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As a newly elected Tri-Exec of the University of Colorado Student Government, Colton Lyons had the opportunity to not only work behind the scenes of the Dalai Lama visit, but also to introduce and meet him during his campus visit on Thursday, June 23.

Q and A with Colton Lyons:

Talk about your experience working as a student leader behind the scenes of the Dalai Lama visit to campus.

Working behind the scenes has given me insight to the event that I would not have otherwise known about. There are so many people on campus who have been working tirelessly to ensure the success of this event. It truly is incredible to see the power of collaboration between different groups across campus when they all have a common goal.

What was it like to meet and introduce the Dalai Lama?     

It was an incredibly humbling experience meeting the Dalai Lama. I was extremely moved by his message of peace and nonviolence. He was very soft spoken but very funny, he was cracking jokes the entire day and his presence lifted everyone's spirits. It was a once in a lifetime experience to introduce His Holiness to the people attending his talk. I was a little nervous at first but being around the Dalai Lama and his care-free spirit made giving my introduction a little easier.

Why do you think it is important to bring guests like the Dalai Lama to our campus?     

It is important to bring cultural diversity and multiple perspectives to campus. Diversity of thought and culture is very beneficial to the learning environment of our university, so bringing in speakers such as His Holiness helps us foster this environment.

What was most exciting about working on this event, and why?

It was great helping the Cultural Events Board bring this event to fruition. CU Student Government in conjunction with the Cultural Events Board have been working on bringing His Holiness the Dalai Lama to campus for quite some time now and it is exciting to see all the hard work of my predecessors finally pay off. 

How did you get interested in student government?  

I got interested in student government when I realized how big of a role student government plays on campus. Between all the cost centers such as the Environmental Center, the Rec Center, the University Memorial Center, and many others, the amount of positive change CU Student Government can have on campus is powerful. I personally want to make our campus a better place so when future Buffs, including my little brother and sister, come to campus they have even more opportunities to be successful in the endeavors they choose to embark on.

After the Dalai Lama visit, what are your plans for the rest of the summer?

Following His Holiness’ visit I plan on working with other members of CU Student Government to author legislation addressing sexual misconduct on our campus. Additionally I want to help re-brand student government in order to get more students involved. We know we have our work cut out for us, but we are excited for the challenges and the opportunity to represent the voice of students.