As we commemorate the first anniversary of the passing of our university founder, Daisaku Ikeda, we are more determined than ever to carry forward his long-ranging vision for Soka University of America. Mr. Ikeda believed deeply in the transformative power of education to foster global citizens who would go on to build a more peaceful, just, and equitable world. His legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of our students, faculty, and staff, and it continues to guide our work as we create a brighter future together.
On October 10, SUA hosted a powerful University Talk on Peace, Nonviolence, and Human Rights delivered by Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter, Sr., founding dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel and a member of the SUA Board of Trustees. Dr. Carter shared his profound insights into Dr. King’s philosophy and its relevance to today’s global challenges, while Dr. Andrea Bartoli, president of the Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue, executive adviser to the Soka Institute for Global Solutions, and also an SUA Trustee, provided thoughtful and incisive commentary. This inspiring evening fostered a deeper commitment to the values of peace and human rights central to our mission.
I am also excited to report that the Soka Institute for Global Solutions is actualizing our university’s ideals through initiatives in nuclear abolition, global citizenship education, peace and reconciliation in East Asia, and sustainability. SIGS will launch new sustainability initiatives with a groundbreaking partnership with the Soka Amazon Institute. This collaboration will give students the opportunity to participate in study tours to Manaus, Brazil, with the first group set to embark during spring break 2025.
In alignment with our mission to foster leaders for the creative coexistence of nature and humanity, I am pleased to announce that SUA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Earth Charter International. This partnership opens doors for our students to take on leadership roles in global sustainable development. As part of our annual Learning Cluster program, students will have the chance to visit the Earth Charter Education Center in San José, Costa Rica. In addition, Earth Charter International will offer online sustainability courses for our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive learning experience.
Thank you for your unwavering support as we continue to work toward realizing Mr. Ikeda’s vision for SUA, which is his gift to the world. Through our collective efforts, let’s continue to advance SUA’s mission and work toward a more just, compassionate, and peaceful world.
Sincerely,
Edward M. Feasel President Soka University of America
Celebrating Two SUA’s 20th Peace Support for Future
This year’s Peace Gala marked a powerful milestone, capping two decades of fundraising to support scholarships for future global leaders.
Reflecting on the event’s significance, SUA President Edward M. Feasel noted, “This is especially meaningful as this is the first gala to be held after the passing of our university founder Daisaku Ikeda last November 15.”
The 440 guests who attended Celebrating a Vision of Peace on Oct. 12 embraced SUA’s mission of fostering global leaders, raising $1.1 million to ensure that students can experience SUA’s transformative education regardless of their financial circumstances.
Master of Ceremonies Gene Kang, an Emmy award-winning journalist with KTLA 5 News in Los Angeles, thanked everyone in the audience for coming together on a 20-year journey to support young people who are driven by passion and purposeful living.
The event included silent and live auctions featuring one-of-a-kind items and experiences. A dynamic commemorative program highlighted two decades of contribution, including a rousing performance by singer, songwriter, and actor Tia Simone.
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Decades of Impact:
Gala Rallies
Global Leaders
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President Feasel expanded on the stories of collective impact woven throughout the program, inviting the audience to witness the tangible effect of their support over the last year.
“I have the privileged opportunity to see the amazing work and accomplishments of our alumni and to see the generous spirit and sincere expectations that you, our precious donors, have for our students,” said Feasel. “This culture of mutual care among our students, alumni, and donors is fostering leaders who create concrete change all over the world.”
The gala highlighted this culture of care through the moving testimony of Nandini Puri ’14, who shared her experience as a Soka alumna. She conveyed how the warmth of the Soka community helped her grow into a global citizen, inspiring her and her husband Andrew to found Beej Farms, a values-driven company dedicated to sustainable and fair-trade practices. Puri expressed deep gratitude to SUA donors, emphasizing how their support made both her education and business success possible.
ALUMNI EXPERIENCE
Good evening, everyone. My name is Nandini Puri, and I am a Soka University of America alumna from the class of 2014. Joining me here tonight is my husband and business partner, Andrew Bawdon.
