University of Delaware
Interim Director, Lisa Chieffo

University of Delaware Interim Director, Lisa Chieffo

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Soka University on its 50th anniversary!

Thanks to the foresight of past presidents of Soka University and the University of Delaware, Dr. David Roselle and Dr. Kinnosuke Komuro, our two institutions likewise celebrate a milestone this year, namely 20 years of partnership through robust student exchange. Generously supported by scholarships from both of our universities, this exchange has enabled nearly 40 UD students, and a similar number of students from Soka, to spend a year studying at the partner institution at a greatly reduced cost.

It has been my pleasure to oversee the exchange for much of the past two decades, both to welcome students from Soka to our campus and to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from our own students regarding their experience at Soka. On behalf of our Japanese faculty, I thank the instructors of Soka University for their commitment to our students’ language learning. I also thank the many colleagues in Soka’s International Affairs Office with whom I have worked over the years and who have so kindly and professionally supported our students during their year in Japan.

The exchange partnership between the University of Delaware and Soka University remains active and valued, despite the unfortunate circumstances of the worldwide pandemic in the past year which impeded travel. We look forward to continuing to offer this exchange opportunity to students for many years to come, as Soka University embarks upon its second half-century of excellence in global education. Congratulations again, and all the best for a worthy celebration in April.