2019 Fall SUA Founders Newsletter

Fall 2019

15th annual peace gala

I N TH I S I S S U E

4 | Celebrating a Vision of Peace 10 | Alumni Highlight 11 | “We Still Run It!” 16 | Nieves Observatory 18 | Culture of Peace and Non-Violence 20 | Leadership and Service 22 | Critical Conversations: Erin Gruwell 24 | B2B IMPACTATHON

A M ESSAGE FROM THE PRE SID E NT

Dear Friends and Supporters, Welcome to SUA Founders, our special newsletter for our donors and friends, filled with updates on recent university happenings and events. I hope that you enjoy browsing through these pages and see all that Soka University of America has to offer.

As we kicked off the new academic year, we officially welcomed 109 students of the undergraduate Class of 2023 representing 17 countries including Brazil, Ghana, Korea, Morocco, Netherlands, and Russia. From the United States, our students come from different states with a majority from California. For the graduate school’s Educational Leadership and Societal Change MA program, we also welcomed seven students representing Brazil, Ghana, Japan, Malaysia, United Kingdom, and the United States.

We also received news of Soka’s rankings in the official U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2020 Rankings. I am very pleased to share with you that we came in 27th in the National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking.

We also ranked #1 in financial resources and #2 in faculty resources. We also placed #1 in Most International Students and #7 for Best Value among the top National Liberal Arts Colleges. Each year, these rankings serve as a wonderful reminder of the contributions of our students, staff, faculty, alumni and donors.

In the month of October, many meaningful traditions took place including the Sixth Annual Dialogue on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence sponsored by the Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation. This year, the annual dialogue commemorated two significant events which include the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace and Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday. For this occasion, the event took place over a two day period including a lecture by this year’s keynote speaker, Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, and a second full-day of sessions with multiple distinguished speakers.

Another highlight in October was our annual Peace Gala where we welcomed over 417 guests and grossed over $742,000 for our student scholarships. The feature performance for the evening was renowned pianist, Keiko Matsui. The sincere efforts of everyone who worked together over the past several months were evident in the heartfelt response from our guests. Thanks to your sincere support, we are able to offer our students a quality academic experience and many unique opportunities.

In closing, our campus is finalizing construction of a new science building and two residence halls to accommodate our new Life Sciences concentration which will begin Fall 2020. The university also held a dedication ceremony for the new Nieves Observatory of Soka University of America housing a 14” telescope as part of this campus expansion. Within the science curriculum, we are excited to broaden student perspectives about the interconnectedness of self and the physical universe, an effort to broaden the scope of global citizenship.

In closing, I would like express my appreciation to our donors and supporters who continue to support and believe in our university’s mission.

Sincerely,

Daniel Y. Habuki, PhD President

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CE L E BR A T I N G A V IS ION OF P E A CE

A VISION OF

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The 15th annual Peace Gala, Celebrating a Vision of Peace, was held on the Soka campus on Saturday, October 12, 2019. The Soka Scholarship endowment will benefit from the more than $742,000 raised during the evening.

Christelle Inema, class of 2021, shared her amazing journey from Rwanda to Soka University of America with the event’s 417 guests. You can read her story on page 8.

Acclaimed pianist, composer and humanitarian, Keiko Matsui, whose music is a conduit for

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peace, kindness, love and light, enchanted the audience with her solo performance.

The master of ceremonies for the evening was Kurt Knutsson, better known as “Kurt the CyberGuy.” Kurt is the chief tech contributor on Fox News and Fox Business networks.

Mark your calendars now for the 2020 Peace Gala to be held on October 10. continued on page 6

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CE L E BR A T I N G A V IS ION OF P E A CE

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CE L E BR A T I N G A V IS ION OF P E A CE

Good evening everyone, I’m Christelle Inema. I am from the small landlocked country of Rwanda in the heart of Africa. I often reminisce about my morning there.

The smells of dry heat and desert dust, coffee and hot black tea and especially the taste of semi-burnt chapatis, a flatbread sold in stands right in front of my house.

