Mariame Sissoko ’24 Remarks

Mariame Sissoko ’24, President of the Student Government Association  
February 2, 2024 

Hi, my name is Mariame Sissoko, and I am honored to serve as the President of the Student Government Association.  

Today marks a momentous occasion as we welcome the ninth president of Barnard College, Laura Ann Rosenbury.

To commemorate this day is to recognize our roots. Years ago, Barnard was founded on the “radical idea” of educating women. 1889 not only marked the opening of Barnard as the first college in New York City to offer degrees to women, it was a paradigm shift that boldly proclaimed that women, too, possess the fortitude to confront the often uncomfortable realities of the world and the tenacity to face those challenges head-on.

This is the legacy which drew me and countless others to Barnard. Here, I follow in the footsteps of trailblazers such as Grace Lee Boggs, Justine Polier, Zora Neale Hurston, and the myriad of Barnard women, trans, and nonbinary individuals who have changed the world in countless ways. 

President Rosenbury, you are now entrusted with guiding a new generation of world-changers. The responsibility you have is not only a deeply important one but a sacred one. The impact-driven spirit of a Barnard student requires your cultivation, your encouragement, and your defense. 

As I prepare to bid farewell to Barnard as a student, I implore you to see students as equal partners in Barnard’s future. As students share their wants, their needs, and their desires with you, I hope that you prioritize, safeguard, and nurture them. 

It is true that the idea of educating women is not nearly as radical today as it was in 1889. However, in a time in our country, and world, where it seems that our freedoms — including our freedom of expression — are at profound risk, there is something radical about a college community where students are pushed to not only imagine a better world but to actually put that imagination into action.

President Rosenbury, in your presidency, let the guiding principles of your student body — care and solidarity — be your guiding lights. Foster an environment where our community can not only survive in times of hardship and division but flourish. As president, you are the most visible model of leadership to our student body. The example you set for the next generation of students matters.

Barnard College is a living, breathing testament to the transformative power of education and the strength that arises when we unite to empower one another to reach our highest potential. Barnard students are working to address the daunting global challenges we are going to inherit, while honoring and learning from the paths of our predecessors. 

As we enter this new chapter of Barnard together, let us continue to embody the spirit of Barnard: an intrinsically radical, unafraid spirit that is defined by excellence, by empathy, and the ever-growing hope that a better world is possible.