LINDA MARSHALL
M.A. Buddhist
Studies, '09
My life was in transition when I began the program at Maitripa College. After all those years I found myself adrift without family or even pets. My son had grown and was mostly gone. I was trying to establish myself in a new job and a new apartment, not having rented since the early ‘80s. I felt unsettled and, for the first time, I couldn't imagine my future. Maitripa gave me a multi-year plan. After that, I expected I would know what to do.
I still have the same job, which I do differently, and the same apartment. My outer life hasn't changed all that much, but my inner life has. Instead of spending time on damage control, I’m spending time envisioning things. I have faith in the dharma instead of being essentially faithless. I feel lucky and pretty optimistic.
I feel that what I have learned at Maitripa has become a part of who I am, what I do, and how I express myself. I find I am more considerate to clients than I used to be, for example, and I've ramped up my community service. I understand that by supporting these communities, everyone benefits, even myself.
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MICHAEL D. JOLLIFFE
M.A. Buddhist
Studies, ’09
In the summer of 2005, I went to volunteer at Nalanda Monastery in France for about two weeks. It was a beautiful experience, but also very turbulent: In that short time, I met Yangsi Rinpoche (President & Founder of Maitripa College), formally declared myself a Buddhist, and decided that all I wanted to do was study Buddhism. The thought of going back to the United States was daunting and a little painful, and I dreaded and resented the fact that I had to decide either to get a job, or earn a graduate degree in order to get a job.
I went back home, finished my undergraduate degree, and then “ran away” to Portland in spite of the chagrin of my parents. It was actually a little scary. I had no job, no place to stay, no money of my own, and no real plan. I felt immature and timid, and that was a little hard.
Maitripa gave me a chance to grow up in my own way. While I feel more mature and confident now, I still feel like I’m honest about who I was when I arrived. (Ask anyone at Maitripa if they’ve ever seen me sleeping in class, and you’ll understand what I mean.) It was because of Maitripa that I met some of my closest friends and it seems to me that perhaps the majority of my learning has come from studying and practicing with them as a community.
After graduating in 2009 with my M.A. Buddhist Studies, I did advanced study at Maitripa in the Vajrayana Certificate program, and I’m exploring options for more education and practice beyond Maitripa. I currently work for FPMT’s Mandala Publications as the assistant editor and occasionally lead pujas and meditations as part of Maitripa’s public program.
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JUSTIN JENKINS
M.A. Buddhist
Studies, ‘09
I started at Maitripa a month after completing an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies in Colorado. The opportunity to learn the Buddhist path directly from Yangsi Rinpoche and to be part of a dharma community brought me to the school. I arrived in Portland in January of 2006 an eager and idealistic student.
What Maitripa led me through was beyond my previous conceptions of learning and developing oneself as a person. Over and over it opened my eyes to new perspectives, and challenged me in ways for which I couldn’t prepare. It was a priceless education and truly a personal process of transformation. The program challenged me to develop book smarts, experiential meditation smarts, and grounded, egoless service smarts all at the same time. I had to apply my studies on campus, at home, at workeverywhereand all that time continuing as a student.
Currently I am using my degree in two ways. I am applying for further graduate work in religious studies as I pursue an academic teaching career. I am also furthering my studies in translating Tibetan Buddhist texts, an interest developed at Maitripa.
My degree is also being put to use in the details of my daily life. What I learned at Maitripa can’t be separated from how I relate to my worldto other people, to myself, and to the environment. The qualities and tools that I have from my time there are at my core and will be utilized for the rest of my days on Earth.
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