MORE

In the News

How a reluctant Mitt Romney found his footing at BYU

As a student at a chaotic time for the Mormon school, the future candidate focused on family and his church.

5 Seconds

00:00

00:00

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Mitt Romney speaks during commencement at Brigham Young University in 1971. Romney attended BYU after a year at Stanford and a stint in France doing missionary work. In February 1969, he enrolled in the church-owned university and, for the first time in his life, found himself entirely among brethren in his Mormon faith.

Courtesy of Romney campaign /

In Orem, Utah, Charles Tate, a former professor of Mitt Romney’s at Brigham Young University, looks through the files of his former students. Tate recalls that Romney’s confidence showed when he was a student in his 1970 literature class.

In Orem, Utah, Charles Tate, a former professor of Mitt Romney’s at Brigham Young University, looks through the files of his former students. Tate recalls that Romney’s confidence showed when he was a student in his 1970 literature class.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

The official class roll from Tate’s World Classics 1 literature class. Romney got an A.

The official class roll from Tate’s World Classics 1 literature class. Romney got an A.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

A group photo of the Cougar Club in BYU’s 1971 yearbook includes Mitt Romney, who was president of the group. Romney gained a reputation for decisively presiding over meetings in the old alumni house and applying a bolder vision of the club.

A group photo of the Cougar Club in BYU’s 1971 yearbook includes Mitt Romney, who was president of the group. Romney gained a reputation for decisively presiding over meetings in the old alumni house and applying a bolder vision of the club.

Perry Special Collections / Lee Library, Brigham Young University

Ann Lois Davies and Willard Mitt Romney married in a civil ceremony in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., on March 21,1969. When he left high school in suburban Detroit and went to Stanford, the notion of finishing his college career at the Mormon school in Utah was out of the question. But an unforeseen challenge to Mitt’s relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Ann Davies, changed his perspective. Suddenly, BYU was the one place he had to be.

Ann Lois Davies and Willard Mitt Romney married in a civil ceremony in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., on March 21,1969. When he left high school in suburban Detroit and went to Stanford, the notion of finishing his college career at the Mormon school in Utah was out of the question. But an unforeseen challenge to Mitt’s relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Ann Davies, changed his perspective. Suddenly, BYU was the one place he had to be.

/ AP

Students on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah. The statue is of the school's namesake. Mitt Romney’s later experiences at Harvard, as a high-flying financial consultant and as governor of Massachusetts all helped shape the candidate now seeking the Republican nomination for president. But his two years on the BYU campus set the mold into which all else poured.

Students on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah. The statue is of the school's namesake. Mitt Romney’s later experiences at Harvard, as a high-flying financial consultant and as governor of Massachusetts all helped shape the candidate now seeking the Republican nomination for president. But his two years on the BYU campus set the mold into which all else poured.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

Jessie Allen, left, and her sister Erica Allen, both BYU students, volunteer at a booth on campus promoting 'Living with Honor' during BYU Honor Week. BYU observes an honor code, a list of policies requiring students to live a chaste and virtuous life; use clean language; abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea and coffee; participate regularly in church services; and observe dress and grooming standards.

Jessie Allen, left, and her sister Erica Allen, both BYU students, volunteer at a booth on campus promoting "Living with Honor" during BYU Honor Week. BYU observes an honor code, a list of policies requiring students to live a chaste and virtuous life; use clean language; abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea and coffee; participate regularly in church services; and observe dress and grooming standards.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

BYU students, from left, Eric Schofield, Casey Truman, Coley Hickey and Spencer Palmer talk at lunch about Mitt Romney and the GOP primary elections. Romney attended Brigham Young during its most volatile period, amid protests over the war in Vietnam and a church ban on blacks in the Mormon priesthood. But he shut out the formative issues of his day as destructive distractions. Instead, he turned to the traditional Mormon tenets of family, faith and hard work as the blueprint for building a safer, more impenetrable place for himself.

BYU students, from left, Eric Schofield, Casey Truman, Coley Hickey and Spencer Palmer talk at lunch about Mitt Romney and the GOP primary elections. Romney attended Brigham Young during its most volatile period, amid protests over the war in Vietnam and a church ban on blacks in the Mormon priesthood. But he shut out the formative issues of his day as destructive distractions. Instead, he turned to the traditional Mormon tenets of family, faith and hard work as the blueprint for building a safer, more impenetrable place for himself.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

BYU student Soren Schmidt volunteers on campus promoting 'Living with Honor' during BYU Honor Week in late January.

