Bard College Family Network

09/03/2026

Mark your calendars, Bardians! 🍂 Family and Alumni/ae Weekend is coming to Annandale October 23–25, 2026. Start making your plans, book your accommodations, and get ready to visit the Bard campus. Check your e-mail soon to RSVP.

09/01/2026

For all you jazz fans 🎹 🎶 out there: The Bard Jazz Program continues to be one of Bard’s most innovative and exciting programs, with an amazing faculty and students—including Associate Professor Angelica Sanchez, who will perform a piano duo concert with NEA Jazz Master pianist and composer, Marilyn Crispell, on Tuesday, September 8. This concert is a benefit for the program and includes a reception with the artists. Tickets are limited for this very special event: https://bardian.bard.edu/register/eveningofjazz26

09/01/2026

🎓 Bard professors get high marks!

Bard College has been ranked among the top five colleges and universities in the nation for positive student sentiment about faculty in The Princeton Review’s 2026 rankings.

With no graduate teaching assistants and average class sizes of 16 students in the Lower College and 12 in the Upper College, Bard students learn directly from accomplished faculty who bring their expertise—and passion—into the classroom.

(Photo: Ephraim Asili MFA ’11, associate professor of film and electronic arts; director, Film and Electronic Arts Program. Photo by Chris Kayden)

09/01/2026

Meet the Acting President of Bard College Jonathan Becker, who shared his thoughts on his almost 30 years with Bard and why he's excited to lead the College now.

Bard's Acting President, Jonathan Becker, answered some questions a...

08/20/2026

Yesterday was Democracy Day at Bard — our annual tradition of connecting the work we do as an academic institution to our lives as citizens in a democracy. 🗳️

This year, the Center for Civic Engagement teamed up with Parkhurst Dining Services and the Office of Development and Alumni/ae Affairs to throw a block party on campus! Food trucks, a DJ, and the chance to connect with campus resources and local community partners — what a day.

Last photo: a huge shoutout to our alumni/ae panel on Civic Engagement, moderated by Acting President Jonathan Becker. Panelists included:

🎙️ Peter Criswell '89, Ulster County Legislator and Chair of the Legislature for Ulster County Government
🎙️ Emma Kreyche '02, Director of Advocacy, Outreach & Education at Worker Justice Center of New York
🎙️ Patrick Stephens '19, Director of Restorative Justice at the Center for Community Alternatives
🎙️ Shawn Young '19, Project Lead, Upstate Reentry and Capital Region Initiative, Bard Prison Initiative

Thank you to all who joined us for an incredible day of dialogue, food, and community. 🧡

08/19/2026

Big news from Bard! 📖✨

Tara Westover, acclaimed author of Educated, will join Bard College as visiting writer in residence beginning this fall.

We’re so excited to welcome her to campus and for our students to learn from one of today’s most celebrated writers!

08/10/2026

Nothing says "we love our kid" like carrying a bin on your shoulder across campus in the summer heat. Bard families, we see you — thank you for everything you do to get your students here.

Photo by Danni Chen '26

08/06/2026

Before you know it, campus will be buzzing with new faces!

Tomorrow, Friday, August 7, we welcome the Class of 2030 to Bard, and on Friday, August 21, we'll be excited to welcome our new transfer students as they begin their Bard journeys.

To all our new Bard families: safe travels, enjoy every moment of move-in, and know that we're thrilled to welcome you to the Bard community.

Photo by Wais Kakarr '26

08/03/2026

Congratulations to BHSEC Bronx senior Ariella Thompson on coauthoring an op-ed with New York State Senator Luis R. Sepulveda in the New York Daily News. 👏

In the piece, Ariella reflects on how early college education empowers students to think independently, build confidence, and pursue their ideas long before traditional college begins. Her voice is a powerful testament to the impact of Bard's pioneering early college model and the opportunities it creates for young scholars.

Photo by Danny Santana

07/27/2026

✨ Congratulations to Bard MFA alumna and Associate Professor and Codirector of the Studio Arts Program Julianne Swartz MFA ’03 on receiving a $50,000 grant from the Bobby Anspach Foundation!

One of two artists selected from more than 3,300 applicants, Julianne will use the award to support Heart Flow Instrument—a large-scale interactive installation exploring the connections between human presence, technology, sound, and light.