March 2023
News for Bard 
Families & Friends

Dear Families,

Happy March from Annandale. As the days get longer, it starts to feel a bit more like a sprint than a marathon on campus, with May only a few yards away. Seniors are working on their senior projects, sophomores are working on moderation projects, and the admission office is about to cross their finish line, and will have sent all their decisions for the fall 2023 applicants by the end of the month. 

We are currently looking for volunteers to call newly admitted families and answer any questions they may have about the College, please sign up here if you’re interested. You will receive information in a confirmation email from me, [email protected], with the subject line: “Confirmation - Current Parent Volunteer Form”. We are incredibly grateful for your help!

This winter my Bard email has been filled with an extraordinary number of messages from the Dean’s Office celebrating Bard faculty and the accolades they have recently received. Some recent highlights include: Daniel Mendelsohn, the Charles Ranlett Flint Professor of Humanities at Bard, has been awarded the rank of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, on behalf of France; Tanya Marcuse SR ’81, Artist in Residence in the photography program has received a MacDowell Artist Residency Fellowship for spring/summer 2023, and Valerie Barr, Bard College’s Margaret Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, has been elected as a 2022 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Barr is “being honored for distinguished contributions to computer science education, and to increasing the diversity in the computing fields,” writes the AAAS. Those are just a few–more faculty news and accomplishments can be found on the Dean’s website.

If you are visiting or live close by, I highly recommend taking in a show at the Fisher Center at Bard, which has become one of the world’s preeminent sources of major multidisciplinary performance works, announces its “Breaking Ground” 20th Anniversary Season, a celebration of the artists, audiences, students, faculty, and communities that have written the Fisher Center’s story for its first two decades and will imagine it into the future. 

Highlights include Neil Gaiman: The Bard Lectures, The Fisher Center LAB Biennial, SummerScape 2023, the beloved Spiegeltent, and the 33rd Bard Music Festival, exploring British composer Vaughan Williams and his world.  Tickets on sale beginning March 9th. Visit fishercenter.bard.edu or call 845-758-7900.

Also on campus, our women’s lacrosse season has started and baseball’s first 10 games are at home on Honey Field. The schedules are posted here. 

Senior parents, we are looking forward to celebrating your students' accomplishments at Bard College’s 163rd Commencement Weekend on May 26th-28th. The full schedule and list of honorees are available online. Registration will open soon, start making those travel plans. 

Sincerely,

Sasha Boak-Kelly

P.S. Save the date–on March 20th, Dariel Vasquez '17, Co-Founder & CEO of Brothers@, will be on the Today Show highlighting the Brothers@ programming. Brothers@ is a dual-beneficiary high-school retention and college persistence organization with the mission of improving the academic and social-emotional outcomes of young men of color in both secondary and post-secondary education. Since 2014, Brothers@ has grown from a student-led pilot program (Brothers@Bard) and institutional initiative to a state-wide scalable model focused on expanding to college campuses and local communities across New York.

Dates to Remember:

  • Friday, March 3, 2023
    Residence Life & Housing: suite/senior select/special interest/special housing application deadline (Room selection dates:  April 11, 12, 13, 18, 19)
  • Monday, March 6, 2023
    Purim
  • Wednesday, March 8, 2023
    International Women's Day
  • Friday, March 10, 2023
    Last day to reserve airport shuttle seats for Spring Recess
  • Friday, March 17, 2023
    Moderation Papers Due
    St. Patrick's Day
  • Saturday, March 18, 2023 – Sunday, March 26, 2023
    Spring Recess
  • Wednesday, March 22, 2023
    First day of Ramadan
  • Monday, March 27, 2023
    Midterm Grades and Criteria Sheets Due

      Academic Calendar 2022-23

Featured News

Clockwise, from top left: Maya Frieden ’22, Lance Sum ’21, Mercer Greenwald ’22, Jordan Donohue ’22, Paola Luchsinger ’20. Clockwise, from top left: Maya Frieden ’22, Lance Sum ’21, Mercer Greenwald ’22, Jordan Donohue ’22, Paola Luchsinger ’20.

