FALL 2015 Founders Backup Files/sua... · That’s Life! A Toast to Sinatra ... Sammy Hagar, a...

FALL 2015 | WWW.SOKA.EDU

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DECEMBER 2015GARDEN CONVERSATIONS,Paintings by Leslie Kenneth PriceDate: 09.14.2015 - 12.23.2015Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pmLocation: Founders Hall Art Gallery

Lecture: “Latino Education:Economic Democracy andRadical Possibilities in the Ageof Hyper-Poverty” by RodolfoTorres, Ph.D.Date: 12.02.2015Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pmLocation: Pauling Hall 216

Lecture: “From Polygyny toPolitics: A History of AfricanWomen” by Anene Ejikeme, Ph.D.Date: 12.03.2015Time: 4:45 pm - 6:15 pmLocation: Ikeda Library 4th Fl ReadingRoom

South Coast Symphony presentsA Night at the OperaDate: 12.04.2015Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

The All-American Boys Choruspresents Sounds of ChristmasDate: 12.13.2015Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

JANUARY 2016The Peking AcrobatsDate: 01.08.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Aliso Niguel HS presents ASolos & Ensembles ConcertDate: 01.15.2016Time: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Sundays at Soka with PacificSymphony, Benjamin Smolen &Grace BrowningDate: 01.17.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Soka Community Cinemapresents Indie Lens Pop-up – InFootball We TrustDate: 01.21.2016Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmLocation: Pauling 216

Don Menza QuartetDate: 01.22.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Evans Associates Presents FourBy FourDate: 01.24.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

St. Louis SymphonyDate: 01.27.2016Time: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Gabriela MartinezDate: 01.31.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

FEBRUARY 2016Natasha Shoro and Anushe Shoroon :”The Essence of Being”Date: 02.01.2016 - 05.07.2016Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pmOpening Reception: 02.04.2016Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pmLocation: Founders Hall Art Gallery

Taimane and Kalei World TourDate: 02.06.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

International Guitar NightDate: 02.13.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Critical Conversations: AnEvening with Henry RollinsDate: 02.17.2016Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Kenny Barron TrioDate: 02.19.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Soka University Faculty RecitalDate: 02.21.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

ArtBeat presents In The Mood: A 1940s Musical RevueDate: 02.24.2016Time: 7:30 pm - 9:30 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

South Coast Symphony presentsYoung Stars of the FutureDate: 02.26.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Evans Associates presentsThat’s Life! A Toast to Sinatraon his 100th Birthday.Date: 02.28.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

MARCH 2016Delfeayo & Ellis MarsalisQuartet: The Last SouthernGentlemen TourDate: 03.04.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Richard GoodeDate: 03.06.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Natasha Shoro and AnusheShoro Gallery Tour andDiscussion on “The Essence ofBeing: Identity and Reflection”Date: 03.09.2016Time: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pmLocation: Founders Hall Art Gallery

Gomyo/Poltera/Pohjonen TrioDate: 03.12.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

APRIL 2016Storm Large and Kirill GersteinDate: 04.01.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Soka University’s 7th AnnualLuauDate: 04.02.2016Time: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pmLocation: Campus Green

globalFEST on the Road – CreoleCarnivalDate: 04.03.2016Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

A Tribute to Tom HarrellDate: 04.08.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Brentano String QuartetDate: 04.09.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Sundays at Soka with PacificSymphony, Rachel Lee Priday &Juan-Miguel HernandezDate: 04.17.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Natasha Shoro and AnusheShoro Gallery Tour andDiscussion on “The Essence ofBeing: The Spiritual Being andInterconnectedness”Date: 04.20.2016Time: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pmLocation: Founders Hall Art Gallery

Chamber Music | OC presentsCél3bration – Trio Céleste AlbumRelease PartyDate: 04.24.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Critical Conversations: “The Future of the Planet” withDr. Vandana ShivaDate: 04.26.2016Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

MAY 2016Evans Associates presentsAmerica’s Neil Diamond Live!Date: 05.01.2016Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Yuja WangDate: 05.03.2016Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts Center

Soka University’s 15th AnnualInternational FestivalDate: 05.07.2016Time: 10:30 am - 5:00 pmLocation: Peace Lake area

ClassWorks 2016 Student ArtExhibit and

J.W. Fike's Photographic Surveyof the Wild Edible Botanicals ofCaliforniaDate: 05.19.2016 - 08.26.2016Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pmOpening Reception: 05.19.2016Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pmLocation: Founders Hall Art Gallery1st and 2nd Floor

Soka University’s 2016Commencement CeremonyDate: 05.27.2016Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pmLocation: Soka Performing Arts CenterBy invitation only

Purchase tickets for events held at the Soka PerformingArts Center at: www.performingarts.soka.eduFor more information on all events, visit www.soka.edu

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Welcome to SUA Founders, our special newsletter for our donors and friends, filled with updateson recent university happenings and events. I hope that you enjoy browsing through these pagesand see all that Soka University of America (SUA) has to offer.

