APRIL 2022 | SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
Global Citizen Award Honors Andrew Young
Former US Ambassador Andrew Young has received the 2022 Soka Global Citizen Award in recognition of his lifelong dedication to peacebuilding, human rights, and the freedom of all people. Read
Headshot of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi Is 2022 Commencement Speaker
Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi will be keynote speaker of SUA’s 2022 commencement ceremony on May 27. Ebadi, who was the first woman judge in Iran, received the Nobel Peace Price in 2003. Read
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Danny Elfman and Colin Currie
Danny Elfman & Colin Currie
Upcoming Shows at Soka Performing Arts Center

LISTEN. FEEL. TRANSFORM.
4/9 Edgar Meyer and the Scottish Ensemble
4/10 Conrad Tao
4/14 Yefim Bronfman
4/19 Emanuel Ax
4/24 North American Premiere of Danny Elfman Percussion Concerto featuring Colin Currie with the Pacific Symphony
Co-commissioned by Soka University and the London Philharmonic
4/29 Brian Greene, Theoretical Physicist, "Beyond Einstein: The Fundamental Nature of Space and Time"
4/30 Mike Garson with Hubert Laws
5/1 Pacific Symphony Performs Ticheli and Beethoven with Jennifer Frautschi
Peace Lake bounded by purple trees with Founders Hall in the background
Soka Reopens Campus to the Public
Just in time for spring, the community can again enjoy the grounds of SUA’s 103-acre campus. In addition, some protocols for visitors, guests, and event attendees have changed. Read
Professor Hortense J. Spillers gestures with her hand as she speaks into a microphone
Reflections on a Transformative Career: Hortense J. Spillers
Hortense J. Spillers, distinguished visiting professor of literature at SUA, discusses her groundbreaking career as an American literary critic and Black feminist scholar exploring the African diaspora and Black experience in America. Read
"Human beings inherently possess the strength to overcome any challenge. When youth stand up in solidarity, confident that they can determine the future, this fresh awareness and momentum will surely become the driving force toward a brighter future."
— Daisaku Ikeda, 2022 Peace Proposal
Simon Mainwaring holds a microphone and stands on stage in the Black Box Theatre on Soka's campus where he speaks to an audience about Rewiring Capitalism. There is a screen behind projecting some of his presentation points
Critical Conversations: Reimagining Capitalism
At the first gathering of Critical Conversations @Soka in more than two years, brand futurist Simon Mainwaring and entrepreneur Gail Becker discuss how businesses and all consumers must address urgent social and climate crises. Read
A crowd listens to panelists engaged in discussion during the Black history month event in the Student Affairs lobby
Black Voices at SUA: “We Are Here”
Staff, faculty, and students gathered for a panel conversation about Black identity, vitality, and voices at SUA in honor of Black History Month. Read
Collage of 4 women posing for the Women of Soka photoshoot
SUA Women Share Messages From the Heart
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Soka women shared heartfelt writings about their lives, work, and families—and the goals and dreams that keep them inspired. Read
Two women smile at the camera as they sit at a table with menstrual products
Building Businesses for a Better World
This year’s Impactathon, a social impact business venture competition for students and alumni, ended with two teams sharing the top prize. Read
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