Saipriya Gowrishankar—From Physician to Professor
August 8 2022 • ISSUE 634
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Saipriya Gowrishankar grew up in India in a large family of doctors and, from a young age, aspired to become a physician. She attended medical school in India, then worked at a women’s health and fertility clinic in Chennai. Twenty years ago she moved to the United States with her physician husband.
Ymane Lakhlif—Maharishi Ayurveda Student and Clinic Manager
August 1 2022 • ISSUE 633
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MIU student Ymane Lakhlif grew up in New York City and competed in swimming throughout high school and college. She also earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do at the age of nine.
With MIU students at the Doshi Center
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During clinical practice with students and MIU faculty members Anita Mishra and Roxanna Medeiros
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When she heard about the opening of MIU’s Navin and Pratima Doshi Center for Integrative Medicine in Los Angeles, she was eager to help. For the past year she has worked as operations manager of the clinic, as well as host of a weekly webinar featuring MIU’s faculty and guest experts. In addition, she oversees the renovations of the building along with her husband, who is the building’s manager.
The practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique helps Ymane stay calm and focused with her busy schedule as a student and a manager. “Life can be very hectic and TM keeps me grounded,” she said.
In her free time, Ymane enjoys working out every day and maintaining a routine that centers on self-care.
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Yick Oi Janet Ho—The Dao De Jing in Light of Maharishi Vedic Science
July 25 2022 • ISSUE 632
Yick Oi Janet HoThe Dao De Jing in Light of Maharishi Vedic Science |
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Yick Oi Janet Ho grew up in Hong Kong and has had an interest in language, literature, and Chinese philosophy from a young age. She earned a master’s degree in education and worked as a curriculum developer and coordinator for schools with special-needs students.
With classmates in the Maharishi Vedic Science Department in 2014
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Dr. Ho completed her PhD in management, graduating this June with an Outstanding Student Award. In her doctoral dissertation she explored the principles of management in the Dao De Jing in light of Maharishi Vedic Science. Her current research interests include discovering consciousness factors in ancient Chinese philosophies.
“I experienced a transformation through Maharishi’s knowledge and technologies and from understanding the Dao De Jing based on Maharishi Vedic Science,” said Dr. Ho. “That transformation was the best gift; it gave me a deep sense of satisfaction.”
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Receiving her doctorate in 2022
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Samuel Bartolome Valiente—Outstanding Computer Science Student
July 11, 2022 • ISSUE 631
Samuel Bartolome Valiente
Outstanding Computer Science Student
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MIU graduate Samuel Bartolome Valiente grew up in Spain and learned the Transcendental Meditation® technique at the age of six. His father had encouraged him to apply to MIU, and they visited campus in 2003. In 2018 Samuelfinally applied.
Samuel with Professors Anne Dow and Cathy Gorini and classmate Kidist Zihon
The block system of taking one course at a time was an extremely beneficial aspect of his education at MIU. It allowed him to immerse himself in one subject at a time and improve his retention of the material. He also enjoyed the healthy daily routine. “You are in an environment where it’s easy to practice TM; it’s part of your class.”
Samuel graduated this June with an Outstanding Student Award. For the first time in three years, he was able to return to Spain and reunite with his wife and daughter.
In July Samuel is returning to campus to complete his one-year Optional Practical Training (OPT) for international students. He is joining the team that maintains the Computer Science Department’s online education platforms. He is excited to return to campus to continue learning and gaining valuable experience, and this time he will be able to bring his family.
Melissa Melchor—Creating Content for Personal Growth
July 4, 2022 • ISSUE 630
Melissa Melchor
Creating Content for Personal Growth
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Melissa Melchor hails from El Paso, Texas, where she had attended a local community college as well as the University of Texas prior to coming to MIU. She didn’t feel connected to what she was learning there and began looking for a university that allowed her to explore her inner growth.
At the 2022 Graduation Awards Ceremony
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“After practicing the TM technique I began to believe in myself,” she said “MIU allows you to focus on your creativity and innate talents and encourages you to prioritize your individual expression and self-reflection. It helped me develop my sense of self and purpose.”
While exploring her personal development in the past, Melissa had found support from people sharing their own spiritual journeys on YouTube. This inspired her to create a podcast for her senior project, called “Wake Up to You,” which aims to support her listeners’ emotional and spiritual growth. She began creating her podcast episodes and designed her social media marketing strategy.
“I hope that by sharing my own stories, I can inspire and empower people to do something they are passionate about,” she said. Melissa graduated in June with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree and received an Outstanding Student Award.
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Ash Pachauri, Global Sustainability and Public Health Advocate, Gives Commencement Address
June 27, 2022 • ISSUE 629
Ash Pachauri, Global Sustainability and Public Health Advocate, Gives Commencement Address
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MIU graduated its largest class ever, 699 students, at its 45th commencement on June 18th. The class includes on-campus and online students as well as students at MIU’s sister institutions in South Africa and Ethiopia. Graduates come from 55 countries, including 245 from the US, 90 from Ethiopia, 62 from South Africa, 49 from Egypt, and 47 from Mongolia.
This year’s commencement speaker was Ash Pachauri, PhD, senior mentor of Protect the Planet (POP), a movement he co-founded with his late father Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, trailblazing climate change researcher. The mission of POP is to organize youth around the world to address the challenges of climate change through training, mentorship, project-based learning, and activism.
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Dr. Pachauri giving the commencement address
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Dr. Pachauri is a consultant for international organizations and collaborates with educational institutions. He has worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UN, and the CDC and is currently a technical adviser to the World Health Organization on self-care global guidelines.
In his commencement address, Dr. Pachauri encouraged students to embrace the values of service, environmental stewardship, compassion, and inclusivity. He emphasized the interconnectedness of all humanity around the world and the importance of adopting new attitudes, values, and behaviors in order to solve the multitude of crises the planet faces.
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President Hagelin presenting Dr. Pachauri his honorary degree
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“We all live behind a legacy, and what your legacy will be is your choice,” he said. “A legacy is a part and a piece of yourself which you sow in the hearts, the minds, and the eternal souls of those who cross your path physically, virtually, spiritually, and in any way. What you give of yourself is what grows, never goes, and is eternal; it’s never replaced.”
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Valedictorian Marie Greive leading the processional at the start of commencement
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During the graduation ceremony, MIU awarded Dr. Pachauri an honorary doctoral degree in world peace for his lifelong dedication to serving his fellow human beings and for his goal of creating a healthy, regenerative world for all generations to come. During his stay in Fairfield, Dr. Pachauri also participated in the inauguration of the second phase of the MIU Solar MEG’Array.
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Salutatorian Katherine Eid Wild presenting the class gift—a contribution to the renovation of the MIU swimming pool (photos by Ken West)