This year, we welcomed our newest undergraduate Class of 2019 comprised of 127 students frommany different backgrounds and representing 17 different countries, including Brazil, Bulgaria,Ethiopia and Nepal. From the United States, our students come from 17 different states with amajority representing California. This year, we welcomed 15 Extended University Bridge Program

students representing three countries including France, Japan and Taiwan. We also have six new students enteringthe second graduate Class of 2017 for the Educational Leadership and Societal Change MA program. Thesestudents represent four countries including Ghana, Japan, Vietnam and the United States.

In September, we received official news of SUA’s rankings in U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2016Rankings. I am very pleased to share with you that we are tied for 45th in the national liberal arts college rankings.We also ranked #1 in faculty resources and #1 in financial resources. SUA placed #5 in Ethnic Diversity amongNational Liberal Arts Colleges and #1 for Foreign Student Factor. Finally, we came in at #4 for Best Value (justbehind Amherst, Pomona and Williams College) among the top National Liberal Arts Colleges. With theserankings, I am reminded of the contributions from our generous donors with the #1 ranking in financial resourcesand #4 in best value.

I am pleased to share that we held the second annual Dialogue on the Culture of Peace and Non Violence togetherwith leading figures in the field of peace on October 2nd at SUA. We were honored to welcome back AmbassadorAnwarul Chowdhury, Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations, whochaired the event together with SUA’s Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Ed Feasel. Thisyear we welcomed Ms. Irene Santiago from the Philippines and Ms. Luz Mendez from Guatemala whocontributed greatly to this year’s theme, “The Role and Contribution of Women in Fostering Peace.” Both womenparticipated in bringing peace in times of great conflict as representatives of peace negotiations and genderequality issues in their countries. We are truly fortunate to offer such meaningful academic opportunities to our students.

The 11th annual Peace Gala was held on Saturday, October 10, where we welcomed over 400 guests to ourcampus and raised funds for our student scholarships. This year, we welcomed Broadway star, David Burnham,for a wonderful rendition of Broadway songs. Each year, we welcome back returning benefactors to the gala,while also introducing many new friends to SUA and Soka education. It always brings me great pride to hearmany guests share their positive impressions of our university.

In closing, I would like express my appreciation to our donors and supporters who believe in our university’s mission.With your support, we are able to carry on the dream envisioned over 80 years ago by the founder of Soka Education,Mr. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, to provide students with an education for the sake of humanity’s future.

Sincerely,

Daniel Y. Habuki, Ph.D.

President

s u a f o u n d e r s | F a l l 2 0 1 5 3

THE 11TH ANNUAL PEACE GALA

4 w w w . s o k a . e d u



the Soka University campus celebrated the 11th annualPeace Gala. Welcoming more than 400 friends and guests,the night netted more than $460,000 for the scholarshipendowment. With the support of over 150 student, staff,and faculty volunteers, the evening could not have beenmore successful. Live Auction items included: a 4.81 caratheart-shaped diamond necklace, a $5000 South Coast Plazashopping spree, a guitar played and autographed by

Sammy Hagar, a painting of the SUA campus specificallycommissioned for the gala, a special edition Steif stuffedanimal of Totoro and a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. LindaKennedy, Director of Philanthropy, hosted the evening asMistress of Ceremonies. SUA senior Jaemin Park shared hisjourney to Soka. Broadway star David Burnham shared histalents with guests as he sang classic and modern Broadwaysongs.

On saturday, october 12,


6

Good Evening, my name is JaeminPark and I’m from South Korea. I’m27 and was born in the city of

Cheong-Ju. My life has been an arduousjourney from my home town to this stagetonight. I have many idyllic memories fromearly childhood: laying in bed with my comfyblanket, a warm breeze wafting through thewindow, mom’s beloved classical musicplaying on the old record player. My motherwas a modern woman in 1960s South Korea.She had a big impact on my childhood. Shenot only finished high school which was veryrare, but passed on to my sister and me greatappreciation for art, literature, poetry, musicand education. I think my mother recognizedsomething in me that was similar to her own

desires when I shared with her, that when Igrew up I would help people everywhere andhelp to create peace in the world, maybe evenwork for the United Nations. Of course somewould say these were just the musings of achild, but not to me. My mother alwaysembraced my dreams. To encourage me, sheeven hung an enormous world map on thewall so we could look at all of the countries Iwould visit.

