Press Release

Naropa University Community Service Day Gives Back to Boulder
Day of Volunteering at Local Organizations on April 8

BOULDER, Colo. (March 30, 2005) - In a move designed to give back to the community, Naropa University is holding its inaugural Community Service Day on Friday, April 8, 2005. Naropa University staff, faculty, students, alumni and board members will volunteer that day at various locations in Boulder and around the country, putting the Naropa University core value of "compassion in action" to work. Volunteer activities in Boulder will include weeding non-native plants at Valmont City Park; transplanting perennials and doing general spring cleanup in the Boulder Community Gardens, including North Boulder Gardens, the Children's Peace Garden and the Horticulture Therapy Garden; general manual labor at the Medicine Horse ranch; and visiting with and helping Boulder senior citizens in their homes. The broader Boulder community can participate in the effort by making monetary pledges per volunteer hour worked; donations will go to support the Naropa University Presidential Scholarship Fund. The Naropa University Presidential Scholarship is awarded to outstanding degree-seeking undergraduates. More information and pledge forms are available at www.naropa.edu/alumni/communityserviceday.html. The public can also obtain more information by calling the Naropa University Development Office at 303-546-3575.

"Service to community is an essential element of the Naropa experience," said Naropa University President Thomas B. Coburn, who plans to volunteer at the Children's Peace Garden on April 8. "Community Service Day is a dedicated effort to reach out to Boulder, as well as provide additional funding for our Presidential Scholarship."

At the end of the day, Naropa University volunteers will gather on the Naropa Green to celebrate the first annual Naropa University Community Service Day.

Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Naropa University is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. Contemplative education is an approach to learning that 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 studies, psychology, religious studies, and creation spirituality. It offers BA, BFA, MA, MFA, MDiv and MLA 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
Manager, Public Relations
Naropa University
PH 303-245-4643
FAX 303-245-4676
jrubinstein@naropa.edu