Throughout my life, my parents Gakuba and Kantengwa, who got married in 1984, encouraged my siblings and I that ultimate freedom comes with a great education. My parents didn’t have that option. My dad was a self-taught mechanic and my mom, because of circumstances in our country, never made it passed the 10th grade. My dad had a saying in Kinyarwanda, “ntawutanga icyo adafite.” This means YOU CANNOT GIVE WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE. I can’t talk about my family without talking about the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi that tore apart my country. Over 1 million people were killed and half a million young girls and women were raped. My older brothers, who were only 5 and 6 years old, can still remember seeing people dying in the streets while nearly starving to death themselves. All of my extended family, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends were all murdered. When I was five, my parents brought us back to see where they grew up. There was nothing left, everything burnt to the ground with only trees and ravens circling the sky. This atrocity would become known as the Rwandan genocide. All of my relatives exist only in the stories my parents tell us. I will not let their stories die.

Just a few months before I was born in 1998, my dad stepped on a land mine and lost his leg and ability to support my family. After the accident, financial responsibilities fell on my mother. Money was tight. Although she had a good job, her salary was less than $350 a month. While my dad stayed at home to care for us, my mom was working tirelessly from 6:30am to 10:00pm every day.

I hardly saw her. Despite all the obstacles, she was able to finish high school while paying all the bills and paying for me and my siblings’ education. With my mom’s example of dedication and achievement, I have no excuse but to emulate her great example.

Education was at the forefront of my goals, first receiving a scholarship in elementary school which led to one of the best scholarships for the prestigious Rwanda, Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology. I was then awarded a scholarship to the Washington State: Spring Street International High School. Unbeknownst to me, every step of the way was leading me here to Soka University.

I have always wanted to help build a healthy and stable East Africa. I would wrack my brain trying to understand how we develop policies that represent the needs of “all” and how do “we reduce the number of children who die of curable diseases?” Moreover, given the regional difficulty with peaceful successions to power, we also need to prepare better for refugees.

The complexity of the situation cannot be understated. I realize that given the complexities of all the issues in East Africa, it will take teams of people with great character, personal commitment, intelligence and practical skills to proceed wisely. My dream in obtaining an education in the USA has always been to return to Rwanda with the gift of knowledge. That’s why Soka University’s generous scholarship offers the most direct path home for me. Other schools waitlisted me because of insufficient funds, but not Soka. Because of all of you, I have the ability to develop into a person who is able to give fully. I have been able to learn beyond the walls of my classroom.

Last summer, I travelled to Uganda for a conference by the organization Global Action Against Mass Atrocity on prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. I have also been sponsored by Soka to intern with two different organizations in Rwanda. I could not have designed a more perfect college education. At Soka, I am constantly bridging my in-class experiences with the real world. Soka is the right environment for me to become the leader I intend to be, because it has allowed me to be proximate to my community.

I want to dedicate this to my loving parents and family who propelled me beyond any of their wildest dreams. To all my mentors, educators and all of you here this evening whose dedication in helping to support Soka students to realize our dreams by opening the doors to a first class education. I vow to take everything I’ve learned at Soka and bring it to fruition in the world. I extend my deepest appreciation to all of you.

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GRADUATE SCHOOL A LUM NI

“I vow to take everything I’ve learned at Soka and bring it to fruition in the world. I extend my deepest appreciation to all of you.”

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AL UM N I H I G HLIGH T

Exemplifying Soka’s mission to live a contributive life, 2017 graduate Prakash Bista dedicated his life to providing rural grade-school education in his native Nepal. With resources, support, and guidance from Soka professors, staff, and donors, Prakash was able to create greater momentum towards developing educational opportunities for the children of his village and surrounding area.

Prior to entering Soka, Prakash founded and directed Modern Model Residential School in Nepal’s remote Kalikot District.

He led residents of his home village in building a school about a decade ago, but he was just getting started on his goal to help educate those Nepalese children without means.

Through participation in a Soka cocurricular program that helps Soka students connect their education to 10

the business world, in 2014 Prakash entered and won a $10,000 prize in the Orange County Social Entrepreneurship Competition, beating 10 other social entrepreneurs from around the world.

He used the money to build more school buildings. This also generated a front page Sunday feature story in the Orange County Register, bringing forth more opportunities. From there, Prakash went on to establish Impact Schools, a US based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Following these efforts to obtain an undergraduate education, build schools, and launch Impact Schools, Prakash graduated last year from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)’s Master’s Program in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He then returned to Nepal to work with the schools he and his team have built in rural western Nepal.

