June 2023
News for Bard 
Families & Friends

Dear Families

One of the College’s favorite sayings is #BardianAndProud, and we were so excited to spend most of May honoring our incredible students who exemplify that hashtag in every which way—especially our newest alumni/ae. However, while many of the students are away, I would like to take a moment to shift the spotlight to some recent extraordinary faculty achievements.

You may have recently seen that Bard College Professor of Literature, Hua Hsu, won a 2023 Pulitzer Prize for his memoir Stay True (Doubleday, 2022), which is a gripping memoir on friendship, grief, the search for self, and the solace that can be found through art. It can be purchased from many major retailers and I encourage you to give it a read. More information can be found here.

Daaimah Mubashshir, Bard’s Playwright-in-Residence, has been awarded three residencies. The Bau Institute Art Residency in France will support the development of Emily Black, a musical about a Black domestic worker in NYC. The MacDowell Fellowship will aid in the creation of a new play about Mubashshir's great-grandmother, Begonia Williams Tate, who overcame challenges in Mobile, Alabama during the late 19th century. Lastly, the Catwalk Art Residency will assist in the creation of a new work of creative nonfiction in Catskill, situated in the Hudson Valley.

Professor Craig Anderson was named the 2023 Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), Chemistry Division Outstanding Mentor. The award from the CUR recognizes Professor Anderson’s leading role in growing the culture of undergraduate research across the sciences at Bard, and his dedication to sustaining a preeminent undergraduate research program in the synthesis and study of transition metal complexes toward applications in materials science and catalysis.

Although the break between the academic years has just begun, it's never too early to start planning for the upcoming school year. Take a look at the "Dates to Remember" section below for crucial information about the beginning of the 2023-2024 year. Also, remember to save the date for Family and Alumni/ae Weekend! It'll be from Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29, 2023. Mark your calendars and start booking your travel plans.

With best wishes for a wonderful Summer,

Sasha Boak-Kelly
Sr. Dir. of Development 
845-758-7407

P.S. If you're in the area, I would love to see you at the 20th Bard SummerScape at the Fisher Center at Bard. With a diverse and exciting lineup of programming from June 23 to August 13, there's something for everyone. For further details, please visit fishercenter.bard.edu/.

P.P.S Who or what are you #BardianAndProud of? Email [email protected] to let us know!

Dates to Remember

Monday, April 29, 2024 – Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | Advising Days (No classes are held on advising days)
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 | Last Day to Withdraw from a Class 
Wednesday, May 1, 2024 | Senior Projects Due
Thursday, May 9, 2024 | Registration for Fall Classes Opens at 8 a.m.
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 – Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | Completion Days—Regular Classes and Final Exams: All students and faculty remain on campus
Monday, May 20, 2024 | Provisional Senior Grades Due in the Office of the Registrar
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | Last Day of Spring Classes
Thursday, May 23, 2024 | Baccalaureate Service and Senior Dinner
Saturday, May 25, 2024 | Commencement

Spring Check-Out Dates:
Non-graduating Students: Wednesday, May 22, 2024 • Must check out by 12:00 pm
Graduating Seniors: Sunday, May 26, 2024 • Must check out by 12:00 pm

L-R: Zara Boss ’25, Chi-Chi Ezekwenna ’25, and Nita Vemuri ’24. Photo by AnnAnn Puttithanasorn ’23 L-R: Zara Boss ’25, Chi-Chi Ezekwenna ’25, and Nita Vemuri ’24. Photo by AnnAnn Puttithanasorn ’23

Three Bard College Students Win Gilman International Scholarships to Study Abroad

Three Bard College students—Zara Boss ’25, Chi-Chi Ezekwenna ’25, and Nita Vemuri ’24—have been awarded highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships by the US Department of State. Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000, or up to $8,000 if also a recipient of the Gilman Critical Need Language Award, to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. This cohort of Gilman scholars will study or intern in more than 80 countries and represents more than 520 US colleges and universities in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

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Skye Rothstein ’24, Kelany De La Cruz ’24, and Jackie Mack MA ’25. Skye Rothstein ’24, Kelany De La Cruz ’24, and Jackie Mack MA ’25.

Three Bard Language Students Accepted to the National Collegiate Chinese Honor Society

Three Bard Chinese language students have been accepted to the National Collegiate Chinese Honor Society in 2023. Skye Rothstein ’24, Kelany De La Cruz ’24, and Jackie Mack MA ’25 were recommended for entry by Huiwen Li, visiting assistant professor of Chinese at Bard College and a member of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, USA.

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Blithewood Garden. Photo by Justine Zaki Blithewood Garden. Photo by Justine Zaki

Bard College Receives $93,000 from the Garden Conservancy for Blithewood Garden Rehabilitation

Bard College has been gifted $93,000 from the Garden Conservancy to go toward construction drawings that will aid the rehabilitation of Blithewood Garden. “We are delighted that the Garden Conservancy is partnering with Bard to preserve the rich history of Blithewood Garden for future generations,” said Debra Pemstein, vice president of development and alumni/ae affairs at Bard College. “This generous contribution will help with ongoing restoration efforts to renew Blithewood’s iconic landscape for the Bard community and beyond.”

