Access Barnard
About Access Barnard

Access Barnard supports students who identify as international, first-generation, or low-income by aiding in their transition to and persistence through the Barnard experience. We do so by celebrating identities, fostering communities of support, providing opportunities for holistic development, and empowering exploration.
Access Barnard Programs & Resources
- Access Barnard Pre-Orientation Program
- Navigating Barnard Workshop Series
- Peer Mentoring Program
- Peer Academic Advisors (PAA’s)
- International Student Services (ISS)
- First-Generation Student Initiatives (FLI)
- Opportunity Programs (HEOP & CSTEP)
- Supplemental Academic Support Application (SASA)
- Access Barnard Lending Library
- AB Student Advisory Board
Access Barnard Pre-Orientation Program
The Access Barnard Pre-Orienta
Summer Program Structure
Student Staff Training Week: 2023 dates TBA
Opportunity Programs Academic Program: 2023 dates TBA
Navigating Barnard Week (Opportunity Programs/ First Generation/Low-Income/International Students Combined): 2023 dates TBA
Move-In Dates
Student Staff: 2023 dates TBA
Opportunity Programs: 2023 dates TBA
First Generation/Low-Income/International: 2023 dates TBA
Q&A
Click Here for more information. If your question is not answered, please email Access Barnard at accessbarnard@barnard.edu.
SASA Dashboard
SASA Application
The Supplemental Academic Support Application (SASA) provides students with a single point of access to request supplemental funds for emergent academic needs to support their educational progress during their time at Barnard.
SASA Eligibility
SASA Funding is available to all Barnard students. Applications are reviewed by the SASA committee.
Scope of Awards
SASA funding aims to support Barnard students' experiencing unexpected financial circumstances during their undergraduate experience through supplemental grants. SASA funding grants range and can be used for demonstrated needs such as: academic technology/course materials, educational accommodation testing, or emergent needs for extreme financial hardships.
Additionally, the support provided through SASA is a way to help connect students with resources at Barnard or Columbia. SASA connects students with non-financial resources through the Access Barnard Lending Library or specialized advising. If students are unsure of how their request fits, we encourage them to first apply, and will then work to connect them to the right place. SASA is not suited to address significant long-term financial deficits, pay for ongoing living expenses, tuition and fees, or fund pleasure travel.
How To Apply
The SASA application is available through your Barnard portal which can be found at portal.barnard.edu. You will be prompted to log in. Once logged in look under finances and you will see the SASA application listed.

Contact Us
Email: accessbarnard@barnard.edu
Location: First floor of Milbank Hall inside Milbank 111; Annex in Milbank 119
Phone: 212-854-3583
Department | Office Number |
Opportunity Programs (OP) | Milbank 111 |
First-Generation Student Initiatives (FLI) | Milbank 119 |
International Student Services (ISS) | Milbank 119 |
Peer Mentoring Program | Milbank 119 |
Access Barnard Departments
Opportunity Programs (OP)
- Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)
- Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)
For more information about Opportunity Programs, please email opportunityprograms@barnard.edu
First-Generation Student Initiatives (FLI)
First-Generation Student Initiatives (FLI) provide resources and support to all students who identify with the first-generation and/or low-income college experience. Access Barnard seeks to empower and enrich the experience of FLI students both inside and outside of the classroom as they navigate Barnard.
For more information about FLI, please contact Jemima Gedeon, Director of First-Generation Student Initiatives at jgedeon@barnard.edu
International Student Services (ISS)
International Student Services (ISS) serves the needs of F-1, J-1 visa students, and self-identified international students at the College. ISS provides a wide array of services to new, continuing and visiting international students. The office also develops year-round academic, cultural, and social programming and serves as a global resource for the larger Barnard community.
For more information about International Student Services, please email iss@barnard.edu
Peer Mentoring
Peer mentoring is widely considered a high-impact practice for student success. Peer mentoring has been shown to enhance students' sense of belonging and satisfaction with their college experience and enhance psycho-social belonging. For students new to the college experience, peer mentors have been shown to be indispensable to the transition, particularly for first-generation students. Access Barnard Peer Mentors help students identify their needs and connect them to institutional resources.
For more information about the Access Barnard Peer Mentoring Program, please contact Gianni Lopez, Senior Associate Director for Advising and Programs at glopez@barnard.edu
Meet The Access Barnard Staff
Staff Name | Role | Office |
---|---|---|
Jemima Gedeon | Director of First-Generation Student Initiatives (FLI) | Milbank 119 |
Elida Martinez-Gaynor | Director of Opportunity Programs (OP) | Milbank 114 |
Raul Cervantes | Senior Associate Director, Opportunity Programs | Milbank 114 |
Gianni Lopez | Senior Associate Director, Advising and Programs | Milbank 119 |
Valerie Monaco | Director of International Student Services (ISS) | Milbank 119 |
Carmen Nieves | Senior Programs Assistant, International Student Services | Milbank 119 |
Addressing Food Insecurity
The Food Pantry at Columbia-Barnard Hall is open to any student within any of the 20 Schools within Columbia University - undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time. Any student who has any level of food insecurity can reach out to the Food Pantry to get a disbursement catered to your individual dietary and household needs. All students can rest assured that any information they provide to us will remain within the Food Pantry and will not be shared with anyone outside of the Food Pantry without their explicit permission.