Bard College Berlin News
Bard College Berlin’s 2023 Commencement ceremony honors graduates
Managing Director Dr. Florian Becker addressed the Class of 2023 in a speech that encouraged the graduates to dream of a future unbound to the extractive environmental practices of the 20th century. “My wish for you, as you are about to enter professional life and, therewith, the institutions of ordinary life: …Push your institutions. Make demands openly or work with cunning,” Becker advised, “Use your intelligence and use your imagination. Know what and whom you must fight and, most importantly, know with whom you can work.”
The keynote address was given by journalist and human rights activist Behrouz Boochani, who told his story as a Kurdish-Iranian growing up in the throes of the Iran-Iraq War and his eventual political imprisonment by the Australian government in Papua New Guinea. His story highlighted an unflinching commitment to principles before profits and taking risks to advocate for justice, encouraging graduating students to appreciate their privileges, while advocating for change in Berlin and abroad.
Yahia Albaghdadi and Helene Cunningham, commencement speakers from the Class of 2023, addressed their peers and their shared experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, isolating lockdowns, and global geopolitical crises. “In those moments,” Cunningham shared, “what could have easily resulted in feelings of isolation and a lack of support, I believe only brought us closer. I came to Berlin alone, but this school instantly provided me with a community – at risk of sounding cheesy, I’d even go as far as saying that in my past three years, I found family.”
Albaghdadi, who left Syria to study at Bard College Berlin as a recipient of a fellowship from the Program for International Education and Social Change (PIESC) , reflected on “four years filled with laughs, adventures, homesickness, vitamin D pills, tears of joy, tears of sadness, proud moments, and long lasting friendships.” He spoke about his personal background, and advised “we can never know what is coming next, we can never read into the future, no matter how scared we are of uncertainty, and no matter how much we want these questions answered. The only thing we can do is to be prepared, work to the best of our abilities and continue finding growth within ourselves.”
Additional remarks were made by Dr. James Harker, Prof. Dr. Catherine Toal, and Prof. Dr. Kerry Bystrom, who provided a special recognition of the Class of 2021, who were invited back to Bard College Berlin to celebrate their accomplishments in person, as their official ceremony was held online during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senior thesis awards were issued to Vala Schriefer for her thesis “The Ontology of Creative Process in Michaelangelo's Prisoners” and Salma Houmane for her thesis “Reforming the Fiscal Rules in the Euro Area: Lessons from the Previous Financial Crisis.”
The ceremony took place at Ballhaus Pankow, a historic ballroom originally built in 1880. The festivities were bookended by live music performed by flutist Mais Hriesh (Bard ‘18) and bass Andrew Munn (Bard ‘16). Munn introduced their rendition of “In These Hallowed Halls” from Mozart’s The Magic Flute as “a hymn to humanistic values.” The ceremony concluded with a final performance from Hriesh, Munn, and Raul Da Costa and a reception on campus.
The Class of 2023 is a diverse and highly accomplished group of scholars representing 16 different nationalities. Their post-graduate plans encompass graduate study in cities including Beijing, Helsinki, and London; an MA in Oral History at Columbia University; an archeology program in Ireland; a Rhodes Scholarship for the University of Oxford; and an internship in Washington D.C. with United States Senator Mark Warner.
Congratulations and good luck to the Bard College Berlin Class of 2023!
Post Date: 06-05-2023