The villages where two of the schools

are located do not yet have access to basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, running water, and sewage systems.

“I have been mainly involved in expanding infrastructure and resources at our existing two schools,” he reported. “We have around 250 students now at both of our schools. We also started bringing in children from extremely poor family backgrounds like orphans and students with single parents with limited resources at our hostel facilities. There we provide free room, board, and education. We currently have 30 such children staying at our hostel facility.”

He added, “I continue to manage our U.S. charity, Impact Schools, that helps support these programs and activities at our schools in Nepal.”

Impact Schools recently received funding to build four school buildings, two hostel www.soka.edu

ALUM NI RE UNION

buildings and necessary auxiliary facilities including bathrooms and a solar power plant.

“We are looking to enroll around 500 children next year and provide hostel facilities for 50 to 60 children in extreme need of support at our hostel facilities. Next year, we also plan to start preparing to build and start a few more schools in addition to our two existing schools,” noted Prakash.

In October, Soka University was thrilled to have Prakash back on campus to talk about these efforts at an alumni panel at the 6th Annual Dialogue on the Culture of Peace and NonViolence.

Stay tuned for further progress as Prakash continues to build on his goal of sharing education with his home nation.

Soka University’s Class of 2009 held its 10-year reunion July 26-29 on campus.

Centered around the theme “We Still Run It!”, the class welcomed 83% of its members home for the highest participation yet for a 10-year reunion. Many alumni brought their family members and loved ones to campus for the first time. With 130 total participants, alumni, children, spouses/partners, and parents enjoyed a weekend full of making friendships.

Notable festivities included a welcome orientation, a surprise birthday party, a reunion meeting, a family picnic, an alumni mixer, and an academic session.

Photo: Principal Bhawana Basyal, Prakash Bista, and Kimberly Mullenix, Class of 2016. sua founders

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F AC U L T Y H I G H L IGH T

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FACULTY HIGH LIGH T

Diya Mazumder, PhD Associate Professor of Economics Please provide a brief background about yourself.

I am an Associate Professor of Economics. Environmental issues are my passion. My research agenda focuses on effectiveness of environmental policies, primarily in the area of urban transport.

I ask whether carbon taxes reduce fossil fuel consumption. Does it encourage people to buy smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles? I’m increasingly getting interested in studying resource management policies. How can we ensure that our natural resources such as wetlands and national forests are protected in the face of unprecedented economic growth?

From which institutions do you hold degrees?

I received my undergraduate degree from Presidency College, Kolkata India. I went on to pursue my Masters of economics from the University of Calcutta, India. I then received my doctorate in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

What attracted you to Soka?

I love that Soka is a liberal arts college, with a passion in motivating a diverse group of students from all four corners of the world. My classes include students from Nepal, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, China, Japan, India and the U.S.

What distinguishes Soka students in your opinion?

Our students are highly motivated, curious to learn, and hard workers. They are not afraid to ask questions, and I am constantly challenged to think in new and interesting ways through their eyes.

What inspires you?

The national anthem of India, composed by Rabindranath Tagore, describes the country’s natural resources as the central facet of our national identity. This song has inspired me to make environmental issues the forefront of my study in economics.

Do you have other reflections about your experience as a faculty member at Soka?

I love teaching and pursuing my research interests here. Working with students, being in the diverse cultural and intellectual environment here keeps me continually motivated.

“I love that Soka is a liberal arts college, with a passion in motivating a diverse group of students from all four corners of the world.” sua founders

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ST U D Y A B R O A D

Hideki Ohashi, Class of 2020 14

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A former China Educational Tours (CET) Harbin student told me, “Don’t worry Hideki, you will probably cry.”

This is because CET Harbin’s study abroad program is known for its strict language pledge. If a student speaks English too many times, they will be dismissed from the program.

Before study abroad, I loved my Chinese classes and teachers at SUA, but I didn’t like learning Chinese. However, I had a dream that I would help promote friendships between China and Japan, so Harbin felt like the right choice. However, I had to push myself to learn Chinese. I can say that it was the best decision for me.

