The Forum on Education Abroad’s award honors educators and programs who create innovative, effective, and excellent international education curricula. The award recipient will be announced in February 2026.
Being “very demure, very mindful” is not only a great way to stay present and aware of how you move through the world — it’s also a familiar experience for many study abroad students as they navigate new cultures. Practicing mindfulness, or noticing your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in real time without judgment, is one of the ways University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) students make sense of their global experiences.
It’s also something that helped spark the creation of USAC Chiang Mai’s Mindfulness & Mindfulness-Based Intervention course, which was recently named a finalist for The Forum’s annual “Award For Excellence In Education Abroad Curriculum Design.”
Created by USAC Chiang Mai resident director Chaidarun “Jum” Tippawan, M.A., with co-instructors Christopher Fisher, M.D., Psy.D., and Phisit Kotsupho, Ph.D., the course traces its roots back nearly a decade to when a USAC visiting professor first proposed a mindfulness curriculum grounded in neuroscience.
“That conversation sparked something important for me: the realization that a course named ‘mindfulness’ could genuinely belong in Chiang Mai, especially after observing how students transform during their study abroad experience,” Jum says.
“Many arrive in Chiang Mai excited, anxious, overwhelmed, and navigating cultural differences. As they begin engaging with local culture, and especially with Buddhist teachings and mindfulness practice, they grow calmer, more grounded, and more open-minded. It became clear that mindfulness could help students understand themselves better, adjust to their new environment, and develop lasting emotional resilience.”
“Meditating with Buddhist monks in temples all around northern Thailand with my ‘Mindfulness and Meditation’ class was one of the most profound experiences of my life. I am so grateful for everything the monks, my teachers, my classmates, and the USAC staff taught me. I think about and miss my experience abroad in Thailand every single day. I cannot wait to be able to go back to my ‘second home’ in Chiang Mai, Thailand, again one day.”
— Madison Westbrook, a California State University, Chico student.
Thailand’s mindfulness academic practices
Students have been practicing mindfulness in Thailand for more than 12 years. USAC Chiang Mai’s program offered a “Buddhism in Thailand” course, which focused on temple-based mindfulness sessions led by Dr. Phisit.
“Every semester, students shared how meaningful those experiences were and expressed interest in exploring mindfulness more deeply. Recognizing this, I began developing a new course, consulting closely with USAC’s director of academic affairs, Kara Bingham, M.A., Dr. Phisit, and Dr. Christopher, who brought complementary expertise in Thai Buddhist traditions and Western clinical psychology,” Jum says.
“Together, we crafted a curriculum designed to be academically rigorous, culturally respectful, and deeply experiential.”
Since the mindfulness course launched, Dr. Phisit, Dr. Christopher, and Jum have focused on refining the course’s content, practices, and locations to better support students’ needs and mindsets. Students learn through class discussions, practice sessions, essays, and journals. Jum says they want every component to remain relevant, supportive, and impactful.
“We respect that students represent diverse backgrounds and comfort levels, so we build flexibility into all practice sessions. Students are never pressured into any activity; what matters most to us is that they open themselves to exploring different beliefs and practices at a pace that feels right for them,” Jum says.
“Students consistently share how this course has shaped not only their academic understanding but also their personal lives. They describe having tools they can carry with them long after they return home — tools that support resilience, emotional regulation, and more mindful ways of engaging with the world.”
“I’m also deeply grateful for the beauty and serenity of Thailand itself. The temples, jungles, monks, and even the monkeys created a peaceful, awe-inspiring atmosphere that took my breath away. I’ll never forget meditating with Buddhist monks surrounded by jungle trees or wandering through temple grounds where monkeys ran freely. I could go on forever about what I’m thankful for. Studying abroad was truly one of the best experiences of my life.”
— Juliet McKee, a Boise State University student.
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