BYU student Soren Schmidt volunteers on campus promoting "Living with Honor" during BYU Honor Week in late January.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

The George Albert Smith Field House at BYU. The school’s honor code burst into the national news this past spring when a star basketball player, Brandon Davies, was suspended shortly before the NCAA tournament for having sex with his girlfriend.

The George Albert Smith Field House at BYU. The school’s honor code burst into the national news this past spring when a star basketball player, Brandon Davies, was suspended shortly before the NCAA tournament for having sex with his girlfriend.

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

Students on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah. Kristine Hansen, a former classmate of Romney’s and now an English professor at the university, said Romney was “very aware of who he was. He realized he was good looking and the son of a famous man [George Romney, who was governor of Michigan]. When he walked into the class, it was like, ‘Mitt’s here.’ ”

Students on the BYU campus in Provo, Utah. Kristine Hansen, a former classmate of Romney’s and now an English professor at the university, said Romney was “very aware of who he was. He realized he was good looking and the son of a famous man [George Romney, who was governor of Michigan]. When he walked into the class, it was like, ‘Mitt’s here.’ ”

Tom Smart / For The Washington Post

Featured Photo Galleries

Paula and Clay Gustin become emotional as dozens of balloons float above during a memorial Wednesday, May 23, 2012, for their five-year-old son, Rhett, who died in an accident on May 20. (AP Photo/The Coeur D?Alene Press, Shawn Gust) MANDATORY CREDIT

Fleet Week, solar impulse plane, artificial heart, Air Force academy graduation and more in the day in photos

Fleet Week, solar impulse plane, artificial heart, Air Force academy graduation and more.

Red Panda Bears sleep in the Panda Bear enclosure at the Beijing Zoo on May 22, 2012. The zoo grounds were originally a Ming Dynasty imperial palace and finally opened to the public in 1908. The zoo's history states that during the WWII, most of the zoo's animals died of starvation with only 13 monkeys and one old emu surviving the war. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTONMARK RALSTON/AFP/GettyImages

Barn owls, pit bulls, red pandas, cheetah cubs and more in animal views

Barn owls, pit bulls, red pandas, cheetah cubs and more.

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 24: Actress Macy Gray attend the 'The Paperboy' photocall during the 65th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 24, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Macy Gray, Zac Efron, Philip Phillips, Fantasia Barrino, Neil Diamond and other celebrities.

DANCING WITH THE STARS THE RESULTS SHOW - 'Episode 1410A' - After 10 weeks of highly entertaining performances and phenomenal dancing, Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd were crowned 'Dancing with the Stars' champions, on the two-hour Season Finale of 'Dancing with the Stars the Results Show' on TUESDAY, MAY 22 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on ABC. (ABC/ADAM TAYLOR)

‘Dancing with the Stars’

Season 14 of “Dancing With the Stars.”

May 21, 2012: Members of the Naval Academy freshman class (plebes) lock arms and form a human ladder while climbing the Herndon Monument at the United States Naval Academy on May 21, 2012 in Annapolis, Md. Each year members of the Naval Academy's freshman class (plebes) climb the lard covered 21-foot tall Herndon Monument to replace a plebe dixie cup hat with a midshipman's hat at the top of the obelisk.

Teamwork, discipline help plebes get to the top

At the U.S. Naval Academy, the freshman class attempts to climb the Herndon Monument.

The National Zoo has two new additions: the female cheetah cub, left, and her brother on the right.

The National Zoo’s new cheetah cubs

A dramatic rescue saved these two cheetah babies and their distressed mother giving birth.

JOPLIN, MO - MAY 19: Grace Goebel plays outside of the new Habitat for Humanity home of her parents that was built on the spot of a home that had been destroyed after a tornado hit the neighborhood almost one year ago on May 19, 2012 in Joplin, Missouri. Tuesday will mark the one-year anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that devastated the town. The tornado left behind a path of destruction along with 161 deaths and hundreds of injuries, but one year later there are signs that the town is beginning to recover. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Joplin, Missouri, one year after tornadoes devastate town

Reminders of destruction are everywhere in Joplin, Mo., a year after a killer tornado.

COLLEGE PARK, MD - APRIL 4: Pet acupuncturist Greta McVey puts needles in mixed breed 'Cashew' at her home office in College Park, MD on April 4, 2012. Cashew was rescued by his owner this past December and suffers from anxiety and fear of abandonment. McVey first licensed as an acupuncturist on humans then went on to be certified on animals. She hosts a variety of clientele, anything from birds, to guinea pigs but mainly treats dogs and cats. (Photo by Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

Washington’s ‘pet-u-puncture whisperer’

College Park’s Greta McVey is part of the growing industry focused on veterinary acupuncture.

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Loading...

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.