I am from a small town in India called Pune, and at the age of 7 was diagnosed with an autoimmune nerve disorder called GBS, which left me paralyzed from the neck down. What followed was an intensive five years of recovery during which we were introduced to Soka values and Daisaku Ikeda. When we were asked to speak at tonight’s Peace Gala, we were simply floored and overjoyed. If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be returning to Soka in this fashion, I would never have believed you. On the other hand, I would never bet against the power of Soka values, education, and community, which have brought so much more into our lives than Andrew and I ever imagined possible.
“I would never bet against the power of Soka values, education, and community.”
Nandini Puri Class of 2014
Being a Soka student and then a Soka alumna has shaped me into the person I am today: a global citizen. Being a Soka student means being extensively taught the interconnectedness of all human civilizations and the interconnectedness of all life on this planet. Before we even imagined starting a business together, Soka education would be the bedrock upon which all our ideas, hopes, dreams, and goals would be built.
I first moved to the United States in the fall of 2010 as a brighteyed freshman at Soka. My older sister, Divya, had graduated from SUA earlier that year, and I spent most of my summers listening to her recount the adventures that truly shaped her as a global citizen. I could not wait to begin my own journey of attending the same classes, going to study abroad, and forming bonds of friendship that last a lifetime. (I already knew I wanted to go to Barcelona!) However, I was about to get a harsh reality check.
Growing up in a tight-knit family, I never anticipated the chronic homesickness that would immediately set in when moving to a different country. Although my sister decided to stay back in the area to help me settle in, it seemed impossible to me that I would continue on at SUA. I still remember the day my freshman class continued on next page
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was warmly welcomed into the Soka family, with proud families gathering around to hear the welcome message sent by SUA founder Daisaku Ikeda. Yet, I spent my time eagerly waiting for my sister on the library steps and immediately asked her to take me back to her place before the welcome reception could even begin. What followed was a time of complete misery. I was unable to adjust to being so far away from my family. I ended up failing my core class and was asked to return early the next year to repeat it, which was pointless to me as I never intended on returning to SUA for even my spring semester, let alone the second year. It was around this time that I started noticing an ever-so-slight change in my heart. Despite my best efforts to remain isolated, the warm heart of the Soka community began enveloping my everyday life. I started spending time with three girls on my dormitory floor, who made sure to include me during mealtimes. We signed up for classes together and spent our nights working on class projects. The four of us ended up becoming the closest of friends, like family away from home, and they even attended our wedding in India in 2019!
Here at Soka, professors actually took the time to listen to me, understand my concerns, and took great care in bridging the cultural divide that comes from moving continents. I started to feel seen, but more importantly, I was made to feel like I belonged at SUA. Over the years, I truly felt encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity that SUA had to offer. Our on-campus club culture was a true melting pot that allowed me to dialogue with diverse groups of people, learn, and adopt a multicultural way of life.
first-hand the humanistic principles that bind us together as a community, which eventually led Andrew and me to begin our own journey of giving back. We met in my freshman year at SUA, married in 2019, and now I want to invite him up to share a little about how our journey was shaped by Soka education.
“Over the years, I truly felt encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity that SUA had to offer.”
Most importantly, the generosity of our donors deeply touched my life and heart. I was able to travel the world and learn
Andrew Bawdon
While Nandini is a Soka alumna, I am not. Nandini and I began dating at the beginning of her journey as a Soka student, and even in a tangential way, I absorbed so much Soka education. One thing I can tell you as an “outsider” is how incredibly loud Soka education is. I don’t mean loud in the traditional sense. Have you ever met someone who simply had a large presence without doing anything in particular to stand out? Soka values are similar to that. They do not yell at you across a room; rather, they speak gently across entire continents. Soka education is a deep river of courage and compassion, which can reach someone even if they do not intend to study here. I certainly didn’t intend to; yet here I am. Zero classes, zero credits, but the Soka humanistic education, values, and culture changed my life.
With the Soka values as our shared foundation, around 2018, Nandini and I began to frequently discuss the state and nature of modern food systems and their impact on climate resilience. Over a period of a few years, we became very interested in the highly complex, obscure means by which food is transported from the farmer to the grocery store shelf. Spices and similar pantry essentials stood out to us as some of the most convoluted of all and were truly understood by very few.
