Dear Members of the Barnard Community,
Welcome to the Spring 2025 semester! Although it does not yet feel like spring, I’m excited about the semester ahead. I look forward to reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting those of you new to campus.
Last week, at our New Student Orientation Program, I met students arriving from around the city, the country, and the globe. The gathering was a powerful reminder of how Barnard serves as both a welcoming home and a platform on the world’s stage.
If you’re a returning student, I encourage you to reach out to the newest members of our community to help them discover the extraordinary resources available on campus and across New York City. Help new students feel at home by taking time to share a favorite museum, food cart, or spot on campus. And while it’s certainly too cold to run outdoors, please show them the gym at the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being, where they can warm up indoors instead.
There will be plenty of other ways to take the chill off on campus in the coming weeks. Cheer on the Ivy League champs as the women’s basketball team defends their title against Penn at home this Saturday. Volunteer at the Athena Film Festival, running from March 6 through 9. Take in a lecture by Professor Edwidge Danticat ’90, who will speak on “Following in Zora Neale Hurston’s Travel-Dusted Tracks.”
As we wait for the first buds to appear in Riverside Park, please know it warms me personally to see you back on campus. Let’s embrace the opportunities ahead and make this semester an extraordinary one.
Very truly yours,
Laura