Inside the Classroom: Five Students on What They're Learning This Spring

March 13, 2026

• Campus News

From left to right: Luiza Callipo '27, Shelby Yin '26, Kriti Ghimire '28, Samantha Isimbi '29, Miiru Goto '26

As the season's first California poppies bloom along campus walking paths, the spring semester at SUA is in full swing. But what exactly does a liberal arts education look like on a day-to-day basis?

Join us as five students walk us through the courses they're taking, what they're learning, and how this semester fits into their educational journey at SUA. They'll also share insights on what Soka students should consider when selecting their courses each semester.

First Year: Exploring the Possibilities

Midway through her second semester at SUA, Samantha Isimbi '29 of Kigali, Rwanda, is finding her voice in class discussions.

"I wasn't necessarily brave enough to speak in class last semester," Isimbi said, "but all the professors I'm taking this semester foster class participation. Because the classes are so interesting, you end up speaking up in class because you want to say something." Her courses, she said, are also helping her work on analytical reading and critical thinking skills.

Isimbi is taking French, The American Experience, and three courses in the International Studies Concentration: Introduction to International Relations, Introduction to Contemporary Africa, and Refugeehood. While she's not sure yet which academic concentration she will choose, she is leaning toward international studies.

"The course on refugeehood is opening my eyes to what is going on in the world," she said. Taught by Foroogh Farhang, assistant professor of Middle East and North African studies, the course focuses on the concept of refugeehood and the causes of refugee crises. The class also examines specific case studies in different parts of the world, including Palestinians in Lebanon and multiple refugee populations in South Africa and elsewhere across the Global South.

Isimbi is also enjoying Introduction to Contemporary Africa, taught by Chika Esiobu, visiting assistant professor of African studies.

"I'm learning a lot about Africa - more than I was learning back home," she said. "It's really sad to have to grow up not knowing about your own history. I remember taking exams about the American Revolution and the French Revolution, but not necessarily about the Ghana Empire or ancient Egypt."

Esiobu's course is showing Isimbi how neocolonialism still plays an active role in Africa today.

"We need to try our best to decolonize our systems and our mentality," Isimbi said.

Second Year: Making Connections Across Disciplines

Kriti Ghimire '28 of Kathmandu, Nepal, plans to decide between the life sciences and the social and behavioral sciences concentrations by the end of this academic year.

"I have always been interested in the human mind," she said. This fascination led her to take Behavioral Neuroscience, which has been one of her favorite classes this semester. The course drew her in because of who's teaching it: Visiting Distinguished Professor of Biological Chemistry Robert Moyzis, whose research helped initiate the Human Genome Project, and whose work sits at the intersection of biology and psychology that interests her.

Ghimire is also taking a course on psychological disorders, Core 2, and French. It's Ghimire's second time taking a language course with Odile Heberle, adjunct instructor of French, because she resonates with her teaching style. "She knows how to light up the whole classroom environment," Ghimire said.

Core 2, which she is taking with Professor of Rhetoric and Composition Gesa Kirsch, has challenged her to sharpen her academic writing. The second half in a series of foundational liberal arts courses, Core 2 uses texts by modern writers to examine contemporary social issues within their historical and philosophical contexts.

"We're learning about the enduring questions of humanity and how to live a contributive life," Ghimire said. "What is equality? What is inequality? What can you do as a global citizen to solve these problems? It really makes you think very hard."

The variety of courses she's taking this semester has helped her shift her perspective in significant ways, enabling her to see how social issues are interconnected across academic disciplines. Fully understanding a psychological disorder, for example, can also require understanding how certain economic and political factors shape the disease.

And her learning this semester has inspired a good deal of internal reflection. "The most important skill I'm learning right now is how to work with people with different viewpoints," she said. "I think all of my classes are helping me to be more mature in this sense."

Third Year: Fine-Tuning Your Skills

After studying abroad last fall in Paris, France, Luiza Callipo '27 is homing in on her academic interests. Originally from Suzano, Brazil, she is double concentrating in life sciences and social and behavioral sciences, and she is interested in working in the field of nutrition after graduation. This career goal motivated her to take Human Nutrition with Lisa Crummett, associate professor of biology.

