graduated.

“This would not be possible without the help and support of a loving mother, Tuliana Watimasilaca, who is always my greatest motivator, my aunt and namesake Mrs Asenaca Delaibatiki and uncle Nemani Delaibatiki who always stressed the importance of education to us.

“One thing I will always remember that my aunt would say is ‘The World is your Oyster’ and ‘Education is knowledge, knowledge is power, power is money’.

“I am happy my mum and auntie are here for the graduation,” she said.

Ms Ramasima, who is originally from Lomanikoro, Bua, resides with her mum at Muanaira, Vutia, Rewa.

She is ready to do an Academic Training programme in Idaho, USA at a Hyatt Place.

“My only wish is that my Ta (dad) would see the achievements I have attained today but I know that he is watching over me and is very proud of the daughter I have become.”