My father on the other hand is a very manlyman who, although quite taciturn, is veryprudent and thinks everything throughbefore taking any actions. I always thoughtmy father was Superman, impervious toeverything and unstoppable. I realize now

“As I looked to the skies with snow

falling on my face his words came to

life. I closed my eyes and imagined

myself soaring into the sky and

looking back at earth. I saw one

peninsula, one people, one Korea. I

vowed to be part of the solution to a

united Korean peninsula. Then and

there my mind was made up to

attend Soka University.”

“



that from my mother I learned to dream bigdreams and from my father how to bepragmatic and prepare to take the necessarysteps to attain them.

I was always an emotional and sensitivechild. As I grew older I became aware of myparents’ struggles. My father worked longhours into the night but still lost one jobafter another. To maintain employment hehad to work far away from home and couldonly come home once a month. On top ofthis, my mother had to work long hours tohelp support us.

Many of my friends lived in one house, hadcars and a stay-at-home mother. The dadhad a career that allowed him to returnhome at night. I was embarrassed as we hadno car and kept moving, each time to asmaller house and a worse situation. Iremember being scared and home alonewith my older sister, cowering in the houseas debt collectors pounded on the door.

I wondered why we were not like otherfamilies. When I was nine I remembercomplaining to my mother about our lifesituation. To this day I cannot forget the lookof anguish on her face and the tears rollingdown her cheeks as she realized I had cometo understand the difficulties our family wasenduring. That day I grew up quickly as Iwanted to alleviate the hurt, sadness andstruggles of my family. I became a worrywort constantly concerned about whatcould happen next. I became good atholding my fears and anguish deep inside.One clear memory I have is the night mymom dropped my sister and me off to spendthe night with some friends. We were veryexcited at the prospect of a fun time. WhenI found out that my mother had requested westay with our friends for a few days longer Iwas concerned because I didn’t know whatwas keeping my parents from returning.After two days I was worried that somethingwas wrong. A week later my mother cameto pick us up. She looked worn out and tired.She told us that we had lost our home againincluding all of our appliances. My parents

had slept in the car for days until they couldfind another home for us. She sobbed as shetold me this, apologizing that we were soimpoverished. I was just so scared.

I now wondered how my father felt andthen I remembered something my momtold me. One night my dad arrived homelate and heard us having a good time insideour house. Hearing our laughter and at thesame time totally exhausted, he just sat onour door step and cried. He felt like such afailure to his family. My mother found himthere and comforted him. In retrospect, Irealized that’s what mothers do: they takeon the struggles, worries and disasters thatattack a family and try to comfort everyonewhile at the same time trying to repair all theholes that appear in the fabric of our lives.And my dad despite long distances, stillkept trying to do his best ability to providefor us. I look back now and wish I had beenable to comfort my parents and show moreappreciation, but I was just 9 years old.

My dreams changed and now they becameabout getting good grades, so I could get ajob and help my family. As I moved throughmy school years we continued to move, 12times all together. I became very stoickeeping everything inside. When I enteredhigh school, my only joy was the few hoursa week I could play sports and be involvedwith student government. In South Korea,school is 7AM to 10PM, twelve months ayear. It consisted of continuous rotememorization to pass tests in preparationfor college entrance exams. I was a goodstudent but my days were filled withcolorless classes and monotony. I wasn’tlearning anything, just memorizing facts soI could regurgitate them on tests. AlthoughI tried to maintain a happy face, I was oftensad inside. Once I overheard teacherstalking about me. They said “Jaemin is sucha sad sack.” Not only was I in a boringeducation system learning very little, but Iwas shocked to hear teachers openlygossiping about me in front of my fellowstudents. Looking back, I think how astutethe founder of Soka education Tsunesaburo

Makiguchi was. His desire and commitmentto create a humanistic, non-rote, valuecreating education for youth to develophappy, confident lives is relevant even today.Speaking of Makiguchi, I’d heard about SUAwhile in high school. It sounded amazingbut trying to be a pragmatic grown upattending SUA seemed like an impossibledream at that point.

To help support my family and quickly get agood job, during my third year of highschool I entered the police academy. Afterone semester I began to question mydecision. I felt like a loner, surrounded bystudents drinking, goofing off and cheatingon the tests. I was an odd ball because Iwanted to graduate quickly, get out on thestreets and get on with my life.

Seeing my disillusionment, my mother keptreminding me about my childhood goal tobecome a global citizen and encouraged meto not give up on dreams. Before I couldenvision a world of peace I had to first servemy mandatory two-year stint in the SouthKorean army. After challenging basictraining, because of my mental and physicalacuity, I was put into the Elite RangerBattalion. My mission was to invade NorthKorean territory, spy on the enemy thenreport back to help guide accurate air strikes.

It was that moment in my life when I was inutter hell that would become the fulcrumthat catapulted me to where I am today. Ihad been trudging through ice and snow for24 hours in full gear, fully armed, trekkingin no-man’s land which is that great barbedwire divide between warring countries. Iwas totally exhausted. Many soldiers my agehad escaped either by committing suicide orbeing killed by the North Korean army. Ibegan to feel a camaraderie with soldierswho fought before me like my father andpossibly some of you in the audiencetonight.

