Dear Bardian,

I think this was one of the snowiest, iciest, coldest months I've ever experienced in the HV. As I slipped around campus, I remembered Justin Gallanter ’34 telling me about how the students would wear skates and hold up their black gowns (mandatory attire at St. Stephen's) and zoom around on the ice in the bays. Wish I had a photo of that, but it's warmed up today, so let the mud season begin.

This month TEDxBard returned for a second conference held at the LUMA Theater at Bard's Fisher Center. This year's theme was “Building Bridges” and featured talks by students, faculty and alumni/ae. Shout outs to Antonio Castillo MBA ’24, Ashley Eugley ’22, Ifigeneia Gianne ’25, Raahim Waqas Khan SR ’27, Rolena Richardson MBA ’24 and Zarlasht Sarmast ’20 (AUCA) for getting up there. The archive of talks from the 2023 conference can be watched online. I highly recommend checking out BPI graduate Stacey Burnett ’18 MBA ’23. 

Black History Month is closing out on campus with the 2nd Annual For the Love of Community Event. This year, the theme is “Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Legacy: Where do we go from here?” All through February there have been lectures, films, exhibitions, performances and cooking events. I really wish everyone could have seen the CCS exhibit The Message is Medium: Terry Adkins and Ja'Tovia Gary. Amazing. On February 7th, we were delighted to cohost Dr. Demitrius Washington ’08, veterinary ophthalmologist and former cocaptain of the basketball team, who came back with his family to share his journey with a packed house of students, faculty and staff and to participate in Bard’s Alumni/ae Basketball weekend. Dr. Washington was the first in his family to attend college and is now one of less than ten African American animal eye specialists in the country. 

If you want to keep up on all Bard News, sign up for What’s New At Bard.

There are always alumni/ae discounts at the Fisher Center. Coming up is the TŌN + American Ballet Theater Studio Company Spring Benefit on Friday, February 28th and Saturday, March 1st at 7:30 pm. Use promo code TONDANCE for a 20% discount for all alumni/ae.

And of course, save the date for the Bard College Awards, Commencement and Reunion 2025! May 23rd–25th. See below for details! It will be here before we know it. 

Stay strong out there. Keep in touch. 

Be seeing you,
Jane ’89

P.S. Thanks to everyone who participated in #WeMetAtBard. We loved hearing and sharing your stories. Next up: World Tattoo Day is on March 21st and we want to share yours!

Did you get a tattoo at Bard? Whether you got one in Woodstock or from your roommate in Robbins or anywhere else, we want to see it and hear the story. We also want to see the tattoos you've gotten since then—any ink you want to share. Send photos and stories to alumni@bard.edu by March 17th.

Assistant Dean of Students Corey Sullivan ’03 Wins Obie Award

At the 68th annual Obie Awards, the American Theatre Wing presented Assistant Dean of Students Corey Sullivan ’03 and other members of his arts collective, Theater Mitu, the Ross Wetzsteon Award for sustained innovation in the field. Theater Mitu was originally formed through Sullivan’s collaborations with visiting artists on a production for Bard’s Theater and Performance Program as an undergraduate at Bard. Since then they have worked together to push the boundaries of theater through innovative productions, global research and education initiatives, programs supporting emerging artists, and the creation of their Brooklyn-based performance and technology center, MITU580.

Jackie Bao ’11 Talks About her Excitement for Filmmaking

Filmmaker Jackie Bao ’11 was interviewed for Little Black Book Online’s Directors Series. She talked about her recent short Just Kids, which premiered at the Asian American International Film Festival and was also selected for the Austin Film Festival, Aesthetica, and Flux, and her next project, which explores motherhood.

Odille Zexter ’27 Speaks About Digital Minimalism with the New York Times

Odille Zexter ’27 was featured in a New York Times profile on high school and college students giving up technology. The article follows the Luddite Club, founded by Biruk Watling in Philadelphia, which promotes a decreased use of technology among young people. Zexter, a former member of the Luddite Club who studies studio art at Bard, created a bronze sculpture of a flip phone in an art class at Bard, which she says helped her preserve the era where the phones were used and highlight their importance.

Writers Kelly Link and Jedediah Berry ’99 to Give Reading at Bard College on March 3

Award-winning writers Kelly Link and Jedediah Berry ’99 will give a reading on Monday, March 3, at 4:00 pm in Weis Cinema in the Bertelsmann Campus Center at Bard College. The event, which is presented as part of Bradford Morrow’s Bard course on innovative contemporary fiction and is cosponsored by the literary magazine Conjunctions, will include a Q&A with the authors and is free and open to the public. 

Seven Raptors Ran Personal Bests at NYU Invitational

Seven Raptors ran personal bests in their individual categories for the Bard College track and field team at the NYU Invitational, reports Hudson Valley Press. Gabrielle Parchment ’27 broke her 60-meter school record, finishing 8.41 seconds in her second indoor meet, and ran the 200 meters with a finish time of 29.24 seconds. Carina Cooke ’26 improved her 60-meter time from 8.61 to 8.56 seconds, while Jynaiya Grizzle ’25 and Lismery Guzman-Cruz ’28 both ran a personal best in the 60-meter and the 200-meter. Avery Crafton ’28 ran a personal best in the 200 meters, while Kai Washington ’27 competed in his first indoor meet, running the 60 meters and 200 meters. Ilyas Hotak ’26 shaved nearly 20 seconds off his 800-meter time, while Bo Hopwood ’26 shaved six seconds off his mile time with 5:06.26 minutes.