The First Year at Bard College is a time of discovery and community building.
You are becoming a Bardian, from the moment you join us on campus for Language and Thinking in August until you complete First-Year Seminar in May. The Office of the First-Year Experience is here to introduce you to Bard and guide you through a year of academic exploration and extracurricular engagement.
Arrival Day: August 9 L&T Program: August 12 – August 28
Your first year at Bard begins with the Language and Thinking program—a three-week intensive introduction to the liberal arts and sciences with a particular focus on writing. It is attended by all incoming Bard students and is required for matriculation in to the College.
As you prepare to join us on campus in August, you may be wondering what to expect for Bard's Language and Thinking program. Watch this video to hear about how first-year students spend their first three weeks on campus, and visit the L&T website to learn more.
Alexis Lopez, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the First-Year Experience
Alexis Lopez provides personal support to students and helps them navigate the first-year experience at Bard. From the Language and Thinking program immediately as students arrive on campus, through the Citizen Science program in January, and to the close of the first year, Alexis is available to help students integrate personally and intellectually into the climate of Bard and together to shape a welcoming, thoughtful learning community. In order to facilitate the best possible first-year experience for students, Alexis works with and can help connect students with campus partners such as Advising, Chaplaincy, Counseling and Health Services, the Learning Commons, and student-led groups. Alexis is a fan of YouTube tutorials, loves reading books (current favorite book: Adios, Happy Homeland by Ana Menéndez) and hangs out with her cat.
Download the Bard App
Download the Bard mobile app to keep track of events and campus information directly from your phone. You will have access to schedules of special events like L&T and Citizen Science, as well as the campus calendar throughout your time at Bard. You can connect with fellow students and Bard staff and receive notifications about important deadlines and last-minute changes.
Stevenson Library has partnered with the Bard Houses to provide a liaison librarian to each of the four Houses. The House librarians will be available to students who have questions about research, citing sources, and using library resources and services. They will hold office hours for drop-in questions—often with cookies—and partner with House faculty on other programs throughout the year.
The House librarians are: