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 2027?
Photo by Karl Rabe
Class of 2027
Bard College’s Class of 2027 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 38 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
“Shaping the Future” Conference Hosted by TEDxBard College on September 30
Bard College is hosting its first independently organized TEDxBard College conference, “Shaping the Future,” a day-long event featuring insightful talks from students, faculty, alumni/ae, and members of the broader Bard community. The student-run conference considers how the advancements of the modern age have shaped and will continue to influence human progress across various disciplines, including technology, science, art, politics, and culture.
Bard College is hosting its first independently organized TEDxBard College conference, “Shaping the Future,” a day-long event featuring insightful talks from students, faculty, alumni/ae, and members of the broader Bard community. The student-run conference considers how the advancements of the modern age have shaped and will continue to influence human progress across various disciplines, including technology, science, art, politics, and culture. The event, organized by Bard students Thanasis Kostikas ’26, Emily O'Rourke ’25, Tom Chitwood ’26, Alex Nguyen ’23, and Luca Heidelberg ’24, under the mentorship of the Bard Center for Civic Engagement, is intended to be the first of many TEDxBard College conferences to be held in the coming years.
“Shaping the Future” will take place on Saturday, September 30 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm in Olin Auditorium. To see the full schedule, please visit https://tedx.bard.edu/schedule/. Due to limited space and wide interest, the event has sold out, but a livestream of the conference will be available to view. To register for the livestream link and future TEDxBard College updates, please sign up here.
Speakers include Alejandro Crawford, professor of entrepreneurship at the Bard MBA in Sustainability and global lead for OSUN social entrepreneurship; Anastasia Dzutstsati, a Russian journalist, filmmaker, human rights activist, and Threatened Scholars Integration Fellow at OSUN; Lauren E. Graham, a social entrepreneur, environmentalist, and educator; Jillian Reed ’21 and Masha Zabara ’21, community organizers, educators, and cofounders of the store Thrift2Fight in Tivoli, NY; Stacy Burnett ’21 MBA ’23, who began her education in the Bard Prison Initiative and now manages JSTOR access in prisons in North America and Australia; Joan Tower, renowned composer, performer, conductor, and Asher B. Edelman Professor in the Arts at Bard College; Tatjana Myoko von Prittwitz und Gaffron, an ordained Zen priest, and visiting assistant professor and Buddhist chaplain at Bard; Michael Sadowski, best-selling author and associate dean of the College at Bard ; Eban Goodstein, vice president for environmental and social leadership at Bard and director of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy; Aleksandar “Aleks” Demetriades ’25, a junior studying Politics and Public Health at Bard and senior communications intern for the Open Society University Civic Engagement Initiative; Ahed Festuk, a pioneering activist from Aleppo, Syria; and Hannah Park-Kaufmann ’24, a senior double majoring in mathematics and piano performance at Bard.
Professor Crawford previously hosted "Bringing Ideas to Life in a Short Talk," the first session of a two-part TEDxBard College workshop series that was open to all students. In advance of the conference, the second workshop, open to participants, will provide an exclusive opportunity for the speakers to hone the introductions and conclusions of their TEDxBard College talks and practice their presentations.
Post Date: 09-05-2023
Bard College is hosting its first independently organized TEDxBard College conference, “Shaping the Future,” a day-long event featuring insightful talks from students, faculty, alumni/ae, and members of the broader Bard community. The student-run conference considers how the advancements of the modern age have shaped and will continue to influence human progress across various disciplines, including technology, science, art, politics, and culture.
“Shaping the Future” Conference Hosted by TEDxBard College on September 30
“Shaping the Future” will take place on Saturday, September 30 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm in Olin Auditorium. To see the full schedule, please visit https://tedx.bard.edu/schedule/. Due to limited space and wide interest, the event has sold out, but a livestream of the conference will be available to view. To register for the livestream link and future TEDxBard College updates, please sign up here.
