05/06/2026
A Message from Jonathan Becker: Bard is an ecosystem, not a person
May 5, 2026
I hope this message finds you well, I am writing to you to ask you to consider helping your fellow Bardians this summer. As you probably know, being far away from family and friends can present many challenges.
Recently I wrote a commentary for WAMC Northeast Public Radio titled Bard is an ecosystem, not a person that speaks to the distinctive mission of Bard. It’s a timely reminder that the students we serve are a combination of bright and deserving students who come to us, and those to whom we bring the college.
"Bard acts – with real urgency and ambition – on the idea that education in the liberal arts and sciences is a vital public good, and that it should be available to all categories of the “public.”'
Today Bard has committed to supporting more displaced students per capita than any other college or university in the United States and the value of financial aid given to displaced students exceeds 25 million dollars.
This work is made possible by thousands of dedicated, engaged, and talented faculty, staff and administrators spread across the globe and the financial support of alumni/ae and friends of the college like you.
Bard is currently home to 85 displaced international students, and many more who cannot return home due to travel bans and restrictions, who rely on Bard College to be exactly what we have always been: a sanctuary.
Today students come to Bard from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Palestine, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. They are outstanding students, who are leaders on campus and in recent years, have earned some of the world’s most distinguished academic honors for undergraduates, including the Rhodes, Chevening, and Schwartzmann scholarships. You can read more about them in the book Our Journey to Bard.
This summer many of these students do not have the opportunity to return home due to travel restrictions, dangerous conditions, or visa uncertainty.
The safety and care of students is at the top of our priority list. That is why I am writing to ask for your support of the Bard Sanctuary Fund. For these students, summer is not a break — it is a period of real vulnerability that is deeply unsettling.
We have set a goal of $125,000 to sustain this cohort of students throughout the summer months. Your support will help Bard’s efforts to ensure they have a safe place to live, work, and thrive on campus for the summer months. All of the funds will go directly to subsidize student food, housing and labor.
The Sanctuary Fund is Bard's ecosystem in action — the greater Bard family, coming together when our students need us most. I am asking you, personally, to help us reach our goal.
Please give today to the Bard Sanctuary Fund: https://bardian.bard.edu/register/sanctuaryfund
Warmly,
Jonathan Becker
Executive Vice President and Vice President for Academic Affairs