Bard College Named a Top Producer of Fulbright Students for 2022–23

Bard College is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2022–23 Fulbright students and scholars. Each year, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces the top producing institutions for the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program. The Chronicle of Higher Education publishes the lists annually.

Full Story
CeDaniel Sumpter ’23. CeDaniel Sumpter ’23.

Raptors Break Four School Records at Utica Invitational

On Saturday, the Bard College men’s indoor track team broke four school records at the Utica University Blue & Orange Invitational. “Today the men’s [team] pushed the needle forward, running with grit and passion,” Bard coach Billy Poole-Harris said of the Raptors’ performance.

Full Story
Brothers@Bard students participate in a meeting at Kingston High School. Photo courtesy of Jessica Clegg/Ulster BOCES Brothers@Bard students participate in a meeting at Kingston High School. Photo courtesy of Jessica Clegg/Ulster BOCES

Kingston High Partnership with Brothers@ and Bard College Helping Teens “Take Charge of Their Educations and Their Futures”

Since first partnering with Brothers@ and Bard College in 2015, students at Kingston High who participated in the program have “achieved an overall graduation rate of over 90%,” writes the Daily Freeman. Brothers@, founded at Bard by Dariel Vasquez ’17 and Harry Johnson ’17, partners with institutions to improve the educational outcomes of young men of color through their “Our Space” methodology. At Kingston High, high school students are matched with current Bard students as mentees “to foster academic persistence as well as positive identity and character development.”

Full Story
Young women and girls are the least likely candidates for higher education in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Students like Tani Kuku provide the inspiration needed to seek self empowerment through education and advanced forms of employment. Photo by @NappyStock Young women and girls are the least likely candidates for higher education in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Students like Tani Kuku provide the inspiration needed to seek self empowerment through education and advanced forms of employment. Photo by @NappyStock

OSUN Student Tani Kuku Inspires Ambition and Hope for Refugee Women in Higher Education

Tani Kuku is a dedicated student in the Refugee Higher Education Access Program (RhEAP) offered by Open Society University Network (OSUN) in partnership with Resilience Action International, a refugee-led organization based in Kenya. Born in Sudan, she fled to Kenya and started a new life in the Kakuma Refugee Camp, where she has become an example to young girls and schools in her neighborhood because of her educational pursuits.

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Tan Dun. Photo © Nana Watanabe Tan Dun. Photo © Nana Watanabe

Dean of Bard Conservatory Tan Dun Signs with Decca Recording Label

Dean of the Bard Conservatory Tan Dun, who is the award-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon composer, has just signed with the Decca recording label. Tan Dun says, “Decca has always been a dream for me. As a young artist, I could never have imagined that one day we would embrace each other. I’ve worked with many recording labels over the years, but now, connecting with Decca, I understand. It is so pure and classical and yet cool and fresh and open to all sorts of music and cultures, it is a very special place. I feel deeply honored to be part of it.”

Full Story

Updates from Campus

News from the Career Development Office

The Bard Career Development Office (CDO) is offering many opportunities for students to brush up on their professional development skills as well as learn about career pathways and post-graduate opportunities.

Highlights for March include - On March 2nd, join CDO for a Resume Workshop from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in the George Ball Lounge. On Friday, March 3rd, the Peace Corps Recruiter will be on campus for a Coffee Chat with students to provide information and answer student questions about working abroad with the Peace Corps. On March 7th, The Daily Catch, an online news publication will hold an information session and present to Bard students a paid internship learning and working in journalism - applications are open to apply for Fall 2023 & Spring 2024 semesters. 

On Thursday, March 30th students are encouraged to join us for an online conversation with professionals working in the Arts in NYC for the Careers in the Arts in NYC panel. Students will learn from panelists about their work while also having the opportunity to ask questions to gain insight into career pathways in the arts.

On Friday, March 31, CDO will be holding our annual Internship Fair in the Campus Center. Over 25 local and community partner employers will be present to share opportunities for summer internships with students. CDO will be hosting a LinkedIn Photo Booth at the fair for students to get an updated photo for their professional LinkedIn profile. The Community Action Award (CAA) offers students the opportunity to apply for funding for summer unpaid civic-related internships. Applications open soon!

