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Creative Writing & Poetics Faculty

Valerie Hsiung

Core Assistant Professor; Chair, Creative Writing Programs

valerie.hsiung@naropa.edu

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Stella Corso

Visiting Instructor, Writer in Residence

kristin.corso@naropa.edu

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Jeffrey Pethybridge, PhD

Interim Chief Academic Officer & Vice President for Academic Affairs; Core Associate Professor; Co-Artistic Director, Summer Writing Program

jpethybridge@naropa.edu

Michelle Naka Pierce

Core Professor

mnpierce@naropa.edu

(303) 245-4808

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Andrew Schelling

Core Professor

aschelli@naropa.edu

(303) 245-8411

Anne Waldman

Anne Waldman

Distinguished Professor of Poetics and Artistic Director, Summer Writing Program

awaldman@naropa.edu

Amy Bobeda

Adjunct Instructor; Director, Naropa Writing Center

amy.bobeda@naropa.edu

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Mairead Case, PhD

Adjunct Professor

mcase@naropa.edu

Ali Meyung, MFA

Adjunct Faculty

alice.meyung@naropa.edu

Sarah Richards Graba

Adjunct Faculty

srichardsgraba@naropa.edu

Sarah Elizabeth Schantz

Adjunct Instructor

Sarah.Schantz@naropa.edu

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Sara Veglahn, PhD

Adjunct Faculty

sveglahn@naropa.edu

Vincent Carafano

Vincent Carafano

vincent.james@naropa.edu

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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. 

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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.  

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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. 

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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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