CC Gilman Scholar Studies Buddhist Creativity in India and Nepal

Dan Schmidt ’25 recently returned to campus after spending four months studying Buddhism in Bodh Gaya, India, and Chiang Mai, Thailand, and doing ethnographic fieldwork in Nepal to understand how Sherpa people conceptualize creativity.

Schmidt is a recipient of the 2023 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, a U.S. Department of State federally-funded program for Pell Grant recipients that promotes cultural exchange through study abroad opportunities.

As a Gilman Scholar, Schmidt was able to participate in the Buddhist Studies in India program through Carleton College, which has been taking students to India and Thailand since 1979. Through this program, Schmidt and 16 other undergraduate students from the U.S. spent nine weeks studying Buddhism at the Burmese Vihar in Bodh Gaya.

“Following a structure reminiscent of the Block Plan, we delved into the intricacies of Theravada, Zen, and Vajrayana, each studied intensively for three weeks,” says Schmidt. “Renowned masters from each tradition guided us through two daily one-hour meditation and lecture sessions in the required Meditation Traditions class. This class was intense, and far from a relaxing, meditative retreat — something many people seem to imagine when I describe it. The monastery we lived in in Bodh Gaya was only an eight-minute walk from the Bodhi Tree. This sacred site, where Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, attained enlightenment, is not just a UNESCO World Heritage site but was a regular backdrop for our early morning meditations, ethnographic assignments, and moments of leisure.”

Schmidt, a Computer Science major at CC, also took a Hindi language course and an introduction to ethnographic fieldwork and anthropology course while in Bodh Gaya.

The final quarter of the Buddhist Studies in India program is an independent study in an Asian country of the student’s choice. While in Bodh Gaya, students had to navigate the low-technology policy of the program while researching and planning their independent study project, which included writing a 30-page research paper and literature review.

“The Block Plan was very helpful in preparing me to do an extensive research project in a condensed period,” Schmidt says. “I wrote 30-page research paper in less than a week and a half, thanks to the fast-paced work ethic the Block Plan has taught me. Additionally, having never done ethnographic research, the Block Plan allowed me to rapidly learn about the discipline and relatively excel while in Nepal.”

After deciding to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in Nepal for his independent study, Schmidt embarked on an 18-hour bus ride from Bodh Gaya to Kathmandu, Nepal.

“In the bustling city, I dedicated eleven days to fieldwork, engaging with artists and business owners,” Schmidt says. “Our conversations explored their understandings of creativity and its role in their lives. The journey continued as I, along with four fellow students, embarked on a ten-day trek through the Solukhumbu region. Within less-traveled, remote Sherpa villages, we found ourselves staying in homestays and monasteries. Guided by our translators, we navigated conversations in Tibetan and Nepali, interviewing villagers for our independent study projects. These remote communities, sustained primarily by the land through agriculture and livestock, offered a glimpse into a way of life intricately tied to the surrounding natural resources — quite the opposite of the hustle and bustle found in Kathmandu.”

While Schmidt wanted to understand how Sherpa people conceptualize creativity, he did not define creativity in his research, as he believes that measuring an interviewee’s understanding of creativity against a rigid definition was unproductive.

“I wanted the perspectives I uncovered to form a more holistic and unbounded understanding of creativity,” he says. “To do this, I asked questions like ‘is creativity inside or outside of you,’ and ‘is creativity (however it may be understood) evolutionary or revolutionary.’ Through doing so, my project was an attempted phenomenological inquiry into creativity as understood by Sherpas and an explanation of the milieu within which they exist. By letting Sherpa’s conceptualizations of creativity exist entirely as Sherpa and not an amalgamation of the cultures that may have influenced them, I hope creativity as contemporary Sherpas understand it is made available through my work.”

After spending three months studying Buddhism, Schmidt sensed a perceived tension between traditional Buddhist practices and the concept of individual expression, which is something he saw as closely related to creativity.

“This led me to question how creativity is understood in predominantly Buddhist cultures,” Schmidt says. “Nepal, with its diverse cultural tapestry and the intersection of Eastern and Western influences, seemed to be an ideal setting for this inquiry. Focusing on the Sherpa people, a historically Buddhist ethnic group, allowed me to explore how their conceptualizations of creativity have evolved, particularly in the context of changing social dynamics influenced by foreign interests.”

Schmidt’s favorite part of the experience was doing his cross-cultural research project in Nepal because students had immense amounts of independence to conduct their projects, which is something Schmidt had always craved in his academic career.

“Conducting my research project in Nepal taught me many things about respectfully interacting with people cross-culturally, especially in non-verbal ways,” Schmidt says. “One of my favorite moments was when we were trekking in the Solukhumbu and celebrated Thanksgiving with one of our guide’s families in the village that he grew up in. We ate copious amounts of dal bhat (lentils and rice) and shared many cups of Sherpa’s favorite fermented drink, Chang.”

Upon returning to the U.S., Gilman Scholars complete a Follow-On Service Project to promote what they learned while studying abroad. Schmidt is working on a project to increase awareness of the Gilman Scholarship and study abroad opportunities among first-generation first-year students at CC.

“As someone who identifies as a first-generation college student, I know firsthand the financial intimidation studying abroad might create,” he says. “It’s like staying up late into the night filling out the FAFSA alone for the first time all over again. By sharing my experiences and the resources available through the Gilman Scholarship, I hope to encourage and support other first-generation students in pursuing these opportunities.”

Heather Powell Browne, Assistant Director of Global Education, and Shannon Amundson, Director of Financial Aid, helped Schmidt with the application process.

“Since 2001, the Gilman Awards have helped to radically diversify the world of study abroad, and they represent the largest federal funding opportunity for students who are currently receiving a Pell Grant to receive additional awards to study or intern abroad,” says Powell Browne. “We are excited for the opportunity that this funding represented for Dan, and proud of how he can help spread the word about the Gilman Awards and studying abroad to his CC peers.”

The Gilman Scholarship Program has received over 154,000 applications and awarded more than 41,000 scholarships since the program began in 2001. Almost half of Gilman Scholars are first-generation college students and nearly 70% of Gilman Scholarship recipients identify as a racial or ethnic minority student. The Gilman Scholarship expands the U.S. student population abroad, helping more Americans gain professional skills and world knowledge needed for successful careers.

“Beyond the financial support, being part of the Gilman alumni network feels like joining a community that not only values global experiences but also actively supports its members,” Schmidt says. “It’s more than just a scholarship; it’s an entry into a network that opens doors to fellowships and professional opportunities. The Gilman Scholarship, to me, is not just a financial boost; it’s a key to a community that fosters continuous learning and growth.”