2025 Commencement Ceremony
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Class of 2025,
In a few months, you’ll walk across the stage as Soka University of America graduates, cheered on by your family, friends, and the SUA community. This remarkable academic achievement is the result of your hard work and perseverance. On behalf of the entire SUA community, I warmly congratulate you for reaching this milestone in your education.
Throughout your time here, your class has met profound changes with hope and resilience – from beginning your academic journey amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to mourning the loss of our university founder, Daisaku Ikeda. You have engaged in crucial conversations about peace and justice in response to the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and other distressing global events, continually striving to live up to our university’s mission through your commitment to dialogue and human rights. Each of you have made great strides in developing as global citizens based on enhancing your inherent qualities of courage, compassion, and wisdom, just as Mr. Ikeda encouraged us to do. I am confident that each of you, newly equipped with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts or a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Societal Change, will apply what you have learned to bring about positive change and contribute to your communities.
To help you and your families plan for graduation, we put together this commencement guide outlining all events and activities that will take place that week. We look forward to honoring your many wonderful accomplishments this May.
Sincerely,
Edward M. Feasel, Ph.D.
President
Commencement Details
Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
Time: 2 pm
Location: Soka Performing Arts Center
- Ticket is required to enter the Performing Arts Center.
- Performing Arts Center lobby doors will open at 12:30 pm.
- Doors to the center will open at 1 pm for seating.
- No drinks or food are allowed inside the Performing Arts Center.
- Campus is closed to the public.
- Light refreshments will be served following the ceremony outside of the Performing Arts Center. In case of rain, refreshments will be served in Founders Hall.
- Fresh flower bouquets and leis will be available for purchase at the SPAC patio from 12:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will support the Class of 2026.
Graduating students will not receive the actual diploma at the Commencement Ceremony. They will only receive their diploma cover. For Undergraduate students, once a final degree check has been completed, the diploma will be printed and mailed. Students should be sure to update their home/mailing address information in Learning Solutions before they leave. Graduate students will receive their diploma after the ceremony.
Guest admission to the Commencement Ceremony is by ticket only. Other than graduating students, no other members of the SUA community can request tickets for their guests.
All guests must be seated by 1:45 pm. Any open seats after 1:45 pm may be filled by other guests.
- Guests of Graduating Students
All guest tickets and special accommodations must be requested by the graduating student through the Commencement Ticket Request Survey. Graduating students may request up to a maximum of five (5) tickets for their guests (The graduate does not need a ticket for admission). Any special seating request such as wheelchair access or seating for children under the age of five must be made at the time of ticket request.
Accessing Tickets:
- All tickets are emailed, and guests are strongly encouraged to access their tickets in advance. If a guest does not provide an email address, the ticket will be emailed to the graduating student.
- Please CLICK HERE for instructions on how to access tickets and display ticket barcodes (printed or digital) required for venue entry.
- Any name changes must be made in advance by the graduating student and not by a member of their party.
- Some tickets may indicate restrictions such as partially obstructed view or wheelchair space/companion seat. Please be assured that all seats will have varying, but adequate sightlines and padded chairs placed in any unused wheelchair spaces.
- Any student or guest who is not able to access tickets under their name in advance may pick them up at the Soka Performing Arts Center Box Office (located to the left of the main lobby entrance) during the specific Will Call hours listed below.
Box Office Will Call Hours:
- Monday, May 19, 10 am - 2 pm
- Tuesday, May 20, 10 am - 2 pm
- Wednesday, May 21, 10 am - 2 pm
- Thursday, May 22 – NO TICKET PICK UP
- Friday, May 23, 10 am - 2 pm
-
Additional information for pick up:
- Please make sure to bring a photo ID that corresponds to the name assigned to the ticket. No tickets will be distributed without a matching photo ID.
- Ticket pick up is for tickets that cannot be distributed in advance.
- Please allow up to 30 minutes for pick up.
- Seats cannot be changed.
- No new tickets will be assigned at pick up.
If you have already requested tickets through the appropriate parties, please contact tickets@soka.edu for any questions.
