We’re so excited to welcome our incoming students this year, joining us from four different continents! Get to know some of our newest students below and hear what brought them to DRBU, what they’re looking forward to, and what they hope to explore during their time here.

BA Class of 2030

Feyfey

I am originally from southern China and lived in Shenzhen before moving to California. One of my greatest passions is nature. Whether I am feeling joyful or facing challenges, I often turn to nature to reconnect with myself. Hiking, walking by the ocean, and spending time in the mountains help me find balance, clarity, and peace.

My love for nature has also led me to explore natural foods, gardening, floral design, and essential oils. Although I am not a professional florist, I enjoy working with plants and anything connected to the earth. This passion eventually inspired me to work with essential oils and continue learning about natural approaches to well-being.

Through these experiences, I have come to believe that true growth comes from understanding our inner world. I feel that each person has unlimited potential waiting to be discovered. At DRBU, I hope to deepen my self-understanding, explore my potential more fully, and discover how I can contribute to others with greater wisdom and purpose.

Amelia

I really wanted to let you all know how happy and excited I was to be accepted to DRBU. I’ve been spending the whole summer preparing for my first semester. It will be a new chapter for me in a totally new place, with a new environment and new people.

I’ve found that it’s all about divine timing. Everything has been falling into place. I was able to go back to practicing yoga after two years, with better flow, concentration, poses, and a deeper connection to the practice, along with 20–30 minutes of meditation every day. I’ve also found a better way to communicate effectively with my mom, changed my perspective, and helped her understand the unhealthy patterns between us on a deeper level.

The reason why I was drawn to DRBU is my eagerness to discover who I truly am, what I am capable of, and the best version of myself I can become. I have a dream in my heart that one day I can become someone who helps make the world a better place. For now, I hope I can contribute something meaningful to the community.

MA Class of 2028

Alan

I am excited to delve deeply into the study of Buddhist texts and to dwell in a setting that would foster my spiritual growth.

I graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management, and I am interested in studying how to best model climate risk using many different models composed together which hopefully grasp the complexity of the situation.

While I was at the University of North Texas, I was the president of the UNT Philosophy Society, and was in constant dialogue with other members interested in deeper conversations. While I started my meditation practice and interest in Buddhism in the beginning of 2024, I have long been interested in the spiritual and mystical parts of our life.

My other great interest is mathematics, which I have recently been spending a significant amount of time studying, and hope to deepen my study during my time at DRBU.

Reed

I’m from Ashland, Oregon, right on the border with California. I graduated with my bachelor’s in Psychology in 2025, and then spent the last year in Nepal living at Buddhist monasteries.

I decided to come to DRBU because I felt, and still feel, that I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can learn and how much better of a person I can become. I am searching for my current views to be challenged, so that I might become more open-minded, kind, generous, and ultimately more able to be at peace with myself and the world. I am especially interested in how Buddhism intersects with social service. I also really enjoy backpacking, camping, running, and pretty much any way I can spend time outside.

I am fascinated by the winding paths that others have taken to DRBU and am excited to meet you all and hear more!

Seth

Before moving from Missouri, I was a caretaker for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

I have practiced in the Theravada and Lam Te (Vietnamese Linji) traditions of Buddhism for over a decade collectively. I have also practiced within several Vedic traditions, namely Advaita Vedanta and Vaishnava Bhakti Yoga. I have a longstanding interest in classical techniques of meditation and religious textual analysis.

My academic background is in philosophy. I believe that philosophy can be a tool for improved decision making, rather than a framework for purely academic speculation. By extension, I am a proponent of Engaged Buddhism with an interest in applying Buddhist ethics to modern life. I also personally benefit from and continue to advocate for Buddhist approaches to psychotherapy.

I am happily married to my partner Taylor. We have two cats – Birdie and Molly – who are constant sources of joy in our lives.

Vayu

I’m Vayu Navikarana, born Andrés, a Mexican cultivator of Basque heritage.

I came with the dream to translate the Avatamsaka into Latin American Spanish, and quickly realized how much I still need to learn. I just finished the Translation Certificate at DRBU, and I’m eager to continue this immersion in the Master’s program!