During the first several weeks, all I could do was smile. I had no idea what my roommates and friends were talking about. All of my classes were one-on-one or one-on-two classes in which I was constantly conversing in Chinese. Even in my room, Chinese was the only language I could use. But I made the conscious decision that I needed to channel my frustration into value. Whenever I encountered unfamiliar words, I wrote them down in my notebook. It was embarrassing to stop a conversation, but I accumulated more and more words until my notebook was full. By the end of study abroad, I realized I had learned a lot from looking through the notebook and in the end, my frustrations motivated me to study.

Even though CET Harbin is a strict and demanding program, there was so much support for students. The small class size made it possible for us to ask questions whenever we wanted. Our very kind Residential Advisor would continually reach out to us and offer help. Every weekend, we went on excursions with our schoolmates. Having local Chinese roommates created an environment where we were able to practice real Chinese all the time. As a result of all this support, I was fortunate to make many local Chinese friends. They were especially patient and kind to me when listening to my awful Chinese. We went to K-TV (karaoke), bars, the night market, museums, movies, McDonald’s, and so many other places!

M ​ y friendships were definitely one of the best parts of study abroad, especially, my roommate who was my “real” brother! We had fun together every day. He loves Japanese anime, so we talked often about Japanese culture. I learned many anime words in Chinese. I taught him how to sing Japanese anime songs and we went to karaoke and sang Chinese songs together. On my birthday, he prepared gifts and a great cake with my Chinese nameplate. Overall, we had a great dialogue about life, capitalism, relations between China and Japan, Chinese culture, peace, and much more. He has become my lifelong friend.

With the support of teachers and friends, I significantly improved my Chinese.

During my final exam research presentation, my one-on-one professor couldn’t stop laughing because my Chinese was so different from when I started. She was so happy about the improvement I had made. My Chinese was the worst at the outset, but because of the constant effort, I was able to receive the “best effort” award in the end.

Submitted by Hideki Ohashi

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N I EVE S O B S E R V A T O R Y D E D IC A TION

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SERVICE LE A RNING­

The new Luis and Linda Nieves Observatory at Soka University of America was dedicated on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 3 p.m. Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett’s representative Sergio Prince presented a special commendation to Soka President Danny Habuki and Dean of Faculty Bryan Penprase on the occasion. City of Aliso Viejo Mayor Ross Chun attended and shared his pride in the fact that Orange County’s first observatory is located in Aliso Viejo.

Luis Nieves and his family were honored for the generous gift from the Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation that made the observatory possible. In the future, Soka students and astronomers all over the world will be able to log in on their computers and cell phones to share in the observations from the observatory’s two powerful telescopes.

The observatory is set up with the mission to expand Soka’s mission for global citizenship into an interplanetary dimension.

We hope to also work with communities of students and researchers across the world, and to enable students in the U.S., Japan, India, Taiwan, Singapore, and other countries to work together to increase our understanding of the physical universe.

The telescope has been developed using the latest technologies for modernizing a telescope mount and integrating this with an advanced operating system that students can operate from anywhere on earth. The telescope has been developed by PlaneWave Instruments of Compton, California, which has made dozens of cutting-edge research telescopes used around the world. Its advanced motors and control systems allow for very rapid acquisition of targets and accurate pointing and tracking of the night sky.

Wish you could take a peek? You can see some of the recent images taken by the observatory right now at http://sites.soka.edu/SUO/.

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THE C U L T U R E O F P E A C E

SUA launched an initiative five years ago to provide a platform for dialogue on the culture of peace that humanity must embrace in order to advance the best interests of our world. The 6th Annual Dialogue on the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence took place Oct. 2-5, chaired by Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury.

The 6th Dialogue marked the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and the observation of the 20th anniversary of the culture of peace in the United Nations.

Soka thanks the Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation for their generous support.

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Ambassador Chowdhury’s life’s work is to share the “value of peace and equality as the essential components of our existence.” His message was one of encouragement.

Every individual must work to realize their highest potential and become an agent of peace and non-violence. He discussed the United Nations Declaration and Programme of Action on Culture of Peace. This historic, norm-setting document is considered one of the most significant legacies of the United Nations. Ambassador Chowdhury chaired the arduous, nine-month negotiations in 1998-99 that led to the agreement, which outlines everything the international community has agreed on as the focus of a culture of peace, highlighting education, women, children, and communities.

