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50th Anniversary Gala

Program Information

flames from 50th anniversary logo

President Charles Lief and the Board of Trustees cordially invite you to celebrate Naropa University as it marks its 50th anniversary!

You have played an important part of the Naropa story and on this day we honor all students, faculty, staff, alumnx, and friends who have given their time, talents and resources to support this special university.

September 21, 2024

6:00–10:00 PM

Boulder JCC
6007 Oreg Ave.
Boulder, CO 80303

The event will include a cocktail hour, dinner, entertainment, a retrospective of Naropa’s first 50 years! For additional information about the Gala, updates, and to see all of our event sponsors, please visit the 50th Anniversary Gala website.

Tickets

The 50th Anniversary Gala is currently sold out. If you would like to be added to our waiting list, please contact Renee Meek at renee.meek@naropa.edu.

Questions?

If you have questions, please reach out to Sharla Owens, Associate Vice President for Development, at sharla.owens@naropa.edu.

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor

Lori & Ross Laser

Gold Sponsor

Samantha Sanderson

Silver Sponsors

BOCO Climate Justice Hive logo Grasslands logo

Event Program Sponsor

Marty & Susanna Janowitz

Awards Sponsor

Karen & Mark Wilding

 

Purple Sponsors


SolvoQuestco Logo-Black

Joseph Cassidy, Bayard & John Cobb, Judith Dack, Christopher & LuAnne Hormel, Lynne Katzmann, Marty Krasney, Charles & Judith Lief, Elizabeth Shaw, Regina Marie Smith, Tara Trujillo

Preferred Hotel Accommodations

Below are our hotel accommodations with availability for the weekend of the Gala (Friday, September 20 through Sunday, September 22) within a short drive of the JCC. Whatever accommodations you choose, we recommend booking early as there is a CU home football game that same weekend.

RESERVE YOUR ROOM AT THE HAMPTON INN & SUITES

 

Special Naropa nightly rate: $129 + tax

Located off of US 287, the Hampton Inn & Suites is just twelve miles from Boulder. Enjoy complimentary hot breakfast, WiFi, and an indoor pool.

RESERVE YOUR ROOM AT THE FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES

 

Nightly rates from $322

Located in Boulder proper, this new hotel was completed in late 2021. Enjoy complimentary hot breakfast buffet, high speed internet, and 55-inch smart TVs with the ability to stream from your favorite platforms.

RESERVE YOUR ROOM AT THE WESTIN

 

Special Naropa nightly rate: $189

Ideally positioned 15 minutes from both Denver and Boulder, The Westin Westminster features a fitness studio, spa, and heated indoor pool; high speed internet access and bluetooth sound system; and the fabulous Kachina Southwestern Grill. 

YOU ARE READY.

This is where experiential learning meets academic rigor. Where you challenge your intellect and uncover your potential. Where you discover the work you’re moved to do—then use it to transform our world.

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About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

Support Naropa

At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, Naropa University stands firmly rooted in its mission to create a more just and regenerative world by nurturing insight, awareness, courage, and compassion in its students. By making a gift to Naropa, you play a pivotal role in helping to create the authentic, effective & mindful leaders that the world desperately needs.

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Naropa University campuses are closed on 12/17/2025. 

Due to adverse weather conditions of high winds and planned power outages, all Naropa campuses will be closed today. 

 

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Spring and Summer Start Dates for the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentrations

In support of students and in response to federal legislation impacting financial aid for graduate students, Naropa University will be accepting applications for MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for spring starts through January 10.

Graduate School of Counseling concentrations listed below will be offering online and low-residency courses to start their programs in January 2026 as well as our Summer 2026 terms.

Beginning a graduate program in Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 means that you will have access to apply for Graduate Plus loans as these loans will be eliminated at the federal level starting in Fall 2026.

Contact Admissions (admissions@naropa.edu) today to learn how you can begin the next step in your graduate education journey.

Apply Now