PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

If you're in the southern Orange County neighborhood, you can't afford not to visit Soka University of America (SUA).

With construction completed a little over 6 years ago, SUA is definitely eye candy to any person who passes through the small and conservative town of Aliso Viejo. One can't help but notice the campus's 103-acres of stunning Tuscany, Italy feel, which is surrounded by 4000-acres of wilderness park.

Although SUA is a private university, its campus is open to the public during the day. Many nearby residents take advantage of its beautiful scenery by taking daily walks with friends, family, and other loved ones. If you keep your eyes open, you might just catch some rabbits and deers along the way. Local college students also take advantage of the public hours by visiting SUA's Ikeda Library, which contains a 225,000-volume capacity. There is also a large internet access distribution, including wireless access. If you get hungry after your walk, go to SUA's bistro cafe, where they serve an eclectic variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. If fortunate enough, you might catch Sushi night, yum! If you check SUA's calendar ahead of time, prepare for one of its many marvelous student show cases and international festivals.

If this is your first time hearing about SUA, you may be wondering what this university is all about. SUA is a private, non-profit liberal arts college, which opened in 2001. "The mission of Soka University of America is to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life." SUA's educational system is based on a student-oriented one, thus offering an exceptional 9:1 student to faculty ratio. A university founded upon Buddhist principles of peace, culture, and education to foster global citizens is nothing short of idealism, yet its practical, hands-on training (e.g., mandatory study abroad, internships, senior thesis research papers, etc.) prepare students students for graduate school and the real world.

To learn more about Soka University of America, visit the Soka University Website