Press Releases

Naropa University Announces New Peace Studies Major
Courses in New Bachelor's Program to Begin Fall 2007

BOULDER, Colo. (Aug 23, 2007)—Naropa University is pleased to announce the introduction of the new Peace Studies undergraduate major. The new program arose from faculty discussion after 9/11 about how best to bring Naropa's resources to bear on peace-making at all levels, from the personal and interpersonal to the social, political, national and international.

The Peace Studies major at Naropa explores the causes of violence and war while focusing on a path to peace.  Within the program there are four related areas of inquiry:  history and politics of social change, theory and practice of peacemaking, the arts in peacemaking and engaged learning.

“Naropa faculty, staff, and students are neither naïve nor complacent about the world’s condition. We are acutely aware of the violence, economic inequality, environmental decay, and cultural conflict that many endure. Our program in Peace Studies integrates education about the cultural, economic, historical, and political forces that lead to conflict and disharmony, with students’ cultivation of the inner resources to serve as compassionate and skillful peacemakers and change agents,” says Stuart Sigman, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs at Naropa.

Students in the Peace Studies major will become acquainted with various philosophies and practices of peacemaking, examine case studies, and research local and global peace, justice, and reconciliation communities in order to address the task of seeking alternatives to violence.  “We are excited about the educational possibilities that the major in Peace Studies offers our students. This initiative helps students understand systems and structures rooted in prejudice, hatred, and violence and opens new pathways to gaining a deeper understanding of love, compassion, and nonviolence," says Sudarshan Kapur, chair of the new Department of Peace Studies.

Several private donors made generous contributions in support of the new Peace Studies program, including a lead contribution from former Naropa University President John W. Cobb and his wife Bayard.  In addition, Naropa University trustee William D. Jones and his wife Elaine have made possible the establishment of the John W. Cobb Scholarship Fund, to be awarded to undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree in Peace Studies at Naropa.  The Jones's created the scholarship to honor John Whitehouse Cobb’s legacy as a former president of Naropa for 10 years, and to promote the study of peace as a field of endeavor. The scholarship will be awarded annually, at the university’s discretion, to one or more students seeking a degree in Peace Studies. 

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.

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