Presentations were given by participants from diverse backgrounds involved in both practical and intellectual work on advancing the cause of peace. Dr. Michael Nagler, President of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, stressed that human beings are at the pinnacle of evolution and must not allow the daily bombardment of information to distract them; they must keep evolving. Mavic Cabrera Balleza, the Founder www.soka.edu

and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), discussed her work teaching young women leaders in developing countries about economic empowerment. Dr. Necla Tschirgi, Distinguished Professor at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, University of San Diego, discussed how women are often targets of violence due to the gender power imbalance. Women are consistently excluded as mediators of peace agreements – but they must be involved in the decisions that affect their lives, she noted. SUA Associate Professor of International Studies Dr. Lisa McLeod’s research on the implementation of Resolution 1325 highlighted the importance of protecting women from violence.

A panel of Soka alumni included Visiting Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies Tetsushi Ogata, who shared his personal story as a member of Soka’s first graduating class and discovering his power through challenges. He was sua founders

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joined by fellow accomplished alumni Alankrita Chhikara (2009) and Prakash Bista (2017).

Dr. Dorothy Maver, President of the National Peace Academy, and Dr. Joanne Tawfilis, cofounder and director of the Art Miles Project, spoke on the theme “Centrality of The Culture of Peace and Non-violence to the World We Want.” Dr. Tawfilis bound the day’s discussions together with a conversation about the impact of art as a tool to spread peace, involving the audience in an exercise to help create a mural for the university that will be displayed upon completion.

In the words of Ambassador Chowdhury, “The work for peace is a continuous process. Each of us can make a difference in that process.

Peace cannot be imposed from outside; it must be realized from within. Let us embrace the culture of peace for the good of humanity, for the sustainability of our planet, and for making our world a better place to live.”

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ST U D E N T A F FA IR S

Aligned with the mission of Soka University of America, the Office of Student Leadership and Service Engagement was created to promote and nurture student leadership and to advance community and service engagement. We kicked off the new academic year with the institution’s first-ever Soka Leadership Summit, held on Sunday, September 8. The summit brought together student leaders from across campus with the goals to unite student leaders with a common vision, inspire students to make a positive impact, and develop leadership competencies. The summit included a keynote address by Edward Feasel, Executive Vice President, who presented five lessons he learned about leadership from his personal experiences with Soka’s founder, Daisaku Ikeda. He was joined by an alumni staff panel that discussed effective strategies for navigating conflict and transforming conflict into opportunities. Dr. Paige Asawa, Co-Founder and Program Director of the Institute for Arts in Medicine at Keck Medicine of USC, spoke about how students can incorporate self-care into daily practice and prioritize wellness throughout their leadership.

The summit concluded with a workshop where students passionately discussed how they can shape and drive positive student campus culture together.

The Leadership and Service Engagement Fair was held on Friday, October 11, and introduced various service and leadership opportunities to students. Representatives from organizations such as Laura’s House, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Orange County United Way, and the Tiyya Foundation were present to introduce their work and to sign up students to connect and volunteer with their organization. In addition, students and staff from across many departments and student organizations were there to promote leadership opportunities available to students.

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AT H LE T ICS

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the NAIA Character Advisory Committee and the NAIA National Office announced the highlights and results from the 20182019 Champions of Character scorecard on Wednesday, September 11, and selected Soka University of America Lions as a Gold Level Champions of Character Five-Star Institution.

The Champions of Character program continues to grow and impact people throughout our nation as a result of the passion and commitment of NAIA member institutions. Champions of Character activities are an integral part of every NAIA program annually, impacting more than 25,000 individuals.

Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to being Champions of Character and earned points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition, and character promotion. Institutions earn points based on exceptional studentathlete grade point averages and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year.

Champions of Character provides training for student-athletes and professional development for coaches and staff. The core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership (community outreach) are put into play and accounted for at all NAIA schools.

“The vision of NAIA’s Champions of Character program is to change the culture of sport. The program helps participants find the balance by keeping the five core values at the heart of the athletics experience,” said Mike Moore, Soka’s Director

The NAIA also announced that the California Pacific Conference has again earned the Champions of Character Five-Star Conference Award for 2018-2019. After two consecutive years with all 12 institutions earning Gold Star recognition, 10 of the 12 conference schools were awarded Five Stars. Six of those 10 earned Gold Star recognition; Cal Maritime, EmbryRiddle, Antelope Valley, Pacific Union, and UC Merced, in addition to Soka University of America.

