Tyson Laa Deng ’17

From escaping the war in Sudan and living as a de facto refugee in Cairo, Egypt, to attending a private high school in New Hampshire and graduating from Soka University of America, to physically holding Pixar Animation Studios’ 2018 Best Animated Feature Academy Award.

I am excited about recently graduating with a Master of Science in information technology from Southern New Hampshire University and have accepted a full-time position with one of the best e-commerce companies in the world, PayPal, as an information security engineer!

Mind you, growing up, I never thought I would make it past 18. However, it goes to show that you can always flip the odds in your favor. Be grateful and appreciative for what you’re given, but never settle for less than you’re worth. With patience and perseverance, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish.

Access and opportunity are not available to everyone in the same way, and that is why those of us with power and access must see past the crowd and instead see individuals. We should find them in their struggles and lift them up. As a university committed to fostering students who will become catalysts for change, we must continually deepen our understanding of our values and pursue what is good. We are only as strong as our integrity, and integrity is born from introspection and facing hard truths. Let’s embrace that discomfort and reimagine our pursuits to ensure no one in the Soka community ever feels spurned.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of so many people, including my family and community here and back home, my Pixar and PayPal mentors, and my Soka family. I am forever in your debt.