Mr. Thupten Tsering, Director of Men-Tsee-Khang, the Tibetan Medical & Astro. Institute, accompanied by Dr. Namdol Lhamo, Vice-Principal cum Faculty member of Men-Tsee-Khang Sowa-Rigpa Medical College & Hospital, attended the tenth-anniversary celebration of the Mary T. Scholars Program at the University of Minnesota (UMN), USA, as special guests. The event, which took place from December 7-14, 2024, was hosted and sponsored by the College of Education and Human Development, UMN.

The Mary T. Scholars Program is one of the few international programs at the University of Minnesota that offers graduate students the opportunity to engage in professional development through community-based work in a foreign country. This year’s celebration brought together global partners from Cameroon, Cambodia, Nepal, Thailand, and India, along with faculty members at UMN and former program scholars. They shared the impact of the program, exchanged experiences, and discussed ideas for future initiatives.

The event included panel sessions, a reception, campus and museum visits, and a meeting with the Director of the College of Education and Human Development, Dr. Michael C. Rodriguez. Men-Tsee-Khang, one of the program’s newest global partners, hosted two PhD scholars from UMN this year, who conducted a successful month-long program covering various topics to enhance the skills of faculty, staff, and students.

Alongside the event, the Tibetan Healing Initiative (THI) at the Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH) at the University of Minnesota, led by Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer, hosted a meeting with representatives from Men-Tsee-Khang. The meeting included presentations from both partners, followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further strengthen their decades-long collaboration in education, research, and publication.

Overall, the event concluded with discussions on the continued expansion of collaboration between Men-Tsee-Khang and the University of Minnesota. Men-Tsee-Khang would like to express its gratitude to Dr. Mary Tjosvold, Program Financer, Dr. Marina B. Aleixo, Director of International Initiatives and Relations, Dr. Tenzin Namdul, program supervisor and Director of Tibetan Healing Initiative. Ms. Colleen Tjosvold, Program Board Member and all concerned for their warm hospitality extended during their visit to UMN and particularly for their continued support and collaboration.