Jean Houston · 1937–2026

When I hold a calligraphy brush,
I know I cannot remove my father from my hand.
I know I cannot remove my mother or my ancestors from me.
They are present in all cells, in my gestures, in my capacity
To draw a beautiful circle.

— Thich Nhat Hanh

Jean Houston completed her life on May 16, 2026. Her loss is deeply felt at Meridian University, where she served as Chancellor for over a decade. Her vision of human development is woven through the institution — its curriculum, the questions it asks of its students, and the lives her work has touched.

On Saturday, July 25, Meridian University invites Jean's students, colleagues, readers, and friends to gather online to remember her — not in sorrow alone, but in the spirit she modeled so fully: curiosity, presence, and joy.

The Gathering

The morning will unfold across two panels.

Panel I — Remembering Jean

A conversation about the woman herself: the teacher, the storyteller, the friend. Those who knew her will reflect on the person behind the work — her presence, her humor, and the way she had of calling forth what was most alive in everyone she met.

Panel II — Carrying the Work Forward

A look at the legacy she leaves: her books, her scholarship, and her enduring influence on the Meridian curriculum and the wider fields she helped shape — and what it means to carry that work into the future.

Panelists for both conversations will be announced in the coming weeks — voices who knew Jean and her work intimately.