Speakers include Alejandro Crawford, professor of entrepreneurship at the Bard MBA in Sustainability and global lead for OSUN social entrepreneurship; Anastasia Dzutstsati, a Russian journalist, filmmaker, human rights activist, and Threatened Scholars Integration Fellow at OSUN; Lauren E. Graham, a social entrepreneur, environmentalist, and educator; Jillian Reed ’21 and Masha Zabara ’21, community organizers, educators, and cofounders of the store Thrift2Fight in Tivoli, NY; Stacy Burnett ’21 MBA ’23, who began her education in the Bard Prison Initiative and now manages JSTOR access in prisons in North America and Australia; Joan Tower, renowned composer, performer, conductor, and Asher B. Edelman Professor in the Arts at Bard College; Tatjana Myoko von Prittwitz und Gaffron, an ordained Zen priest, and visiting assistant professor and Buddhist chaplain at Bard; Michael Sadowski, best-selling author and associate dean of the College at Bard ; Eban Goodstein, vice president for environmental and social leadership at Bard and director of the Bard Center for Environmental Policy; Aleksandar “Aleks” Demetriades ’25, a junior studying Politics and Public Health at Bard and senior communications intern for the Open Society University Civic Engagement Initiative; Ahed Festuk, a pioneering activist from Aleppo, Syria; and Hannah Park-Kaufmann ’24, a senior double majoring in mathematics and piano performance at Bard.
Professor Crawford previously hosted "Bringing Ideas to Life in a Short Talk," the first session of a two-part TEDxBard College workshop series that was open to all students. In advance of the conference, the second workshop, open to participants, will provide an exclusive opportunity for the speakers to hone the introductions and conclusions of their TEDxBard College talks and practice their presentations.
Post Date: 09-05-2023
Bard High School Early College to Open Its First Campus in the Bronx in Partnership with Montefiore Einstein
Bard College, in partnership with Montefiore Einstein, will open a new public early college high school this fall, a first for the Bronx. Bard Early College Bronx will expand access to exceptional and inclusive academic and career pathways with the creation of this new public high school through the New York City Department of Education. Alongside a New York State Regents diploma, Bard Early College Bronx will award an associate in arts degree from Bard College, tuition free and by the end of the 12th grade.
“Over the last 20 years, Bard College has partnered with public school systems to open early colleges in New York, Newark, New Orleans, Cleveland, Baltimore, Hudson, and Washington, D.C,” said Dr. Dumaine Williams, Bard College Vice President for Early Colleges. “This new partnership with the New York City Department of Education and Montefiore Einstein is a tremendously exciting opportunity to expand access to rigorous and intellectually inspiring opportunities - particularly those in the biomedical sciences – to high school students in the Bronx.”
Opening its doors this September in the Crotona neighborhood in the South Bronx, Bard Early College Bronx will be led by principal Dr. Siska Brutsaert, an accomplished scientist who has been a NYC public school educator for more than a decade. The new school will ultimately serve up to 500 students, with 90% of those seats committed to students from the Bronx.
Results from a recent analysis by the Education Trust of New York showed that Bard’s two other public early colleges in NYC were the most successful public high schools statewide. Low-income students coming from New York’s 1,520 public high schools to Bard successfully finished a four-year college degree on time. More than 80% of Bard students have earned a full associate’s degree by the time they finish high school, providing a financial stepping stone to a four-year degree and opening the door to new career opportunities.
“This partnership with Bard Early College Bronx will introduce local students to biomedical science, research opportunities and career pathways that can change not only their lives but also advance the health of our entire community,” said Joe Solmonese, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Strategic Communications at Montefiore Einstein.
The partnership between Montefiore Einstein and Bard will provide students with specialized, career-connected opportunities in the biomedical sciences through Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as educational opportunities building on Montefiore Einstein’s career development initiatives. In addition, Bard High School Early College Bronx will build on the core components of the Bard Early College model, providing all students with rigorous college level coursework, 60 transferable credits, a Bard College AA degree, and close contact with Bard and Einstein faculty members who are active scholars and practitioners in their fields.
Post Date: 08-16-2023
Bard College, in partnership with Montefiore Einstein, will open a new public early college high school this fall, a first for the Bronx. Bard Early College Bronx will expand access to exceptional and inclusive academic and career pathways with the creation of this new public high school through the New York City Department of Education. Alongside a New York State Regents diploma, Bard Early College Bronx will award an associate in arts degree from Bard College, tuition free and by the end of the 12th grade.
