Bard Network Students Gather for Civic Engagement Conference in Istanbul

Bard's global network of institutions stretches from Annandale to Kyrgyzstan, representing thousands of students of widely varied backgrounds and interests. The young people participating in Bard programs may be early college students, undergraduates, or graduate students, aspiring political scientists or artists. This broad and diverse association of students is rich with young leaders. Bard network students strive to take education beyond the classroom and have a real-world impact. Bard's Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) works to make that possible. The CCE brings together service and education programs in and around Bard's main campus, at various U.S. sites, and with the college's international partners, helping students find and create the resources they need to serve their communities.
 

Paul Marienthal, dean for social action and director of the Trustee Leader Scholar Program at Bard, talks with conference mentors Simona Gamonte (left), program coordinator of the Human RightS Initiative (HRSI) of Central European University, and Tatsiana Babich (right), head of student services at European Humanities University.

One of the forums the CCE provides for this kind of leadership is the international civic engagement conference. For the second year, the CCE, the Bard/HESP Network (Higher Education Support Program of the Open Society Foundations), and affiliated institutions gathered 38 students for a conference in Istanbul, Turkey, from March 14 to 19. The conference, "Get Engaged: A Bard/HESP Student Networking Conference: Student Action and Youth Leadership: Civic Engagement, Social Entrepreneurship, and the Liberal Arts," builds a network of young social entrepreneurs and change agents. Students work together and with faculty and staff from across Bard's partner institutions to learn skills, build relationships, and lay the foundation for ongoing collaborations and exchange of ideas. Workshops focus on leadership, public speaking, networking, social media and communications, effective organizing and programming, community partnerships, and innovation. Students engaged in community-based work were selected to attend based on project proposals they submitted. They refined and presented these proposals during the conference.

Bard/HESP Network students in session at the Get Engaged Conference.

Participating students developed projects within their institutions or on the local, national, or international level, implementing creative and often far-reaching activities, including: establishing debate and Model United Nations clubs; creating student newspapers and journals; developing school programs for children in science, mathematics, human rights, English, and art; building libraries and children's centers in underserved communities; organizing programs to support the elderly and infirm; working with local governments and nongovernmental organizations on solutions for social justice; and partnering with international organizations to address climate issues.

Participating institutions at this year's conference included: Al-Quds Bard College for Arts and Sciences, American University of Central Asia, Bard College, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Bard College Berlin, European Humanities University, and Smolny College.

MORE:

Read the stories of student leaders on the Bard Center for Civic Engagement blog.

Follow the Center for Civic Engagement on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at #getengaged15 for more conference news.

Learn more about the conference.

Watch the video from the 2014 conference below.
 

Bard College Center for Civic Engagement Conference in Istanbul

Post Date: 03-24-2015