When I saw the North Korean Territory Iwas in shock. I was looking at a land thatwas stuck in time! A third world nation heldback by tyranny. As a Sergeant I could not

continued next page

8


fail. In my head I told myself over and over“I will not be able to accomplish anything if Icannot complete what I am doing now. As I stood there I remembered something the founder of Soka University, DaisakuIkeda said:

“Human beings need to have a macroscopicperspective as if we are observing the earthfrom the universe and then it appears as justa small community, when we do that wedelete the abstract concepts discriminatinghumans such as race, nationality andideology.”

As I looked to the skies with snow falling onmy face his words came to life. I closed myeyes and imagined myself soaring into thesky and looking back at earth. I saw onepeninsula, one people, one Korea. I vowedto be part of the solution to a united Koreanpeninsula. Then and there my mind wasmade up to attend Soka University.

Upon discharge from the Korean army Ibegan my journey to SUA. For six months, Iworked saving enough money to attendschool in the Philippines. For three months,I studied night and day to master English.While there I saw extreme poverty,hundreds of homeless children living andworking on the streets. I learned that theywere forced to beg and then turn over the

money to gangsters that owned them. I hada new goal: to solve poverty in the world.

I returned to Korea and continued to studyEnglish, imagining over and over againpassing the SAT, having my applicationaccepted, getting scholarships and thenarriving at this campus. When I received theacceptance email I was overcome withexcitement, joy and gratitude. I wasaccepted to the Bridge program establishedto improve the English of foreign studentsand upon completion would be part of theclass of 2016.

Upon arrival, my fantasy of an idyllic life atSUA was tarnished. I had clashes with andexperienced prejudice from fellow students.We all come from different backgrounds,ages and ideologies. My first instinct was topull into my shell. But the very nature ofSUA with its small classes and living oncampus actually made that hard to do. Infact, Soka is not perfect! Yet, I would say thatSoka is the perfect place that enablesstudents to truly understand people fromdifferent parts of the world and diversecultures, helping us transform into globalcitizens. Because of my struggles, eventuallyI was able to dialogue with students whohumiliated me. We are now friends, havinglearned to understand each other hearts

and respect each other’s differences.

In the future, when I have left thiswonderful petri dish of peace that is SUA, Iwill not forget that the absence of educationis one of the main reasons why the poor aretrapped in the poverty.

I want to use what I have learned at Sokaespecially for those who do not have accessto good education. Also I am convinced thatwhen countries have good economicpolicies to stimulate their economies, theless privileged will have more disposableincome to educate their children. As youmay know North Korea is in the newsconstantly, with new threats of war anddestruction. It is still a clear and presentdanger. My heart aches, but it deepens mydetermination in the reunification of theKorean peninsula.

I want to first thank my parents for nevergiving up and always doing their best toprovide for me and encourage me to dreambig. I am happy to say they are healthy,happy and still a very romantic coupleenjoying life together. And mostimportantly I want to express the depth ofmy gratitude to you, the donors, who havemade my Soka education possible.Youhave my commitment to make the world abetter place. Thank you so much.”

Jaemin Park, continued from page 7

Thank you to everyone who attended

and helped make this Peace Gala a huge success.

Mark your calendar now for the

Twelfth annual Peace Gala,

Celebrating a Vision of Peace,

Saturday, October 8, 2016.


STUDY ABROAD

Study abroad in Mendoza, Argentina,provided Sage Dunham (2016) withmany contrasts. Simultaneously she

found herself an insider living in the country asa member of an Argentine host family whilealso an outsider with the language skills of achild. Seeing Argentina from this insider’sperspective allowed Sage to experience theculture that only native Argentinians know.

Mendoza is a city of contrasts. Geographicallythe city is both a valley beside the mountainsand an oasis in the desert. The streets are linedwith trees to shade the houses from intense sunand have deep gutters to direct waterthroughout the city. Argentina incorporates amixture of European, Latin American, andNorth American cultures. In a strip of high-endrestaurants, one will find Milanesa (Argentina’sunofficial national dish) next to an Irish bar, anItalian restaurant, and a McDonalds. DIRECTVsatellites are perched atop almost every home,even those made of metal and dirt, so everyonecan watch the Argentinian futbol teams.

“However, the most shocking contrast for me isin the everyday actions of the Argentinians.Mendocinos in general are amazingly patient.I’ve observed them wait in line for hours onlyto be turned away when the bank closed forsiesta. But even the most patient Mendocinoswill run red lights or honk if they think the carthey are following is going too slow,” said Sage.

