When Hani Almadhoun, a Muslim from Palestine, attended BYU, he found many Mormon friends. One of his favorite stories of his time on campus is how his Mormon friends often introduced him to others. “They would say something like, ‘This is Hani. He’s not a member of our church, but he is still a good man,’” Almadhoun recalls.
Almadhoun’s humorous take on his time as a BYU student was part of his stand-up comedy routine, which was a highlight of the BYU Marriott’s Marketing Department’s recent advisory board meeting. The group met for two days last month, and organizers invite Almadhoun to perform as part of the entertainment.
Although Almadhoun graduated from BYU in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and then with an MPA degree in 2007, department organizers didn’t know he was a BYU grad when they extended the invitation. They had simply found a YouTube video of him performing and thought he would provide ideal entertainment during their event.
“Hani’s show at our Marketing Advisory Board meetings was refreshing and entertaining,” says Glenn Christensen, associate professor of marketing. “Hani’s point of view and background are so unique that his perspectives were at once engaging and surprising. But that unexpected element, and the parts of the show where he talked about attending BYU, were insightful as well as humorous. His ability to infuse everyday moments with humor were the perfect way to end our day.”
Unexpected is definitely an accurate word to describe Almadhoun attending BYU. He was selected to attend the Y through an international student program, and arrived on campus in August 2000 knowing little English and being unfamiliar with America generally and Mormons in particular.
“I arrived on a Saturday night, and school didn’t start for a couple more weeks,” says Almadhoun, who know works in Washington, DC, as director of donor development for American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA). “They opened up Deseret Towers for me, and no one was in the building but me and a house mother. I felt pretty lonely. I woke up Sunday morning and went outside and saw everyone walking around in suits and dresses. I freaked out because I thought this was the school uniform, and I didn’t own a suit. I was relieved Monday morning to see that everyone was dressed more casual.”
Despite the first two weeks in Provo being lonely, Almadhoun ultimately ended up enjoying his time at BYU immensely. “Many worked hard to convert me,” he says, “but they also went the extra mile to accommodate my different faith. To this day, I still share a meal with my Mormon friends during Ramadan. We often do it in the first Sunday of the month when they tend to fast. While many think that a Muslim living in Utah must face major challenges, I found nothing but respect.”
So much so that when Almadhoun returned to Utah to perform, he brought his wife, Roa, and two young daughters, Mariam and Zayna. “I wanted to take my family to the BYU Creamery for an ice cream cone; that’s really the whole reason we came,” he says, only half joking. “And I wanted to get a picture of my girls on campus. They might choose to go here someday, and I’d be fine with that. BYU was generous with me—I learned a lot and had a great experience. I would love it if they did too.”
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Writer: Kellene Adams
