From the Himalayas to Aliso Viejo: Class of 2029 Students Share Stories of Growth and Discovery

• Campus News

As part of SUA orientation, three members of the Class of 2029 -Aakash Baral, Bijou Bolton, and Lana Ikeda - took the stage, continuing a tradition of representative students sharing their journeys and hopes with their fellow classmates during matriculation.

From Aakash's deep curiosity and love of learning nurtured amidst the Himalayas, to Bijou developing her unique identity while breaking free from the "triplet" label, to Lana's call for dialogue as the key to lasting change, their stories highlight the courage, curiosity, and compassion that define Soka students as they begin their college experience together. Here are excerpts from their speeches.

Aakash Baral

Pokhara, Nepal

For my high school, my family and I moved to Pokhara, the capital of my province. Here, I began devouring books once I had access to a library to help broaden my knowledge and to grow personally; the feedback from well-established institutions and teachers nurtured my growth. Interacting with my high school classmates and 200 hostel mates about science, technology, and politics became the catalyst to push my boundaries and study innovation further - this is how I became "Aakash, the explorer" and solidified my love for learning and exploration.

This is what leads me to a liberal arts education that is rooted in exploration. Through a liberal arts education, I can not only pursue my goals but will have ample opportunities to explore other disciplines.

Bijou Bolton

Reseda, CA

If there is one thing that I have learned in life, it is that boxes take a lot of work to open. To get something out of a box, you need to break the tape that is stubbornly holding it closed and slash through the cardboard deep enough to create an opening that the trapped object can come out of. It makes sense that being labeled can feel like being trapped in a box. Labels, like boxes, are limiting. They allow such complex people to be so quickly generalized, leaving them with little room to transcend their specific label.

High school was my box cutter. College will continue to be a box cutter for me, allowing me to spend time with one of my triplet sisters that is attending Soka and rooming with me, while still branching out from the label of "the triplet."

Lana Ikeda

Santa Ana, CA

Changing the entire world may be impossible for one individual, but people have the power to change themselves. As each person transforms, they can in turn affect the community around them, creating a ripple effect. True progress isn't defined by rifts being closed; it's finding ways to bridge them through steady dialogue that helps transform hearts and minds.

With so much diversity just on our campus, I have no doubt that Soka is the perfect starting line towards creating lasting change in our world for all of us.