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
For the 13th Consecutive Year, Bard’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams Win Team Academic Award from United Soccer Coaches
Bard student athletes on both the men’s and women’s soccer teams won the Team Academic Award from the United Soccer Coaches, each for the 13th consecutive year. The men’s and women’s soccer teams produced cumulative GPAs of 3.43 and 3.40 respectively for the 21–22 academic year, surpassing the 3.0 grade point average needed to earn the honor.
Bard student athletes on both the men’s and women’s soccer teams won the Team Academic Award from the United Soccer Coaches, each for the 13th consecutive year. The men’s and women’s soccer teams produced cumulative GPAs of 3.43 and 3.40 respectively for the 21–22 academic year, surpassing the 3.0 grade point average needed to earn the honor. Bard is one of 130 institutions to have both the men’s and women’s teams qualify.
Post Date: 08-02-2022
Bard student athletes on both the men’s and women’s soccer teams won the Team Academic Award from the United Soccer Coaches, each for the 13th consecutive year. The men’s and women’s soccer teams produced cumulative GPAs of 3.43 and 3.40 respectively for the 21–22 academic year, surpassing the 3.0 grade point average needed to earn the honor.
For the 13th Consecutive Year, Bard’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams Win Team Academic Award from United Soccer Coaches
Image courtesy of Bard Athletics.
Post Date: 08-02-2022
Aarsha Joshi, Current BHSEC Queens Student, Says Early College Model Makes College “An Expectation Rather than an Option for All Students” in the Gotham Gazette
“I never thought I would be ready for college until I realized that I was already in one,” writes Aarsha Joshi, a current student at BHSEC Queens. In an opinion piece for the Gotham Gazette, Joshi argues that an early college experience ought to be equally attainable for everyone: “Early college instills a sense of belonging in students, especially those who are typically underrepresented in academia.”
“I never thought I would be ready for college until I realized that I was already in one,” writes Aarsha Joshi, a current student at BHSEC Queens. In an opinion piece for the Gotham Gazette, Joshi argues that an early college experience ought to be equally attainable for everyone: “Early college instills a sense of belonging in students, especially those who are typically underrepresented in academia.” Calling on New York State and City leaders to offer more early college opportunities, Joshi cites improved outcomes for first generation and low-income students. “The ability to interact with complex topics while still maintaining the innocence of being a teenager and living at home is a privilege that I will be eternally grateful for,” Joshi writes.
Post Date: 08-02-2022
“I never thought I would be ready for college until I realized that I was already in one,” writes Aarsha Joshi, a current student at BHSEC Queens. In an opinion piece for the Gotham Gazette, Joshi argues that an early college experience ought to be equally attainable for everyone: “Early college instills a sense of belonging in students, especially those who are typically underrepresented in academia.”
Aarsha Joshi, Current BHSEC Queens Student, Says Early College Model Makes College “An Expectation Rather than an Option for All Students” in the Gotham Gazette
Post Date: 08-02-2022
Bard Students Join Peers in Global Network for Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference in Kyrgyzstan
For the first time in two years, Bard students were able to join in person for the Annual Get Engaged Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference. This year's conference took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on the beautiful campus of the American University of Central Asia, bringing together undergraduate student leaders and mentors from 28 countries and 17 institutions in the Open Society University Network to discuss civic engagement projects students have been implementing in their respective countries.
For the first time in two years, Bard students were able to join in person for the Annual Get Engaged Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference. This year's conference took place June 23–30 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on the beautiful campus of the American University of Central Asia, bringing together undergraduate student leaders and mentors from 28 countries and 17 institutions in the Open Society University Network.
Students, faculty, and staff at the Get Engaged conference discussed the civic engagement projects students have been developing and implementing in their respective countries. Students learned new skills, honed leadership styles, and networked with like-minded innovators who are collaborating with community partners across the globe to develop solutions to pressing local and global challenges.
Post Date: 07-12-2022
For the first time in two years, Bard students were able to join in person for the Annual Get Engaged Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference. This year's conference took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on the beautiful campus of the American University of Central Asia, bringing together undergraduate student leaders and mentors from 28 countries and 17 institutions in the Open Society University Network to discuss civic engagement projects students have been implementing in their respective countries.
