A few years back, I recruited a guy for a software consulting role at one of my clients. He had been consulting for about 10 years and was a well-respected consultant. I saw he was a BYU grad from the late 60's.

As I interviewed him, he quickly told me he wasn't LDS, but, had attended BYU on a baseball scholarship. (I think he only played one year, but, stayed to finish his schooling.) He did a project for me at a client and then retired in 2010. We exchange emails every year or two.

A few weeks ago, I pinged him to say hello and asked if he still kept tabs on BYU sports. He responded with the below comments. I hadn't expected this response. He'd never told me this much about he and BYU. Not sure why he felt compelled to do so, but, he did. I've left it pretty much as he wrote it. A bit rambling, but, the spirit of it comes through. I felt like this is something that some might appreciated given today's postings regarding BYU, BYU Sports, etc.

"Hello! Yes, I follow BYU sports very much and was aware they participated in the NCAA basketball tournaments and it is an honor to be there. I follow the football team and receive the ALUMNI magazine to keep up with BYU which was a great experience for me.

In Canada University it is all academic as is grad school but at BYU they have a mix of personal development, academics and social life which helped me tremendously throughout my life and career.

I graduated in four years but had to go to summer school my final year in Business to complete my degree.

Football and especially basketball games were some of my highlights of my time there and I learned about the LDS gospel and its principals and its focus on personal development and business ethics.

I began my career as Financial Business Analyst with the Provincial Govt Telephone at AGT and now TELUS the second largest Telecom company in Canada.
I changed jobs after 10 years and joined the City of Edmonton and I think I got the job as my hiring manager was a converted staunch LDS who changed his life. He was the Treasurer for the largest Stake in Edmonton and built and financed a beautiful new Stake House in Edmonton in the best area in Edmonton and when he left the City he and his wife went on a church mission and serves the church still today.

I had a tremendous career thanks to BYU and my information systems training and management training at AGT and became a Director of financial information Systems at the City of Edmonton. In passing this week I learned that the City of Edmonton City Manager during some of my career there had passed away and just learned he also was a prominent LDS member in Alberta.

I worked mostly in the US and it again was fortunate for me to have attended and graduated from a most highly respected US university and was wholeheartedly accepted by major Corporations in Canada in the US.

The reason I am writing this email to you to inform you (an LDS member) to share my blessings I have enjoyed as a non-member of the LDS Church and my business and personal life were so profoundly affected my career and personal life and made it so enjoyable and successful. I owe my life and success to my time at BYU and by practicing the principles of the Gospel I learned and I practiced throughout my life. I am blessed to have such a fruitful life that I continue to enjoy today."