The most important thing she learned from herexperience in the Argentinian culture is to valuepeople. “In Argentina, people always come first.The short work and school days allow familiesto relax and enjoy time together.” Her classesalways began with 15 minutes of studentsgreeting one another and asking about theirlives. At first she found this to be a terrible wasteof time but she soon learned that they do not valueefficiency as Americans do. Sage commented that

“they focus on the means rather than the end.”

The months Sage spent in Argentina providedher with the awareness to reflect on conflictingvalues existing in her own life. She is determinedto remedy them now that she is back at SUA.

10 w w w . s o k a . e d u

UNDERGRADUATE ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT

In 2010, Agnes Conrad (2012) received a PacificBasin Research Center grant that allowed her to travelto Nepal. While there, she was inspired to learnHimalayan history and languages. She discoveredthat, contrary to the romantic perception of Tibet as aland inaccessible to the outside world, the reality forhundreds of years was that the Tibetan plateau hasbeen a melting pot of ideas, peoples, and customs andis itself home to many great artistic, poetic, andphilosophical traditions. Agnes met many Tibetanswho, in the face of social pressure to shift to urbanliving, made the decision to move back to their hometowns or villages on the grasslands of the Tibetanplateau to engage in yak herding, tourism, or teaching,rather than pursue working in a city. Meeting thesepeople expanded Agnes’ interest in the way peoplerelate to both the land and ideas of tradition andmodernity. After graduating from Soka, Agnes wentto India for a year to study at Sarah College to beginlearning Central Tibetan dialect. For the next 18 months she stayed in Tibet working for a smallfamily-owned business that incorporated an arts cooperative, a hostel, a café, and atour/trekking/nomad homestay business. She wasable to participate in purchasing, translating, andorganizing student tours and treks. After returning toSan Francisco for seven months to work and build upher savings, she returned to the Tibetan plateau lastSeptember to attend a Tibetan college within aChinese University in Qinghai, China. There she

studied Tibetan poetry and literature as well as theChinese language.

She was very excited to study and become moreproficient in reading and writing the Tibeto-Burmeselanguages. Agnes believes language, specifically thewritten word, is our greatest human accomplishment.She said, “When we learn new languages, we not onlyopen our minds to different paradigms, but we showrespect and initiative in trying to understand how ourfellow human beings think. This is the first, most basicstep, we can take to make the world a better place:seeing each other not as foreigners or strangers butpart of a global community that is accessible, relatableand equal in our humanity.”

Agnes has also said, “The strongest lesson I learnedat Soka was what the world needs now is a change ofheart. We can change our location, change ourappearances, change our names, but if we do notdeeply and radically change the way we relate to ourfellow human beings, the same problems willcontinue to arise for eternity. Learning Tibetan is myeffort to deeply and radically change my heart, my life,and my world view to a point that whatever I do inthe future I will be able to do so with profound, deeprespect (not fear) of the unknown.”

It is Agnes’ hope and her fellow classmates’ hope toeventually create an organization to financially assistyoung Tibetan students in pursuing an education likethe one she received at Soka.

The PBRCprovides summergrants to SUAstudents on acompetitive basisto travel toconferences,institutes,workshops, or toconduct fieldresearch indevelopingcountries.

“The strongest lesson Ilearned at Soka waswhat the world needsnow is a change of heart.”


FACULTY HIGHLIGHT

Tomoko Takahashi, Ph.D., Ed.D.,LHD, Vice President for Institutional Researchand Assessment, has been elected to the WASC[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]Senior College and University Commission(WSCUC). The Commission evaluates the qualityand effectiveness of colleges and universities inthe Western region, including California andHawaii.

During her three-year term as a Commissioner,which began on July 1, 2015, Dr. Takahashi willwork with other members of the Commission toevaluate and act on institutional review portfoliosfor accreditation and set policies related toaccreditation standards and procedures.

Since 2001, as Soka’s Accreditation LiaisonOfficer (ALO), Dr. Takahashi has lead theuniversity’s accreditation effort. Soka wasaccredited by WSCUC in 2005, four years earlierthan expected, and reaccredited for ten years in2010.

Regarding her recent appointment, Dr. Takahashishared, “Being elected to the Commission is trulya great honor. As Soka’s ALO and as a frequentvisiting committee member evaluating otherinstitutions, I have gained valuable experiencewith the Commission. I look forward to gainingmore experience, as a Commissioner, sitting onthe other side of the table where decisions arebeing made.”

In addition to her role as VP for InstitutionalResearch and Assessment, Dr. Takahashi servesas the Dean of the Graduate School.

“I look forward to gaining more experience, as a

Commissioner, sitting on the other side of the

table where decisions are being made.”

12 w w w . s o k a . e d u

CULTURE OF PEACE CONFERENCE 2015

The Second Annual Dialogue on the Culture ofPeace and Non-Violence was held on October 2,2015, at Soka University of America. The Role andContribution of Women in Fostering Peace was thetheme of this year’s dialogue.

