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Over the last decade, many young adults have attended a summer course or completed an Academy Year or Project Year at the college. In 2012, students in the first BA cohort graduated. Future graduates will join a network of alumni/ae who are studying and working around the world. After graduation, alumni/ae remain connected, professionally and personally, to the college and to their friends and professors.
Staying in touch with the alumni/ae community

Staying in touch with the alumni/ae community

  • If you want to join the main alumni/ae mailing list and receive updates on alumni affairs and events, please send an email with the subject “Subscribe” to [email protected]. 
  • Join the alumni opportunities mailing list to get info on various job/study opportunities hand-picked by faculty, staff and fellow alumni/ae - send an email to [email protected]
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    • Berlin-based alumni/ae can join an email group to receive invitations to campus events and to local alumni/ae events; to subscribe please send an email with the message “Subscribe” to [email protected].
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  • Alumni News
    • Bose Sarmiento ‘21: Exploring queerness through art at Kunst Queer Kiez
    • At Kunst Queer Kiez, an initiative formed by Bard College Berlin alum Bose Sarmiento ‘21 (they/them), participants explore what it means to be queer and what it takes to artistically engage with the topic. Kunst Queer Kiez (KQK) is a “youth centered pedagogic project that uses artistic methods like dance, theater, and creative writing to investigate topics of identity, discrimination, queerness, and empowerment.” Bose, along with their collaborators Fanny (no pronouns), and Flo (she/no pronouns), founded the initiative with the aim of creating projects that integrate their personal and educational values with those of the youth community in the city.

      “We want to make art out of everyday experiences and focus on Berlin, a place where queer life takes place,” says Bose about the project. “We want to engage with the question of what it means to be visible as a queer person and what it means to be safe.”

      Participants take part in meetings every two weeks at JuKuz Youth Center. After being greeted by vegan snacks, attendees start off the meeting with some body-based exercises and theater games. They then break off into smaller groups to explore storytelling exercises and creative writing prompts. KQK meetings use creative approaches to tackle questions such as: “What does it mean to be queer? How can we make art out of our experiences and engage with topics that are hard to talk about? And what kind of queer spaces exist in Berlin?” At the safe and accessible space facilitated by KQK, these questions are approached through an intersectional perspective, something Bose took from their time at BCB.

      Bose graduated with a degree in Arts and Aesthetics, and enjoyed the academic freedom to tailor their studies in ways that suited their interests. “I was able to take music courses and performance classes alongside courses focused on politics and migration in a way that complemented each other,” Bose says. They were often encouraged to use artistic approaches, something that has deeply influenced Bose’s way of analyzing and working.

      Bose encourages current students and recent graduates to take advantage of the funding opportunities available in Germany for funding similar projects. Kunst Queer Kiez in particular is possible due to a collaboration with JuKuz, the center that hosts the meetings, as well as from public funding from the German state. Receiving approval for such projects can be hard work, but as Bose explains, the funding is a chance to “create spaces that align with your own values.” Through this funding, KQK can shape their vision of “accessibility, care, and engagement.”

      Students from BCB are invited to participate in KQK meetings, which take place at JuKuz every two weeks. “Participants don’t need any theater experience, nor do they have to identify with the Queer label. The only requirement is to be aged between 15 and 25, and to have an interest in the topics that we address,” shares Bose.

      The next meetings are planned for December 5, 2023 and February 19, 2024, from 17:00 to 19:00 at JuKuz. For more information, you can follow them on Instagram at @kunst.queer.kiez or contact them via email at [email protected].

      Meta: Subject(s): Bard College Berlin,Alumni/ae | Institutes(s): Bard College Berlin |
    • From Bard College Berlin to the German Bundestag: Roman Steindler ‘21 takes part in the prestigious International Parliamentary Scholarship
    • Bard College Berlin alum Roman Steindler ‘21 recently took part in the highly prestigious International Parliamentary Scholarship offered by the German Bundestag, gaining invaluable hands-on knowledge about German democracy directly from the source.

