New Naropa president says school will continue in-person learning

The latest: While Burkhardt was named the successor to Charles Lief in June and started in August, the school held an inauguration ceremony for him just last weekend.

• Burkhardt, most recently the provost at Olivet University in Michigan, said it was Naropa's mission that drew him to the position.
• "Naropa's approach to education is exactly what the world needs," Burkhardt told Axios Boulder.

Flashback: The university announced the sale of its Arapahoe Avenue campus in August 2024, part of a broader shift that began with increased online offerings during the pandemic.

State of play: Burkhardt emphasized that despite the sale, Naropa remains deeply rooted in Boulder and has no plans to go fully online. The university continues to operate its Nalanda campus at 63rd Street and Arapahoe Avenue.

• "We're not going anywhere," Burkhardt said.

• He added the Nalanda campus is big enough to handle its student population and still has room for expansion to grow its capacity.

Zoom in: Naropa is known for its innovative and unique courses and leadership in emerging fields such as psychedelic therapy.

• "Naropa has been a place of amazing creativity, and that's the special spark, that ability to see what the future needs," Burkhardt said.

The big picture: Burkhardt said Naropa's commitment to diversity and inclusivity is "fundamentally a part of our mission but also our spiritual practice."

• He said he feels Naropa's mission is especially important given the anxiety and divisiveness in the world.