“At Soka, we believe that education does not begin when you choose an area of study or take an exam,” said Ian Read, the associate dean of faculty, addressing the Class of 2029 during the academic opening session on Aug. 7. “Education begins when you start to ask meaningful questions about yourself and think about your role in the world and the kind of person you want to become.”
At this welcome week event, first-year students learned about each of the five academic concentrations at Soka University of America (SUA)—Environmental Studies, Humanities, International Studies, Life Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences—and had the opportunity to participate in small group information sessions on two concentrations of their choice.
Sandra Siméon, the assistant dean of global citizenship, laid the groundwork for this discussion with a brief presentation on global learning, which education scholars Hilary Landorf and Stephanie Doscher define as “the process of diverse people collaborating on complex problems that transcend borders and engaging in actions that promote collective well-being.”
The discussion that followed was guided by two thought-provoking questions: What kind of person do you want to become by the time you graduate? What is a problem in the world that matters to you, and how might an education help you address it?
Students shared how they envision their education helping them contribute to global solutions for the climate crisis, economic inequality and diseases like cancer. Others expressed that they hope to grow more confident in their knowledge of different issues and more courageous in speaking out.
Deepening the Conversation: Engaging With SUA’s Founding Principles
Jason Goulah, distinguished visiting professor of Ikeda Studies, expanded the discussion about the purpose of a college education in a session covering the philosophical underpinnings of how learning works at SUA. He introduced students to four concepts at the core of Ikeda’s humanistic approach to education: dialogue, global citizenship, creative coexistence and value creation.
On the concept of dialogue, Goulah explained that SUA founder, Daisaku Ikeda, viewed education as an active process in which teacher and student learn together, mutually contributing to each other’s growth and development. At SUA, this idea is reflected not only in the small class sizes and access to one-on-one mentorship with faculty, but in the way instructors teach, continually seeking input and participation from students.
Goulah emphasized that college is a special and formative time. Students have the opportunity to build lifelong friendships, expand their horizons and experience tremendous personal growth.
“You’re embarking on an amazing part of your life that will never happen again,” he said. “You really have to make the most of it.”
You are reading {{ meterCount }} of {{ meterMax }} free premium articles