One volunteer’s experience helping shape a school grounded in wisdom, built to adapt, and designed to serve diverse communities.
By Susan Kaiser Greenland, Board Member, Tergar Schools
When Mingyur Rinpoche invited me to join a small working group developing a new school near his monastery in Kathmandu, I was honored—and a little surprised. It was a big deal to be asked. I felt flattered, and I also knew right away that this was a project I wanted to support. It’s a privilege to be part of it.
That project, now known as Tergar Schools, is no small undertaking. It’s built on Rinpoche’s vision and grounded in centuries of Buddhist wisdom, yet it’s also aimed at meeting the needs of modern learners and communities. The goal is to create a model of education that’s culturally responsive, deeply human, and profoundly practical.
My volunteer work with Mingyur Rinpoche began through an earlier parent program I helped develop with fellow students Amy Roth and Kelly Petrie for Tergar International. Today, I serve as an active Board member of Tergar Schools and collaborate closely with Justin Kelley, Tergar Schools’ Executive Director, to shape a curriculum that weaves Rinpoche’s teachings into all grades and subjects.
For over 25 years—even before meeting Rinpoche—I’ve been working to bring classical Buddhist teachings into secular settings in ways that feel both authentic and accessible. His approach to presenting timeless wisdom—grounded in daily life, not removed from it—has deepened that work and informs everything we’re building at Tergar Schools. It connects directly with my broader commitment to creating tools that children and adults can genuinely use in their everyday lives.
What makes Tergar Schools so powerful isn’t just the vision—it’s the people. With a lab school in Nepal and a global network of educators, scientists, practitioners, and supporters, we have both a strong foundation and the flexibility to build something meaningful. Because of the close relationship between the school and the lineage, we’re encouraged to work iteratively—trying, learning, and refining as we go. That kind of permission is rare in education.
I saw the potential firsthand when I visited the school in Nepal last year. The students were so thoughtful and clearly well trained in meditation. But what really lit me up was when we added an element of play before their meditation practice. The children just came alive—they laughed, moved, and had so much fun. And when it was time to sit, they dropped right into what looked like deep relaxation. The joy and the stillness were side by side, and it was beautiful to witness.
Moments like that remind me why this work matters. The school isn’t just about academics. It’s about nurturing the whole child—qualities like awareness, compassion, resilience, and curiosity. And while the curriculum draws from Buddhist philosophy, it’s designed to be adaptable—something that can meet the needs of diverse cultures and communities.
This isn’t about exporting a single worldview. It’s about creating a responsive model that different communities can shape and use in ways that reflect their own values and realities.
That responsiveness is part of what makes Tergar Schools so welcoming. For anyone drawn to meaningful education—especially education that speaks to the heart—it offers a place to contribute, collaborate, and belong.
At the same time, the work is not without its challenges. It means working across cultures, languages, and time zones—and finding common ground amid complexity. The pace can be slow, but for those of us involved, there’s trust that thoughtful, steady progress is what ultimately allows something lasting to grow.
And for me, that’s what this work is: a long view, a steady effort, a seedbed for something meaningful. I don’t know exactly what the final harvest will look like. But I believe deeply in the soil we’re tending and in the shared commitment to help something good take root.