Soka welcomed the return of AmbassadorAnwarul K. Chowdhury to chair the dialogue andalso welcomed two prominent internationalleaders in the campaign for women’s rights, peace,and security: Irene M. Santiago from thePhilippines and Luz Méndez from Guatemala.The day’s events included multiple dialoguesinvolving SUA students and faculty. Theseexchanges highlighted and promoted theincreasing role of women in fostering peace in theSoka curriculum and overall educationalexperience throughout global society.

Ambassador Chowdhury discussed his role inspearheading UN Security Council Resolution1325 declaring the commitment by the UnitedNations to political and economic empowermentof women and the support of initiatives by itsmember nations for women to become activeagents for peace and equality.

Irene Santiago discussed being an advocate forgender equality most of her adult life. Everywhereshe goes she encounters gender inequality. Shestated that women especially need to “participateto influence.” She is one of the few women in theworld with actual experience in formal peacenegotiations. She was a member of thePhilippines government that negotiated with theMoro Islamic Liberation Front, and she was alsothe Executive Director of the highly successfulNGO Forum on Women held in China in 1995.With 30,000 participants, it was historically the

largest international conference on women.

Luz Méndez has dedicated her entire life to socialchange in Guatemala. She participated in theGuatemalan peace negations as the only femalemember of Unidad Revolucionaria NacionalGuatemalteca, contributing to unprecedentedcommitments for gender equality in the peaceaccords years before Resolution 1325. She is amember of the UN High Level Advisory Group forthe Global Study on the implementation ofSecurity Council Resolution 1325.

Ms. Mendez, Ms. Santiago, and AmbassadorChowdhury enjoyed discussing with SUA facultyhow curriculum can be enriched by the culture ofpeace and non-violence and how gender can beintegrated across each of the disciplines.Participants modeled the belief that universitiescan be a place for discussion, a place to popularizepositive aspects of culture that will result in peace.Professors can be role models to those who do nothave these conversations at home. Hosting opendialogues and faculty forums can be the buildingblocks on many levels.

To conclude the meeting, speakers engaged in afinal panel discussion open to the Sokacommunity and the public. AmbassadorChowdhury emphasized that women are usuallythe first victims of armed conflict and that the onlyway for sustainable peace is through equality. BothMs. Santiago and Ms. Mendez encouraged theaudience with their powerful words: “Know whatyou want, imagine the future, in the end – just do it!”

Ms. Santiago and Ms. Méndez are workingtogether on “#Women.Seriously!” The campaignuses social media to mobilize people to propel theagenda of women’s rights, peace, and security.

Special thanks to the Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation for making this special dialogue possible

14 w w w . s o k a . e d u

PROFESSOR Q & A

Please provide a brief background aboutyourself.I grew up in Dortmund, Germany, in the heart of anindustrial region dominated by coal mining, steelproduction, beer brewing and soccer. In 1986-7, I wasa foreign high school exchange student in a small ruraltown in Northern California. I lived in a very modestmobile home park surrounded by almond farms.While there I realized I am a city person. After highschool, I headed straight for the Latin Quarter in Paristo perfect my French. My penchant for city livingturned into a passionate interest in city building. Myprevious life had been pretty car dependent but Paristaught me otherwise. I switched my studies fromFrench literature to urban planning – and made a careerof advocating for more environmentally sustainable andsocially equitable cities all across the world.

From which institutions do you hold degrees?After a few years of undergraduate studies in Germany,I signed up for an exchange year at ColumbiaUniversity’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planningand Preservation. I received a dual Master’s degree inUrban Planning and International Affairs fromColumbia and then started to work for ITDP, aninternational environmental organization focusing onsustainable transportation. I worked withenvironmental groups in Eastern Europe and LatinAmerica and was a gender consultant for the WorldBank and UN Habitat. I received my Ph.D. in UrbanPlanning and Policy Development from Rutgers.

What attracted you to SUA?My first academic appointment took me back toGermany, to the Technical University Berlin. In 2008my family and I returned to Los Angeles. (My husbandis a screenwriter and LA is the hub of his industry.) Isecured a multi-year research fellowship from theGerman Research Foundation and was adjunct facultyat USC. However, I wanted to leave the world of bigresearch universities behind to focus more on teaching.So when Soka advertised for my current job, I found ita perfect fit. I was presented with wonderful newcolleagues, smart students, amazing staff and

bountiful resources, allwrapped up in a beautifulcampus setting. I’ve had theopportunity to develop atwo-year rotation ofcourses on various builtenvironment topics and Ialso get to teach two reallyfun general educationclasses, Modes of Inquiryand Learning Cluster.

