Bard College's commitment to first-generation students extends beyond mere access. We are thinking holistically about the challenges that often prevent students from fully engaging with their college process. We know that students too often come across unforeseen circumstances that can quickly become roadblocks to their well-being and sense of belonging. Through the support of staff, faculty, alumni, and families, as well as institutional support, we have established the Bard Student Support & Relief Fund. For eight semesters, we have provided this support, and we plan to keep expanding these resources. Through the Relief Fund, students have received financial support for laptops, textbooks, clothing, medical care, emergency travel and more. We are proud of this work and the opportunity it has created for the community to truly collaborate with each other while keeping our student’s needs at the center.
As we look ahead, we are keeping in mind that around 15% of our undergraduate students at Bard identify as first-generation. In this current economy, the pressure on first-generation students continues to rise. We are eager to continue to develop holistic interventions to meet students where they are. This semester, the Office of the Dean of Inclusive Excellence, Financial Services and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs are partnering to create a Financial Literacy Workshop that will help students navigate through the many financial pieces of being a college student. It is our goal to create an orientation for students who may not have adults in their lives to assist with the process. This workshop will begin during the Language & Thinking program this upcoming summer. This will serve as the first step in our newly created Bard FirstGen Forward Network Timeline of Support. We created a year-long engagement calendar to institutionalize our FirstGen efforts.
In this endeavor, we will be partnering closely with the Career Development Office, Learning Commons (tutoring center), the Stevenson library, Office of Counseling Services and others. We will also continue to partner with student groups to make sure we have a pulse on what students are navigating. More specifically, we will continue to foster a strong partnership with the SCALE Project. The Scale Project is a student-run program that examines the role and impact that socioeconomic status and class have on Bard's campus, policies, and programs and creates sustainable solutions to make each more equitable. This brilliant group of student leaders are truly effecting change, and honoring their work and dedication is extremely important, as they are leading so much of the work to support first-gen Bardians.
In the fast-changing landscape of higher education, we understand that it is imperative that we build inclusive and sustainable strategies to ensure that all students receive the support they deserve beyond just getting a scholarship. It is about developing a sensibility to the multilayered lives and needs of our students. There is a future that requires that we all do our part today to ensure that our future leaders have what they need to learn with a sense of dignity and importance. It starts with us. It starts today.
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