A Letter from the Center Founder and Director
As I reflect on the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing’s 30-year history, one word comes to mind – gratitude. It has been the honor and privilege of my lifetime to serve as the Center’s founder and director. I have often been asked what has contributed to our success, and without a doubt, my response is that the Center attracts really good people - staff, faculty, students, and donors.
I would like to sincerely thank all of our donors for supporting the Center for the last 30 years. The Bakken Center’s long history of innovation and ability to quickly respond to community needs are made possible through your generosity.
Looking toward the next 30 years and beyond, your continued contributions will be a critical part of our future. I hope you’ll explore our areas of focus below, and also share with us other ideas that you might like to see us explore. I’m particularly excited about the emerging field of neuroarts, of which the Center has become a convener of experts at the University of Minnesota.
Warmly,
Mary Jo Kreitzer PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP
Director, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing
Why Donate to the Center?
Our Focus Areas
We invite you to explore the Bakken Center’s core focus areas, ranging from mindfulness, arts and wellbeing, health coaching, integrative therapies, Tibetan Healing and other cultural healing practices, nature and wellbeing, and innovative community-based research.
- Mindfulness: Evidence-informed programs for stress management, wellbeing, and resilience.
- Arts and Wellbeing: Creative arts fostering healthy habits, community, and emotional healing.
- Health Coaching: Empowering personal behavior change with integrative approaches.
- Tibetan Healing: Unique courses and research on traditional medicine and spiritual care.
- Research: Advancing integrative research in collaboration with community partners.
- Nature and Wellbeing: Understanding the unique and powerful connections between humans, animals, and the wellbeing of the planet.
View Our Annual Report
The Center's 2024-2025 Annual Report is now available online.
Support the Center
Invest in Student Success
Students flourish when they are guided by compassion, innovation, and education. With your support, we can ignite the potential of the next generation of leaders, creating a dynamic landscape for integrative health.
Contribute to established student scholarships such as those listed below or establish your own named scholarship fund:
A. Marilyn Sime Scholarship
Expand scholarship opportunities for students with interest in integrative therapies and healing practices.
Margaret Hagen Smaby Arts and Healing Scholarship
Support graduate students in health and wellbeing, with a special emphasis on arts and healing.
Maxine G. Strege Scholarship
Champion students at the Bakken Center.
Tibetan Healing Initiative India Study Abroad Scholarship
Make the Tibetan Medicine Study Abroad program in India more accessible to students with financial constraints.
Invest in Academic Excellence
Academic excellence is the cornerstone of transformative education. With your support, we can deepen our impact by promoting rigorous academic programs and curricula that challenge students and faculty to achieve their highest potential:
- CSH Education Program Fund
Ensure our courses remain innovative and impactful, shaping successful and well-rounded individuals. - Tibetan Healing Initiative Legacy (THI) Fund
Offering transformational courses and expand course offerings. - Arts, Healing & Wellbeing Fund
Bolsters courses such as Music for Wellbeing, Creative Arts in Health and Healing, Music, Health, and Healing, and Healing Imagery to advance academic exploration in the field.
Empower People and Communities through Education and Engagement
Equipping individuals with effective tools and resources fosters deep and enduring change. With your support, we will offer meaningful opportunities to enhance mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing, fostering resilience and reducing stress while deepening connections to oneself and others
Mindfulness: In Recognition of Mariann Johnson
Remove program participation barriers and support the hiring, retention, and training of quality mindfulness facilitators.
Survivorship Resilience Fund
Invest in Bakken Center survivorship initiatives to deliver essential resources and programs that enhance the quality of life for survivors and their families
Wellbeing Events Fund
Safeguard sustaining free or sliding scale pricing in programming, like the Wellbeing Series and webinars.
Tibetan Healing Initiative Legacy (THI) Fund
We are striving to preserve and develop Tibetan culture by forging partnerships contributing to initiatives like the UMN Task Force for Death, Dying, Disposition; and supporting educational resources for the Tibetan community.
Arts, Healing & Wellbeing Fund
Supports initiatives such as "Waking the Oracle" events that ignite healing, and wellbeing through music, dance, storytelling, and dialogue, fostering connections to self, community, and the planet for a positive future.
Nurturing Wellbeing: The Power of Nature
Support connecting people with nature to enhance mental health and wellbeing, while also ensuring that planetary health is at the heart of our work.
Fuel Research and Discovery
Through groundbreaking research funded by national agencies, as well as generous private support, our faculty are addressing health challenges to include low-back pain, health provider burnout, lack of knowledge about healthy eating, mindfulness as a recovery intervention from cardiac events, and chronic stress and so much more.
Integrative Health and Wellbeing Research Program
Shape agile health researchers, fund innovation, and generate pilot data needed to pursue federal grants.
Arts, Healing & Wellbeing Fund
Provides resources to support pioneering research endeavors, driving innovation and evidence-based practices in the intersection of arts, healing, and wellbeing, ultimately advancing knowledge and understanding in the field.
Invest in Growth and Sustainability
Philanthropy secures the future. For 30 years, the Center has been lean, nimble, and flexible. With your support, we can respond to exciting, new opportunities and bolster infrastructure to ensure successful outcomes in academic, research, and business and community outreach work
Kreitzer Strategic Initiative Fund
Seed and support strategic initiatives identified by the Center director that advance wellbeing and human flourishing.
Center for Spirituality & Healing General Fund
Strengthen the Bakken Center's core functions underlying our transformative learning experiences, pioneering research, and compelling outreach activities.