9 Receive Master’s Degrees at Soka

The sixth graduating class of Soka University of America’s sole degree-granting program took the commencement stage during an emotional ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

Nine graduates, who had completed a master’s program in second- and foreign-language education at Soka, each delivered a brief speech on the significance of the achievement. About half of the students were from India or Japan, where the university’s founding sister campus is located.

The graduates--many with tears in their eyes--spoke fondly of their instructors, the small and intimate class settings and university founder Daisaku Ikeda’s vision, dedicated to fostering cross-cultural relations.

Since it was established in 1994, the campus has trained about 60 students, many of whom now teach English as a second language, said Graduate School Dean Tomoko Takahashi.

Syndicated columnist Hazel Henderson, the featured speaker, encouraged the class to “practice compassion, faith and perseverance” when applying their education.

Graduate Caroline DePiro said her Soka education has given her a sense of purpose: “I will fight for world peace. That’s why I was born, and I know that now.”

Soka (which means to “create value” in Japanese) was founded on Buddhist principles of humanitarianism, although the private accredited institution is not religiously affiliated.

The university, set amid acres of green lawns, eucalyptus-lined paths and a lake, emphasizes the significance of the environment’s role in students’ ability to achieve academic success, said Arnold Kawasaki, vice president of administration.

The Calabasas campus offers a master’s degree in one program, as well as Japanese and English language classes. The university’s Aliso Viejo campus offers a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.