Soka University Holds Sixth Annual Peace Gala to Provide Scholarship Funds for Students - "Celebrating a Vision of Peace" Features Grammy Award-Winning Artist Judy Collins

    ALISO VIEJO, CA, September 29, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Soka University of America (SUA) today announced that its sixth annual Peace Gala, "Celebrating a Vision of Peace," will be held on the Soka University of America campus on Saturday, October 9, 2010. Proceeds from the Gala will help provide full tuition scholarships for admitted students whose families make $60,000 or less a year.

This year, SUA is honored to announce that Grammy award-winning recording artist Judy Collins will delight the audience with her impressive repertoire of music spanning 50 years. Ms. Collins has a very special interest in supporting the university, because her granddaughter Hollis is a student at SUA, and is now in her junior year.

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 sixth consecutive year as master of ceremonies.

Joan May and Dita Shemke will serve as event co-chairs for the fourth year, with John Marzullo and Terry Mitchell as honorary co-chairs.

"We're honored to have a woman with such talent and charm as our special guest," said Co-Chair Joan May. "Judy Collins is not only an enlightened, beautiful and articulate woman, but her exquisite voice will take your breath away. Recordings don't do her justice; you have to hear her sing in person. It's amazing to witness the collective gasp from the audience upon hearing those first few notes."

"This year's decor is more alluring and sensual than in prior years - sort of a Dr. Zhivago winter's night theme. It's always a challenge to come up fresh ideas to wow our guests when they enter the ballroom," said May. "Last year they were stunned by the vibrant reds, this year I hope they'll feel the enchantment of moonlight and candles."

Tax-deductible tickets to this enchanting evening are $300. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception and silent auction in the Founders Hall Art Gallery, and then proceed to the main venue for dinner, entertainment, live auction and dancing.

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 by contacting Linda Kennedy ([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, Calif. 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 U.S. and half from more than 40 other countries. SUA offers free tuition to eligible admitted students whose annual earned family income is $60,000 or less.

# # #