Guest Residence

SUA's lovely Guest Residence overlooks Aliso Wood Canyon's Wilderness Park.

Athenaeum

The Athenaeum at SUA, Aliso Viejo takes its name from the Temple of Athena where Socrates taught. It was designed to be a center of dialogue and learning. The Athenaeum garden overlooks Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

• Reception Area
• Conference Facilities
• Guest Apartments
• Kitchen Facilities

Horizon Residence Hall

Horizon Residence Hall was named by SUA students for the junction of earth and sky as it sits at the edge of the residential community and affords an unobstructed view of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park and Top of the World, Laguna Beach. Horizon is located west of Aurora Residence Hall and east of Minuteman Residence Hall.

Small Conference Center

SUA's Small Conference Center is used for a variety of receptions and small conferences.

• Conference room
• Offices
• Guest Rooms
• Kitchen
• Beautiful views of the Aliso Viejo and Wood canyons

Minuteman Residence Hall

Minuteman Residence Hall (to the far left) was named in memory of Minuteman Hall at SUA's first graduate school campus in Calabasas. It is located west of Somnus Residence Hall and overlooks the 4,000-acre Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

Aurora Residence Hall

Aurora Residence Hall was named by SUA students. This hall is named after the Roman goddess of dawn because of the stunning city views to the east.

Sunrise Residence Hall

Sunrise Residence Hall was named by the Class of 2005 because it faces east toward the rising sun from one of the highest points on SUA’s campus. Sunrise Hall has double rooms which have their own bath, a recreation room, laundry facilities, an exercise room and a Multi-faith Room which students of any faith may reserve.

Abeona Residence Hall

Abeona Residence Hall was named by SUA students after the Guardian and Protector of children leaving home. Abeona is located west of Sunrise Residential Hall and east of Somnus Residence Hall in the center of the Residence Hall area overlooking the one-acre Student Bowl.

Somnus Residence Hall

Somnus Residence Hall was named by SUA students. It was named after the Roman god of sleep and dreams. Somnus Hall is located west of Abeona Residence Hall and east of Sunset and Minuteman Residence Halls in the center of the Residence Hall area overlooking the one-acre Student Bowl.

Sunset Residence Hall

Sunset Residence Hall was named by the Class of 2005 because it faces west toward the setting sun. It is west of Somnus Hall and overlooks the 4,000-acre Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

Umoja Residence Hall

Umoja (ooh-MOE-jah) Residence Hall was named by SUA students. The word is of African origin and embodies the spirit of togetherness or unity, which is a characteristic of SUA’s residential community. Umoja Hall is located west of Minuteman Residence Hall and overlooks Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

Wangari Maathai Hall

Wangari Maathai Hall, SUA's newest classroom building next to the Soka Performing Arts Center, opened in Fall 2011. It has 11 classrooms, 29 faculty offices, a 150-seat black box theatre, four dressing rooms, a rehearsal/dance studio and musician warm-up spaces. The hall was named for Lareate Wangari Maathai of Kenya. She was the first woman in Central and/or Eastern Africa to hold a PhD, first woman head of a university department in Kenya, and the first African woman to win the Nobel Prize in Peace. This building dedication celebrates her epic struggle for the empowerment of women and peaceful democratic change through the protection and sustainability of the environment as exemplified by the Green Belt Movement which she founded.

Linus & Ava Helen Pauling Hall

• Seminar rooms
• Multimedia Classroom Theatre seating 150
• Science labs (4)
• Ceramics Center
• Painting and drawing studio
• Music ensemble and practice rooms
• Digital music studio
• Photography center
• Faculty offices
• Student Learning Cluster rooms
• Dean of Faculty's office
• Student lounges

Student Center

The Student Center has been designed to be the comfortable "living room" and "dining room" of the campus, encouraging students, faculty, and staff to interact outside of the classroom.

• Soka Bistro (dining hall)
• Outdoor dining area
• Bookstore and convenience store
• Game Room
• Post office and mail room
• Conference rooms
• Student Health Services
• Student Counseling Center
• Campus Security Office

Performing Arts Center

The Performing Arts Center will open in May 2011 as part of SUA’s 10th Anniversary celebration. The center has 1000 seats and is being built to LEED certification standards for energy and water efficiency. Note the green roof! The construction team includes Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, LLP; McCarthy Building Companies, Inc; Auerbach Pollock Friedlander (Theatre Consultant) and Yasuhisa Toyota of Nagata Acoustics.

Mohandas & Kasturba Gandhi Hall

• Multimedia classrooms
• Interactive multimedia classrooms
• Seminar rooms
• Distance learnign rooms
• Student lounges
• Conference rooms
• President's office
• VP for Administrative Affairs' office
• Faculty offices
• Student Learning Cluster rooms

Daisaku & Kaneda Ikeda Library

SUA's beautiful (124,000 sq.ft.) library was named for SUA's founder, Daisaku Ikeda and his wife, Kaneko Ikeda.

It is open to the community for study and research during regular library hours while classes are in session. Children must be accompanied by adults.

The North Wing of the library hosts all library services.

The South Wing currently houses:

• Pacific Basin Research Center
• Student Activities Offices
• Dean of Students office
• Student Housing office
• Information Technology
• Computer Lab
• Writing Center

Aliso & Wood Canyon Wilderness Park

Aliso Canyon is adjacent to SUA's campus. Soka University is surrounded by Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park on 80% of its property line. Get up early to meet some of SUA's very quiet neighbors in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.

Links

• Directions & Location
• Park photos, bike trails and map
• Wilderness park photos, activities, and events

Founders Hall

Founders Hall, with its distinctive copper dome, welcomes both students and community members to campus. It is located at the front of campus overlooking Peace Lake. This is the first stop for anyone needing information about the campus or university programs.

• Atrium, Reception, Tours - 1st Floor
• Art Gallery (8,000 sq.ft., 2 stories) - 1st and 2nd Floors
• Community Relations - 1st Floor
• Development - 1st Floor
• Finance - 1st Floor
• Enrollment Services (one stop admission assistance) - 2nd Floor
• Financial Aid - 2nd Floor
• Human Resources - 3rd Floor
• Board Room - 3rd Floor
• Founders Meeting Room - 3rd Floor

Peace Fountain & Lake

Peace Lake

• Designed by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates and SWA as a peaceful and serene campus focal point and gathering area
• Serves as a reservoir and pumping station for campus fire protection
• One acre in size and holds two million gallons of water. Eight feet deep in the center, five feet deep on the sides
• Divided by two twelve-foot wide walkways

Peace Fountain

• Given to SUA by a generous donor
• Stands 25 feet high and was sculpted in Italy
• Is a slightly taller version of the fountain found at SUA's sister campus, Soka University in Japan.

Recreation Center

The SUA Recreation complex includes:

• Bleacher seating for 1,300
• Floor seating that can accommodate up to 1000
• Full gym with good acoustics
• Indoor racquetball courts and a full equipment center
• Patios overlooking the Olympic sized pool and Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park to the west
• The tennis courts and fields to the east

Campus Entrance

As you enter SUA, you'll be greeted by Soka University's logo and members of our security team in the gate house. They will be happy to provide you with a campus map. Our security team is also trained in first aid, and will come quickly if you press the button on any of the blue emergency columns in our parking lots.