Naropa University: A Unique Educational Journey

Naropa University, located in Boulder, Colorado, stands out as a distinctive institution of higher learning. Founded in 1974 by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, it distinguishes itself through its mission of contemplative education, merging Eastern wisdom studies with Western scholarship. This approach cultivates present-moment awareness and encourages courageous engagement with the world, attracting students eager to be catalysts for change.

The Vision Behind Naropa

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a Buddhist scholar educated at Oxford University, envisioned a space where students could explore a wide array of subjects, including Eastern and Western religions, writing, psychology, science, and the arts. Central to this vision was the integration of contemplative and meditation training. Trungpa modeled Naropa after Nalanda University, a Buddhist university that flourished in India from the sixth to the 12th centuries, drawing scholars from diverse disciplines and religious traditions.

The name "Naropa" itself pays homage to a Buddhist scholar and saint at Nalanda University, who embarked on a spiritual journey to uncover the meaning behind the texts he studied. Naropa University's mission invites students to engage in an internal process of exploring how they might make a positive difference in the world.

Contemplative Education: A Holistic Approach

Contemplative education at Naropa combines academics, experiential learning, and contemplative practices like meditation and mindfulness. This method inspires critical thinking, the acquisition of new skills, and self-awareness. "Contemplative" here does not mean simply taming thought or dwelling on a particular theme. Instead, it embraces inner discovery, helping students to understand their unique gifts and strengths.

Naropa University has also been recognized for its high percentage of alumni who go on to found companies and organizations. A Naropa education supports people in getting clear on who they are as individuals and how they want to shine.

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Academic Offerings

Naropa offers bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and certificate programs in diverse fields. These include yoga studies, contemplative art therapy, mental health counseling, and ecopsychology, alongside more traditional offerings. The university is also renowned for its creative writing and poetry programs, particularly the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, founded by Allen Ginsberg, Anne Waldman, and Diane di Prima.

Graduation requirements include three semester hours of a “body-mind practice” and three hours of World Wisdom Traditions, which include religion courses. Certain majors like psychology or religious studies require a certain number of meditation classes.

Key Historical Moments

1974: Naropa Institute offers its first two summer sessions in Boulder, Colorado. The inaugural event was held in the auditorium at Boulder High School. Large classes were held in an old bus garage, hastily carpeted, while other smaller classes rented spaces near the University of Colorado. The 1974 summer sessions attracted renowned faculty and unexpectedly high enrollment, with more than 1,500 registered students attending (hundreds more unregistered people were camping in Eldorado Springs and in the mountains nearby) and showing up randomly for the various offerings.
1975: First formal degree programs are offered.
1977: Naropa's administration decides to seek regional accreditation.
1980: The Institute unifies various Bachelor of Arts degree programs into a General Studies BA with majors in different fields.
1982: Naropa hosted The Jack Kerouac Conference, held in late July to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kerouac's On The Road and Ginsberg's "Howl."
1988: Naropa Institute receives accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, becoming the first Buddhist-inspired academic institution to receive United States regional accreditation.
1989: Over 30 students convened to create the Student Union of Naropa (SUN), a governing body for student life and an organization to support student advocacy on campus.
1991: Deborah Bowman, former president of Boulder Graduate School (BSG), and later Dean of the Naropa Graduate School of Counseling Psychology, initiated the move of BGS's Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program to Naropa, leading to the establishment of a master's program in January 1991.
1993-2002: Naropa expanded its facilities from 35,000 to 110,000 square feet. This figure includes the construction of the Allen Ginsberg Library in 1993; the leasing of arts studios from the Dairy Center for the Arts in 1995; the acquisition and renovation of.
2024: Naropa announced it was selling its main "Arapahoe" campus (2130 Arapahoe Ave). The "Nalanda" campus (6287 Arapahoe Ave) will be retained.

Influential Figures

Several key figures have shaped Naropa University's unique identity:

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche: The founder of Naropa, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and scholar who pioneered the integration of Eastern wisdom with Western educational models.
Allen Ginsberg, Anne Waldman, and Diane di Prima: Founders of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics.
Ram Dass: An influential spiritual teacher who taught a course entitled Yogas of the Bhagavad Gītā to over 1,000 students in the initial summer of 1974. The course not only inaugurated the study of Hinduism and Yoga at Naropa University, it also helped catalyze the Institute itself.
Barbara Dilley: A distinguished dancer and educator known for founding Naropa's Contemplative Dance program. Her leadership as Dean and later President significantly influenced the university's integration of contemplative practices into the arts.
Judy Lief: Introduced the term "contemplative education" to highlight the integration of mindfulness and awareness into academic learning.

Alumni Contributions

Naropa University has produced graduates who are making a difference in a wide range of fields:

Paula Gasparini-Santos: (MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Transpersonal Art Therapy) reimagines grief not as a force that diminishes us, but as a profound source of creative potential.
Dr. Joe Richie (BA Writing, 1984) and Carla Friedman (BA Poetics, 1985) present Both / And: Duality’s Ashes for SparkTalks 2025.
Gabriel “Gah-bé” Vanaver (BA Music and Traditional Eastern Arts, 2017) demonstrates the importance of stories and songs as a way of strengthening culture.

Legacy and Impact

Naropa University's emphasis on cultivating present-moment awareness and encouraging courageous engagement with the world attracts students who want to be catalysts for change. A Naropa education prepares graduates for meaningful, purpose-driven work across a lifetime. Graduates develop the contemplative and communication skills, adaptability and leadership capacity that are increasingly vital in today’s changing world. Teachers. Psychologists. Chaplains. Entrepreneurs. Nonprofit directors. Novelists. Artists. Farmers. Ministers. Professors. Aid workers. Leadership consultants. And so much more. These are some of the careers forged by Naropa’s fierce, unflinching graduates.

As Naropa moves forward, it remains committed to its founding principles, offering a unique educational experience that fosters personal growth, social responsibility, and a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. It continues to inspire students to embrace their unique gifts and contribute to a more compassionate and sustainable world.

The Nalanda Foundation

Naropa Institute was a division of the Nalanda Foundation from its inception until 1986. Jeremy Hayward, Director of Education the for Nalanda Foundation, continued in his liaison role at the Institute. The appointment of Barbara Dilley as Dean, and later as President in 1986, confirmed by the Nalanda Foundation Board, marked the beginning of a new era for Naropa Institute by ushering in a period of expanded academic and administrative leadership.

Buddhist-Inspired, Nonsectarian

Naropa University describes itself as Buddhist-inspired, ecumenical, and nonsectarian. Geoffrey Samuel, Reginald Ray, and Judith Simmer-Brown have traced the Shambhala lineage [Trungpa's teaching] back to the 19th century Rimé movement in Eastern Tibet. When Naropa describes itself as a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts college, "nonsectarian" translating to the Tibetan rimed. Nonsectarian does not, however, mean secular as it is commonly used in higher education. Naropa's description of contemplative education makes liberal use of Buddhist language and concepts.

Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education

Naropa establishes a Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education to support faculty and provide an international resource for research and collaboration on Contemplative Education. The Center, in its pilot version of three years, was supported by a grant from the Frederick P.

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