Lauren Rodgers ’27 sat down with Michelle Murray, Associate Professor of Political Studies and Chair of the Social Studies Division, to discuss potential student responses to the 2024 election results and the future of American politics. Her thoughts were a call to action: “Don’t despair. Despair is the emotion of disengagement that injustice thrives on.” 

Bard College, now in its fifth year of having a consistent polling site on its Annandale campus, was featured in Inside Higher Ed in a report about how campuses and faculty across the country are handling classes on Election Day. Today, a group of professors at Bard are opening their classrooms for discussions about the importance of democracy, and are joining attendees for a walk to the campus polling site to support those who are voting.

On Monday, November 4, at 5 pm, Bard College will host a screening and discussion for the public premiere of the Open Society University Network’s documentary film, "A Poll to Call Our Own: The Bard Voting Story." The screening will be followed by a discussion with key actors and will take place at the Weis Cinema in the Campus Center and will also be broadcast as a webinar.

The public premiere of the Open Society University Network’s documentary film, A Poll to Call Our Own: The Bard Voting Story, was followed by a discussion with key actors, including Sarah deVeer ’17, Jonian Rafti ’15, Seamus Heady ’22 (producer/director), lawyer Yael Bromberg, Bard Vice President for Civic Engagement Erin Cannan, and Bard Vice President for Academic Affairs Jonathan Becker.

As you prepare for this election, ask yourself: What’s my plan to make my voice heard at the polls? Check out Election@Bard and the Andrew Goodman Foundation–two partners who will support you so you can make your vote count.

At CCE's recent panel discussion on “The Fight for Democracy, Locally, Nationally, and Globally,” faculty, alumni, and public sector organizers explored challenges to democracy in the United States and what lessons could be learned from the rise and fight against authoritarianism across the globe. ⁠

CCE's Gender Equity Initiative Leadership Program recently hosted a mixer on campus that gathered together students and representatives from local organizations to foster partnerships and explore opportunities that address gender inequity.

A group of Bard students, enrolled in a course titled Student Voting: Power, Politics and Race in the Fight for American Democracy, which is supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Open Society University Network (OSUN) and is collaboratively taught by faculty from Bard College, North Carolina A&T, Prairie View A&M University, and Tuskegee University, attended HBCU Democracy Day.

Five Bard students have all played critical roles in advancing the Musical Mentorship Initiative, a program that makes music education accessible to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

Emily O’Rourke ‘25 writes about how throwing herself into planning the TEDx Bard College event provided her with a haven that helped her to cope with the grief of losing a family member.