She has published four novels, co-authored several non-fiction books, and written or edited over 50 screenplays; now she is studying creative and professional writing at MUM. Why? Although Dylene Cymraes has been a professional writer for over 20 years, she never had the time to attend college while raising four children and traveling the world as a military spouse.

Dylene learned the Transcendental Meditation^® technique in 2014 and came to a Visitors Weekend to accompany a friend. Two years later she and her husband moved to Fairfield from Maryland so she could finally fulfill her lifelong dream of being a student.

Since she taught herself the art of writing, Dylene missed out on the opportunity to workshop and refine her work in a classroom. Now she really enjoys being able to receive feedback from her teachers and fellow students.

Dylene was concerned about returning to school after a 30-year hiatus in formal education. “I was worried whether I could keep up with the course load,” she said, “but my TM practice has been a huge help. My blood pressure is down and I am healthier than I have ever been.”

Participating in the diverse demographics of the MUM campus is another advantage Dylene appreciates. “I love being in school with younger people. I love keeping my mind challenged and being accepted.” Dylene contributes to the MUM community by serving as a residential advisor in her dorm and being on call at the MUM Writing Center. In addition, she is fiction editor of the new online literary journal Metafore, founded by MUM students.

“Dylene is a teacher’s dream,” said Professor James Fairchild. “Not only is she the most mature writing student I’ve had at MUM, but she’s a model student in every way.”

Dylene has made a living as a writer but, more importantly, she writes for the love of it. Once she graduates, she hopes to teach workshops and share her passion with others. She is currently working on a new novel, which she will be drafting in an upcoming two-month novel writing class.

MUM graduate Yodit Denekew was recently crowned Miss Ethiopia at the 2017 Miss Ethiopia USA Pageant. The mission of Miss Ethiopia USA is to recognize women who are involved in promoting the Ethiopian culture and supporting humanitarian causes.

Yodit was born and raised in rural Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, where she witnessed underprivileged women struggling to have access to education. She became passionate about changing the situation and she has volunteered with various organizations, including United Nations Volunteers.

As Miss Ethiopia USA, she plans to use her title as a platform for empowering young women to pursue higher education. Yodit will be implementing her plans under the aegis of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) through fundraising events and traveling to Ethiopia to spread her message.

Yodit came to MUM in 2014 for the MBA in Accounting program. She enjoyed the cultural and ethnic diversity of the MUM campus and appreciated the self-development that Consciousness-Based^SM education offers. She also found that her classes provided relevant and up-to-date knowledge, and she was well-prepared to begin her career.

“I feel that the experience I gained was truly valuable,” said Yodit. “My stay at MUM helped to develop my communication skills and my self-esteem. I experienced inner growth and developed my creativity.”

Yodit graduated from MUM in 2015 and is currently working as an auditor at a public accounting firm in the Washington, D.C. area. She is also preparing for her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification.

In addition, she serves on the board of the Ethio-American Society of CPAs and Finance Professionals (ESCPA), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building leaders who shape the future of accounting, auditing, and finance professionals.

MIU alumnus David Navarrete is director of research initiatives and content development at Fairfield’s Sky Factory. He recently co-authored a white paper about how the company’s
architectural illusions of sky and nature, installed in ceilings and windows, actually help people feel more connected to nature—even when they’re in windowless rooms.

David was 15 when he came to Fairfield from Mexico to attend Maharishi School. He went on to Maharishi International University where he earned a double major in business and government (‘92) plus an MBA (‘93). He later obtained a master’s degree in public relations from Boston University (‘97).

In 1998, David gained extensive experience in mass communications working for Hill & Knowlton, a global PR firm, out of their Mexico City office, but returned to Fairfield in the fall of 2000 to work locally during the dot-com boom. When he landed the Sky Factory job in 2013, he became fascinated with the research and connection between architectural illusions and neurobiology. “Architects are beginning to realize that the interior environment has a very powerful cognitive effect on the occupant,” he said.

Over the past several years, David has led several research collaborations with various health institutions around the world to study the therapeutic effects of architectural illusions using functional magnetic resonance imaging technology and explore the neural pathways involved in the perception of photographic Open Sky Compositions. A 2017 multidisciplinary study conducted at Texas Tech University (TTU) earned him and his colleagues a Certification of Research Excellence (CORE) by the Environmental Design Research Associations (EDRA).

David, who is a teacher of the Transcendental Meditation^®technique, says his practice of the TM^® technique has helped him manage stressful work environments.

“In architecture and healthcare everyone is looking at the powerful way the environment affects people’s experience, but they are still looking to the external environment as the primary means to influence that experience,” David said. “MUM gives you the ability to experience your internal environment—your own consciousness. If you can experience the deepest level of your own internal environment, then you naturally extend into the external environment. You bring empathy and receptiveness into the world, tapping more of your creativity and happiness.