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Of 481 properties in one section of Midtown Kingston, 275 (black dots) are owned by non-local owners, according to a study conducted in 2020 by Bard professor Kwame Holmes and his students. Of 481 properties in one section of Midtown Kingston, 275 (black dots) are owned by non-local owners, according to a study conducted in 2020 by Bard professor Kwame Holmes and his students.

Bard Student Research on Housing Justice Cited in Times Union Article “Evicted in Kingston: Voices from a Crisis”

According to a recent Times Union article, the city of Kingston, New York, doesn’t keep track of corporate housing ownership. “But Kwame Holmes, a professor at Bard, and his class did a deep dive on a chunk of Midtown Kingston in 2020, which led to some revealing findings,” the article cites. “Of 481 Midtown properties, non-locals owned 275 . . . Limited liability corporations owned 87 properties, 10 of which shared names with corporate landlords operating in states across the country.” 

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Walid Raad Joins Bard College as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Photography in the Division of the Arts

Bard College is pleased to announce the appointment of Walid Raad as distinguished visiting professor of photography in the Division of the Arts for the 2023–24 academic year. Raad is an artist whose works include photography, video, mixed media installations, and performances.

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Bard College Division of Social Studies Announces Nathanael Aschenbrenner as Assistant Professor in Historical Studies

Bard College’s Division of Social Studies is pleased to announce the appointment of Nathanael Aschenbrenner as assistant professor of history. Aschenbrenner, whose tenure-track appointment will begin in the fall of the 2023–24 academic year, is a historian of crosscultural contacts in the late medieval and early modern Mediterranean.

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Thank you for your support!

A big thanks to our families and friends who made a gift to the College since our last newsletter. Your generosity makes it possible for Bard to educate thousands of students each year:

Anonymous (22)•Adam Kirszner and Adrianne Kirszner•Alan Gilbert•Alicia Beth•Alix M. Shafer '78 and Denis Duman•Alyson Archer and John Archer•Amparo Vollert•Anders Dollard and Marcus Dollard•Anton Edmunds and Anton Edmunds•Asher Miller and Heather Miller•Bonnie T. Goad and Daniel Donohue•Bruce H. Alpert and Terri S. Alpert•Bruce Paddock and Arliss Paddock•Carissa Escober Doran•Carolyn L. Cartwright•Clayton Saccomanno and Kari Saccomanno•Craig Altrock and Leslee Altrock•Dan Junkins and Minette Junkins•Dan Traub and Elizabeth Traub•Dana Gregg and Beth Gregg•Daniel Delano•David Jessee and Karen Jessee•David Meikle•David W. Jacobowitz '65 and Linda Rodd•Dennis Debro and Synessa Debro•Diane Becker•Diane Matza•Douglas Jones and Diane Jones•Dylan Foley and Barbara Rosenthal•Edward Keough, CPA,EA and Sarah Hall•Eric Haas and Chava Danielson•Eric Lind and Elizabeth Lind•Erin M. Cannan and David Campolong•Filippo Piscopo and Lorena Luciano•Geraldine Brodsky•Gina Pollara•Gloria Herrera•Gregory Dahl and Emilia Dahl•Gregory Fields and Rozanna Leo-Fields•Gretchen A. Gunther Schultz•Gretchen Jacott and Carlos Jacott•Heath Honeycutt and Heath Honeycutt•Hilary B. Hamilton•Ilya Levinson and Martine Benmann•Jack Crager and Vivian Gill•Jack Culaj and Sarina Culaj•Jason Meil and Heather Meil•Jennifer L. Dush•Jennifer Trachtenberg•Jennifer Yoon•Jie Yang•Jinhi Baron•Joe Hatch-Surisook and Holly Hatch-Surisook•John D. Shyer and Marsha A. Shyer•John Wilbur and Margaret Wilbur•Josh Protas and Abby Foss•Ju-Hon Kwek and Stephanie Rupp•Judah B. Garber and Rebecca S. Eisenberg•Judah Hughes and Kim Hughes•Judith Joa•Ken Rabinowitz and Susan Rabinowitz•Kenneth Frieden•Kenneth Miller and Julie Ries•Kimberly L. Haas•Lane Barden•Leon Botstein and Barbara Haskell•Manuel Bernal•Marcella De Simone•Mathew KaneLong and Shannon KaneLong•Matthew D. Cameron '04 and Meredith Danowski•Melanie J. Neilson•Melora Kaplan•Michael P. Steinberg•Michelle Napoli•Neville Vakharia and Lisa Riley•Nohelia Lemus•Pamela Shaffer•Patrick Hono•Paulin Paris and Carmen Thomas-Paris•Peter Coopersmith and Heather Hart•Peter P. Wolf and Robin A. Wolf•Peter Sonenstein and Barbara Sonenstein•Phil Sutfin and Sally Winters•Rachel Webster•Rand Whipple and Anne Dowd•Rich E. Collins and Becky R. Collins•Richard H. Fitzgerald•Richard Shafer•Robert Faggen and Alison Graham•Robert Schlief and Christine Sloane•Ross Tappen•Roy Van Driesche and Sheila J. Marks•Sharon E. Garbe '83 and David Blumel•Stephen Jones and Naghma Ismi•Stephen Pirozzi•Steve V. Brennan and Jennifer Lyons•Susan N Perkins•Sylvia H. Inchausti and David Inchausti•T. Bragdon Shields•Thomas Cooke and Teresa Cooke•Thomas M. O'Connell and Claudia B. O'Connell•Thomas Shields and Janet Lange•Timothy Johnson and Allison Hall•Timothy Rehorst and Athena Rehorst•Tristan Timpone•Wendy Walker•William Allen and Barbara Westermann•Zela L. Barandiaran