Bard High School Early College to Open Its First Campus in the Bronx in Partnership with Montefiore Einstein
Bard High School Early College Manhattan. Photo by Beyond My Ken (CC BY-SA 4.0)
New High School to Provide Academically Accelerated Option for Bronx Students
Bard College, in partnership with Montefiore Einstein, will open a new public early college high school this fall, a first for the Bronx. The new Bard Early College Bronx will expand access to exceptional and inclusive academic and career pathways through the creation of this new, NYCDOE public high school. Alongside a New York State Regents Diploma, Bard Early College Bronx will award an Associate in Arts degree from Bard College, tuition-free and by the end of the 12th grade. This public early college high school will provide a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences and, and in partnership with Montefiore Einstein, introduce students to biomedical science and research as well as career pathway programs.“Over the last 20 years, Bard College has partnered with public school systems to open early colleges in New York, Newark, New Orleans, Cleveland, Baltimore, Hudson, and Washington, D.C,” said Dr. Dumaine Williams, Bard College Vice President for Early Colleges. “This new partnership with the New York City Department of Education and Montefiore Einstein is a tremendously exciting opportunity to expand access to rigorous and intellectually inspiring opportunities - particularly those in the biomedical sciences – to high school students in the Bronx.”
Opening its doors this September in the Crotona neighborhood in the South Bronx, Bard Early College Bronx will be led by principal Dr. Siska Brutsaert, an accomplished scientist who has been a NYC public school educator for more than a decade. The new school will ultimately serve up to 500 students, with 90% of those seats committed to students from the Bronx.
Results from a recent analysis by the Education Trust of New York showed that Bard’s two other public early colleges in NYC were the most successful public high schools statewide. Low-income students coming from New York’s 1,520 public high schools to Bard successfully finished a four-year college degree on time. More than 80% of Bard students have earned a full associate’s degree by the time they finish high school, providing a financial stepping stone to a four-year degree and opening the door to new career opportunities.
“This partnership with Bard Early College Bronx will introduce local students to biomedical science, research opportunities and career pathways that can change not only their lives but also advance the health of our entire community,” said Joe Solmonese, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Strategic Communications at Montefiore Einstein.
The partnership between Montefiore Einstein and Bard will provide students with specialized, career-connected opportunities in the biomedical sciences through Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as educational opportunities building on Montefiore Einstein’s career development initiatives. In addition, Bard High School Early College Bronx will build on the core components of the Bard Early College model, providing all students with rigorous college level coursework, 60 transferable credits, a Bard College AA degree, and close contact with Bard and Einstein faculty members who are active scholars and practitioners in their fields.
Post Date: 08-16-2023
Stage Presence, Thesis Exhibition for the Bard MFA Class of 2024, Presented by the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts
The Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College (Bard MFA) is pleased to present Stage Presence, the thesis exhibition of the Class of 2024. The exhibition brings together 23 distinct practices from candidates in the disciplines of film/video, music/sound, painting, photography, sculpture, and writing, and will be on view from July 15–23 at the Bard College Exhibition Center/UBS Gallery in Red Hook, New York.
The Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College (Bard MFA) is pleased to present Stage Presence, the thesis exhibition of the Class of 2024. The exhibition brings together 23 distinct practices from candidates in the disciplines of film/video, music/sound, painting, photography, sculpture, and writing. Stage Presence will be on view from July 15 through July 23 at the Bard College Exhibition Center/UBS Gallery in Red Hook, New York, and evening presentations of time-based works—such as performances, readings and screenings—will be held at several locations on Bard’s campus. An opening reception will also be held on July 15, from 1 pm to 4 pm. For more information about exhibition hours, presentation locations, and accessibility, please visit bard.edu/mfa/thesis.
In its standard usage, the phrase “stage presence” refers to a performer’s capacity to command the attention of a room. The phrase was also used by art critic Michael Fried in 1967 to condemn minimalist artists’ rejection of modernist artistic values of autonomy and absorption. In Fried’s account the minimalists instead embraced “the situation” in which an art object and viewer existed together, reflexively confronting an audience with their relationship to viewing. Following Fried’s essay, the phrase has had many more lives within artistic contexts, from a postmodern reclamation to a contemporary embrace of its more commonplace associations.
