Students come from across the country and around the globe to study at Bard.
They undertake a broad range of academic programs in Annandale. While pursuing their degrees, they volunteer in the community, develop their career goals, and bring their talents to the campus and the region. They share a love of learning and the leadership to make their mark on the world.Who Is the Class of 2026?
Photo: Karl Rabe
Class of 2026
Bard College’s Class of 2026 was selected from a large and competitive applicant pool, indicating their extraordinary promise. They are a high-achieving group, with wide-ranging interests and varied backgrounds. Our first-year students come to Annandale-on-Hudson from 37 states and 26 countries, bringing with them their passion, creativity, and intellectual engagement.
Our Students
Joelle Powe
Abundant opportunities at Bard have supported Jamaican filmmaker and anthropology major Joelle Powe.
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Levi Lakota Lowe came to Bard sight unseen and fell in love with the campus as soon as he arrived. -
Christina Kiser knew in high school that she wanted to go to medical school and become a surgeon. -
Trumpet player Viveca Lawrie was discovered by a Bard College Conservatory of Music faculty member, who encouraged her to apply to Bard.
Academic Snapshot: Time and Credits at Bard
The academic year is divided into two 15-week semesters.
Most classes are 4 semester hours of academic credit.
128 credits are required for the bachelor's degree.
The average semester course load is 16 credits.
Bard by the Numbers
About Campus: Rachel Explores Ward Manor
Rachel is a Bard College student in the Psychology Program. She visits one of the landmarks of Bard's campus: Ward Manor, often called simply "Manor." The porch behind Manor is a prime spot to study, enjoy a meal from the Manor Cafe, or connect with friends. The porch boasts a view of the iconic Stargon sculpture (affectionately called "The Bunny Ears"), the Bard Farm, and the Catskill Mountains in the background.
Why I Chose Bard
Why choose Bard College? The unique and rigorous curriculum, stunning campus, and close relationships with faculty are a few of the reasons our students decided to make Bard their home. Hear them talk about what drew them to the college in the beginning and the scholarly, creative community they've found on campus since.
Student News
OSUN Students Developing Online Game to Make Sex Education Accessible to Teens around the World
Alua Samat ’25, a Bard College student and activist for sex education, partnered with four other students from Bard and the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) to create Not a Shame, an online game which is being designed to be a resource for teenagers across the globe. Developed as part of the online OSUN Network Collaborative Course Social Entrepreneurship, the game differs from other existing sex education games in that it seeks to be more accessible to communities with specific cultural sensitivities and needs, and where global languages such as English or Russian are not widely spoken.
Alua Samat ’25, a Bard College student and activist for sex education, partnered with four other students from Bard and the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) to create Not a Shame, an online game which is being designed to be a resource for teenagers across the globe. In development as part of the online OSUN Network Collaborative Course Social Entrepreneurship, the game will differ from other existing sex education games in that it seeks to be more accessible to communities with specific cultural sensitivities and needs, and where global languages such as English or Russian are not widely spoken. Samat has collaborated with others for years to combat the stigmas that surround sexual education for teenagers. Reliable information on sex and family planning are sparse in Kazakhstan, where she is from, and young people can be left with no options but to learn from dubious online sources presenting inaccurate or harmful material, a contributing factor to the rate of teen pregnancy in Central Asia, which is over six times higher than in developed countries. Not a Shame intends to serve as an approachable and trustworthy information source which can be adapted to help teenagers in their local languages and with accompanying narratives that are relevant to their lives and cultures.
In December 2022, it was announced that Samat’s team would be awarded a prize of $1,500 in the annual pitch competition sponsored by Bard’s MBA in Sustainability. Bermet Suiutbekova, the group’s instructor at AUCA, said that the game “will bring a positive change to Central Asian countries. With the help of $1,500 in prize money from the competition, the team is planning to release the beta version of the product in June of 2023 and go to market in July of 2024.”
Post Date: 01-24-2023
Alua Samat ’25, a Bard College student and activist for sex education, partnered with four other students from Bard and the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) to create Not a Shame, an online game which is being designed to be a resource for teenagers across the globe. Developed as part of the online OSUN Network Collaborative Course Social Entrepreneurship, the game differs from other existing sex education games in that it seeks to be more accessible to communities with specific cultural sensitivities and needs, and where global languages such as English or Russian are not widely spoken.
OSUN Students Developing Online Game to Make Sex Education Accessible to Teens around the World
Alua Samat ’25 and other students at AUCA and Bard College developed the online game Not A Shame as part of the OSUN course Social Entrepreneurship.
In December 2022, it was announced that Samat’s team would be awarded a prize of $1,500 in the annual pitch competition sponsored by Bard’s MBA in Sustainability. Bermet Suiutbekova, the group’s instructor at AUCA, said that the game “will bring a positive change to Central Asian countries. With the help of $1,500 in prize money from the competition, the team is planning to release the beta version of the product in June of 2023 and go to market in July of 2024.”
