Dear Members of the Barnard Community,
On my first day as president of Barnard College, I want to take a moment to thank all of you for welcoming me into this extraordinary community of intellect, action, and belonging. As I have come to learn in the brief time since my appointment, Barnard is a place where all of you inspire one another to greater heights and support one another along that journey. This video shares how proud and excited I am to join this amazing community:
In my recent visits to campus, I’ve had the privilege to talk to faculty who could work anywhere but choose to be here, to be part of this rare community of teacher-scholars. I’ve spoken with students who bring their passion and idealism to their studies, whether it is high-impact research with a professor or service to their fellow students. I’ve met with alumnae who have invented their own, unexpected career paths, taking risks, launching their own enterprises, and pursuing change in our world — to a person, they draw a direct line from the empowerment and inspiration they found at Barnard to their current success. And I’ve met dedicated staff who greet me when I walk through the gates and who take immense pride in this institution.
Those conversations help explain why this day means so much to me. I can’t wait to meet more of you, to learn about your work and what makes you tick, and to talk about how Barnard can continue to be the foundation and catalyst that supports your greatest ambitions. I look forward to joining in your fearless dialogues, which introduce us to new points of view, hone our ideas, and lead to new discovery.
This is an exceptional moment to arrive at Barnard. We have record numbers of outstanding students seeking the chance to study here. Thanks to visionary leadership and generous fundraising, we are in the process of adding outstanding new facilities that will support our professors and students in and out of the classroom. Our faculty continues to produce scholarship that leads their fields.
And as I have mentioned to many of you, I am honored and excited to serve an institution that is unabashedly dedicated to empowering women leaders and to exploring the questions of identity and gender that have never been more important. Even as our society makes breathtaking progress in some areas, other questions we thought were settled a generation ago are back on the table. Barnard is uniquely positioned to help lead these crucial conversations and push for positive change.
On a more personal note, I am also glad, after two decades away, to be returning to New York. Here in the City, engaging with the infinite variety of people around us is not a rare excursion but the rhythm of everyday life — the essence of walking down Broadway, or grabbing a bite to eat, or going to a show. I look forward to seeing you as we make our way around this great city, delving into all it has to offer, growing through the perspectives it provides, and — perhaps more importantly — giving something back in different ways. If you see me, please stop and say hello. Every conversation I have reminds me how fortunate I am, and how fortunate we all are, to belong to the Barnard community.
With gratitude,
Laura Rosenbury, President