DEAR BARDIANS,

Tina Giorgadze ’23, recipient of the 2022 Serota Award in Computer Science, with KC Serota ’04 at the 2022 Margaret and John Bard Society luncheon. The award, in memory of Kevin Daniel Serota, is given annually to a moderated undergraduate in computer science who has shown promise and dedication in using technology to improve the human condition and make a positive impact on society. Photo by Patrick Arias.

As president of the Bard College Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors, I’ve had the great privilege of representing our alumni/ae in the increasingly wide Bard universe. This fall, personal travels took me to Central Asia, where I had the opportunity to visit one of our partner institutions, the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I met with the director of development for AUCA, Bermet Tursunkulova, and the head of alumni/ae relations, Dilnoza Kolakova. We toured the campus and saw the construction of their newest building. AUCA’s main building feels like Bard, from the two-story Bard College banner in the central atrium to the students in the coffee shops on each floor of the building. The AUCA campus is where the largest group of students were housed following the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. It is also now home to a number of Ukrainian refugee students. As Bardians, we can all be proud of AUCA and its mission to educate students from Central Asia and the wider world. To see the Bard mission at work so far from Annandale-on-Hudson is a pretty incredible thing.

Closer to home, our Board of Governors meeting in October coincided with Bard Family and Alumni/ae Weekend. It was one of those glorious Hudson Valley fall weekends I think we all dream about, particularly after our time in Annandale. Trees changing color, a slight chill in the air, but beautifully sunny. About 1,200 guests were on campus, which made for a truly festive series of events. At the board meeting we heard from members of the Senior Class Council, who told us about their work bringing school spirit and energy to the campus, a welcome change from the quiet times of pandemic quarantines and isolation. They also mentioned their desire to continue to connect with our alumni/ae out in the world as they move on to graduate schools and into careers. If you are interested in mentoring current Bard students or have internships or jobs that you’re looking to fill, please be in touch with the Career Development Office (bard.edu/cdo). I’ve hired at least six Bardians over my career, and they are always some of my favorite colleagues! Please get in touch if you are interested in being involved in your Alumni/ae Association. This is your organization and we always welcome our fellow Bardians to host events. We also encourage you to attend alumni/ae performances, screenings, and gatherings, and to be engaged with one of our committees. Please see the list of committees and contact details at alums.bard.edu/board.

Yours in community, compassion, and civic engagement, KC Serota, ’04, President, Board of Governors, Bard College Alumni/ae Association