Soka University Holds Fifth Annual Peace Gala to Provide Scholarship Funds for Students - "Celebrating a Vision of Peace" to feature '80s techno pop icon Howard Jones

    ALISO VIEJO, CA, October 02, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Soka University of America (SUA) today announced that its fifth annual Peace Gala, "Celebrating a Vision of Peace," will take place on the beautiful campus of Soka University of America on Saturday, October 10, 2009. The evening will feature a cocktail party, dinner, silent and live auctions, and feature special guest entertainer, eighties techno pop icon Howard Jones. In addition, National Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepdo will make a special guest appearance.

There are few artists who came to prominence in the eighties who are as prolific and hard working as Howard Jones. Best known in the U.S. for his chart-topping hits "Things Can Only Get Better" and "No One Is To Blame," Howard has sold more than eight million albums. In 2008, Jones celebrated his 25th Anniversary Tour with a special concert at London's Indig02, where he was joined onstage by last year's Celebrating a Vision of Peace special guest entertainer, Duncan Sheik, to sing a song they co-wrote, "Someone You Need."

Back by popular demand, Patrick Duffy, best known for his role as Bobby Ewing on TV's Dallas, and also as Frank Lambert on the long-running ABC sitcom Step By Step, will be retuning for the fifth consecutive year as Master of Ceremonies. This year, actress Vinessa Shaw will join Duffy as co-host of the event. Shaw has been seen in "3:10 to Yuma" with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, the indie drama film "Garden Party," and most recently in "Two Lovers" with Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow.

This year guests will see red! The committee wanted something fun but elegant that still has a global feel, so they took their design cues from around the world, incorporating themes from different countries and cultures using sumptuous silks, exotic florals, dramatic lighting and a potpourri of styles and textures.

"We're very excited about the event this year," said gala co-chair Joan May. "It promises to be the beautiful and entertaining evening our guests have come to expect. Early on we made a decision not to be daunted by the current financial crisis so we've just kept working hard and putting out positive energy -- and it's working! This year our goal is to raise $750,000 for the scholarship fund, and we're getting close. With all the wonderful auction items available and a crowd of more than 400 supporters, we're hoping to reach our goal long before the celebratory dancing starts."

Tax-deductible tickets to this enchanting evening are $300. Proceeds of the evening will provide scholarships for Soka University students who come from around the world to experience Soka's unique educational experience founded upon the principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life. SUA founder Daisaku Ikeda said, "The ultimate goal of a Soka education is to foster people of character who continuously strive for the greatest good - that of peace."

Information on attending the gala is available at www.soka.edu/peacegala, [email protected]; or contact Linda Safran ([email protected]) at 949.480.4072.

Soka University is a private, four-year liberal arts college and graduate school located on 103-acres overlooking a wilderness park in Aliso Viejo, CA. SUA offers a 9:1 student/faculty ratio and study abroad for every undergraduate student. Soka University is founded upon the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life and is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs. About half of SUA's students come from the US and half from more than 30 other countries. SUA offers free tuition to eligible admitted students whose annual earned family income is $60,000 or less.

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