What distinguishesSoka students in youropinion?Soka students arrive oncampus with a wide rangeof interests and abilities.Regardless of where theystart out, they grow somuch during their timehere. The best students rival any graduate studentsI’ve taught at USC oranywhere else, and Sokastudents’ enthusiasm andcompassion for each otheris just wonderful to see.

What inspires you?So many aspects of mywork at Soka are inspiring:meeting students again forthe first time after they’vebeen away for study abroadand witnessing first-hand how much that experiencehas enriched, transformed and matured them;students telling me that my Learning Cluster on LosAngeles got them hooked on being constant explorersof LA’s rich cultural offerings; interesting lunchconversations with SUA faculty and staff; and seeingdeer and other wildlife during my afternoon run inWood Canyon before braving the crowded freewayson my way home.


Professor

Q&A

Do you have other reflections aboutyour experience as a faculty memberat SUA?

The craziest thing about me ending up atSUA is that my husband, whom I met inmy early 20s, actually grew up a few milesfrom here, so I have memories of hiking inAliso and Wood Canyons when the hilltopthat SUA stands on today was still

undeveloped. Back then, I was just aGerman college girl visiting her newboyfriend’s family in Southern California,starting off on her life’s amazingtransatlantic adventure. That’s why joiningthe SUA faculty 20 years later to teach thenext generation of global citizens about

“the creative coexistence of nature andhumanity” felt like life coming full circle.

And I wonder what kinds of stories mystudents will be able to tell 20 years fromnow.

ALUMNI NEWS

16 w w w . s o k a . e d u

Soka University was a flurry of activityAugust 1st and 2nd when 83 pioneerstudents from the undergraduate

class of 2005, along with 49 familymembers, returned to campus to celebratetheir 10-year reunion. Sohokai alumnicame from as far away as Ghana to jointheir friends and to reminisce about theyears they spent in Aliso Viejo.

The Class of 2005 10-year reunion beganSaturday morning with a welcome fromreunion planners Juliana Sugano and AlexMarcos. Michael Sasaki and Junko Satoprovided special dance entertainment fortheir classmates. A special message fromDaisaku Ikeda was read by Stacey Smith.The founder said, “You have blazed a newand previously untrod path withindomitable commitment andperseverance, and have given movingexpression to your earnest and enduringlove for your alma mater through yoursupport for SUA’s future development.” EdFeasel, Vice President of Academic Affairs,Chief Academic Officer and Dean of

Faculty, took the podium to share some ofhis fondest memories.

Class of 2005 members and their guestsgathered in the Bistro to enjoy lunch withfaculty and staff and to catch up with oldfriends. Many were impressed to learnhow the alumni were fulfilling theuniversity mission in their daily lives.

An afternoon meeting took place in theSoka Performing Arts Center, providing anopportunity for some visitors to experiencethe beautiful hall for the first time. YuyaUchida and Caisy Lun welcomed theaudience before Michael O’Malley readremarks from the founder who referred tothe Class of 2005 as “a light of hopeilluminating a new era of learning forhumankind.” Videos from the classes of2006, 2007, and 2008 remembered andhonored the pioneer class. Professor PhatVu, Chef Kiyoko Trobough, and alumnusShinsuke Tanaka shared their experienceswith the audience. Director of Philanthropy,Linda Kennedy, announced total alumnigiving had surpassed the $500,000 mark

with more than $104,000 coming from theClass of 2005. President Habuki concludedthe program by sharing his specialmemories and encouraging alumni tocontinue contributing to the university.

Following the meeting, the crowd gatheredon the walk around Peace Lake for theunveiling of the Class of 2005 on FoundersCircle commemorating their generous giftsto SUA totaling more than $100,000.

On Saturday night, a formal dinner andevening of fun took place in the FoundersArt Gallery. Attendees enjoyed casinogames, a photo booth, dancing, andkaraoke. Sunday was family fun day at thepool with a BBQ and games for everyone.The weekend festivities concluded with aformal dinner at the Athenaeum courtyardwhere each alumnus was presented with anecklace or cuff links bearing the Sohokailogo. An open mic provided an opportunityfor attendees to reflect upon the last tenyears and also make vocal pledges to trulybecome global citizens who contribute tosociety.


WAYS TO GIVE

Ways toGive

There are as

many different

ways to support

Soka University

of America

as there are donors.

Appreciated

Securities

(Stocks and Bonds)

Charitable

Remainder

Trust

IRA

Life Insurance

Check

Cash

Credit Card

Personal

Property

Real

Estate

Retirement

Plan

Assets

Charitable

Gift

Annuity

Please contact Linda Kennedy, Director of Philanthropy, at 949-480-4072 to discuss what option works best for you.

