Emily Newman

Emily Newman first enrolled in higher education in 2005 at the University of Hawaii. However, the school’s requirement to select a major didn’t accommodate the diversity of her interests, ranging from sustainability and horticulture to psychology and creative writing, so she left in 2008.

During the next ten years Emily worked in a variety of fields, including farming, coaching gymnastics, and event production. For the past six years she has worked as a stagehand for musical, corporate, and theatrical events in San Francisco and in her home town of Irvine, California. She has also traveled in South and Central America.

Emily had known about MIU from friends who grew up in Fairfield. She even visited Fairfield in 2012 and learned the Transcendental Meditation® technique in 2018. When she decided to finish her undergraduate degree, she came across MIU’s online Applied Arts and Sciences Program. She was excited about the focus on self-exploration and the variety of classes offered through the interdisciplinary program, so she enrolled in January 2019.

Emily found her experience of online education surprisingly satisfying. “I have never experienced so much enthusiasm and support from my teachers during class,” she said. She enjoyed getting to know her classmates from all over the world through live discussions and chat forums.

She also appreciated the teachers’ support for her TM® practice in the form of group meditations and meditation checkups. “I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I did without learning TM,” said Emily. “My stress and anxiety didn’t distract me, and it was easy to stay focused and level-headed.”

Emily also became interested in Maharishi AyurVeda®, and the knowledge she gained in her classes helped her create a daily routine that supported her studies. She graduated in December 2020 and is now considering a master’s in Maharishi AyurVeda and Integrative Medicine.