Recent donations will be acknowledged in the July Insider.

Bard Family Leadership Council (FLC)

Members of the Family Leadership Council (FLC) play a key role in the Bard community through a range of optional activities: developing and participating in on-campus and regional recruiting and mentoring events, promoting and providing career opportunities for students, and participating in peer-to-peer fundraising. Parents and family members on the FLC play a prominent role in the success of the Bard College Fund through annual gifts of $1,500 or greater. The Family Leadership Council meets two times each year—once during Family and Alumni/ae Weekend and again in the spring. If you are interested in joining the Family Leadership Council, please contact Sasha Boak-Kelly, Senior Director of Development at 845-758-7407.

Updates from CDO

Congratulations to the graduating members of the Class of 2023 from the Bard CDO Team! 

Bard Families - Do you have an internship or post-graduate job or experience to share with students? We would love to hear about it, please contact the Bard CDO team at [email protected] 

Families of Current Students & Recent Graduates - Bard CDO is open all summer long and we offer both in-person and virtual appointments. We are here to support your student on their journey - students can email [email protected] to schedule a time to meet.

CDO can help students identify their strengths and interest areas through our online assessments and one-on-one discussions. Our advisers can share useful methodologies, resources, and professional development platforms which can assist in field exploration. Got an interview coming up? We can help your student prepare! Students are encouraged to reach out to CDO to schedule mock (practice) interviews with a supportive CDO adviser.

It is never too early or never too late for students to visit our office and meet with a CDO adviser to get started in conversations about career-related interests, internships, or post-graduate ideas and plans.

Hannah Baumann (L) and Khadija Ghanizada (R) Hannah Baumann (L) and Khadija Ghanizada (R)

Updates from CCE

On May 25th, the Bard Center for Civic Engagement honored its two Class of 2023 Certificate in Civic Engagement graduates: Khadija Ghanizada and Hannah Baumann.  The CCE staff toasted Khadija and Hannah, as well as presented them with their stoles to mark the honor.  At Senior Dinner, Executive Vice President Jonathan Becker and Vice President of Civic Engagement Erin Cannan presented the two students with their certificates.  The Certificate in Civic Engagement program is an academic distinction that Annandale students can earn by completing four qualifying courses, 100 hours of community service, and an analytic essay about their civic engagement journey. Learn more about the program here.

More on the Class of 2023 certificate recipients: Khadija co-founded (with Sonita Alizada ‘23) the TLS Project Arezo (Wish): Support for Afghan Working Children and Families, which raises donations to help with continuous and sustainable food package assistance.  Learn more about the project here.

Hannah co-leads (with Zaina Autor ‘23 and Samantha Schwartz ‘23) the TLS Project CommunityConnect, which is an after-school enrichment program for “English as a New Language Learner” elementary students from Rhinebeck and Red Hook Central School Districts.  To learn more about this project and the organization they partner with, please visit this website.
                                                              
On April 14th, Bard College hosted its second annual institutionally-sponsored Iftar (a meal eaten after sunset during Ramadan) in Blithewood Mansion.  The keynote speaker was New York State Assembly member Sarahana Shrestha (who represents Assembly District 103, which includes Bard’s Annandale campus), who shared words of encouragement for our students.

“So much of what we fight for is access to simple pleasures,” Shrestha said. “There are a lot of things that are happening in the world, and people are not asking for riches, they’re not asking for their lives to be a dream, they are simply asking to be in their community, to be safe, to have a roof over their heads … and this is such an essential reminder to me about what we’re fighting for. I really wanted to be here to show my solidarity with a colleague and break fast together. A meal is such a uniter.”

The event was open to all students, regardless of religious affiliations. The menu was provided by the Afghan Circle of the Hudson Valley, Half Moon Bakery, and Parkhurst.  The event could not have happened without these sponsors: the Bard Center for Civic Engagement, Institute for International Liberal Education, Office of International Students and Scholars Services, International Student Organization, Muslim Student Organization, and Afghan Hub Club.