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Global Citizens
in the Making
By Dr.
Alfred Balitzer, Dean of Faculty
Soka University of America
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Every
afternoon, cooling Pacific breezes waft over the sun-drenched,
hilltop campus of Soka University of America, rustling the
leaves on the newly planted trees. SUA is a "city upon a
hill," immortal words first uttered on North American
soil by John Winthrop, the founder in 1630 of the small
Puritan colony that gave to the American people the basic
symbols of their moral and intellectual tradition.
Winthrop also said of that city that "the eyes of all
people are upon us." As with Winthrop's New England, the
eyes of a great many people are on Soka University of America,
reminding us of the special mission imparted to SUA by its
founder, Daisaku Ikeda. Placing this university at the
forefront of the worldwide effort to introduce a philosophy of
value creation, Mr. Ikeda's charge to the future graduates of
SUA makes them the first generation of pioneers, the bearers
of a new moral and intellectual tradition.
Most cities exist for commerce and the physical accommodation
of their residents. SUA exists for the sake of dialogue,
enjoining those who reside there to seek answers to the most
important human questions, including: what does it mean to
lead a truly human life, how should the answer to this
question influence the way I live my life, and how should it
influence my relationship to others and to the environment
around me?
The curriculum of Soka University of America has been designed
to help students reflect on these and on other questions of
importance to the human condition. It also reflects a set of
values that identifies the acquisition of knowledge with the
pursuit of peace. Self-knowledge is in fact the indispensable
first step toward self-mastery and, thus, peace. These values
were embedded in the mission statement of SUA by its founder,
who coined the following motto:
"The mission of Soka University of America is to foster a
steady stream of global citizens committed to living a
contributive life."
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A
bird's-eye view of SUA
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A
Contributive Life
Global citizenship flows naturally from the recognition that
the individual lives not just for himself/herself but is part
of a larger human family. Such recognition is a necessary
condition of peace. Living a contributive life results from
recognizing the interdependence of the individual human being
with all others, reminding the student that the individual
grows only as he/she helps others grow.
SUA's curriculum is based on the liberal arts, using the
concept of the Pacific Rim to give focus to its mission of
nurturing global citizens. Located at a cultural crossroad,
SUA is perched on the rim of the Pacific, looking out toward
the vast expanse of the Asia-Pacific world and a short
distance from Mexico, a gateway to Latin America. This unique
location gives SUA an unparalleled advantage in providing its
students with the resources to study and interact with a part
of the globe whose significance has become increasingly
important to the peace and well-being of the world community.
International
Outlook
In order to prepare its students to become global citizens,
SUA has brought together an international faculty and an
international student body. This diversity in itself will help
create a climate for learning and impart to SUA's residential
lifestyle a global perspective as part of the fabric of daily
campus life.
SUA graduates will be true international citizens, comfortably
discoursing in English and in other languages on a range of
topics from their careers, the arts and the environment to the
peace and well-being of the global community. They will also
be recognized by the breadth and depth of their education--as
familiar with the great works of the East and the West as with
issues pertinent to their community, their nation and to
global society. They will bring the outlook of many cultures
and modes of thought to their writing, speech and behavior,
taking an unbiased, inclusive and critical perspective to
their analysis of opinion, data, issues and policy.
As leaders and decision-makers, SUA graduates will be guided
by the ideal of a contributive life.
Appreciation for the individual regardless of national origin,
group affiliation, race, color, creed or gender is a hallmark
of the leadership Soka graduates will bring to their fields of
endeavor.
SUA students will work long and hard, knowing that their
preparation today is but a prologue to a life of service for
the benefit of the people of a global civilization--a
civilization that is breaking forth over the sun-drenched,
hilltop campus of Soka University of America.
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