Nandini
India, my home country, is one of the largest producers of food staples in the world. To arrive in the United States, they must travel more than 8,000 miles with an average of eight to 10 middlemen before they arrive on a grocery store shelf. Each link in this long, complex chain represents less recognition and pay to the farmers who cultivate our food, a loss of nutritional content, significantly less flavor, and a severe impact on climate change.
We knew something had to change. Fast forward from 2018 to 2020, after a period of deep discovery about food systems and how to come up with a better model, Andrew and I became entrepreneurs! We incorporated our company, Beej Farms, as a public benefit corporation—a new kind of corporate structure that allows companies to hold themselves accountable to a specific public benefit. In our case, we chose three: the environment, fair trade, and education. Founding a company in this manner was simply a no-brainer for us, as both of us
plastic but are actually made of cellulose—a byproduct of wood pulp. We persevered, and both left our full-time jobs to jump into this headfirst. We had so much support from our friends and family, many of whom are here tonight, and many who are Soka alumni themselves!
Nandini
Since that first store placement, we are incredibly proud to say that we have been able to get Beej Farms onto the shelves of 230 more stores across the country. Beej Farms has been able to enjoy this growth while still paying farmers five times the fair trade premium for their incredibly hard work in keeping us nourished, and while making the most ecologically sensitive packing and logistics decisions. While these business decisions initially presented great challenges and considerable expense, the long-term outlook has been much different. We have found that committing ourselves fully to the cause of the environment, fair trade, and education for food systems and nutrition is a rallying cry that has been positively responded to time and time again.
were ready to take what we knew from SUA and apply it in the real world.
Andrew
From 2020 until opening our doors for spice sales in October 2022, we were busy. We contacted countless food scientists, logistics experts, and farmers to learn as much as possible. We also made the incredibly costly decision to choose the most environmentally sensitive packaging options. Packaging includes home-compostable mailer boxes, algae ink for our marketing materials, and tamper-proof seals that look like
The courage to pursue this goal would not have been possible without the tenacious guidance I received during my four years at SUA. I have so much appreciation for what I was taught on this very campus. The impact of being shown, not just taught, what it means to be a global citizen has been a huge part of crafting our worldview, and now our business. Most importantly, the practice of humanizing our goals, bringing communities together, and actively working for the mutual benefit of all parties involved stems directly from the values SUA holds so dear and so generously shared with us.
Beej Farms and the work that we do every day to impact farmers’ lives is a direct product of the investment made by SUA donors like each one of you. Without your belief in the values of Soka education and the power of global citizenship, we would not be here today. With deep humility and from the bottom of our hearts.
Andrew
And with all of our gratitude.
Both
Thank you all for joining us on this beautiful evening and thank you, Soka University of America!
SUA Honors
On September 5, SUA President Edward Feasel presented Dr. Mirian Vilela, the executive director of the Earth Charter International Secretariat and the Center for Education for Sustainable Development at UPEACE, with the Soka Global Citizen Award at a ceremony in Founders Hall attended by students, faculty, and staff. Vilela was selected for this year’s award, said President Feasel, “for her decades of championing sustainable development and education for global citizenship, for her compassionate leadership … and for her fearless commitment to peace and protecting our planet.”
“How can I increase my regenerative footprint, my positive inpact on my path here?”
During the ceremony, Vilela and President Feasel signed a memorandum of understanding, officially starting a new partnership between SUA and Earth Charter International. This collaboration between institutions will enable a group of SUA students to visit the Earth Charter Education Center in San José, Costa Rica, as part of an intensive Learning Cluster course this January. Earth Charter International will also provide online courses in sustainability for select SUA students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
“We are very happy to begin a new collaboration between Soka University of America and Earth Charter International,” Vilela said in an interview prior to the award ceremony. “We have so many commonalities in the way we see the world and our philosophy of life.”