This year, 16 NAIA Conferences earned the Champions of Character Five-Star Conference Award. In 2017-18, the Cal Pac (of which Soka is a member) was the only conference to have all of its members earn Five-Star awards, and the nine Gold members (which equals the alltime NAIA high--set by the Cal Pac the previous season) and three Silver members amassed the highest collective score in NAIA history.

Submitted by Erica Baldaray, Assistant Director of Athletics

of Athletics and Recreation.

“I am so proud of our studentathletes and staff for being recognized as one of the few NAIA members to be awarded Gold Level status for the second year in a row.”

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SOKA ATHLETICS LAUNCHES MOBILE APP Soka University Athletics with the assistance of SIDEARM Sports has announced the launch of their new mobile app, now available for both Android and iOS. “We are extremely excited to announce the launch of our Soka Athletics Mobile App,” said Assistant Director of Athletics Erica Baldaray. “Our partnership with SIDEARM Sports has enabled us to expand its digital presence, as well as allow for all of our Soka fans, both domestic and international, to have a user friendly and all-inclusive experience.”

The Soka Athletics app is now available in the Google Play and Apple App stores. You can also download the app through the links listed below.

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sidearmsports.soka Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soka-university/id1465961916?ls=1

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CR I T I C A L CO NV E R S A T IO N S S E R IES 2019- 20

The Courage to Connect with Erin Gruwell & The Freedom Writers

Critical Conversations @Soka kicked off the academic year with the October 3rd program “The Courage to Connect,” featuring the inspiring and beloved educational leader Erin Gruwell. She appeared onstage with three of the original student Freedom Writers, celebrating the 20th anniversary publication of their New York Times bestselling book, The Freedom Writers Diary.

Many may remember Erin as the idealistic 23-year-old English teacher at Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, who was confronted with a room of “unteachable, at-risk” students.

Determined to make a difference, Erin helped 150 students change the course of their lives by connecting across cultures and continents and writing about it.

Armed with pens and notebooks, the Freedom Writers challenged themselves and the education system to stop ignoring them. Their story resulted in the popular book, a Hollywood movie starring Hilary Swank, and a PBS documentary released 22

this year.

Erin is also founder of The Freedom Writers Foundation, whose mission is to advocate for all students and teachers by providing tools that facilitate studentcentered learning, improve overall academic performance, and increase teacher retention.

Anna Lane, a member of the Soka Master’s program in Educational Leadership & Societal Change, introduced the event, reminiscing, “I remember watching the movie about Erin and the Freedom Writers when I was in college to become a teacher.

I watched it alone, and remember crying and feeling so encouraged to pursue my dream of fighting for social justice in education, which eventually brought me here to study at Soka.”

Lane added that Erin’s “work aligns so much with the spirit of our university founder, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, who shares with us about developing the ability to connect beyond gender, class, race, and

nationality. Doing this is no easy task.

It takes self-reflection, courage, and the determination to engage in dialogue.”

In addition to meeting Erin, the audience enjoyed the reflections of three of the original Freedom Writers, Kanya Sim, Shanita Jones, and Shanate Jones.

Following the event, many audience members stayed to have books and programs autographed.

“Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers taught me that it is important to never give up on anyone,” said Lane. “As educators, we have a responsibility to try and bring hope to students and to not be discouraged by the immediate environment or circumstance we are faced with.”

The next Critical Conversations @Soka will be held on February 19, 2020 and will feature Karamo Brown of the popular show Queer Eye, on the topic “Queer Eye Your Life.” www.soka.edu

INT E R NA T IONAL STUDIES CONCENTRATION PARTNE RSH IP

Former Obama Senior Advisor Ben Rhodes Featured in New Partnership with World Affairs Council of Orange County

Insider stories about major foreign policy negotiations captivated the audience of over 300 Soka students, faculty, staff, and community members who had the opportunity to hear former Obama speechwriter and senior foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes on October 22, 2019.

This marked the first partnership event between Soka’s International Studies Concentration and the World Affairs Council of Orange County. Soka’s Performing Arts Center provided a beautiful backdrop for the moderated conversation between sua founders

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Rhodes and Ferdinando Guerra, a member of the program committee from the World Affairs Council. Rhodes argued that a crucial element of U.S. foreign policy and patriotism should include an openness to our global interconnectedness.