Post Date: 01-24-2023
Rukhsar Balkhi ’23 Spoke with Spectrum News about the Taliban’s Ban on Women’s Education
The news of the Taliban’s ban on women’s and girls’ education hit close to home for Rukhsar Balkhi ’23. “It’s something very personal,” Balkhi said to Spectrum News. “Because I have been through it. I have been in Afghanistan. And I know the value of education as an Afghan woman.” After fleeing Afghanistan in August of 2021, Balkhi matriculated at Bard, where she is a human rights major. Now, she hopes to pursue not only a bachelor’s in human rights, but a master’s degree in international affairs, putting her education to use for the struggle for educational freedom for Afghan women and women worldwide.
The news of the Taliban’s ban on women’s and girls’ education hit close to home for Rukhsar Balkhi ’23. “It’s something very personal,” Balkhi said to Spectrum News. “Because I have been through it. I have been in Afghanistan. And I know the value of education as an Afghan woman.” After fleeing Afghanistan in August of 2021, Balkhi matriculated at Bard, where she is a human rights major. While she never lived under Taliban rule, Balkhi never took her own educational opportunities for granted. “I had a lot of threats,” she said. “But at least I had the freedom to go to university, to go to school, to go to courses.” Now, she hopes to pursue not only a bachelor’s in human rights, but a master’s degree in international affairs, putting her education to use for the struggle for educational freedom for Afghan women and women worldwide.
Post Date: 01-23-2023
The news of the Taliban’s ban on women’s and girls’ education hit close to home for Rukhsar Balkhi ’23. “It’s something very personal,” Balkhi said to Spectrum News. “Because I have been through it. I have been in Afghanistan. And I know the value of education as an Afghan woman.” After fleeing Afghanistan in August of 2021, Balkhi matriculated at Bard, where she is a human rights major. Now, she hopes to pursue not only a bachelor’s in human rights, but a master’s degree in international affairs, putting her education to use for the struggle for educational freedom for Afghan women and women worldwide.
Rukhsar Balkhi ’23 Spoke with Spectrum News about the Taliban’s Ban on Women’s Education
Still from Spectrum News interview with Rukhsar Balkhi ’23.
Post Date: 01-23-2023
Bard College Astronomer Shuo Zhang and Undergraduate Student Rose Xu Discover New X-ray Flares from the Galactic Center Supermassive Black Hole Sgr A*
Bard College Assistant Professor of Physics Shuo Zhang and Bard mathematics and dance major Rose Xu ’23 were invited by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) to present their most recent findings on new x-ray flares from the now inactive supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Their talk, “Detection of Seven High-Energy X-ray Flares from the Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole,” was presented at the 241st AAS press conference on January 12 in person in Seattle and virtually.
Bard College Assistant Professor of Physics Shuo Zhang and Bard mathematics and dance major Rose Xu ’23 were invited by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) to present their most recent findings on new x-ray flares from the now inactive supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Their talk, “Detection of Seven High-Energy X-ray Flares from the Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole,” was presented at the 241st AAS press conference on Thursday, January 12 from 5:15pm to 6:15pm ET, in person in Seattle and virtually via Zoom and YouTube livestream. For more information about the 241st AAS press conference, click here.
The center of the Milky Way galaxy harbors the nearest supermassive black hole Sgr A* to Earth, with forty million times the mass of the Sun. Although being in an inactive status nowadays, Sgr A* demonstrates mysterious flares almost every single day, which could come from magnetic phenomena. We are sitting in the front row of these cosmic fireworks. Using 2 Ms data from NASA’s NuSTAR X-ray telescope, our math senior Rose Xu, working with Bard physics professor Shuo Zhang, has discovered seven new hard X-ray flares that took place between 2016 and 2022. This new result doubled the current database of bright Sgr A* X-ray flares, and can help to answer long-standing questions in flare physics, such as: What are the physical mechanisms behind Sgr A* flare? Do bright flares and faint flares share the same origin?
Post Date: 01-17-2023
Bard College Assistant Professor of Physics Shuo Zhang and Bard mathematics and dance major Rose Xu ’23 were invited by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) to present their most recent findings on new x-ray flares from the now inactive supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Their talk, “Detection of Seven High-Energy X-ray Flares from the Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole,” was presented at the 241st AAS press conference on January 12 in person in Seattle and virtually.
Bard College Astronomer Shuo Zhang and Undergraduate Student Rose Xu Discover New X-ray Flares from the Galactic Center Supermassive Black Hole Sgr A*
L-R: Shuo Zhang and Rose Xu.