Throughout Vilela’s two-day visit to SUA, she and Michael Bracken, chair of the Earth Charter International
Dr. Mirian Vilela, Announces Partnership with Earth Charter International
Board, met with various SUA community members to discuss sustainability and the exciting partnership between their respective institutions. They also exchanged ideas on how to combat the powerlessness that many people feel in the face of the climate crisis.
In her speech following the award conferment, Vilela shared three main points of advice for those looking to become leaders in sustainability. The first: We cannot accomplish anything alone. She highlighted the importance of seeking collaboration and support, of bringing people together across cultures, organizations, and areas of expertise. Her second recommendation was to continuously strengthen one’s resilience and ability to adapt in the face of unexpected challenges.
Her final point of advice for emerging leaders in sustainability was to cultivate a view of the world that balances realism with “a good portion of magical realism.” She explained that, rather than being an escape from reality, seeing the world through such a lens is crucial to understanding reality and visualizing a more just and sustainable world.
The event closed with an uplifting call to action from Vilela, who asked the audience to reframe the concept of an ecological footprint in order to envision more positive ways to contribute to sustainability.
“I invite you to think about a regenerative footprint,” she said. “It’s not just looking at, ‘What’s my environmental impact? How can I shrink my environmental footprint?’ But rather to think, ‘How can I increase my regenerative footprint, my positive impact on my path here?’”
Zahra Afrasiabi Professor of Chemistry
Tell us a bit about your background and what shaped you growing up.
I was born in Iran. I am the eldest of five. My father had an industrial insulation company, and my mother was a first grade teacher. I was a quiet and shy girl, and as far back as I can remember, I was passionate about reading books (mostly novels) and creating wall art by embroidering with sequins and beads.
I grew up spending summer breaks in the beautiful mountains in northern Iran with no electricity, no running water, and no phone, completely detached from the city crowd. It was important for my parents that we bond with nature. When I walk around campus, the backyard of the Athenaeum takes me back to my childhood.
The Iran-Iraq war began when I was 6 years old and continued for eight years. It is hard to forget my memories from that time, and it still makes me uncomfortable to talk about it.
My father was the biggest supporter of my educational journey. He grew up in a small town and didn’t get a chance to go to college. I always remember him reading history books with the night lamp next to his bed. A couple of years ago he visited me and was very eager to go to my workplace. The moment I rolled his wheelchair into my office, he cried. I am grateful for the love and support of my parents.
From which institutions do you hold degrees?
I received a B.Sc. in chemistry from Toosi University in Iran, an M.Sc. in chemistry from Pune University in India, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of MissouriRolla in the U.S.
What attracted you to SUA?
When I joined here in 2015, SUA was a new workplace to continue my professional career. Yes, the school was preparing for the new Life Sciences Concentration, and being involved in the process was exciting and attractive. But day by day, I experienced something else; through my students and colleagues, I was learning the philosophy
behind Soka education. I find it so close to my values. I felt the connection and I see that I am growing since coming here.
What distinguishes Soka students in your opinion?
Often when I meet my students to initiate a research project, I give them a choice to choose their level of commitment to the project. “I want to contribute” is the statement I hear from them. I feel proud of them. They think beyond their individual desires. Being a global citizen is not just a phrase for them; it is engraved in their hearts and minds. I envy them. I didn’t have this mindset when I was in my 20s.
What inspires you?
Accomplished individuals who are modest always inspire me. I see it as the key for unstoppable growth. I truly enjoy the spirit of people who have reached a high level of success and yet remain humble. I believe ego is relying too much on nothing!
Do you have other reflections about your experience as an SUA faculty member?
I love traveling. Aside from enjoying new foods and sightseeing, I am fascinated by experiencing different cultures. It gives me a chance to observe and learn that life can be lived in different ways, and then challenges in life seem less scary. In a similar way, the diverse community of students and colleagues at SUA provides me with opportunities to learn about many other cultures.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Every time I step into Curie Hall, the plaques on the walls honoring our university donors remind me that we are supported by many generous people who have the wisdom to recognize that nothing has more transformative power than education. My appreciation for them goes beyond words. They inspire the next generation to shape the world’s future by embracing diverse perspectives and values that transcend borders.
