New Hope Channel Inter-America Series Showcases Adventist Universities Offers

‘Option U’ aims to serve as a vocational guidance tool for prospective students, leaders say.

April 4, 2025 | Miami, Florida, United States | Inter-American Division News

A new series on Hope Channel Inter-America (HCIA) showcases the offers across 12 Seventh-day Adventist universities in 9 countries of the Inter-American Division (IAD). The series, titled “Option U”, serves as a vocational guidance tool for prospective students, according to leaders behind the media initiative. “It is a space for young people to discover which program inspires them,” they said.

Miqueas Fortunato, marketing director of HCIA, explained that the series helps young people explore what they want to study. “It helps them get acquainted with the daily experience of a professional in their area of interest, while also learning about all the available option across various Adventist universities in the region,” he said.n

Filling a Gap

Fortunato led an introductory panel discussion about Option U and its importance for Adventist students. During the introductory discussion, some of the leaders behind the initiative celebrated the development and explained why they see this offer as key for student success on a special launch on March 18, 2025.

“When the time came for me to decide what to study, it was very difficult for me to get to know about all the available options,” acknowledged Liz Elejalde, HCIA program director and producer of Option U. “The options were limited, and there weren’t many resources to help me decide what to do.”  Recently, Elejalde found out that the situation is not very different. “Students and their parents still have many questions about which program to choose…Option U has arrived to breach that gap,” she said.

For IAD Communication Director and HCIA Executive Director Abel Marquez, the decision to produce Option U was an obvious one. “We thought it would fill a gap in our audience,” he explained. “Since we have such valuable resources in our region, why not make them more accessible and share them with young people who have concerns about their future education?”

Dr. Faye Patterson, education director of the IAD, agreed. “Knowing that our universities can be better known and attract people to be part of the Adventist educational family fills my heart with joy,” she said. “It often happens that people don’t know what we have to offer, so being able to share it is a blessing for our department.”

Targeted Help

Educational psychologist Rosana Martínez emphasized that while some students know from childhood what they want to study, others finish high school unsure of their future. “They need vocational guidance and support,” she said. “So, contacting others, visiting schools, and watching shows like Option U is key.”

Martínez explained that interviewing professionals in the areas students are interested in can be valuable. “Asking them about what they like and what challenges they have faced can help students to confirm an interest,” she suggested.

The audience for the introductory discussion about Option U joined from across the IAD territory, including Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Church members celebrated the initiative and sent messages of encouragement.

How to Make the Most of the Series

Elejalde confirmed that Option U is featured in the Youth Programs section of HCIA. “When clicking on that option, students and others can access a special program focused on a particular field—such as Management, Arts, Languages, Nursing, etc.,” she explained. The series includes offerings from Adventist universities in both Spanish and English territories, she said.

At the end of each episode, a QR code will connect those interested in a specific area with all the programs available across IAD universities, Elejalde added.

A Transforming Power

Fortunato asked Patterson about the advantages of staying within the Adventist educational system. Patterson shared her personal experience, explaining that she came to know the Adventist faith through Adventist education. “I found a completely different world,” she said, highlighting the quality of interactions with both faculty and among the students. “A student who enrolls in an Adventist school will never be the same,” Patterson emphasized. “Their life will be transformed.”

Marquez agreed, adding, “Adventist education is a wholistic education. It has a strong focus on serving others and God. That’s one of its great advantages.”

The new series will soon be available in French.

Find Option U series by visiting Hope Channel Inter-America HERE

To watch the Option U launch of the series on YouTube, click HERE