Why Naropa?

The culture and climate of the Naropa University workplace is like no other. Our employees come from backgrounds in every industry and from around the world, all drawn here for one purpose: to support the fulfillment of our unique institutional mission. Among us you will find great affiliation and diversity; both commitment and competence; and, most of all, friendly faces.

Imagine a workplace where people greet you warmly, laugh regularly and genuinely want to know how you’re doing. Imagine a workplace where the concept of work-life balance is treasured rather than tolerated. Imagine a feeling of coming home every day when you come to work.

This is Naropa.

We are not a utopia: we, like every business, have our share of ups and downs. We have disagreements. We have conflict. We have fiscal realities. But at Naropa, you’ll never be nameless. You’ll never be just a number. You’ll be a human being, a growing, learning, dynamic person with a life and purpose of your own.

Work Environment

Naropa’s work environment is both casual and liberal and reflects our Boulder, Colorado, location as well as our commitment to contemplative education.

Most Naropa departments start their day at 9 a.m. During the morning, you’ll find employees engaged in planning sessions, helping students or other employees, problem solving, and other important work. We frequently have campus events scheduled over the lunch hour on Wednesdays, open to students, faculty and staff. You might also find yourself in the classroom, soaking up the wisdom of our incredible students.

As the sun moves across the sky towards the mountains, the work day continues. Afternoon conversations and laughter are the norm, interspersed with the occasional birthday or anniversary celebration.

After work, you might find yourself conveniently riding the bus home to avoid the traffic. Or, perhaps you’d prefer to take advantage of one of our two hundred bike fleet bicycles to get some exercise while commuting.

Those who stay at work late can take advantage of the relative quiet that comes with the end of the day. Campus life continues, however, and you might just as easily find yourself returning to campus to take advantage of an evening or weekend program.

At Naropa, you’ll find every style of dress, from jeans to suits and ties. We enjoy a community commitment to environmental sustainability and compost and recycling bins are widely available at each campus. The hint of incense wafts through the hallways near our meditation rooms. We value the voices of all our community members and there are regular conversations across campus about the role of power, privilege and difference on our campus.

Above all, we strive to make each member of our community feel comfortable and confident. A caring coworker is always just a conversation away.

Meditation Instruction

Due to Naropa’s commitment to contemplative education in all aspects of life, meditation instruction is offered to any employee who requests it. Getting to know oneself and one’s world through meditation practice or other contemplative disciplines is viewed with great importance at the University. There is no charge for this instruction.

The type of meditation usually taught is called shamatha (“calm abiding”), a silent sitting practice that can develop mindfulness and awareness. These qualities can be relevant to an individual’s life regardless of religious orientation.

Working with the contemplative practices coordinator, employees can also access other forms of contemplative discipline including aikido, t’ai-chi ch’uan, bugaku (Japanese court dancing), calligraphy, hatha yoga, ikebana (Japenese flower arranging), kyudo (Japanese archery), tea ceremony and much more.

Personal Development Leave

Contemplative practice is the ground upon which Naropa University’s educational philosophy and approach are based. As such, employees of the university are encouraged to learn, develop and maintain the practice of a contemplative discipline. This practice serves as a basis for personal and professional development as well as providing a model for our students.

In order to support employees in personal or professional development, practice, study or training, the university provides a unique benefit: personal development leave (PDL).

Employees who request PDL receive a grant of paid time off from the university to engage in personal practice. For example, our employees have used this benefit to participate in such diverse practices as American Indian rain dance ceremonies, African mountain-climbing retreats, meditation intensives, yoga intensives, massage certification programs, Pagan festivals, leadership training, herbalism courses, shamanism and treks across the Himalayas.

Employees who utilize the PDL benefit return to the workplace reinvigorated and reengaged, often with new skills or experiences that are ultimately reflected in their ability to engage with students, develop workplace relationships and maintain their own personal practice outside of a sacred or retreat space.

Practice Day

It is a Naropa University tradition each fall and spring to suspend classes and business to engage in contemplative practice through the observation of Community Practice Day. On this day, campus offices are closed to the public. No regular classes are held. Many community activities are scheduled, such a group morning sitting meditation and talk, classes in various contemplative disciplines, and afternoon panels and presentations.

Even if one does not have a contemplative practice, when we stop our normal routine and create a “gap” in our schedule, space occurs that can allow us to be more present and to appreciate the subtleties of our lives and our surroundings.

Community Practice Day is a chance for the entire university community to take the opportunity to relate with each other on a different basis than our day-to-day studies or business affairs. All employees are encouraged to engage in non-routine activities, on or off campus, of a contemplative nature to constitute a wakeful pause in our regular routine or habitual pattern.

Thus, one might consider Community Practice Day as a daylong community Sabbath as that term is originally understood. It is one of the truly unique benefits of the Naropa workplace.

Best Workplaces for Commuters

Naropa University is proud to be one of the nation’s Best Workplaces for Commuters, an elite list recognizing employers that are leaders in offering superior commuter benefits. Like the list of FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, Best Workplaces for Commuters is a mark of excellence for today’s employers. We are pleased to have received this national designation from the U.S. EPA for doing our part in reducing traffic congestion and air pollution and improving the quality of life for our employees.

To learn more about this special designation, visit http://www.bwc.gov

To qualify for the list, Naropa University offers an outstanding package of commuter benefits to employees. These benefits include participation in Go Boulder’s Eco-Pass program providing bus commuting to all full time staff and students, access to company vehicles for work related trips, and the maintenance of a bicycle fleet available to all staff and students.