      The program offers 120 young university graduates from 50 countries around the world an invaluable chance to witness the highest workings of the German government up close. Roman learned many valuable lessons from this experience, and enjoyed the opportunity to apply the critical thinking skills he obtained during his interdisciplinary liberal arts education at Bard College Berlin in a practical way. When asked how his time at Bard College Berlin prepared him for a position at the Bundestag, he said, “The international student body at BCB pushed me to think on an intercultural level that was way ahead of most of my peers, and helped me appreciate contrasting viewpoints in a way that was helpful for political work.”

      As part of the program, the participants are placed with a Member of Parliament as a full-time job. In this position, they write speeches, articles, and letters, and accompany their MPs to meetings of committees, political groups, and other events. Although he can’t discuss the specifics of his work due to confidentiality, he says, "Anyone who wants to work in the political space needs to be ready to move quickly and be ready to calmly address dynamic situations” in order to approach the rapidly changing atmosphere of politics effectively. 

      In addition to working for the Bundestag, the networking opportunities offered through the program are one of the most invaluable aspects of the experience, including an internship that complements the practical aspect of the program. Roman’s internship included “a lot of educational programming for the entire peer group.” Through this experience, he learned about German politics more deeply, both on the international and the federal level, and learned a lot from discussing these findings with his peers and comparing notes on their respective stances.

      The program is conducted entirely in German, and the level required to participate is extremely high. Roman was prepared for this by the in-depth application process, which gave him a sense of the level expected, and his participation in the program further confirmed just how rigorous it is. Roman is currently finishing his master's degree in political science and aims to work in a position as a strategic analyst in public service or to do work related to NGOs. 

      More information about the program can be found on the German Bundestag website.

      Meta: Subject(s): Alumni/ae | Institutes(s): Bard College Berlin |
    • Former BCB Erasmus fellow Luca Lupparelli receives prestigious Italian academic award
    • History professor Dr. Marion Detjen's former BCB Erasmus+ fellow, Luca Lupparelli, received the most prestigious prize for academic talent in Italy, the Premio America Giovani of the Fondazione Italia USA. The prize was awarded in the Parliament in Rome.

      Lupparelli received his master's degree in Italian studies and European history from Perugia University in Italy. After finishing his degree, Lupparelli worked as Detjen’s research assistant at BCB over the summer of 2023. Detjen and Lupparelli are now working together on a project about the dissolution of the Pantheon Casa Editrice and the Italian exile of Helen and Kurt Wolff in the 1930s.

      Read the full Italian article from Perugia University here.

      Meta: Subject(s): Bard College Berlin,Alumni/ae | Institutes(s): Bard College Berlin |
    • BCB alumna launches innovative, interdisciplinary print magazine Perediza
    • Aryana Arian, an alumna of Bard College Berlin '20, was driven by her passion to create something that embodied the values deeply ingrained during her education at BCB. The outcome? Perediza, "the magazine that questions," a journal that delves into a wide array of global and interdisciplinary issues. This London-based print and digital publication explores topics ranging from media and climate change to art, style, and life. As Editor-in-Chief, Aryana applied her interdisciplinary education and networking opportunities from BCB to successfully launch the project.

      “I learned everything from scratch,” Aryana says about the process behind creating Perediza. “I put myself to work for 10 months to really focus. I taught myself design, learned about the magazine business, the details of printing, and anything else that was needed to launch”. The magazine, which recently published its second edition, is the culmination of years of hard work and constant learning, produced from a desire to engage critically with the world through writing, art, and mixed media.

      Collaboration is essential to Perediza. Aryana shares, “I envisioned something that would be a blend of a journal and a magazine—something fresh, innovative, and collaborative.” The realization of this vision was made possible by the network Aryana cultivated during her time at Bard College Berlin. Notably, Perediza's managing editor, Francesca Nicolodi, is a fellow BCB alumna. In addition, the magazine actively welcomes writing submissions and art collaborations from both current BCB students and alumni, fostering a dynamic space where the creative work of students can continue to shine beyond university.

      Aryana recalls the profound effect the core curriculum at BCB had in shaping her way of viewing the world, teaching her the value in approaching problems from an interdisciplinary, critical lens that bridges the gap between a diverse set of fields. From philosophy to renaissance art, modernism, political economy, and aesthetic theory, the boundaries between disciplines were constantly questioned at BCB. Perediza aspires to extend this transformative effect to its readers, bringing academic subjects to the real world in an engaging, accessible way.