When taken together, the distinct artistic practices of the Bard MFA Class of 2024 resonate with issues of stage presence. Experimentation with display structures; activations of text in space; investigations into mapping and absence; disruption of voice and conventional notions of authorship; emphasis on the scale of the body; and integration of theatrical techniques such as props or backdrops are just a few of the strategies by which these artists explore modes of presence, viewership, and relationality.
The Bard MFA thesis exhibition features works by MFA candidates Kaur Alia Ahmed, June Canedo de Souza, Francesse Dolbrice, Camonghne Felix, Christina Graham, Tallulah Haddon, Lara Carmen Hidalgo, Sam Lasko, Khan Lee, Lotte Leerschool, Eli Benjamin Neuman-Hammond, Mira Putnam, Anna Roberts-Gevalt, Natalia Rolón Sotelo, Francie Seidl Chodosh, Sydney Spann, Allie Taylor, Lauren Tosswill, Nora Treatbaby, Marty Two Bulls Jr., Sam Wenc, Alexa West, and Drew Zeiba.
Stage Presence is coordinated by Marina Caron (MA ’23), a graduate of the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College (CCS Bard). Caron is a curator, writer and researcher based in New York City. Her thesis exhibition, Bettina: The Fifth Point of the Compass, focused on the work of the prolific and under-recognized artist Bettina Grossman (b. New York, 1927; d. New York, 2021).
Post Date: 07-14-2023
The Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College (Bard MFA) is pleased to present Stage Presence, the thesis exhibition of the Class of 2024. The exhibition brings together 23 distinct practices from candidates in the disciplines of film/video, music/sound, painting, photography, sculpture, and writing, and will be on view from July 15–23 at the Bard College Exhibition Center/UBS Gallery in Red Hook, New York.
Stage Presence, Thesis Exhibition for the Bard MFA Class of 2024, Presented by the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts
Installation view, “Absolutely Maybe,” Bard MFA thesis exhibition in 2022. Photo by Chris Kendall
In its standard usage, the phrase “stage presence” refers to a performer’s capacity to command the attention of a room. The phrase was also used by art critic Michael Fried in 1967 to condemn minimalist artists’ rejection of modernist artistic values of autonomy and absorption. In Fried’s account the minimalists instead embraced “the situation” in which an art object and viewer existed together, reflexively confronting an audience with their relationship to viewing. Following Fried’s essay, the phrase has had many more lives within artistic contexts, from a postmodern reclamation to a contemporary embrace of its more commonplace associations.
When taken together, the distinct artistic practices of the Bard MFA Class of 2024 resonate with issues of stage presence. Experimentation with display structures; activations of text in space; investigations into mapping and absence; disruption of voice and conventional notions of authorship; emphasis on the scale of the body; and integration of theatrical techniques such as props or backdrops are just a few of the strategies by which these artists explore modes of presence, viewership, and relationality.
The Bard MFA thesis exhibition features works by MFA candidates Kaur Alia Ahmed, June Canedo de Souza, Francesse Dolbrice, Camonghne Felix, Christina Graham, Tallulah Haddon, Lara Carmen Hidalgo, Sam Lasko, Khan Lee, Lotte Leerschool, Eli Benjamin Neuman-Hammond, Mira Putnam, Anna Roberts-Gevalt, Natalia Rolón Sotelo, Francie Seidl Chodosh, Sydney Spann, Allie Taylor, Lauren Tosswill, Nora Treatbaby, Marty Two Bulls Jr., Sam Wenc, Alexa West, and Drew Zeiba.
Stage Presence is coordinated by Marina Caron (MA ’23), a graduate of the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College (CCS Bard). Caron is a curator, writer and researcher based in New York City. Her thesis exhibition, Bettina: The Fifth Point of the Compass, focused on the work of the prolific and under-recognized artist Bettina Grossman (b. New York, 1927; d. New York, 2021).
Post Date: 07-14-2023
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