Hiring? If you are an employer looking to hire a Bard student or alumnus/a, please contact the CDO: (845) 758-7539 or [email protected].

News from the Open Society University Network

We're excited to announce spring semester Open Society Network University (OSUN) online courses are in full swing! Each semester (and every summer), Bard students have the opportunity to enroll in two kinds of synchronous online courses. We have active partnerships with over 30 universities across the world and we hope to make parents aware of this exciting academic experience!

OSUN Network Collaborative Courses are co-designed and taught simultaneously across partner institutions. These courses bring students at different campuses together to have class discussions and collaborate online.

OSUN Online Courses are offered by a single institution to students across the OSUN network. This structure provides students the chance to learn from a professor at another university in a classroom with students from around the world. Students will hear about life and society in other parts of the world and have the chance to share their perspective and experiences with a diverse set of student peers. 

Annandale students are encouraged to apply for summer and fall courses!

Bard Family Leadership Council (FLC)

Members of the Family Leadership Council (FLC) play a key role in the Bard community through a range of optional activities: developing and participating in on-campus and regional recruiting and mentoring events, promoting and providing career opportunities for students, and participating in peer-to-peer fundraising. Parents and family members on the FLC play a prominent role in the success of the Bard College Fund through annual gifts of $1,500 or greater. The Family Leadership Council meets two times each year—once during Family and Alumni/ae Weekend and again in the spring. If you are interested in joining the Family Leadership Council, please contact Sasha Boak-Kelly, Senior Director of Development at 845-758-7407.

Thank you for your support!

A big thanks to our families and friends who made a gift to the College since our last newsletter. Your generosity makes it possible for Bard to educate thousands of students each year:

Anonymous (5) ● Margaret Anderson and James Anderson ● Kathy E. Brennessel ● David Brown and Diana Brown ● Cory Cates and Kari Jo Cates ● Helene Tieger '85 and Paul Ciancanelli ● Jack Culaj and Groshe Culaj ● Michael Dahlen and Hope Chernov ● Ronald B. Trenouth and Diane P. DiCroce ● Bonnie T. Goad and Daniel Donohue ● Amanda Bay and Michel Feher ● Gregory Fields and Rozanna Leo-Fields ● Barkley Garnsey and Amy Franz Garnsey ● David Geissler ● Paul M. Boocock and Peggy A. Grauwiler ● Deirdre Harrison ● Peter Coopersmith and Heather Hart ● Sylvia H. Inchausti and David Inchausti ● Stephen Jones and Naghma Ismi ● Steven Dattomo and Corrine Jakacki-Dattomo ● Melora Kaplan ● Ellen Kiell ● Alan J. Schwartz and Kay Kinoshita ● Jim Etkin and Kim Larsen ● Ronald Lehrer and Rhonda Lehrer ● Ilya Levinson and Martine Benmann ● Anton Edmunds and Carla Lopez-Edmunds ● David Meikle ● Clayton Townsend and Chitra F. Mojtabai ● Eleonore N'da Doumbia ● Geri Nielsen ● James Olsen ● Richard Pelster-Wiebe and Angela Pelster-Wiebe ● Gina Pollara ● Lee Houghton and Amy Prince ● Sean Quinn and Sheryl Quinn ● Timothy Rehorst and Athena Rehorst ● David W. Jacobowitz '65 and Linda Rodd ● George Rupp and Nancy Rupp ● Alix M. Shafer '78 and Denis Duman ● Terry W. Shamsie and Nanette Hasette ● Mark Sherf and Nicole Sherf ● Emily Sinagra ● Ron Small and Vicki Small ● Robert Spadaccia ● Neville Vakharia and Lisa Riley ● Debra R. Pemstein and Dean Vallas ● Jane A. Brien '89 and Stewart Verrilli ● Stephen Berman and Monica Von Thun Calderon ● Rand Whipple and Anne Dowd

Recent donations will be acknowledged in the April Insider.

To thank you for supporting the future of Bard, we want to make it easier to support the future of the people and causes you love. We’re sharing a free estate planning resource with our community to make this important task simple and 100% free. Click here to write your free will.