      Beyond academic values, Perediza also draws inspiration from something equally precious that resulted from the BCB experience—personal connections. Aryana missed conversations between peers and the valuable insights gained from discussions among students, saying, “that was something I couldn’t really find after graduating and I longed for similarly enriching connections.” Perediza works to capture the essence of fleeting exchanges that are an invaluable facet of university life, and offers them a platform to be shared. Aryana says, “Bard College Berlin really has a special group of people that are very engaged with the world and how it works. That’s something that we can easily forget to appreciate until we lose it.”

      Perediza is an ambitious project that connects university life to the world beyond, shaped by BCB’s educational values and networks that give a voice to a new generation in media. The second edition of the magazine—which explores aspects of self identity around nature, our surroundings, bodies, and even phones—can be ordered from the Perediza website or purchased at a select number of stores around the world. 

      Meta: Subject(s): Bard College Berlin,Alumni/ae | Institutes(s): Bard College Berlin |
    • Interdisciplinary artist Bose Sarmiento (HAST ‘21) writes and hosts penultimate episode of podcast Spatial Delight
    • The final two episodes of Migration Studies Professor Agata Lisiak’s podcast Spatial Delight, a ten-part series which uses the work of geographer Doreen Massey to inspire critical thinking about space and power, were released this April and May.

      The ninth episode, “Invasión Espacial,” was written and hosted by interdisciplinary artist and Bard College Berlin alumna Bose Sarmiento ’21. Bose transports listeners to the streets of Berlin on the 8th of March, International Women's Day. In the chaos of the many demonstrations taking place in the city on that day, Bose follows the music to find the Marea Abya Yala, a constellation of feminist collectives originating mostly from Latin America. This Spanish-language episode also features a conversation with anthropologist and dancer Cristina Barría Knopf, one of the leaders of the Comparsa Carnaval collective in Berlin. In addition to writing and hosting this episode, Bose is also the artist who designed Spatial Delight’s visual materials.

      The tenth and final episode of Spatial Delight, “Time To Think,” addresses themes of precarity in the academic labor market and features interviews with two Bard College Berlin scholars: political scientist Aysuda Kölemen, who discusses threats to academic freedom posed by authoritarian regimes and neoliberal universities alike, and sociologist Aslı Vatansever, who talks about academic labor activism in Germany, where over 90% of academics work on precarious fixed-term contracts. Among the discussion topics for the episode is also their co-edited volume, Free As A Bird: Academic Freedom and Precarity in the Global North.

      Meta: Subject(s): Faculty,Bard College Berlin,Alumni/ae,Academics | Institutes(s): Bard College Berlin |

Alumni Profiles

  • Erick Moreno Superlano
    Venezuela
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '22
    Currently: Master's in Migration Studies at Oxford University, UK


    "The class discussions were the best part for me. They were enriching and really taught me how to think critically about others' ideas and also question my own."
     
  • Aziza Izamova
    Uzbekistan
    BA in Humanities, the Arts and Social Thought '21
    Currently: PhD student in History of Art and Architecture at Harvard University


    "Studying at BCB means not only taking wonderful and challenging classes but also interacting with the city and student community."
     
  • Clarissa Shane
    USA
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '23
    Concentration: Ethics & Politics
    Currently: MA in Oral History at Columbia University


    "BCB provided an open environment for learning from forward-thinking scholars and questioning the status quo."
     
  • Xiaojing (Soledad) Li
    China
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '20
    Currently: Master's in Digital Science at Université de Paris


    "It is not easy to make this sudden transition from arts to tech. I held doubts on my own at first. But BCB helped me believe in myself and taught me that it was never too late to start learning."
     
