Océanne Fry

Looking back, what did you most enjoy about your time at Bard College Berlin?
The sense of community within my class was the highlight of my time at BCB! The lasting friendships and deep connections made were invaluable and inspiring, academically and professionally.

How would you describe, in a nutshell, the experience of studying at BCB?
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.

Write briefly about one of your courses that left a lasting impression on you.
“Doing ‘Justice’ After Atrocity” with Prof. Dr. Kerry Bystrom, taken during the spring 2019 semester. This oriented me towards my current MAS in Transitional Justice and opened my eyes to issues of enforced disappearance, genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

How has BCB influenced the path you've taken since completing the program? 
Specific professors, including my thesis advisor and second reader, were invaluable mentors to me in guiding my ensuing work and academic field of interest. I wrote my thesis on individual and systemic manifestations of mistrust of asylum seekers on the Greek hotspots as representative of EU policy. This influenced my decision to pursue my current MAS in Transitional Justice, within which I am further developing my BA thesis topic into a more detailed look at the assumptions made in credibility guidelines used during refugee status determinations. My BA and MA theses will cumulate into my upcoming PhD on the same topic. Having had the invaluable guidance and support of Prof Dr Kerry Bystrom, in particular, was instrumental in narrowing down my research interest which has continued to drive my graduate research.

Where are you now and what are you doing?
I live in Geneva, Switzerland, where I am interning at the Convention Against Torture Initiative and studying in the MAS in Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and Rule of Law program at the Geneva Academy of Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Any advice you would give to students considering BCB?
My advice is to speak to professors during office hours, to ask them to recommend additional readings in your specific field of interest,  and to learn about their trajectory and their research. This was the single most beneficial and useful choice I made which I would recommend to all BCB students.