Press Release

Naropa University Graduation to Be Held on May 13 at Mackey Auditorium

Yesod Foundation President David Friedman Tapped As Commencement Speaker

BOULDER, Colo. (April 27, 2006)–Naropa University will graduate more than 300 students–a mix of undergraduates and graduates-on Saturday, May 13, 2006, in a commencement ceremony to be held at Mackey Auditorium on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m., with the doors scheduled to open at 12:15 p.m. David Friedman, co-founder and current president of the Yesod Foundation, will deliver the keynote address.

Friedman attended Harvard University, where he majored in economics and was influenced by the politics of the late 1960s. In 1982, Friedman co-founded Sandy River Health System, Maine's largest provider of long-term care for the elderly, and continues to serve as the organization's chair. He is an advisory board member of The Rockwood Foundation and also serves on the board of The Boulder Institute for Nature and the Human Spirit. In 1998, David helped birth the Yesod Foundation, which works in collaboration with Naropa on the Reb Zalman Legacy Project (www.rzlp.org).

Additional graduation speakers include Naropa University President Dr. Thomas B. Coburn; Traditional Eastern Arts faculty member Nataraja Kallio; and student speakers Luis Valadez and AnaVictoria Pabellón-Braun. The closing blessing will be given by Candace Walworth, associate professor in the college core. The student band Strangers Die Everyday will also play at the ceremony.

Diplomas will be presented by Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Christine Caldwell. In a longstanding Naropa University tradition, graduates wear sashes instead of formal robes. In addition, all graduates bow to the presenter prior to receiving their diplomas.

Accredited by 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. It offers BA, BFA, MA, MFA and MDiv degrees, as well as professional development training and classes for the community. In addition, the university runs study abroad programs in Sikkim, India and Prague, Czech Republic. For more information, visit www.naropa.edu.

Contact:

Jane Rubinstein
Director, Marketing & Communications
Naropa University
PH 303-245-4643
FAX 303-245-4676
Jrubinstein@naropa.edu
www.naropa.edu