  • Flora Keene
    USA
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '22
    Concentration: Arts & Aesthetics
    Currently:  MA in Fashion and Textile Studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology


    "The BCB Internship Program single-handedly kick-started my career in the arts. Judith Weber placed me at Callie's, an artist residency in Wedding, where I remained for two and a half years."
  • Dina Toubasi
    Palestine
    BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought '18
    Currently: Executive Economist at Deloitte


    "I learned to think outside the box, and view the world with a critical perspective. Bard taught me to look at things through a multidimensional lens, and consider intersections of different fields and areas of life. As an Economics student, I learned to consider issues of social justice and ethics, and confidently express my opinions."
  • Océanne Fry
    France/USA
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '21
    Currently: MAS in Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and Rule of Law at the Geneva Academy of Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Switzerland


    "Studying at BCB gave me a very broad view on a multitude of ethical, political, and philosophical elements which prepared me well for my current humanitarian career."
  • Aryana Arian Assl
    Iran
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '20
    Currently:  MA in Culture, Criticism and Curation, University of the Arts London and Editor-in-Chief at perediza


    "If you are looking for an education where you will gain a strong foundation of knowledge in philosophy, culture, history, and more broadly, the humanities, BCB is the place to go."
     
  • Clara Canales
    Chile/Netherlands
    BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought '19
    Currently: Expansion Associate at a green transit tech firm 


    "BCB provided me with a strong theoretical framework with which to analyze current issues. When faced with a question, I am able to relate it to greater themes."

     
  • Margarethe Hattingh
    South Africa
    BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought '19
    Currently: Master's in Banking and Finance, University of Vienna 


    "At BCB there is no escaping the opportunity to think independently. It’s required in virtually every class, and it’s what makes the entire program so enriching."
     
  • Michal Stroka
    Czech Republic
    BA in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought '18
    Currently: Director of Korean Operations in Seoul for CzechInvest and CzechTrade, two Czech state agencies for business development


    "The liberal arts approach broadened my understanding and awareness of where and how economics fits within our societies."
  • Nathan French
    USA
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '18

    Currently: Euromaster in French and Francophone Studies, Humboldt University Berlin

    "Bard College Berlin helped me gain the confidence to think and speak for myself. I ask myself what I value and what I don’t value, instead of being a victim of popular opinion."
  • Philip Euteneuer
    Germany
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '17
    Currently: works in cultural mediation at the Akademie der Künste, Berlin


    "Studying at BCB also meant starting to learn how to live, grow up and be a responsible, well-adjusted citizen."

     
  • Talia Kracauer
    USA
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '17
    Currently: Has her own theater company based in London


    At BCB "you have the opportunity to get one of the most personalized educational experiences I can imagine."

     
  • Aya Ibrahim
    Egypt
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '15
    Currently: Reporter in the flagship English language news department of Deutsche Welle, Berlin


    "The thinking beyond the obvious and literal that this kind of education instills in you is an absolute advantage in today's world."
     
  • Maria Khan
    Pakistan
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '15
    Currently: Assistant Professor - Department of Literature, Bard High School Early College


    "As demanding as it might have been, writing essays helped me understand myself better and develop a way for expressing my thoughts."
     
  • Aurelia Cojocaru 
    Moldova
    BA in Humanities, the Arts, and Social Thought '14
    Assistant Professor in the Program in Cultures, Civilizations and Ideas at Bilkent University


    "Many of us came with an idea or a goal and saw it growing or going in new directions during the program—this is the reason why diversity has always been a key feature."
  • Denise Kripper
    Argentina
    AY ’08/09, ISU ’09
    Currently: Assistant Professor at Lake Forest College, Chicago


    "From the deans and professors, to the staff and students, we all formed a tight-knit community where students' interests were fostered and their critical viewpoints challenged."
     
  • Yana Zabanova
    Russia
    AY '05/06
    Currently Research Analyst at the European Stability Initiative


    "I loved how saturated with new experiences and discoveries my life at ECLA* was. I also enjoyed being part of the tight-knit, diverse community."
     
  • Cristina Groeger
    USA
    PY '08/09
    Assistant Professor of History, Lake Forest College, Illinois, USA


    "Aided by the small size and the young age of the program, Bard College Berlin is an institution in which every individual matters and has a great deal of influence in shaping the learning environment."
  • Hannes Klöpper
    Germany
    AY '06/07
    Currently CEO of HelloBetter


    "[A liberal arts education] offers you the opportunity to engage some of the big questions in life. As a person, and as a member of society, you do encounter these questions time and again, throughout the rest of your life."
     

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Bard College Berlin is institutionally accredited at the national level in Germany by the Wissenschaftsrat.

In the United States, Bard College Berlin is accredited through
Bard College by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Qualifying students receive both a German BA and an American BA. 
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