How Soka University Shaped Nate Maynard’s Global Sustainability Career
Growing up in coastal San Diego, I often looked west across the ocean wondering what lay beyond. Back then, I could never imagine that my education would take me so far across that familiar Pacific horizon to Asia. For more than eight years, I built sustainable networks of change, advised some of the world’s largest brands on carbon, and even created a trash-themed podcast. My transoceanic journey was only possible because of the humanistic and creative education I received at Soka University of America.
I chose to study at SUA to grow beyond my limited Southern California comfort zone and gain a liberal arts education.
“...I see that SUA gave me the tools to connect with different cultures and listen with empathetic understanding.”
What I found in addition to the classics and Chinese poetry was a passport to the world and a career in global sustainability. At the time, I picked SUA for its small class sizes; only after arriving on campus did I learn about the opportunities available for environmental studies and support for student initiatives.
Foreign language study seemed daunting at the time, but it has since become part of me. Although I didn’t know one word of Mandarin before my first Chinese 101 course, a few years later I began working closely with colleagues in a Chinese-speaking environment. Before SUA, it never occurred to me to live abroad. However, since graduating I haven’t spent more than three months in the U.S. in the past 10 years. This wasn’t to escape, but rather to dive into challenging environments where I was welcomed and inspired to contribute.
SUA was often explained as a training ground, a place to challenge yourself before entering “the real world.” There are not many universities that would tolerate students
lobbying the executive committee on a weekly basis for new sustainability initiatives, but SUA did. Instead of slamming the door, SUA’s administration engaged with us, giving me the space to craft arguments that could reach not only diverse audiences but speak to people with decision-making power. This process resembled the challenges environmentalists often face—how do you argue persuasively and take feedback without compromising your core beliefs? When the time came for me to pitch a senior policy maker in Taiwan or present uncomfortable pollution data to a CEO, I was already prepared thanks to my training at SUA.
We can teach carbon accounting and electrical engineering. What we can’t teach as easily is empathy, compassion, or the courage required to push for an idea that many believe is impossible. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I see that SUA gave me the tools to connect with different cultures and listen with empathetic understanding.
Now happily married and living in London, I do still occasionally stare off into the horizon, but I know what’s out there now: old friends and potential future collaborators all working to make the world more sustainable. I currently work as a freelance environmental advisor assisting large multinational corporations in setting and achieving sustainability goals, from carbon and energy to plastics and circularity. Besides consulting and research, I also produce and host podcasts, and in 2025 will be relaunching Waste Not Why Not, a sustainability education podcast with a focus on waste.
I hope that with a great foundation firmly in place, SUA continues to actualize its founding principle of fostering leaders for the creative coexistence of nature and humanity— after all, humanity has already tried the uncreative approach, and it’s gotten us this far. Now, let’s build a sustainable future together!
Nate Maynard
Class of 2012
“With Moral Courage, You Can Do Anything”
— Dr. Lawrence E. Carter, Sr.
Dr. Carter Delivers a Stirring talk on Nonviolence
“Ifeel that I’m standing before you at the right time in history,” said Dr. Lawrence E. Carter, Sr., addressing SUA students, faculty, and staff who had gathered for the University Talk on Peace, Nonviolence, and Human Rights, “because we’ve got some very serious things to consider.”
A preeminent scholar on the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Carter is a professor of religion, the founding dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, and a member of the SUA Board of Trustees. On Oct. 10, he delivered a lecture on King’s philosophy and its relevance to current global challenges, followed by commentary from Dr. Andrea Bartoli, president of the Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue, executive adviser to the Soka Institute for Global Solutions, and also an SUA trustee.
In addition to King, Carter’s insights drew on the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Daisaku Ikeda, Nelson Mandela, Francis of Assisi, and philosopher Jürgen Habermas. He made connections between the written work and lived examples of these great thinkers and activists, emphasizing the humanistic values they shared in common, like courage, forgiveness, and love.
In his commentary after the lecture, Bartoli underscored Carter’s call for individual and collective transformation, praising his vision for a more just society. Bartoli’s commentary was followed by thoughtful and discerning questions from students in the audience, including a firstyear student who asked Carter what King, Gandhi, and Ikeda meant to him.