"I used to think nutrition was mainly about how food affects our bodies," Callipo said. "I now understand that it also involves how our bodies metabolize nutrients, how molecules are broken down, and the many ways food supports our survival and bodily functions."

Sport Psychology with Professor of Psychology Seiji Takaku is helping her "understand how psychological factors can directly influence a person's performance." She has enjoyed learning how both genetics and environment shape human behavior. Also interested in a career in psychology, she is curious about how this field overlaps with nutrition.

In addition to these courses, Callipo is taking Introduction to the Pacific Basin, Foundations of Chemistry Laboratory, and Social Science Research Methods. The latter two courses are foundational to each of her academic concentrations and will prepare her for more advanced courses next year. Across all her courses, she is improving her time management and independent learning skills.

"These skills will be very useful after graduation, whether I start working or pursue a master's degree," Callipo said.

Fourth Year: Synthesizing Your Learning to Build a Contributive Life

Soka seniors spend a significant part of the spring semester writing their capstones, independent research projects on a topic of their choice. They receive guidance and feedback on drafts from a faculty mentor throughout the year and then submit the final version at the end of April.

In her capstone, environmental studies concentrator Shelby Yin '26 of Seattle, Washington, is examining "how the exotic pet trade contributes to invasive species in the wild and what role the law plays in mitigating that." She is planning to attend law school after graduating from SUA.

In addition to working on her capstone, she is taking Environmental Law with George Busenberg, associate professor of environmental management and policy. Having completed all her required courses, Yin is enjoying taking classes purely based on her interests. She is also taking a course on 3D printing ceramics, beginner vocal technique, psychological disorders, and feminist and queer sociology.

Assistant Teaching Professor Don Ryan's ceramics course has been a major highlight of Yin's last semester at SUA, and she sees herself applying what she's learned well beyond graduation.

"We're 3D modeling on laptops and combining printed elements with hand-sculpted elements," said Yin, who has designed original pieces inspired by her three pet rabbits. The course has honed her adaptability and attention to detail, pushing her to create something even better when a project does not go as initially planned.

Miiru Goto '26 is also taking a wide variety of courses this semester, including Organic Chemistry II, The American Experience, Calculus I, Integrated Biology and Chemistry, and a literature course taught by Professor of Asian Literature John Kehlen on Murasaki Shikibu's "The Tale of Genji."

"I wanted to explore my cultural roots more deeply while engaging in thoughtful discussion with students who bring diverse perspectives to the text," said Goto, who is from Izumi and Osaka, Japan. "Professor Kehlen challenges us not only to understand the text, but to question it, reinterpret it, and think beyond our first impressions."

The range of subjects in Goto's spring course schedule reflects her breadth of interests: she plans to pursue a career in medicine and is concentrating in both life sciences and humanities.

"For me, science and the humanities are not opposites - they are complementary," Goto said. "One helps me understand how the body works; the other helps me understand the human experience. Together, they shape the kind of physician I hope to become: someone who is both clinically competent and deeply compassionate."

Picking Your Courses: Words of Advice from Soka Students

When choosing courses for your next semester, Soka students stress the importance of following your curiosity and signing up for classes you're interested in.

"My advice would be to balance required courses with classes that genuinely interest you each semester," Callipo said. "Having a schedule that includes subjects you enjoy can help maintain motivation and make it easier to stay engaged and perform well in your classes."

Talking with your academic advisor can help you determine what courses make sense for you. For example, Isimbi decided to sign up for the course on refugeehood based on a recommendation from her advisor, Associate Professor of Anthropology Sarah England. Ghimire suggests seeking advice from professors whose classes you've already taken because they can also offer valuable perspectives on your academic path. And if you want to know more about a course being offered next semester, Yin says students shouldn't hesitate to reach out to the instructor for more information.

"You don't need to have everything figured out right away," Goto said. "Take courses that genuinely interest you, even if they seem unexpected at first - and seek guidance from professors and mentors when you feel uncertain. I believe that is one of the greatest strengths of a liberal arts education. Your academic path doesn't have to be linear, and sometimes the combinations you didn't plan for become the most meaningful."