Nursing professor Elizabeth Loeper and research assistant Susan Long have received a $5,000 grant to begin mindfulness trainings for students, faculty, and staff. Both Loeper and Long are experienced meditators who practice mindfulness in their daily lives. 

The grant is from the Trust for the Meditation Process, a charitable foundation that supports the teaching and practice of meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative prayer. According to the organization’s website, these grants to non-profit organizations promote health and wholeness and bring silence and stillness to a hectic world.

A one-credit course called Mindfulness for College Students will be offered during the spring semester. The course description states that this interdisciplinary course will provide training in Koru Mindfulness, an evidence-based practice designed specifically for college students. Students will learn and practice mindfulness techniques that promote a sense of calmness, restfulness, mindfulness, and self-compassion. The course structure is provided via in-person classes and use of the Koru app to track personal progress. Students in all majors and levels are welcome to enroll.

 “Koru” is the New Zealand Māori word for the spiral shape of the unfurling fern frond. The word literally means “looped” or “spiraled,” but the shape symbolizes harmony or balanced growth, representing layered growth around a stable center.

“We are also hoping to offer workshops in mindfulness for faculty and staff after we get these courses off the ground,” Loeper said. 

Long, author of the Mind Drop Monday emails, finds mindful meditation the key to a better life. “From a personal perspective, I believe that mindful meditation has literally changed my life. My practice has expanded both my self-awareness and my attunement to others so that I can live a richer and kinder life,” she said.

Offering the opportunity to learn practical skills that students can use to manage stress, focus their minds, and gain perspective on issues and challenges they face in their lives will help them in numerous ways.

“For students, I believe they will learn a practice that will serve them the rest of their lives. The course will give them the tools they need to become more aware and centered so that they can live their best lives and be a balanced contributor in the world,” Long said.