Soka News

August 10, 2019 1 Min Read

Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development

In spring 2019, SUA’s Environmental Studies concentration became an organizational shareholder in JAFSCD, an innovative open-access, peer-reviewed, transdisciplinary journal focused on food and farming-related community.

A barefoot photographer in a grey hoodie and jeans crouches on a wet pool deck, aiming a Canon camera with a large telephoto lens toward the starting blocks. In the background, a banner reads "GSAC."

Apr 22, 2026 10 Min Read

How a Campus Mentorship Launched a Photojournalism Career

Few photojournalists can claim a New York Times byline and a national award before their first anniversary in the field. Keito Newman ’25 already can.Newman's photos were featured in February as part ...

Five female students sit on the sidewalk in front of the Performing Arts Center, some with laptops in their laps, as they smile and laugh with eachother.

Mar 13, 2026 8 Min Read

Inside the Classroom: Five Students on What They're Learning This Spring

As the season’s first California poppies bloom along campus walking paths, the spring semester at SUA is in full swing. But what exactly does a liberal arts education look like on a day-to-day basis?J...

Edem Wordi ’27 poses behind a Novartis sign outside a brick building.

Nov 14, 2025 4 Min Read

Edem Wordi ’27 Applies Soka Values to Antibody Research at Novartis

Growing up in Ghana, Edem Wordi ’27 learned early on how perseverance and compassion go hand in hand. He remembers watching his mother run a small business while raising him and his siblings and findi...

Deike Peters speaks to a student during a field trip to Ballona Discovery Park.

Feb 7, 2025 14 Min Read

Environmental Studies: Bridging Disciplines, Fostering Leaders in Sustainability

Many people would assume that a software engineer, a wildlife conservationist, a city planner, a lawyer, and a scientific illustrator have very different undergraduate degrees. But in reality, all the...

2024 scholarship awardees with university officials

Sep 25, 2024 2 Min Read

Recognizing SUA's 2024 Scholarship Award Recipients

The recipients of Soka University of America’s top academic honors—the Ikeda Scholarship, the John D. Montgomery Scholarship, the Soka Merit Award, and the Academic Excellence Award—met with President...

A screenshot of a YouTube video featuring a SUA student talking during the new "Concentrations" video series.

Feb 2, 2024 1 Min Read

New Video Series Demystifies the Liberal Arts

The new “Concentrations” video series highlights students from each of Soka’s five concentrations: Environmental Studies, Humanities, Life Sciences, International Studies, and Social and Behavioral Sc...

A student presents during the Impactathon as two people smile and look on

Nov 29, 2023 2 Min Read

Impactathon Offers Inspiration and Real-World Lessons for Soka Students

More than 30 Soka students in this year’s Impactathon began the business pitch competition with ice breakers, including a prompt to brainstorm what they could create with candy and plastic toys. Then ...

2023 scholarship awardees with university officials

Nov 28, 2023 3 Min Read

Recognizing Our 2023 Scholarship Award Recipients

Two students wearing teal scrubs review imaging during their neurosurgery preceptorship in Summer 2023.

Oct 30, 2023 4 Min Read

Hands-on Medical Experiences Prepare Soka Students for the Future

For several weeks last summer, Zachary Holt ’25 and Yinka Aduloju ’24 woke up as early as 4 a.m. to start their days shadowing neurosurgery cases and conducting neurosurgery research at medical center...

Jun 7, 2023 2 Min Read

M. Robert Hamersley Is Named Dean of Faculty

M. Robert Hamersley, professor of environmental biogeochemistry, has been named Soka University of America’s dean of faculty. His appointment, announced by Michael Weiner, executive vice president for...

Prof Robert Levenson poses with three Soka Undergraduates

Apr 26, 2023 7 Min Read

Q&A With National Science Foundation Grant Winner Prof. Robert Levenson

The National Science Foundation recently announced it will award Soka faculty member Robert Levenson, assistant professor of biochemistry, $292,310 to support his research on "BRC-BIO: Harnessing sequ...

A brunette woman wearing a jean jacket smiles as she speaks with other students in front of a variety of international flags.

Mar 30, 2023 3 Min Read

Learning Clusters Explore Issues Both Timely and Timeless

The annual Learning Cluster at SUA allows faculty and groups of 12 or fewer students to co-design monthlong courses around a problem or question of interest and immerse themselves in exploring solutio...