Remarks From President Rosenbury

Good afternoon, everyone!

I am so honored to add my voice to this remarkable lineup of speakers in saying: Welcome to Barnard!

To our faculty, both new and returning: It has been incredible to learn about your research and your commitment to teaching. I could not be more excited by the community of scholars, educators, and genuinely good people who are at the heart of our College.

To our Board of Trustees: Thank you for your investment in our community.  I look forward to our ongoing partnership.

To the parents, family members, and loved ones here in support of our new students today (or on our livestream): Welcome to the Barnard family.

In between those frantic moments over the past few weeks — when you’re scrambling to find them a shower caddy, or reminding them how to do laundry — I know these days can feel bittersweet.

But know this: You have raised remarkable young people. I say that with good evidence. We have spent the entire past year learning about them. Every one of them is here for a reason.

Thank you for entrusting them to us. We will be your partners every step of the way as they begin this journey.  

Finally: To the class of 2027 and those transferring in … WELCOME to Barnard College. 

As you may know: I heard those words myself for the first time only a few short months ago. [joking] Like many of you, I am a first-year. We have a lot to learn together.

But here is what I can tell you from my own experience: These early moments of college — the beginning of this journey you’ve chosen to embark on — will stay with you the rest of your life.

Thirty-five years ago this week, I packed up my life from Rye, New York, and moved to Cambridge for my first year of college. The next few days felt like sensory overload. 

Your experience will likely feel that way, too:

That first moment you walk into Brooks, or Reid, or Sulzberger, or Hewitt … and meet your roommate. Your first slice of pizza at Mama’s Too. The first time you maybe, just accidentally, swiped too many times in a day at Barnard Dining.

(I heard this one a few days ago! And I want to thank our first-years who were such good sports in sharing with me.)

So many of these little moments are the product of chance. 

But it is how you respond to them that will shape your Barnard experience.

I’ve told many of you about my freshman roommate, Nalini Kotamaraju. You may remember that I learned, right before I arrived, her worldly background. Her roots in India … Curacao … Amsterdam … and Chicago.

And my roots from … well, a small farming town in Indiana.

We could not have been more different. Yet there we were. Together in the same tiny dorm.

Thirty-five years later, I’m lucky to call Nalini Kotamaraju my best friend. She knows more about me than anyone on this planet. She has challenged me and enriched my life in ways I never would have imagined, and I have tried to return the favor.

Your own Nalinis are spread out today all over these pews. Your job is to find them.

The Class of 2027 is the most diverse class in Barnard’s history. You represent almost all of the states and territories in the United States and 35 countries beyond. 55% of you identify as women of color.

You now join a student body made up of classes that were the most diverse ever before yours — making our College the most diverse it has ever been.

You have every interest and background imaginable.

Yet you have all been drawn to Barnard for the same reason:

Because you are bold and brave.

This is a community defined by boldness.

By people who are doers. People who — let’s face it — might not always have time for small talk. People who care deeply about their work and the issues that matter to them.

You, too, carry that spirit in your DNA. 

So here is my advice for you today: *Embrace* your boldness.

Be bold … in seeking out people with different viewpoints and backgrounds than your own.

Know that you are, first and foremost, part of a caring and understanding community. One built around shared values and a sense of belonging.

But I urge you to remember: The world surrounding this campus is not an echo chamber. In your career and your life, you will encounter people with views radically different than your own. 

So get used to it now. Expose yourself to new ideas. Befriend those you disagree with. 

Find the common ground.

This goes for our returning students, too: Continue to broaden your horizons. The minute you feel yourself slipping into the same routine, or a place of too much comfort … seek out the discomfort. 

Develop these skills now, and you will find yourself equipped to change the world in a way that few can.

Be bold … in working with our extraordinary faculty.

You now have access to people who are the best in the world at what they do, across every field and discipline you can imagine. Here is the best part: They cannot wait to work with you, too.

Being at Barnard means intimate classes and deep engagement. It means the chance to build relationships with mentors and faculty that last a lifetime. It means the opportunity to throw yourself into work that matters, right now. 

So take advantage of a research program. Try a class in a subject that never crossed your mind. Push yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

Be bold … in exploring this incredible city. As part of your academic experience, you may find yourself along the Hudson River conducting fieldwork, or behind the scenes at the Met, or working with archival materials at the New York Public Library.

But know that your experience with New York is not limited to what your professors assign. You may have heard the story of Cynthia Nixon, Class of ’88, who sprinted from her graduation ceremony to Broadway so she could make her matinee performance as Juliet in ‘Romeo and Juliet.’

[joking] Granted: not all of us are Mirandas. 

But this is your chance to take advantage of the greatest city in the world. Find an internship in an area that interests you. See every museum or every park. Embrace the fact that wherever you hail from … you are now, proudly, a New Yorker. 

Finally: Be brave enough to always remember, YOU BELONG.

There will come a time — maybe after a few days, or a week, or a tough exam — when you will feel overwhelmed. 

Trust me: it will happen.

Always remember the incredible support system that exists around you. Check in with those at home regularly. 

You’ll find that a FaceTime or — gasp — a phone call will do wonders to remind you of what is really important.

And I urge you to always remember: Out of thousands and thousands of applicants, YOU are sitting here today.

Because we know you have the integrity, the intelligence, the compassion, the purpose – the boldness and the bravery — to be an exceptional Barnard student.

We know what you can bring to this community.

We … chose … you. 

We will continue to choose you, every day. We will support you. We will be here for you. 

And we cannot wait to see you thrive at Barnard. 

Go Brave.  Go Bold.  Go Barnard.

Thank you.