WELCOME MELODY LOWE
We are excited to announce that Melody Lowe, a talented member of the Class of 2015, has joined the Office of Development as our new development coordinator. She will be stepping into the role following Dana Collins’ recent promotion to manager of development operations.
During her years as a student at SUA, Melody developed qualities—including kindness, empathy, compassion, and courage—that make her a perfect fit for working with our treasured donors. These traits will enhance her work and contribute to the growth of our university.
Melody can be reached by email at m.lowe@ soka.edu or by phone at (949) 480-4073. We are thrilled to welcome Melody back to the Soka family and to our team. Please join us in congratulating her on this new chapter!
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“They’ve given us a blueprint and a compass for how to live,” Carter said. “With great similarities: they all emphasized respecting everyone’s humanity irrespective of religion, race, nationality, language, culture…They’re all moral cosmopolitans and their lives are the message. They lived what they preached.”
Carter urged students to make the most of their education to make a positive impact on the world. “We must be creatively innovative in speaking for peace,” he said. And as a starting point for this important endeavor, said Carter, “there’s no better place than Soka University of America.”
A link to the full address is available on video in the SUA YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/efJT_sLk-w4.
Carter urged students to make the most of their education to make a positive impact on the world. “We must be creatively innovative in speaking for peace,” he said.
“Four years from now, what kind of person do you want to be?” asked Soka Student Union president Julia Miyagawa Braga ’25, addressing the newly arrived Class of 2028. On August 6, over 120 first-year students from 21 different countries gathered in the Soka Performing Arts Center as part of their first week of orientation. Miyagawa Braga’s question pointed to exactly what makes a liberal arts education at SUA so unique; here, students are challenged to grow not only academically, but as global citizens who strive to positively contribute to the world around them.
As the official start of students’ education at SUA, orientation programming goes beyond sharing practical information students will need to navigate their college experience, like how to sign up for classes or access campus resources. Organized by the Office of Student Affairs, orientation also aims to help
students feel a genuine sense of belonging, show them that their needs matter to the campus community, and set them up to thrive academically and personally over the next four years.
SUA’s orientation is distinct from other universities in several key ways:
Mission-Driven: SUA’s mission plays a central role in the approach and the topics covered throughout orientation.
Extended Timeline: New students arrive on campus a full month before the start of the semester. Orientation programming starts during Welcome Week and continues over the following three weeks while students take Core I.
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Faculty Interaction: During the Academic Opening Session, first-years can participate in small group Q&A sessions with the directors of different academic concentrations. They also get to know faculty at a special dinner at the conclusion of orientation.
Peer Leadership: Throughout the orientation process, firstyear students often break into small groups for discussions or activities facilitated by student orientation leaders.
Celebrating Diversity: Students are encouraged to learn from each other, especially because every class contains a wide breadth of nationalities, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences.
International Student Support: Student Affairs strives to address the needs of international students with a F-1 visa workshop and a special financial aid information session.
Centering Student Voices: Every year since SUA’s founding, a few incoming students give speeches for their classmates before the president delivers welcome remarks.
Orientation is, of course, only the first glimpse of the learning and community-building that students will experience throughout their time at SUA. As the fall semester began, the Class of 2028 was ready to dive into college life..
“ ... here, students are challenged to grow not only academically, but as global citizens who strive to positively contribute to the world around them.”
Undergraduate Alumni Hold “SUPER REUNION”
Last summer, SUA hosted a Sohokai “super reunion” for the classes of 2011, 2012, and 2014, bringing together 277 attendees from around the world, including 171 alumni and 106 guests.
“It was such a joy to see so many alumni return to Soka,” said Margaret Kasahara, director of alumni relations. “I believe those who attended reconnected deeply with our founder Daisaku Ikeda’s vision and heart and SUA’s mission, leaving refreshed and inspired to contribute meaningfully wherever their paths take them.”
Attendees enjoyed reconnecting during meals, late-night dialogues, sports activities, and a talent show, with many families also spending time at Soka’s Olympic-size pool. Alumni expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to reunite, reflecting on how the combined reunion fostered a deeper sense of community and left attendees feeling inspired and reconnected to Soka’s mission and vision.
