Dhardon Sharling

On Saturday, May 16, I attended the commencement ceremony of my friend Rinchen Thinley at Hampshire College. It was also, what may be Hampshire’s final commencement ceremony, following the college’s recent announcement of its closure.

I arrived with a heavy heart. But as I entered the campus grounds on a beautiful summer day, I was struck by a powerful sight. Among more than 100 national flags, standing right at the center, was the Tibetan national flag. The snow lion looked majestic. The flag was placed beside those of the United Nations and the United States, with the Indian national flag only a few steps away.

For me, and for every Tibetan I met that day, the sight evoked pride, joy, and something deeper than words. It was a communal feeling, shared by the youngest among us, a seven year-old child, and the oldest, an 80 year-old elder. It was another reminder of how national symbols carry identity, memory, belonging, and pride, especially for people in diaspora.

Hampshire College holds a special place in the hearts of many Tibetans. Through its commitment to global education and social justice, the college offered scholarship opportunities to Tibetan students, many from institutions such as the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics for the last 30 years enabling them to complete undergraduate degrees. Rinchen will be the last Tibetan student to study at Hampshire.

On a personal note, I also had the privilege of teaching at Hampshire in Spring 2024. I found the college’s commitment to social justice, sustainability, critical inquiry, and student-centered learning deeply meaningful. These are values I continue to carry into my own teaching at UMass.

As I watched Rinchen graduate, surrounded by Tibetan families, elders, children, friends, and flags, I felt both grief and gratitude. Grief for the closing of an institution that has meant so much to so many. Gratitude for the lives it shaped, the communities it welcomed, and the dignity it extended to students from places and peoples too often rendered invisible.

Thank you, Hampshire College. You will be remembered with deep affection by the Tibetan community and by all of us who were fortunate to learn from your spirit.

Domestic violence has existed across histories, cultures, and societies, but that does not mean it should ever be accepted as inevitable.

The last fifteen years of social media, online misogyny, polarization, and now AI-driven attention economies raise urgent questions about the future of human relationships, empathy, masculinity, and community.

At a time when outrage and dehumanization are often amplified for visibility and profit, we need deeper conversations about compassion, emotional literacy, dignity, accountability, and collective care.

I appreciated the opportunity to reflect on these issues in this thoughtful Republican/MassLive conversation alongside other voices working to understand the roots of violence and the possibilities for change.

Can domestic violence ever be solved? Three experts weigh in. The recent murder of Emma MacDonald at the University of Massachusetts Amherst points to how pervasive domestic violence is in America.

A thoughtful and powerful reflection on Geshe Thupten Jinpa la’s talk at Amherst College last week, Why Compassion Matters in Challenging Times, published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Thank you Samuel Gelinas for capturing the spirit and significance of this event so beautifully.

Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts, Amherst Thondup Tsering

A case for compassion: Dalai Lama's translator shares message in campus visit - Daily Hampshire Gazette AMHERST — Seeking answers, Amherst College freshman Luke Healey sat hunched over his notebook in the back of Johnson Chapel on campus, intently taking notes as the Dalai Lama’s primary English translator, Geshe Thupten Jinpa, spoke about compassion. The environmental studies major hopes to pursu...

It’s happening today, in my town! Amherst is honored to welcome Geshe Thupten Jinpa for a public talk on “Why Compassion Matters in Challenging Times.”

A renowned Tibetan scholar, author, and the principal English translator to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Thupten Jinpa is a leading voice in compassion training, Buddhist thought, and the dialogue between contemplative practice and science. He brings profound insight to one of the most pressing questions of our time: why compassion matters, especially in the face of today’s challenges.

April 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM Johnson Chapel, Amherst College
Open to the public

Sponsored by the Amherst College Department of Religion and the Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts.

A sacred closing to a week of reflection, healing, and compassion. Last week, monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery created and ceremonially dismantled the Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva of Compassion) sand mandala at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, offering a powerful reminder of interdependence, impermanence, and universal responsibility. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, compassion should be the working model for the 21st century. In a world marked by war, climate crisis, deepening inequities, and mental health challenges, this age-old tradition invited us to carry compassion beyond the mandala and into the world for the well-being of all beings.



Photo credit:Ben Barnhart, University of Massachusetts, UMass Amherst

I am deeply excited and proud that a centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist tradition will be coming to my own campus. In this Year of Compassion, it feels especially fitting to welcome a practice that embodies healing, compassion, interdependence, and impermanence.

From April 6 to 10, monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery will create an intricate Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva of compassion) sand mandala at UMass Amherst. The week begins with an opening ceremony featuring chants, music, and mantra meditation, and the community is invited to witness the mandala’s creation throughout the week, as well as attend a special lecture on community and belonging.

At the close of the week, the mandala will be ceremonially dissolved and released into water, reminding us of life’s impermanence and the spread of compassion beyond the space in which it was created, something especially needed in these challenging times.

Organized by the UMass Fine Arts Center with support from the Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts.
More information: umassarts.site/MysticalTibet



UMass Amherst

A beautiful reflection on the March 10 Uprising Day observance in the Pioneer Valley, organized by the Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts, Amherst

Walk for Tibet stops in Northampton, marches through Hampshire County - The Reminder NORTHAMPTON — In recognition of the 67th anniversary of the National Tibetan Uprising Day, the Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts led a “Walk for Tibet” on March 10, starting the day long-trek in Amherst, stopping in Northampton and ending the day in Easthampton.

So incredibly proud of my 18-year-old niece, Namdol, for launching her social innovation project Zampa—Building Bridges.

Drawing on her identity as a Tibetan American, she is creating a shared space for learning, connection, and kinship among young adults across the world—work that is both innovative and deeply needed in our times.

Congratulations, Namdol! You have the power to change the world through thoughtful, compassionate action.
www.zampabridge.org

Introducing: Zampa—Building Bridges Zampa—Building Bridges is a social innovation project planning to bridge the two different but connected worlds that shape who I am today: Namdol. We live in...

Pleased to share my recent interview with Nancy Cohen, Communications Coordinator for the UMass Amherst Department of Communication. We discussed my approaches to teaching, learning, research, and service—and how growing up as a Tibetan in exile has shaped my belief in turning challenges into opportunities. This experience continues to ground my commitment to social justice.

Grateful for the chance to reflect on the values and experiences that guide my work.

Click the link to read the article
https://www.umass.edu/communication/news/turn-challenges-opportunities-dhardon-sharlings-core-message-communication-students

UMass Amherst