Mischa Nachtigal '08

Mischa Nachtigal, who is majoring in literature and creative writing, spent a large part of his childhood in Costa Rica. In addition to fluency in Spanish, the experience gave him a continuing interest in exploring the world and an appreciation for seeing things from more than one point of view. One of the reasons he chose Bard was its multidisciplinary approach to teaching the liberal arts.

Nachtigal’s Senior Project examines writing workshops and pedagogy, and the teaching of creativity, which he believes “must constantly evolve.” He credits his adviser, Edie Meidav, visiting assistant professor of writing, with helping to shape his readings for the project. Emily Barton, assistant professor of writing, provided a valuable contact in Los Angeles Times book editor David Ulin, whom Nachtigal interviewed about the impact of graduate writing workshops on contemporary American fiction. He also interviewed a professor at Boise State University about online workshops.

Nachtigal, a native of Chevy Chase in the Washington, D.C., area, also studied religion at Bard. He says he was drawn to “stories that have an agenda” and are a “key to understanding today’s world.” He got a taste of the post-Katrina world when he spent intersession 2007 as a volunteer with Bard in New Orleans. Helping to rebuild the Broadmoor neighborhood was rewarding, but, as a storyteller, he really appreciated that everyone had a tale to tell. On campus, Nachtigal worked in the Publications Office (one future interest is publishing) and the Children’s Center (another is education reform). Seeing more of the world is high on his post-graduation agenda. When you travel, he says, you may hear a phrase or see an image that “is unspeakably beautiful, that lives with you forever.” And that he just might write about someday.