October 17, 2022 • ISSUE 643

Sauravi Thapa
Working Hard to Succeed

Sauravi Thapa is a student in MIU’s MS in Computer Science Program currently completing her full-time paid practicum as a senior software engineer at Banyan Infrastructure in San Francisco. Sauravi got the position following her first interview, two days after finishing her on-campus classes.

Sauravi earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2018 from Kathmandu Engineering College in Nepal. After working for a large fintech company for three years, Sauravi wanted to earn a master’s degree. Her father encouraged her to get a degree from the US and, based on a friend’s recommendation, she applied to MIU.

“I love MIU,” she said. “I got everything I wanted and needed.” Sauravi chose MIU’s Computer Professionals Program because of its focus on both theoretical and practical knowledge. She is now finishing her degree via distance education classes, while already applying what she has learned in her CPT position.

In a San Francisco school with students in the Quiet Time program

Sauravi appreciates working in a culturally diverse team that supports her. In five years she sees herself as a solution architect and wants to build applications that are robust and secure.

In a recent class, Sauravi also applied for a graduate student assistant position and was able to help her classmates while taking the class herself. “One thing I learned here is that you need to be hardworking,” she said. “If you work hard on any subject, you are going to ace it.”

With MBA classmates and former Fairfield mayor Ed Malloy during a class project


Sauravi’s father had always encouraged her to meditate, so she has been happy to include the Transcendental Meditation® program in her daily routine. “TM makes me calm and gives me a clear vision when I get anxious,” she said.

While staying on campus, Sauravi enjoyed exercising daily in the MIU Recreation Center, hiking the Fairfield trails, and cooking for her friends. When prospective students contact her on LinkedIn to inquire about MIU, she tells them that MIU is their best option.

November 7, 2022 • ISSUE 646

Rachel Lansky
Writer, Teacher, Manager

MIU alumna Rachel Lansky grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Maharishi School. She earned a BA in creative writing and journalism from the University of Colorado Denver, and worked in various writing and editing jobs while living in Boulder, Colorado.

In 2012 she began working at the Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education, which promotes Quiet Time and the Transcendental Meditation® technique in schools. Rachel has always enjoyed her TM® and TM-Sidhi® programs, and her work at the Center inspired her to become a Transcendental Meditation teacher in 2015. She then worked for the David Lynch Foundation, teaching the TM technique in schools at San Francisco and Los Angeles.

In a San Francisco school with students in the Quiet Time program

In 2017 Rachel moved back to Fairfield to be near her family. She worked at MIU while completing her part-time MBA in Sustainable Business. “I loved being a student at MIU,” she said. “I loved the MBA program and the challenges it provided. I grew a lot during my MBA.” She completed her MBA classes in August, 2022.

Rachel’s favorite classes were on leadership, communication, and mediation. In 2021, while still attending MIU, she landed a highly competitive job at Backstop Solutions Group, a company offering productivity software for the institutional investment industry. She has been promoted twice in the past 12 months and now manages the Client Care team of the company. Rachel enjoys communicating with people and helping them solve their problems. In the future she wants to continue studying mediation

With MBA classmates and former Fairfield mayor Ed Malloy during a class project

Rachel is working remotely for the Chicago-based company and enjoys living in Fairfield, attending the Super Radiance program in the Golden Domes, and participating in TM Retreats. She likes being a TM teacher and hopes to return to teaching part time and working with the Global Mother Divine Organization.

October 24, 2022 • ISSUE 644

Victor Zhao Shengli—Personal and Business Growth Through Consciousness-Based Education

Victor Zhao is one of 95 students enrolled in MIU’s MBA/PhD programs in China at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, one of MIU’s two Chinese partner institutions.
 
This collaborative program caters to professionals who attend classes for a full weekend once a month and study the rest of the time online. The courses are taught by MIU professors or the host university.
 
Victor earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Shanghai University of Applied Technology and an MBA from Business School Netherlands offered in China. For the past ten years he has been growing his management consulting and training company. He specializes in creating and teaching management courses for small and medium-sized enterprises, including both foreign and state-owned businesses. 
Victor teaching a training seminar
He learned about MIU’s programs in China from a fellow professional trainer and was attracted to the idea of Consciousness-Based℠ education. He enrolled in the MBA program in 2019, graduated in 2020, and began the coursework for the PhD program.
 