Class of 2020 students Haley Saffarinia, Aidan Gross, and Swann Jin provided inspiring introductions and helped moderate the audience discussion for both events.

Rhodes stayed well after the event to sign autographs of his recently released New York Times bestselling memoir, The World As It Is. 23

BR I D G E S T O BU S IN E S S (B 2B )

Soka’s Bridges to Business (B2B) program hosted over 30 students and alumni as they self-organized into eight teams over 24 hours on November 1-2 to explore pressing local and global issues, map root causes, and begin developing business model-driven solutions.

The group elected to dedicate Friday night and all day Saturday to participate in the B2B IMPACTATHON, where they heard candid insights from social entrepreneurs, impact investors and the manager of the diversity and inclusion program at The Walt Disney Company.

IMPACTATHON participants experienced a fast-paced mini ‘social enterprise bootcamp’ where they were introduced to legal structures, business models, impact measurement frameworks, and funding options before doing design-thinking exercises to dive deeper into the issues they were seeking to solve. After a storytelling and pitch workshop, they dove into “hackathon” problem-solving mode, where 24

they had the added benefit of speaking with “Impact Catalysts” from the social impact sector, who were on call to give participants critical feedback on their ideas. The feedback and research were then integrated into the simplified pitch slide decks they designed.

The eight teams mustered their courage to pitch their social enterprises to a panel of experienced and thoughtful judges, including social impact attorney Shaheen SheikSadal, Lake Forest Economic Development Manager Carlo Tomaino, and urban planner Stephanie Roxas.

Three teams won seed funding and mentorship as a vote of confidence, and all teams were urged to keep refining and improving their ideas. All participants will be invited to a global community of IMPACTATHON participants to support their continued growth as social impact leaders and entrepreneurs. www.soka.edu

WAYS T O GIVE

To make a donation:

Soka University of America is unique in its approach as to who it selects for its rigorous, rewarding liberal arts path. Our goal is to foster a steady stream of global citizens dedicated to living a contributive life. But the cost of a higher education can be a roadblock for many bright young people who want a college degree. Most higher education institutions depend on students paying tuition to support their operations.

Online Go to give.soka.edu

Soka is different.

By Mail Send a check payable to Soka University of America to:

We depend on our endowment to cover the majority of costs associated with running the university. More than 90 percent of Soka students need financial aid to pay for their college education. We unlock their potential by removing financial obstacles.

Soka University of America Office of Development 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-8081

To transfer securities, money or for any other questions, contact: Linda Kennedy Director of Philanthropy Soka University of America 1 University Drive Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-8081 949-480-4072 lkennedy@soka.edu

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Fall 2019

This is why it is imperative for our endowment to continue to grow.

These promising minds, eager to attend Soka and contribute to the world, make your contribution so important.

The students, faculty and staff at Soka sincerely appreciate your support.

They recognize your gifts as their avenue to improving the world.

Soka University of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (Tax ID Number 95-3909672.) The IRS recognizes contributions to the university as qualified tax deductions. Your donation will be recognized with a tax receipt to substantiate your gift.

Donors are recognized on the benefactor walls at the university when cumulative giving reaches the following levels: Benefactor at $5,000 Silver Benefactor at $10,000 Gold Benefactor at $20,000 Founders Circle at $100,000 Founders Circle Platinum at $250,000 Founders Circle Diamond at $500,000 Pillar of Soka Education at $1,000,000 25

SOKA CE L E BR EDUCATION A T I N G S O KCONFERENCE A!

SAVE THE DATE

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020 10:30 AM – 5 PM

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CALENDAR OF E VE NT S

DECEMBER 2019 Chasing Infinity (or the Mis-Evolution of the Digital Primitive): An Exhibition of New Artwork by Joel Woodard Date: Ongoing through 01.06.2020 Location: Founders Hall Art Gallery, 2nd Floor Simplicity, Patience, Compassion: Works by Gregory Gallardo Date: Ongoing through 01.06.2020 Location: Founders Hall Art Gallery, 1st Floor

