Judith Simmer-Brown, PhD, Distinguished Professor Emeritx of Religious Studies, is a founding faculty member of Naropa University, having joined at the end of 1977 on a one-year contract. As one of the pioneering educators at Naropa, she was instrumental in shaping the university’s unique integration of contemplative practice into higher education. Working alongside a diverse group of poets, dancers, psychologists, scientists, and scholars, Simmer-Brown helped establish Naropa’s identity as a “contemplative college of the liberal arts,” which emphasizes the integration of mindfulness and contemplative practices into academic disciplines.
Over her 40-year tenure at Naropa, Simmer-Brown was a leading figure in advancing contemplative education. Her contributions to the Religious Studies department included the development of programs in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Contemplative Religions, and Buddhist chaplain training. In her final decade, she founded the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education, which unified the university’s efforts in contemplative teaching, inclusivity, and environmental sustainability. Although she retired from full-time faculty in June 2020, Simmer-Brown remains actively involved in special projects and teaching, continuing to influence Naropa’s commitment to integrating contemplative practice into education.