Soka Graduate School Celebrates 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Over the past three decades, Soka Graduate School has graduated more than 150 students from around the world. It has offered an M.A. program in Second and Foreign Language Education; held more than 50 speaking engagements in the “Human Rights Lecture Series”; rolled out the University Bridge Program at the Calabasas campus; and launched a new M.A. program in Educational Leadership and Societal Change.
“Our journey as a university from Calabasas to Aliso Viejo has been guided by the enduring principles of value-creating education practiced by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda, and Daisaku Ikeda,” SUA President Ed Feasel said in a message commemorating the anniversary. “Their commitment
to fostering global citizens who advance peace, uphold human rights, and champion the dignity of life continues to guide our mission today.”
In celebration of the Graduate School’s 30th anniversary, more than 120 Graduate School Alumni Association (Soseikai) members spanning the classes of 1995 to 2024 and their families gathered at SUA over three days in July under the theme “Return for the Future: Connect with the Values of Soka.”
“I am deeply grateful to everyone who paved the way and to those who organized such a meaningful and heartfelt gathering,” said Maria Sanchez M.A. ’06. “I will cherish the inspiring moments shared with my fellow graduates.”
SUAstudents will soon have the opportunity to experience hands-on learning in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet: the Amazon rainforest. In July, SUA President Ed Feasel signed a memorandum of understanding with the Instituto Soka Amazônia (the Soka Amazon Institute), paving the way for future collaboration between the institute and SUA.
Established in 2014 by SUA founder Daisaku Ikeda, the Soka Amazon Institute is located on the Dr. Daisaku Ikeda Private Natural Heritage Reserve, 128 acres of protected rainforest in Manaus, Brazil. Their four main areas of focus are protecting biodiversity; performing and supporting scientific research; providing environmental education; and aiding local communities impacted by environmental challenges like drought.
Partnership with Soka Amazon Institute Opens Door to New Study Tour
While the primary reason for President Feasel’s visit to Manaus was to attend the celebration of the Soka Amazon Institute’s 10th anniversary, he also participated in a roundtable discussion on sustainability education organized by local universities. He made important connections with representatives from the State University of Amazonas (UEA) and the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), agreeing to move toward signing a memorandum of understanding with each university in the near future.
For SUA students, the new partnership with the Soka Amazon Institute means that they will regularly have the opportunity to visit the institute as part of a study tour, with the first group projected to travel to Manaus during spring break 2025. A faculty member will lead the study tour, and each year the group will focus on a different topic in environmental studies, ecology, public health, or another subject relevant to the work that takes place at the institute. Soka students will also visit UEA and UFAM to meet with local faculty and students who are studying or doing research in the study tour’s focus area.
The Amazon Study Tour will function under the auspices of the Soka Institute for Global Solutions (SIGS), which already supports ongoing projects in the areas of nuclear abolition, global citizenship education, and peace and reconciliation in East Asia. Now, starting with the partnership with the Soka Amazon Institute, SIGS will also focus on projects in sustainability.
“One of SUA’s core principles is to foster leaders for the creative coexistence of nature and humanity,” said President Feasel. “I think this partnership goes a long way toward doing that.”
For SUA students, the new partnership with the Soka Amazon Institute means that they will regularly have the opportunity to visit the institute as part of a study tour, with the first group projected to travel to Manaus during spring break 2025.
SUA Promotes Curtis Robinson to Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Golf Programs
Curtis Robinson has stepped into the role as head coach for Soka’s men’s and women’s golf programs.
“I am excited to welcome Curtis to our Soka community,” said Athletics Director Mike Moore. “His head coaching experience, coupled with his administrative background and commitment to student-athlete success, make him a great fit for Soka Athletics. I look forward to working together with Curtis to build successful golf programs in the future.”
Robinson joined Soka as an assistant coach in the fall of 2023, helping develop the men’s program and aiding in the continued improvement of the women’s program.
