Dear Friends & Family,
This past February, I reached out to you when Kamalashila Initiative launched its Summer 2022 campaign seeking donations to help fund KI’s Visiting Scholars Program. I’m pleased to share with you that, to date, we have raised $6,500 (of our $10,000 goal) thanks to your generous support!
If you haven’t had the chance to donate or feel compelled to help spread the word, please click HERE. Any amount, big or small, is greatly appreciated!
The Visiting Scholars Program (VSP) began as The UCI-Tibet Initiative in 2011 in partnership with the University of California Irvine (UCI). Since its inception, VSP has successfully welcomed 29 Visiting Scholars from monastic institutions in India, helping to facilitate a 10-week intensive language immersion experience on UCI’s beautiful campus.
Today, after an almost 2-year break (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), we are very excited to announce the 2022 VSP class: Geshe Tenzin Nyima (Gaden Shartse Monastery), Geshe Phuntsok Tsering (Gaden Jangste Monastery), and Geshe Lobsang Yarphel (Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at Varanasi, and resident teacher at Chokhor Gepel Ling).
Last week, UCI’s International Center issued all three Visiting Scholars’ DS-2019 visa documents. Now the Geshes excitedly await their Visa interviews at the US Consulate in New Delhi. The Summer 2022 VSP will begin between June 15 and August 1 and the scholars will be staying at UCI’s Palo Verde housing complex. Needless to say, we are very excited to meet them, we wish them the best of luck during the interview, and our fingers are crossed that their visas will be granted.
Our sincere and humble THANK YOU, again, to all of you - our friends, family, and community, for your essential support as we relaunch this meaningful program. Please look forward to more updates as we prepare to welcome the 2022 Visiting Scholars.
Sincerely,
Bibi