Victor likes the classes by MIU faculty because of the inclusion of teamwork alongside individual assignments. He also appreciates the feedback he receives on each project.
 
Victor has found his practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique helpful in quieting his busy mind and making him relaxed and calm. “TM helped a lot with my work during the pandemic, when stress was overwhelming, and yet I could still work efficiently and calmly,” he said.
With his family at his MIU MBA graduation in Shanghai
Since joining the MIU MBA/PhD program, he has been able to apply what he learned in his training business and grow it by 35 percent over the past two years, despite the challenges of the pandemic. 
 
“MIU helps me pay more attention to my inner awareness, my body’s need for internal and external repair, and promotes a harmonious mental attitude to help me achieve my career goals,” he said.
 
After graduating, Victor wants to promote Consciousness-Based education and the TM® technique in China to businesses and government organizations.

November 1, 2022 • ISSUE 645

Nisha Joshi Miglani Providing Consciousness-Based℠ Development

MIU student Nisha Joshi Miglani attended DePaul University, Chicago, when her internship with New Generation Aerospace turned into a full-time career that took her around the world.

Nisha began working with the company in 2006 in marketing and advanced to senior vice president of commercial aerospace. In 2009 she co-founded the spin-off New Generation Power, with the mission to deliver sustainable energy solutions to communities around the world. By 2017 Nisha had advanced to president of the company.

As her responsibilities increased, so did her stress level, and she began experiencing health issues. She found relief with Ayurvedic remedies, and in 2019 she left her job to study Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology.

Her studies raised her interest in consciousness development, and soon she discovered MIU on Instagram. She applied and began the MA in Consciousness and Human Potential program in August, 2022.
With professor Fred Travis and classmates
Nisha, who was born in Nepal, enjoys studying Maharishi Vedic Science℠ and reconnecting with the traditions of her culture.
 
“I like the design of the program,” she said. “We can learn a lot in ten months because the program allows us to comprehend the subjects in a natural progression. I also like the opportunity to experience and reflect on the various qualities of consciousness we study.”
 
Nisha benefitted a lot from a two-day TM® Retreat included in one of her classes, which inspired her to incorporate the Maharishi Yoga Asanas into her routine. “Doing the asanas and the pranayama helps me get into a restful state before my TM practice.”
 
In 2020 Nisha completed a course called “Mobilizing your Nonprofit Board” through Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education. Along with her husband, she started a nonprofit foundation in her hometown of Chicago, with the goal of providing Consciousness-Based self-development and healthcare programs to individuals with high levels of stress, such as veterans, firefighters, and police officers. She is also working on a book about the evolution of consciousness.

October 10, 2022 • ISSUE 642

Michael Girma Abayneh—Problem Solving with Diversified Knowledge

Michael Girma Abayneh is a student in the Master’s in Software Development program who holds a master’s degree in accounting and finance from Arsi University, Ethiopia. Michael grew up in a small town in Ethiopia with the belief that education should be used to solve problems and that diversified knowledge can solve any problem.
 
He began his career as a secondary school teacher, then worked as an accountant in the mining and agro-industry sectors, and as a university lecturer in accounting and finance. 
 
In 2019 Michael moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where five of his sisters work as nurses. He worked for Wells Fargo Bank as an operations clerk for two years prior to coming to MIU.
 
Michael already had computer applications skills, and when he heard about MIU’s MSD program he took the opportunity to further diversify his education. “Computer science makes all my previous education and knowledge meaningful because I can practice accounting more effectively,” he said.
Michael with his wife, two sets of twin daughters, and son
The program has exceeded Michael’s expectations and he is confident he can find a good position in the US. He enjoys the healthy lifestyle MIU promotes, including the vegetarian meals and the opportunity to exercise and get sufficient rest.
 
Michael grew up in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and has volunteered in the Church alongside his father. He has discovered that practicing the Transcendental Meditation® technique does not contradict his religion.
 
“TM has a lot of positive impact on my life,” he said. “My mind is tired after classes and TM gives me some rest, which helps me gain more energy to study and focus on my homework in the evening.”
 
Michael is graduating in 2023 and looks forward to reuniting with his wife and five children and creating a better life for his family.

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