Haley Spitzfaden—Building Community at MUM

Haley Spitzfaden grew up in New Hampshire, and in high school she was the editor of the school newspaper, worked on every theatre production, sang in five choirs, played soccer, worked multiple jobs, and took advanced placement classes at the same time. She says her lifelong practice of the Transcendental Meditation^® technique has helped her through her hectic schedule.

When she came to MUM, Haley decided to prioritize the activities she is truly passionate about and not put as much pressure on herself. “Learning the TM-Sidhi program helped me to settle back down into my Self,” she said. “I have realized that listening to my heart is a really important aspect of functioning in day-to-day life, because I had the tendency to overbook myself.”

Haley, who serves on the MUM Student Government, now pours her energy into two projects. Her first goal is to build a bridge between students and opportunities in the Transcendental Meditation organization so that students can participate in mutually beneficial internships.

One of these opportunities arrived last June when she was invited to attended a peace summit in Kiev, Ukraine, organized by the Global Union of Scientists for Peace and headed by MUM President John Hagelin. Haley plans to use this experience as an inspiration for other students to get involved. In addition, as a student of media and communications, she hopes to use her film and writing skills in support of David Lynch Foundation Television.

Haley’s second goal is to foster team-building skills and school spirit within the MUM student body. With alumnus Chris Grace she created the MUM Cup Tournament, a year-long multi-event team contest that includes Harry Potter-inspired live-action adventure quests and community service projects. Teams are assembled from various demographics and earn points toward winning the MUM Cup.

In her free time, Haley enjoys rock climbing and is the treasurer of MUM’s Rock Climbing Club.