Tibetan Buddhist Monks Return to Ithaca College to Construct Sand Mandala, Embracing Impermanence and Compassion

By Reina Martin, September 16, 2026
In partnership with neighboring Namgyal Monastery, a weeklong campus residency pairs daily sand construction with public events exploring transformation and resilience.
Two Tibetan Bhuddhist monks construct a sand mandala.

Visiting Tibetan Buddhist monks constructing the sand mandala in 2023.

(Photo by Giovanni Santacroce)

ITHACA, NY — Marking their fifth campus residency, monks from the local Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies will return to Ithaca College from September 22–27 to construct a sacred sand mandala (geometric religious diagram). Hosted in the Dorothy D. and Roy H. Park Center for Business and Sustainable Enterprise, the weeklong residency highlights a unique partnership between the college and its South Hill neighbors, offering the campus community a shared space for reflection, mindfulness, and processing change.

Impermanence lies at the core of Tibetan tradition. Constructed grain by grain entirely from memory, a sand mandala evolves over six days as monks transform millions of particles into a vivid tapestry. The resulting piece is a marvel of precision—yet it’s true meaning lies in its transience. Upon completion, this mandala is intentionally destroyed, serving as a powerful exercise in presence and impermanence.

This theme aligns with broader discussions across higher education as universities adapt to shifting academic and technological landscapes. At Ithaca College, where this year's campus theme centers on navigating change, the residency provides students with a tangible framework for building resilience and navigating moments of transition together.

"Offering our community a rare opportunity to engage with living Buddhist art right here on campus, this week invites us to reflect on our own shifting places in a changing world and reinforces the vital role that compassion plays within our Ithaca College community." 

Dr. Eric Steinschneider, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion
Overhead view of the completed sand mandala in 2025.

Overhead view of the completed sand mandala in 2025. (Photo credit Allison Usavage '11)

"Mandalas are ritually understood to constitute the realm of a divine or enlightened being, serving as idealized representations of the universe and human body," said Dr. Eric Steinschneider, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion and primary faculty organizer for the residency. "Offering our community a rare opportunity to engage with living Buddhist art right here on campus, this week invites us to reflect on our own shifting places in a changing world and reinforces the vital role that compassion plays within our Ithaca College community."

Throughout the week, the Business School Upper Atrium will serve as an open, accessible space for quiet contemplation and shared learning. Members of the Ithaca College campus and the broader regional community are invited to drop in during daily construction hours, observe the monks' disciplined craftsmanship, and participate in guided campus programming designed to foster dialogue, mindfulness, and mutual support.

Schedule of Events: 

All events are free and open to the public. Guest parking is available on campus in the Visitor Lot on Conservatory Drive or O Lot. Spectators attending the mandala construction are encouraged to maintain a quiet, respectful environment.

  • Mandala Construction: The Practice of Patience & Process | Tuesday, Sept. 22 – Sunday, Sept. 27 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Business School Upper Atrium)

    Visitors are invited to observe the gradual transformation of loose, multi-colored sand into sacred geometry. Daily at 3:00 p.m. (Sept. 22–26), the monks will pause construction for chanting followed by a brief, beginner-friendly meditation session focused on cultivating presence.

  • Opening Ceremony | Tuesday, Sept. 22 | 10:00 a.m. (Business School Upper Atrium)

    Featuring opening remarks led by Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish and representatives from Namgyal Monastery.

  • Death Café: Facing Life’s Transitions | Tuesday, Sept. 22 | 11:50 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. (Clark Lounge)

    Facilitated by IC student and certified death doula Madison VanDerLinde ('28 Religious Studies), who will lead a community discussion on matters related to death, dying, and impermanence. Refreshments provided.

  • Imagining Peace Roundtable | Thursday, Sept. 24 | 11:50 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. (Clark Lounge)

    Led by students in Eric Steinschneider's Peace and Nonviolence class, this discussion considers how we might imagine and begin to collectively create futures conducive to the flourishing of the human and more-than-human world. Refreshments provided.

  • Film Screening & Discussion: The Wisdom of Happiness| Saturday, Sept. 26 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Hockett Family Recital Hall, Whalen Center for Music)

    A screening of The Wisdom of Happiness (2024), a documentary film on His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. Followed by a community conversation hosted by Eric Steinschneider, Lauren Kelly Benson (Director, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life), and a representative of the local Tibetan community. Refreshments provided.

  • Dissolution Ceremony: Embracing Impermanence | Sunday, Sept. 27 | 3:00 p.m. (Business School Upper Atrium & Muller Chapel)

    Undoubtedly the highlight of Mandala Week, the monks will ritually dismantle the mandala and carry the sands in procession from the Business School to the pond next to Muller Chapel. A reception will follow at Muller Chapel.

Visitor Details & Contact Information

For full scheduling details and venue maps, visit ithaca.edu/tibetan-buddhist-mandala or follow updates on Instagram @icphil.rel.

Individuals with questions may contact:

  • Dr. Eric Steinschneider , Associate Professor and co-Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religion: esteinschneider@ithaca.edu

  • Diana Dimitrova , Director, International Student and Scholar Services: ddimitrova@ithaca.edu

    Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Eric Steinschneider at esteinschneider@ithaca.edu or 607-274-1234. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.