Bard Students Join Peers in Global Network for Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference in Kyrgyzstan
Students and mentors from Get Engaged 2022 pose for a group portrait at a festive night out in Bishkek.
Students, faculty, and staff at the Get Engaged conference discussed the civic engagement projects students have been developing and implementing in their respective countries. Students learned new skills, honed leadership styles, and networked with like-minded innovators who are collaborating with community partners across the globe to develop solutions to pressing local and global challenges.
Post Date: 07-12-2022
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
Incarcerated Youth “Talk Back” with Catskill Art Exhibition, Curated by Sofia Thieu D’Amico CCS ’22 and Organized by Bard Faculty Maggie Hazen with Alumna Anna Schupack ’22
An exhibition in Catskill features work by the Columbia Collective, a multimedia arts group of female and trans incarcerated artists that was founded by Maggie Hazen, visiting artist in residence at Bard College. Anna Schupack ’22 helped Hazen organize the exhibition to promote the artists in the collective while bringing attention to problems in the juvenile justice system. Sofia Thieu D’Amico CCS ’22 curated the show. The exhibition was funded by Bard’s Margarita Kuchma Project Award, which Schupack and Sarah Soucek ’22 won in July. Talking Back: Artists of the Columbia Collective, runs through September 25 at Foreland Contemporary Arts Campus in Catskill, with an artist talk and panel discussion for the exhibition on September 14 at 6:30 pm, in person and on Zoom.Incarcerated Youth “Talk Back” with Catskill Art Exhibition, Curated by Sofia Thieu D’Amico CCS ’22 and Organized by Bard Faculty Maggie Hazen with Alumna Anna Schupack ’22
Installation view: Talking Back: Artists of the Columbia Collective.
The Foreland galleries will host an artist talk and panel discussion for the exhibition on September 14 at 6:30 pm, in person and on Zoom, moderated by D'Amico:
This event is free and open to the public, with Alison Cornyn of the Incorrigibles Project and Mark Loughney, artist of Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration, focusing on the intersections of cultural and carceral systems, tapping our prison history archives, the crisis of youth incarceration, and visions of a decarcerated future. They will ask: How do we identify modes of abolition and advocacy, create critical projects, and identify the reaches of our prison industrial complex? Following artist presentations and discussion will be a Q&A session with panelists and Columbia Collective founder Maggie Hazen.
Post Date: 09-13-2022
The Electrifying, Emotional Return of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with Bard Alum Nick Zinner ’98 on Guitar
After a nearly decade-long break, the trio that helped spark New York’s early 2000s rock revival is back with Cool It Down, “an expansive album that dares to imagine a bold, fresh future.” The New York Times profiles the band, featuring Bard alum Nick Zinner ’98 on guitar, as they return to the studio and the stage with a new perspective in their 40s, after moving cross-country, starting families, and years pursuing their own musical and artistic projects. The new album tackles serious themes such as climate change and the longing for closeness in the aftermath of the pandemic, but ultimately the band is on a mission to bring a sense of joy and hope to audiences.The Electrifying, Emotional Return of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with Bard Alum Nick Zinner ’98 on Guitar
Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Karen O and Nick Zinner ’98 in foreground; Brian Chase in the background. Image: Raph_PH, cc-by-2.0
Post Date: 09-13-2022
Miúcha, The Voice of Bossa Nova, with Bard Alumni Director and Producer, Premieres at Telluride Film Festival
Miúcha, The Voice of Bossa Nova, premiered at the 49th Telluride Film Festival in Colorado over Labor Day Weekend. Miúcha is directed by Bard alumnus Daniel Zarvos ’97 and produced by alumnus and trustee Mostafiz ShahMohammed ’97. Four Bard students interned for the production company, Filmz, in its Paris office, working on aspects from animation to editing. The film tells the story of the renowned Brazilian singer Miúcha through her personal letters, audio diaries, home movies, and expressive watercolor drawings animated for the film. The film will screen next at the Toronto International Film Festival, September 13–14, and at the Miúcha gala event at the Rio Film Festival, October 7–8.Miúcha, The Voice of Bossa Nova, with Bard Alumni Director and Producer, Premieres at Telluride Film Festival
Post Date: 09-06-2022