Celebrating 25 Years of Partnership with SPOK: A Neighborhood Bond Between Bard College Berlin and Pankow

This year, Bard College Berlin proudly marks its 25th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, the college and the SPOK Fitness Center are organizing an Anniversary Fun Run of 2.5km to commemorate their long-term partnership and the international community they have built together. “The partnership has played an integral role in fostering a more diverse and multicultural environment for BCB and the local community," says Lauren Gaillard, the Director of Equal Opportunity, Participation and Nondiscrimination at BCB and one of the event organizers. 

SPOK’s roots run deep in Pankow. Once a fitness hub for the diplomatic corps in the GDR, SPOK’s reach expanded after the reunification in 1992, becoming a sporting and wellness center for Pankow’s residents. For nearly 25 years SPOK has been an informal extension of the BCB campus, providing students with various fitness experiences, just a short walk away.

Beyond celebrating sports, the Fun Run is about celebrating and strengthening BCB’s neighborly relations in Pankow. As a shared space for BCB students and Pankow residents, SPOK provides a friendly frontier in which the two can intermingle: students get a peek into the everyday life and habits of locals (like German sauna etiquette!), and BCB contributes its beautiful, international community to Pankow. 

In the spirit of community, BCB and SPOK invite everyone—students, staff, and local residents alike—to take part in a 2.5 km race or enjoy the open volleyball and badminton courts. This is a chance to celebrate over two decades of partnership and the rich connections that have grown between BCB and Pankow.

Join us for a day celebrating a quarter-century of sportsmanship, neighborliness, and diversity in Pankow!

By Mishel Jovanovska '25

Post Date: 09-24-2024