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We’d love to hear what you’ve been doing since graduation! Use the form below to tell us about your news, publications, events or activities. And check out our list of graduate theses and alumni news stories.


Alumni Notes

Ken O’Niell, M.A., 1972

“Two projects: foster care for canines rescued from kill shelters with more than 200 adopted out to New England in last 5 years.

“Tertium quid, post-modern revisioning of bosatsudo (including jodo-mon and ‘esoterica’) as liberation soteriology subjected to branding as a category mistake in Victorian Era colonialist Orientalism’s invention of “Buddhism in Orientalist category of religion, including Christian gnostic heresy – akin to Rupert Sheldrake’s ‘freeing science of science’ as ‘freeing butsudo of Buddhism. Taking lead from Rice U/Esalen Jeffrey Kripal’s reframing of history of religions as history of consciousness. Whew. How about a non-religious super hero doing Bodhi Building (soku shin jo butsu including neuroplasticity). My podcasts are generally leading edge visionaries in science, peak performance sport, humanities – all aimed at promoting a grassroots renaissance in Life Culture, akin to the wonderful counterculture of the post WWII Bay Area IBS emerged within.”

Tadao Koyama, M.B.S., 2018

“Currently I am studying in Japan at Nishi Hongwanji’s Gonshikishidosho. My focus of study is Jodo Shinshu chants and rituals.”

Diana Thompson, M.A., 2012

“Minister with the Buddhist Churches of America, currently serving at the Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple”

Candice Shibata, M.A., 2015

“My time spent at the Institute of Buddhist Studies is something that I will always cherish. Living in community at the IBS dormitory and being in the company of fellow ministerial aspirants and the other students always inspired me to continue my studying and growth, personally and professionally.

“Following my first ministerial assignment at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple, I found my way back to Northern California. I am currently serving at the Buddhist Church of Florin as the resident minister.”

Ronald Miyamura, M.A.B.S., 1973

“Not a real alumni, since I did not graduate from IBS….but I attended and lived at IBS for 3 years when IBS was a “Pre-Ministerial Candidate School”. we attended local colleges and were supposed to be taking classes part-time at IBS. in the early days of IBS (1967-1970), it was not yet a graduate school, so I had to go off to Ryukoku.

“Currently the Resident Minister at the Midwest Buddhist Temple in Chicago.”