By Shyamal Sinha
In 1976, Dharma Realm Buddhist University was formally established at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, with the very first class arriving in 1977.
DRBU operated with the authorization status given by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. In 1976, the Institute of World Religions was created by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua and Paul Cardinal Yu Bin.
Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU), based in Ukiah, California, has announced a new scholarship program aimed at supporting students who have been adversely affected by natural disasters, such as the devastating Hurricane Harvey that swept across Texas and Louisiana in the US in 2017, and the Mendocino Complex Fire and Camp Fire that wrought extensive destruction in California last year.
“We have personally seen the catastrophic impact of the recent fires on our community and would like to reach out to students who are struggling to afford a college education as a result,” said DRBU president Susan A. Rounds. “We want to ensure that students are not forced to interrupt their education because of financial hardships created by a natural disaster.” (DRBU)
The scholarships, which will be offered to students pursuing BA and MA programs at DRBU, will cover the cost of attendance, including tuition and on-campus room and board, during the academic program. In order to be eligible, students must have disaster-relief status with the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, or a comparable agency, or demonstrate financial need as a result of loss of livelihood, including damage to home or property. Scholarship recipients are expected to participate in the DRBU’s work-study program.
DRBU offers a range of scholarship programs and financial support to help its students meet tuition fees and living costs. Additional financial aid is also available if students and their parents request special need due to family circumstances during the school year. DRBU does not provide merit-based scholarships, only assistance for students who have demonstrated financial need.
“Over 75 per cent of our undergraduate students receive financial aid from the University,” said admissions and financial aid director Wayne Chen. “The Disaster Relief Scholarship is part of our commitment to help our students meet their demonstrated financial needs. It is our sincere hope that family income or financial hardship does not divert students from their academic goals.” (DRBU)
DRBU is a small, private, non-profit university established at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, a Mahayana Buddhist monastery, in Ukiah, California. DRBU follows a unique curriculum incorporating a strong emphasis on Asian core texts and the integration of contemplative exercises in the West. Dedicated to liberal education in the Buddhist tradition, the university offers two degree programs: a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts, and Master of Arts in Buddhist classics, which cover Buddhist studies, language study and translation, Chinese studies, and related fields. As a small university, it accepts a very limited number of students for each program.
In February last year, DRBU was granted accreditation by the WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), an official academic body responsible for the accreditation of higher education institutions in California, Hawaii, and other regions.
DRBU was established in 1976 by the eminent Chinese Buddhist monk Venerable Hsuan Hua (1918–95) under the educational philosophy with the values and ideals of the Buddhist tradition that incorporated self-discovery, personal virtue, compassionate service to humanity, and sincerity in all endeavors.
DRBU follows a unique variation of the Great Books model, incorporating texts from both East and West. The university has a longstanding partnership with the Pacific School of Religion and the Graduate Theological Union, as well as the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association.
source — Buddhistdoor Global
