Gowoo Sunim, the abbot of the B.U.D Zen Center in Queens, New York, was chosen as a Baccalaureate speaker as she graduated from Columbia University in May 2025 with a degree in Human Rights Studies. She represented Buddhist students at the 2025 Baccalaureate Service, a traditional commencement ceremony.

According to Columbia University, Gowoo Sunim is the first ordained Korean Buddhist nun in the U.S. to graduate from an Ivy League undergraduate program and deliver an official commencement address.

“The Buddha is my teacher, the Dharma is my path, and the Sangha is my community,” said Gowoo Sunim, sharing a heartfelt story about her life as a Buddhist practitioner and her newfound ‘Three Treasures’ in New York City. “Now I can proudly say that I'm a New Yorker,” she said, eliciting laughter and applause from the audience.

Sumin emphasized the core values of Buddhism - compassion, wisdom, the principle of dependent origination, and the spirit of community- and explained how these values led her to appreciate solidarity and peace across different religions. Along with other student speakers representing various religious traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, she delivered a message of interfaith harmony that left a deep impression on the audience.

Gowoo Sunim has also excelled academically. She was selected for the Honor Society, received departmental honors and two overall service awards, and was honored as Senior Marshal at the graduation ceremony. She has also made significant contributions to the spiritual well-being of students and community building by leading the Columbia University Buddhist Association, which organizes and facilitates templestays, Buddhist events, and meditation programs for students.

After graduating, Gowoo Sunim will continue her academic journey at Yale University, where she will focus on religion and human rights.