Prior to joining Soka, Robinson was the head coach of the boys’ golf team at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. Robinson led Mater Dei to a CIF Southern Section title in 2016. All five athletes on the team posted scores in the 70s in winning the Southern Section Western Regional. Robinson was named Orange County Boys’ Golf High School Coach of the Year by the Orange County Register
“I am excited and grateful to be the head golf coach at Soka,” said Robinson. “I look forward to guiding our student-athletes to achieve their highest level of academic success, to become true global citizens, and to be successful on the golf course.”
Read more about Coach Robinson on the SUA website: https:// www.soka.edu/golf-coach
HIGHLIGHT
Taylor Kushner Hired as Inaugural Men’s Volleyball Coach
Men’s volleyball recently became Soka’s 13th varsity sport, with Taylor Kushner appointed as its first head coach. The program will now begin recruiting for its inaugural season in Spring 2025.
“Men’s volleyball will be a great addition to the sports we offer at Soka,” said Moore. “I am excited that Taylor will be the coach to start the program. She has had great success at the high school, club level, and college level. She will be instrumental in creating a program and culture that our student-athletes can enjoy.”
Kushner started her collegiate athletic career at U.C. Riverside, and later continued her academic and athletic journey at Mt. San Jacinto College. Kushner garnered accolades such as Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player in 2014, PCAC Player of the Week, and team MVP honors two years in a row. Kushner transferred from Mt. San Jacinto to Cal State Los Angeles, where she had two outstanding seasons with the Golden Eagles.
Kushner began her collegiate coaching career at her alma mater, Mt. San Jacinto College, serving as an assistant coach for five seasons. During her tenure, she helped guide the Eagles to two conference titles and contributed to launching the beach volleyball program, assisting with its first two seasons. Following her success at Mt. SAC, Kushner became the head women’s volleyball coach at Chaffey College. In this role, she improved upon the previous year’s record, bringing the team to a .500 win percentage. Additionally, she focused on developing her athletes as leaders both on and off the court, helping many transfer to four-year universities.
Dionne Warwick Sets the Stage for the PAC’s New Season
The Soka Performing Arts Center launched its 2024-2025 season in style with an iconic performance by six-time Grammy Award winner Dionne Warwick. On Sept. 29, Warwick took the stage, captivating a sold-out audience with timeless hits such as “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “Walk On By,” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” Warwick’s performance not only showcased her lasting influence on popular music across the last six decades, but also set a high bar for the season ahead at the Soka Performing Arts Center.
Year-End Giving to SUA: How Appreciated Stock and IRA Gifts Can Make a Difference
As the year draws to a close, we invite you to consider SUA in your year-end charitable giving. Supporting SUA through appreciated stock gifts or IRA contributions advances our mission to educate global citizens and offers significant tax benefits.
GIFTING APPRECIATED STOCK TO SOKA UNIVERSITY
When you donate appreciated stock to SUA, you maximize the impact of your gift while enjoying significant tax advantages. By choosing to donate stock, you can avoid federal capital gains taxes on the appreciation, which means more of your contribution goes directly to supporting SUA. You may also qualify for a federal income tax deduction for the full market value of your stock gift, with most states offering added tax benefits for stock donations. To learn more about stock giving, visit FreeWill.com/Stocks/Soka
IRA GIFTS FOR DONORS AGED 70.5 AND OLDER
For donors aged 70.5 or older, a gift from your IRA may be an excellent giving option with unique benefits. Gifts made
directly from your IRA are generally tax-free and may help lower your future tax burden by reducing taxable income. This can also assist you in meeting required minimum distribution requirements, which can be a strategic way to manage your financial planning while contributing to the education of future global leaders and changemakers. To learn more about IRA giving, visit FreeWill.com/QCD/Soka
MAKING YOUR YEAR-END GIFT WITH STOCK OR IRA CONTRIBUTIONS
For additional information on how to give to SUA:
• Visit www.soka.edu
• Click Giving at the top right of the page
• Click the Support SUA menu button
• Select your preferred method of contribution
If you have any questions, please contact Linda Kennedy at 949-480-4072 or lkennedy@soka.edu
Publisher Soka University of America
President Edward Feasel, PhD
Executive
Editors
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