- Special Requests
Any special seating request such as wheelchair access or seating for children under the age of five must be made at the time of ticket request by the graduating student. - Family-Friendly Seating
For younger guests who will not be comfortable sitting through a two-hour ceremony, family-friendly seating is offered in the Black Box Theatre for live-stream viewing. Food and drinks are permitted in the Black Box Theatre. Tickets are not necessary to enter the Black Box Theatre, so guests who choose to view the entire ceremony in the Black Box Theatre should inform their graduating student. Allotted Commencement tickets are only for guests who will be seated in the Performing Arts Center. - Underclass Students, Adjunct/Visiting Faculty, and Staff
Those wishing to attend can request one (1) ticket for themselves. Directions on how to request the ticket is forthcoming. Due to limited seating, there may be a lottery if the total number of requests exceeds the allotted seat number. - Alumni
Alumni should make their ticket request to Sohokai Alumni Association or Soseikai Graduate School Alumni Association.
Commencement Week Activities
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Appreciation Reception This is a special night for undergraduate students to thank their parents or off-campus guest for all their support and to share what they have learned while at Soka. The event will include a program hosted by the graduating class followed by a light reception (NOT a dinner reception). This is a ticketed event. Each graduating student will receive two tickets for their guests from the Registrar’s Office. |
Thursday, May 22, 2025 6:30 - 8:00 pm |
Black Box Theatre |
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate School Soseikai Alumni Luncheon This is a special luncheon sponsored by the Graduate School Soseikai Alumni for the graduating graduate students. |
Friday, May 23, 2025 10:30 am - 12:00 pm |
Ikeda 104-D (Graduate School Office Lounge) |
| Graduate School Friends & Family Reception This is a special reception to honor the graduating graduate students, their friends, and family (Number of guests per graduate will be TBC). |
Friday, May 23, 2025 5:00 - 7:30 pm |
2nd Floor Founders Hall Art Gallery |
Campus Tours
Campus tours will be provided for friends and families of the graduates who will be visiting the university during Commencement Week. The tour will begin at Founder Hall 1st Floor Atrium.
Date: Thursday, May 22
Place: Founders Hall 1st Floor Atrium
Time: 10:00 am and 1:30 pm
Date: Friday, May 23
Place: Founders Hall 1st Floor Atrium
Time: 10:00 am
Soka Heritage Hall Tours
Date: Tuesday, May 20 & Thursday, May 22
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Date: Friday, May 23
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Bookstore Hours During Commencement Week
Monday - Wednesday: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Thursday - Friday: 10:30 am – 6:30 pm
Discounted Meal Tickets
Students may purchase discounted meal tickets for guests from Dining Services for $60. Each packet contains 5 meal tickets which can be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Hotel Accommodations
There are no lodging accommodations on campus. However, family and guests can find nearby hotel information on the “Around Soka” page.
Parking
Parking is available on campus for free, and maps of parking lots will be provided at the Main Gate by the Security upon request.
Donations
The Office of Development will be accepting donations at the following times and locations on Commencement Day:
9:30 am – 12:00 pm Founders Hall 1st Floor
12:30 pm – 5:00 pm On the Patio of the Soka Performing Arts Center
If you are on campus prior to Commencement Day and would like to make a donation, please go to the Founders Hall 1st Floor reception desk and ask for a representative from the Office of Development. We accept donations in cash, credit card, and checks. You can also make donations online at give.soka.edu.
Thank you for your generosity.
| Alumni Relations | (949) 480-4135 |
| Community Relations | (949) 480-4081 |
| Development - Domestic Donors | (949) 480-4072 |
| Development - International Donors | (949) 480-4021 |
| Financial Aid | (949) 480-4048 |
| Health Services | (949) 480-4143 |
| Office of Dean of Faculty | (949) 480-4271 |
| Office of Dean of Students | (949) 480-4172 |
| Office of the President | (949) 480-4008 |
| Registrar | (949) 480-4045 |
| Residential Life | (949) 480-4149 |
| Security | (949) 480-4100 |
| Student Accounts | (949) 480-4129 |
| Student Services | (949) 480-4018 |
| Soka Performing Arts Center | (949) 480-4278 |