April 18, 2024听鈥⑻鼴y听Juan C. Ni帽o
Faculty, staff, and students associated with the听Dalai Lama Fellows program (DLF),听from听the Ren茅e Crown Wellness Institute and听the听Leeds School of Business at听the听University of Colorado听Boulder,听the听Contemplative Sciences Center听at the University of Virginia听(UVA), and Stanford听University听recently听traveled to Dharamsala, India to seek guidance from听His Holiness听the听Dalai Lama on compassionate听and听ethical听leadership.听听
Professor and听Director of听the Crown Institute, Sona Dimidjian,听led听two days of听听with听His Holiness听the 14th听Dalai Lama听which听centered听the voices and questions of听young global leaders听on the topic of听leading with compassion.听These conversations were planned in collaboration with Crown Institute partner and Founder and Executive Director of the听, Thupten Jinpa, PhD, who听served as听the principal听translator听for His Holiness the Dalai Lama听for听more than听30 years.听
鈥淲e were deeply humbled by this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to seek guidance from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to engage in reflection with undergraduate and Global Dalai Lama Fellows and world-renowned scholars about the role of leadership and compassion. Our hope is that the learning from these conversations ripples out across the globe, generating compassionate action that leads to a more caring and just future for our world,鈥澨齭ays听Dimidjian.鈥�
Our Shared Humanity听
Throughout the weeklong听program,听Dimidjian, Jinpa, CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano, faculty,听and deans from all three universities听gathered with听students and听young听global leaders to dream听about听the transformative possibilities听of compassionate leadership and听partnerships across听disciplines and universities.听听
Meghan Fall,听Leeds School of Business听sophomore and听CU Boulder听Dalai Lama Fellow听reflects听on the experience.鈥��
鈥�淭his feeling of gratitude and oneness with everyone that was there is something that I听haven鈥檛听felt in a long time.听Everyone there had听different positions听and roles, but there was no听, we were all there to experience, learn, and grow. Being on this trip reminded me of the humanity of everyone.鈥濃��
His Holiness the Dalai Lama discussed in detail the importance of oneness and shared humanity, a message that echoed throughout the week in various conversations and events. 鈥淚n my own case, I was recognized as the Dalai Lama in Tibet and placed on a high throne, which created a distance between me and other people.听As a refugee I鈥檝e been able to make contact with all kinds of people from all walks of life.听And this has taught me to acknowledge the oneness of humanity, how all human beings are听essentially the听same. To think of yourself as somehow special and set apart from others is an old way of thinking.鈥澨�
The Dalai听Lama Fellows Program听听
These principles are the cornerstone of the Dalai Lama Fellows program, which was at听the heart of this trip. The听DLF program听is听a distinctive听one-year听fellowship designed to help听emerging听leaders听cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and compassion; broaden their cultural perspectives; learn how to engage with complex systems; and work with local communities in sustainable ways.鈥�
CU Boulder entered听partnership with the University of Virginia and Stanford University in 2021 to deliver the Global Dalai Lama Fellows program, which is headquartered at UVA. The CU Boulder program launched in 2022 and expanded in 2023 to include Leeds School of Business听students as part of a three-year pilot focusing on nurturing compassionate and contemplative leaders with a focus on excellence in leadership development.听
鈥�淚 believe students听need to be able to understand notions of contemplation, mindfulness,听and听meditation, regardless of their field of study.听It鈥檚听important to counterbalance dominant models with ideas of compassion and oneness,鈥� adds Shubham Sapkota, PhD, who leads the local chapter of the Dalai Lama Fellows program and the听Mindful Campus Program听at the Ren茅e Crown Wellness Institute.听
The Dalai Lama听Fellows,听who choose to center compassion and love while advocating for justice and social change, highlight the significant potential of an international leadership community committed to incorporating these secular practices across multiple sectors.鈥�
鈥淚听am听filled with inspiration and gratitude after听witnessing young听social innovators who are creatively addressing global challenges in ways that are tailored to their local communities, all the while fostering the well-being of our planet,鈥� adds听Vijay Khatri,听Tandean听Rustandy听Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business.听
One critical facet听of the听Dalai Lama听Fellows'听experience is the听opportunity听to be part of a growing听community of like-minded and like-hearted leaders across听major听universities听and around the world.听
鈥淭he conversations with His Holiness and the Dalai Lama fellows were invigorating and inspiring,鈥� said Chancellor Philip DiStefano. 鈥淚t reaffirmed for me how important it is that CU Boulder help听students develop leadership traits like compassion, humility, courage, and integrity.听The work of the Crown Institute and the Dalai Lama Fellows program are instrumental in helping students positively听impact听humanity, and听I鈥檓听hopeful we can expand and enhance these programs in the years to come to touch more lives.鈥濃��
