Diamond Award recipient Soren Dickson (left) and the Provost’s Award recipient Catherine Sudo (right).
A student and a faculty member from Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) were recently recognized by Temple University’s Main Campus in Philadelphia for their outstanding achievements in leadership and teaching. Graduating TUJ senior Soren Dickson received the prestigious Diamond Award for excellence in student leadership, while Catherine Sudo, an instructor of the undergraduate Bridge Program, was honored with the Provost’s Award for Teaching Excellence in General Education.
These achievements reflect TUJ’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence and student success. In recent years, the student body has reached record highs, with the number of faculty members steadily increasing. A major milestone in TUJ’s 43-year history was the opening of TUJ Kyoto in January 2025. To meet the diverse interests of its globally represented student body, comprising individuals of about 80 nationalities, TUJ has introduced new majors, minors and academic certificate programs.
The Diamond Award, received by Dickson, recognizes exceptional student achievement and leadership across Temple University. He was the only TUJ student among 24 undergraduates selected university-wide at Temple University to receive this prestigious honor. Dickson played active roles in various student initiatives, notably serving as president of the TUJ Student Government. Beyond campus, he was selected to participate in the 2025 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Regional Workshop in Incheon, South Korea, and he was selected to participate in the 2025 YTL Summit, co-hosted by TUJ in Osaka this July. He was also awarded TUJ’s inaugural Leadership Scholarship last year, in recognition of his academic excellence and dedication to fostering a vibrant student community.
Click here to read more about Temple’s Diamond Awards
The recipient of the Provost’s Award, Sudo teaches in TUJ’s undergraduate Bridge Program. She draws inspiration from students who choose an American education through unconventional paths. Her teaching approach focuses on demystifying academic success with structured support, fostering confidence in students from diverse backgrounds. She takes pride in mentoring students who seek to enrich their university experience, encouraging them to pursue scholarship, study abroad and on-campus opportunities. Her academic journey at TUJ’s Graduate College of Education, particularly under Professor David Beglar, shaped her course design and contributed to her nomination for the Temple’s Provost’s Award. Sudo is currently pursuing a PhD in applied linguistics at Temple Japan.
Click here to read more about Temple’s 2024-25 faculty award winners
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- TUJ Presents Third Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards to Honor Esteemed Graduates (March 14, 2025)
- Temple University, Japan Campus Secures U.S. Embassy Grant to Organize Young Trilateral Leaders Summit (January 8, 2025)
- Temple University, Japan Campus Awards Inaugural Leadership Scholarship to Five Students (June 5, 2024)