Bard College held its 162nd commencement on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Bard President Leon Botstein conferred 425 undergraduate degrees on the Class of 2022 and 161 graduate degrees. The Commencement address was given by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. Honorary degrees were awarded to Haaland, Fordham University President Joseph M. McShane S.J., composer Zeena Parkins ’79, computer scientist Jennifer Tour Chayes, writer Alaa Al Aswany, scholar Jerome Kohn, musician Marcus Roberts, and Deputy Director of the National Gallery of Art Eric Motley.
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U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland Delivers 2022 Commencement Address
“Your Bard education will not only lead you into the next chapter of each of your lives, but I also believe that it has instilled in you the power to change the world for the good. We should all believe in that possibility and always work to make the world a better place for everyone. An education, and specifically a college education, is a unique gift. None of us are born to be naturally afforded a higher education. It takes hard work and every support system to succeed in it, and along the way, you have recognized the value you bring to this endeavor.”
President Botstein’s Charge to the Class of 2022
“At the core of the danger facing democracy today is our collective abandonment of any agreement as to what we understand as truth and certainty. Without a common ground for knowing, shared methods of inquiry, and the provision of accepted conclusions, even if they are later to be revised, there can be no political freedom, no room to agree, or agree to disagree; no politics of conversation and compromise with which to combat the raw use of violence to subjugate and eliminate those with whom we do not like and with whom we do not agree. We become content to cling to prejudices and superstitions.”
“Your alma mater is dedicated to the expansion of knowledge and search for truth, and we invite you as alumni/ae to join us in embracing that mission as you join the fight for freedom, justice, and democracy.”
James Cox Chambers ’81 Welcomes Commencement Attendees
James Cox Chambers ’81, chair of the Bard College board of trustees, welcomes attendees to Bard's 162nd Commencement exercises.
Commencement 2022
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Reunion 2022
If your class year ends in a 2 or a 7, it's your reunion! And ... all classes that missed their in-person reunion over the past two years are also invited back to celebrate. That means it’s you if your class year ends in a 0, 1, 5, or 6.
It's going to be the biggest and best ever! Stay tuned for registration in early March. It feels good to be planning some of the traditional weekend events that we have all been missing so terribly: the Bard College Awards, Annandale Roadhouse, Commencement under the big top, barbecue, dancing and fireworks at Blithewood. Make your plans now!
New to Annandale?
Whether it’s your first time on campus or your 50th, we’ve got you covered. Download the Commencement + Reunion Campus Map now and make your way across campus.
In case you missed it ...
Photo by Karl Rabe