Jessica Mauro and Angel Thordsen at the Women of Vision Awards 2019
Host Rosanna Scotto and awardees Donna Karan, Deborra-Lee Furness, Mary-Louise Parker, and Lisa Beatha
After the event with classical guitarist Sharon Isbin
Visiting the Bronx High School for Law and Community Service (back row left to right: Michael Sternfeld, MIU ChangeMakers liaison; teacher Kelly Malloy of Fairfield; Jessica Mauro; Angel Thordsen; front row: high school seniors who practice the TM technique)
Two MIU students won all-expenses-paid trips to the Women of Vision Awards 2019 in New York City on December 3, hosted by the David Lynch Foundation. The event celebrated four women with vision who are transforming lives through their wisdom and compassion and helping to bring the Transcendental Meditation® program to vulnerable adults and children.
Students Jessica Mauro and Angel Thordsen were selected by MIU’s ChangeMakers committee, based on their participation in ChangeMakers events. Jessica is one of the most active students on Team ChangeMakers and has a work-study position handling marketing and graphic design. Angel is vice-president of MIU Student Government and served as a judge during a previous ChangeMakers essay contest.
The two students participated in the awards luncheon and afterwards had the opportunity to talk to the awardees. They also connected with multiple Grammy Award winner classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, who was the featured performer at the beginning of the event. The students invited her to visit MIU for a concert and residency in May 2020.
“Attending the Women of Vision event and meeting with young meditators helped me connect to deeper aspects of myself, realizing there is a smaller gap between me and my dreams, thus bringing my grand desires for changing the world into a more tangible reality,” said Jessica.
During their stay in New York City, Angel and Jessica visited a David Lynch Foundation Quiet Time program school in the Bronx and joined the students for a group practice of the TM® technique. In addition, they spoke to several seniors about their experiences at MIU and the value of Consciousness-BasedSM education.
“The Bronx high school students inspired me to make it a point for MIU to start reaching out to students and giving them the option and opportunity to come to our campus,” said Angel. She has already talked to MIU Admissions and the Board of Trustees about her plan to create a strong connection between MIU and the Bronx High School for Law and Community Service.
A week after they returned, Jessica and Angel shared the transformative impact of their experiences with fellow MIU students during a special recap celebration.