The center of the Milky Way galaxy harbors the nearest supermassive black hole Sgr A* to Earth, with forty million times the mass of the Sun. Although being in an inactive status nowadays, Sgr A* demonstrates mysterious flares almost every single day, which could come from magnetic phenomena. We are sitting in the front row of these cosmic fireworks. Using 2 Ms data from NASA’s NuSTAR X-ray telescope, our math senior Rose Xu, working with Bard physics professor Shuo Zhang, has discovered seven new hard X-ray flares that took place between 2016 and 2022. This new result doubled the current database of bright Sgr A* X-ray flares, and can help to answer long-standing questions in flare physics, such as: What are the physical mechanisms behind Sgr A* flare? Do bright flares and faint flares share the same origin?
Watch the Presentation at the American Astronomical Society Press Conference
“Astronomers are in the exhilarating process of revealing the physical conditions at the vicinity of our own supermassive black hole, which I couldn’t imagine myself being involved in before meeting professor Shuo Zhang. Solving practical problems from a liberal arts perspective is a skill that I am grateful to gain here at Bard College,” said Xu.Post Date: 01-17-2023
Life After Bard
Photo by Karl Rabe
Bardians Are Everywhere
Whether working in Annandale or Berlin, in sustainable agriculture or in a tech startup, Bard alumni/ae make a difference. Bardians are changing the way the world works, taking Bard's commitment to innovation and engagement worldwide. Being a Bardian means having an impact, wherever you may be and whatever type of work you're called to do. Look for members of the Bard community. You'll find us in your favorite films, your most ambitious business ventures, and your most innovative educational institutions.
Bard Awards 2019, photo by Karl Rabe.
Staying Connected After Graduation
Bardians take great pride in their alma mater and support Bard in any way they can, whether by recommending new students, making a gift to the College, or offering professional mentoring to current students and young alums. There are lots of ways to stay connected to Bard after graduation:
Career Development On Campus and Beyond
Bard supports students' professional development during their years in Annandale and after graduation. The Career Development Office offers a range of internship and job resources, and hosts events that connect students with various professions, alumni/ae, and employers. Bard Works is an intensive, weeklong program for juniors and seniors at Bard College that prepares them for work after graduation. The Center for Civic Engagement helps students secure internships, find service-learning opportunities, and design their own projects.
ALUMNI NEWSROOM
Art, Film, and Music: The Artful Animation of Bard Alum Jeff Scher ’76
Print magazine profiles animator Jeff Scher ’76 and looks at his most recent work: a video for Tom Petty’s “Call Me the Breeze,” from the late musician’s recently released Live at the Fillmore compilation. “All Scher needs to make his movie magic is some live-action film, a chromatic supply of watercolor and pastels and a rotoscope to get his cinematic juices boiling,” writes Steven Heller. “His films can be joyful, unforgettable and heartbreaking.”Bail Reform Is Working. Why Are Democrats Running Away from It? Dyjuan Tatro ’18 for NBC News
Eliminating bail for low-level offenses has proved that you can maximize freedom while not endangering public safety, write Dyjuan Tatro ’18 and Scott Hechinger. Cash bail and the pretrial detention system disproportionately penalize poorer defendants; eliminating the requirement allows people to continue to work and support their families while fighting their charges. Yet in spite of bail reform successes, including in New York State, some Democrats have allowed Republicans to control the narrative around the policy and have even blamed bail reform efforts for midterm losses.Bail Reform Is Working. Why Are Democrats Running Away from It? Dyjuan Tatro ’18 for NBC News
Photo by Bob Jagendorf, cc-by-2.0
Post Date: 12-06-2022
Bard Alumna Lexi Parra ’18 for the Washington Post: As Gang, Police Violence Rages, a Caracas Neighborhood Tries to Connect
On January 7, 2021, Venezuela’s Special Action Forces raided the La Vega neighborhood of Caracas, leaving 23 people dead in what the community calls the “La Vega massacre.” The special police unit has been accused of targeting working-class neighborhoods, criminalizing young men for where they live as it attempts to root out gang activity. As part of an ongoing project supported by the Pulitzer Center and a Getty Images Inclusion Grant, Bard alumna Lexi Parra ’18 gets to know the women of La Vega who are maintaining their community and pushing back against state and gang violence.Bard Alumna Lexi Parra ’18 for the Washington Post: As Gang, Police Violence Rages, a Caracas Neighborhood Tries to Connect
Nayreth holds her newborn daughter, Salomé, in her home in La Vega. Photo by Lexi Parra ’18
Lexi Parra majored in human rights and photography at Bard College.
Further Reading
- As gang, police violence rages, a neighborhood tries to connect (Washington Post)
- Venezuelan-American Photographer Lexi Parra ’18 Named Recipient of a 2022 Getty Images Annual Inclusion Grant
- Bard College Student Wins Davis Projects for Peace Prize
Post Date: 10-18-2022