By Angie Bergstrom

angie@newsroom.byu.edu

MTV "The Real World" star Julie Stoffer may have spent a semester in New Orleans, but this semester her younger brother will spend the semester in Provo.

Despite her feelings that she was suspended from BYU unjustly, her younger brother just moved into Helaman Halls dorms to begin his freshman year at BYU.

Alan Stoffer, 18, a freshman from Delafield, Wis., who has not yet declared a major, said he applied for BYU before the decision about Julie was made final.

"Basically, I've wanted to go since I was a little kid," he said.

His sister Julie, a 21-year-old business major from Delafield, Wis., was suspended from BYU for a year for living in a house with two women and four men during the filming of the MTV show "The Real World."

BYU Honor Code officials said her actions violated the cohabitation code, which applies even when students are not at the university.

Alan said he was disappointed when Julie was not allowed to return to school this year.

"But I didn't want to sacrifice my experience here, and I really wanted to go to BYU. I was really excited to be with Julie, and I was looking forward to being with her," he said.

Though the Stoffers were disappointed in the decision about Julie, Alan said there is no negativity from them about his decision to be at the Y.

"My parents are in full support of me being here. Both are BYU graduates, and they loved it here because it's a great school. They were disappointed with the decision about Julie, but they knew that it was the best place for me to be despite the negative controversy," he said.

He said Julie also supports his decision to be here.

"She thinks it's fine that I'm here. I mean, she likes the school and supports BYU as a good school though it may not be right for her now," he said.

Alan said he has enjoyed his time at BYU.

"People are a lot of fun. It's very different here," he said.

Alan said it's especially different because there are so many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He appeared in two episodes of "The Real World" with his band "Zero to Nothing."

Alan said he supports Julie's decision to be on the MTV show.

"I think it was the best thing she could do for herself. She grew so much -- maybe more than she could have at a year at BYU. She stood by her morals, but at the same time she branched out. She walked out of it very much more aware, and it was a great experience.

"If I were her, I'd think it was worth the consequences," he said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 27 Aug 2000