JANUARY 2020 Pacific Symphony Plays Mozart with Benjamin Smolen & Dennis Kim Date: 01.19.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Critical Conversations @ Soka Presents Queer Eye Your Life: An Evening with Karamo Brown Date: 02.19.2020 | Time: 7:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center Alexi Kenney Date: 02.21.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center Renee Rosnes Trio Date: 02.23.2020 | 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center Perla Batalla “In the House of Cohen” & Maria Muldaur Date: 02.29.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

MARCH 2020

APRIL 2020 Pacific Symphony Plays Ticheli & Beethoven with Elissa Lee Koljonen Date: 04.05.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center Rocky Dawuni Date: 04.11.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center – Black Box Theatre Arlo Guthrie: 20/20 Tour Featuring Alice’s Restaurant Date: 04.18.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center Critical Conversations @Soka Presents Free Speech on Campus with Erwin Chemerinsky Date: 04.21.2020 | Time: 7:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Ranky Tanky Date: 01.25.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center – Black Box Theatre

Murray Perahia Date: 03.07.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo Date: 01.26.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center – Black Box Theatre

Jazzy Ash & The Leaping Lizards Date: 03.08.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center – Black Box Theatre

FEBRUARY 2020

The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra Date: 03.12.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Soka University’s 19th Annual International Festival Date: 05.02.2020 | Time: 10:30 am – 5:00 pm Location: Peace Lake Area

The 5th Dimension Date: 02.08.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Orange County Youth Symphony Plays Beethoven and Tchaikovsky Date: 03.15.2020 | Time: 4:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Beatrice Rana Date: 05.16.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Daniil Trifonov Date: 02.09.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Yefim Bronfman Date: 03.29.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Soka University’s 2020 Commencement Ceremony Date: 05.22.2020 | Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center By invitation only

Harry Allen Trio Date: 02.01.2020 | Time: 8:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

Hub New Music With Special Guest Kojiro Umezaki Date: 04.26.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

MAY 2020

Parnassus Society Presents The World of Opera: Stories of Love Date: 02.16.2020 | Time: 3:00 pm Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

sua founders

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Fall 2019

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Soka University of America Publisher Soka University of America President Daniel Y. Habuki, PhD Executive Editor Linda Kennedy

Editor Dana Collins Graphic Design Cathy Cervantes Photography Courtesy of University Archivist and Photographers

1 University Drive Aliso Viejo, California 92656

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Have You Moved Recently?

We would like to keep you informed of the wonderful news from Soka, so if you have a new address, please let us know by going to our website www.soka. edu/giving/u.s.-donor-addressupdate.aspx or send an email to Coleen Scherf-Ghara at cscherfghara@soka.edu or contact her directly at (949) 480-4073. If you know someone who has mentioned they no longer hear from Soka, please make sure they contact us so we can update their information.

Find Us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/Soka.University.of.America www.facebook.com/CelebratingAVisionofPeace www.facebook.com/suayoungfounders (UG Alumni)

Appointment of Executive Vice President Soka appointed Dr. Edward Feasel to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Ed has been with Soka since 1998 and was instrumental during the initial phases of developing the university. He served as one of the founding faculty of the undergraduate program, as Dean of Students in 2001, as Dean of Faculty in 2005, and as Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2015.

Ed has also continued to maintain his responsibilities as Professor of Economics with two books recently published entitled Japan’s Aid: Lessons for Economic Growth, Development and Political Economy and Exports, Trade Policy, and Economic Growth in Eras of Globalization.

In his important new role, he will oversee all academic and administrative aspects of the university. He will also continue in his role as Chief Academic Officer.

Naming of the Science Hall Soka’s President Habuki recommended naming the new science hall in honor of Dr. Marie Curie, the first woman to

receive a Nobel Prize (1903 in Physics) and the only woman to receive two Nobel Prizes (1911 in Chemistry). The Board agreed with the recommendation for the new hall to be called the Marie and Pierre Curie Hall.

Class of 2023: Admission Stats This fall, the undergraduate Class of 2023 began their studies at Soka. The 109 new students represent such countries/ regions as Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Russia, South Korea, Uganda, Vietnam, and the United States. Domestic students represented 55% of the class from 17 different states.

New Board Member Appointed at Soka At its October Board Meeting, the Board welcomed a new trustee, Jason Goulah, PhD, Associate Professor of BilingualBicultural Education and Director of the Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education at College of Education, DePaul University. He filled the vacancy from Dr. David Roselle’s retirement.