18 w w w . s o k a . e d u

CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS 2015-16 SPEAKER SERIES

WED | NOV 18, 2015 | 7 PM

Anna Deavere Smith: The School to Prison PipelinePulitzer Prize nominated playwright, actor and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Smith is known for creating a new form of theatre thathighlights issues of community, character, and diversity in America. She has performed on the popular series Nurse Jackie, The West Wingand Madame Secretary. Doing Time in Education deepens our understanding of poor, urban and minority youth stuck on pathways to prison.

WED | FEB 17, 2016 | 7 PM

An Evening with Henry RollinsActor, author, DJ, voice-over and spoken-word artist, TV and radio show host, former frontman for Black Flag and the Rollins Band will igniteideas and conversation about work, war, education, race, politics and peace. And whatever else is on his mind.

TUES | APRIL 26, 2016 | 7 PM

Dr. Vandana Shiva: The Future of the PlanetDr. Shiva combines sharp intellectual enquiry with courageous activism. Her work spans teaching worldwide to working with peasants inrural India. Named by Forbes as one of the “seven most powerful women on the globe,” and by Asia Week as “one of the five mostpowerful communicators in Asia.” Dr. Shiva is the author of over twenty books.

Soka University is launching Critical Conversations @ Soka, a newcommunity speakers series aimed at raising awareness about pressingsocial and environmental issues. Performing artist Anna Deavere Smith,instigator Henry Rollins, and activist Dr. Vandana Shiva will be at theSoka Performing Arts Center throughout the academic year


SOKA CAMPUS NEWS

This fall, Soka Career Services launchedBridges-to-Business (B2B), a unique college-to-career accelerator program designed to supportstudents in bridging the gap between college andcareer by developing business etiquette, knowledge,skills, and contacts. B2B participants will receivementoring about purpose-driven business models,such as social enterprise and B-Corporations. Theywill get access to an expanded professional networkand be trained to understand basic finance,marketing, innovation, and business analysis skillsthat serve all sectors of the economy. Students willalso get private coaching to help them find jobs.

The B2B program received 26 applications. Acommittee of faculty and staff selected fifteenparticipants. These students will also receive freetuition (valued at $2,000) to Fullbridge, a businessskills workshop developed by Harvard BusinessSchool professors. Training is being held on campusduring spring break, March 14 - 18, 2016.

For more information about serving as a mentoror business contact for Soka students, contact Mary Patrick Kavanaugh [email protected].

Soka University of America Athletics Department added women’s golf to their NAIAsports program. Competition starts in spring 2016.

Jack Evans (2018) took first place in the Men’s 8k Cross Country Race on November 3, 2016, at the CaliforniaPacific Conference Championship. He set a personal record of 25:39.5. This is the first time a Soka cross countryrunner has individually won a conference championship. For more information on Soka Athletics visit their newwebsite at http://sokaathletics.com

Soka Athletics has been recognized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)as a Champions of Character 5 star gold member.

SOKA ATHLETICS NEWS

Soka University’s 15th Annual International Festival

May 7, 201610:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

www.soka.edu/festival

SAVETHE DATE

HEADER LEFTSoka University of America

1 University Drive

Aliso Viejo, California 92656

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PublisherSoka University of America

PresidentDaniel Y. Habuki, Ph.D.

Executive EditorLinda Kennedy

EditorDana Collins

Graphic DesignCathy Cervantes

PhotographerMitsu Kimura

Have You Moved Recently?

We would like to keep you informed of the

wonderful news from SUA, so if you have a new

address, please let us know by going to our website

www.soka.edu/giving/u.s.-donor-address-

update.aspx or send an email to Coleen

Scherf-Ghara at [email protected] or contact

her directly at (949) 480-4073. If you know

someone who has mentioned they no longer hear

from SUA, please make sure they contact us so we

can update their information.

FALL 2015 | WWW.SOKA.EDU

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

News BitesSoka’s new rankings in US News &World Report’s “Best Colleges 2016”

#1 in Study Abroad

#1 in Faculty Resources

#5 in Diversity

#4 Best Value National Liberal Arts Colleges

Top 10 West Coast Liberal Arts Colleges

Also, Soka was ranked as Top 10 Best Colleges in California in USA Today

Archives available!

Past issues of the SUA FoundersNewsletter can be found atwww.soka.edu/giving/sua-founders.aspx

Save the Date!Class of 2006 10-Year ReunionJuly 30-31, 2016SUA Campus

IN THIS ISSUE

2015 Peace Gala 4

Alumni Highlight 10

Culture of Peace 12

Professor Q&A 14

Class of 2005 Reunion 16

Critical Conversations 18

FALL 2015 Founders Backup Files/sua... · That’s Life! A Toast to Sinatra ... Sammy Hagar, a...

Documents

Transcript of FALL 2015 Founders Backup Files/sua... · That’s Life! A Toast to Sinatra ... Sammy Hagar, a...