Mission:

The mission of the Department of Student Experience and Engagement (SEE) is to create accessible, dynamic, thought-provoking co-curricular opportunities for Barnard students to explore purposeful involvement, self-discovery, and the development of meaningful relationships with their peers and the greater Barnard community. As an integral part of the student experience, SEE aims to connect students not only to resources available within the Department but all resources available at both Barnard and Columbia. Students who engage with SEE will strengthen their leadership skills to transform themselves, Barnard, and their communities both now and in the future.

Vision:
Student Experience and Engagement envisions a Barnard where every student feels welcome, supported, is engaged, and becomes an agent for social change.

Values:
Student Experience and Engagement values the following:
      ● Knowledge
      ● Equality
      ● Community
      ● Integrity
      ● Responsibility
      ● Social Justice

Functional Areas:

• Arts Education
• Campus-Wide Programming
• Experiential Learning Initiatives
• Glicker-Milstein Theatre (GMT)
• Identity and Inclusion Programming
• Leadership Programs
• New Student Orientation (NSOP)
• Recognized Club and Organization Support and Management
• Student Leadership Group Advising

Student Experience and Engagement enhances the educational mission of Barnard College by engaging students outside of the classroom through programs, events, leadership opportunities, and dialogues. Our intention is to relate the classroom with students' lived experiences, fostering identity and leadership development in a dynamic and multifaceted environment. We believe that co-curricular engagement is an important complement to classroom experiences. Through our approach, we provide students with tools, resources, and experiences to assist them in the ways they navigate their lives. As student affairs practitioners, we value equity-based models, critical thinking, shared experiences, community participation, and self-care practices. Through engagement with our office and our programs, students will have access to wide-ranging experiences and multiple perspectives, allowing them to be more engaged citizens of our global community.

Student Experience and Engagement serves the entire Barnard community including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and parents and families. As the hub for student engagement, SEE is a great place to both promote and learn about what is going on in the Barnard community. In partnership with the Division of Campus Life and Student Engagement, SEE will do the following:

• Encourage deep consideration of ideas, interests, and needs 
• Advise students on the breadth of College resources to leverage during your experience at Barnard; 
• Connect students to departments and individuals to help them reach their goals; 
• Celebrate student accomplishments; and 
• Share assessments of how the Department has done this work

Principles of Practice
Our work is grounded in social justice principles and intersectionality as means for honoring the dynamic and complex identities of our students, addressing concerns around campus climate, and fostering a shared responsibility for action and change. We understand intersectionality as means to recognize both our students’ multiple/simultaneous identities, as well as the ways that systems of oppression intersect, impacting social structures and individual experiences. We approach social justice as both process and product, and it is one that requires constant attention. We provide multiple entry points for individuals and groups, recognizing students’ varying familiarity with social justice education; and we use a curricular model that builds on cumulative knowledge and lived experience. Finally, this informs our both/and approach: we offer support and advocacy for marginalized communities AND work to address social inequities that are the cause of marginalization and discrimination.

Partnership Agreement

Student Experience and Engagement holds itself to: 

• Provide co-curricular experiences that are vital to a liberal arts education.
• Create spaces for students to explore multiple and intersecting identities.
• Develop leadership and life skills through student employment, programs, retreats, workshops, and committees that are focused on holistic student development.
• Foster relationships and a sense of community across campus.
• Support students by advising the Student Leadership Collective, student clubs and organizations, and providing individual student consultations.
• Provide support and referrals to address students’ needs and concerns.
• Welcome feedback, suggestions, and new ideas.

Student Experience and Engagement expects students to:

• Actively participate in programs offered by SEE, as well as SGA, GBB, McAC, student clubs and organizations, and other campus initiatives.
• Be respectful of people’s identities, experiences, and perspectives.
• Utilize campus resources and seek support from Student Experience and Engagement as student leaders and when planning programs and events.
• Be open to new perspectives and experiences. Challenge one’s self to stretch, learn and grow.
• Reflect on experiences and bring new ideas and suggestions to Student Experience and Engagement.
• Be familiar with and follow Barnard College, Student Experience and Engagement, and Student Government policies and procedures.

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Yasmin Neil, yneil@barnard.edu
Assistant to the Student Experience & Engagement Department
Tel: 212-854-3095
As the Assistant to the SEE Department, Yasmin’s main focus is to ensure that she provides the SEE Team with the assistance they need. Having worked in a post-secondary school for about 12 years, she brings strong team leadership and will implement team values while emphasizing versatility and competence. Born in Puerto Rico, raised in New York City (in Alphabet City, also known as the East Village), and lived in Jersey City, NJ, for 14 years. She knew she had to come back to New York City to continue to strive for the best in her career and to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership. 
 

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Rachel Graf Evans (she/her), revans@barnard.edu 
Program Coordinator, Arts Education
Tel: 212-851-2969
As the Program Coordinator for Arts Education, Rachel produces arts education programming on- and off-campus such as Arts Week, Barnard B’Scursions to performances and cultural events around NYC, Arts & Crafternoons creative sessions, and skill building workshops in collaboration with campus partners. She also advises the performing and visual arts student groups. RGE holds an M.F.A. in Musical Theater Collaboration from Temple University and an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Hollins University. She also holds Graduate Certificates in Teaching in Higher Education and Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies, and a B.A. with High Honors from Oberlin College. RGE is an award-winning playwright and has worked as a multidisciplinary theatre and teaching artist in NYC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and beyond. She is a fierce advocate for the arts as a garden for empathy and transformation. Outside of Barnard, RGE is a competitive barbershop singer with the Sirens of Gotham and Gotham Chorus, crafting/making enthusiast, and cat parent to two tabbies, Leo and Juno.

Simone Medley, smedley@barnard.edu
Associate Director, Student Experience and Engagement 
As Associate Director, I collaborate with the Director of SEE and other departments around campus to organize large-scale events like Block Party, along with leadership workshops and retreats at Barnard. My focus is on supporting student groups advising leadership.

I advise several student groups, especially academic and pre-professional clubs, and oversee group advising for GBB and SGA-recognized organizations.

I also lead Barnard Leadership Training (BLT), advise the Governing Board of Barnard (GBB), and support the SGA Leadership Awards and serve as a Gallup Strengths Coach where I help students discover their strengths and leadership potential.

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, I am a dual citizen of Jamaica and the US.  I have been in the Barnumbia community since 2018 starting at Columbia and joining SEE at Barnard in August 2023. I’ve worked at several schools across the U.S and hold a Master’s in Higher Education from the University of San Francisco. In my free time, I am a professional audience member and I’m always up for chatting about getting free or cheap event tickets around the city!

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Noah Mullenix, nmulleni@barnard.edu
Program Coordinator, Student Groups and Student Leadership
Tel: 212-851-2941
As the Program Coordinator, Student Groups and Student Leadership, Noah works to support student groups on campus, and supports non-positional leadership development for the community. He also serves as an advisor to special interest, hobby, and vocational student groups.

Noah has been a part of the Barnumbia community since 2022, having started at Columbia and joining SEE at Barnard in October 2024. Noah is originally from Barberton, Ohio, but has called NYC home since 2016. He is a dual alum of New York University, having earned an MA in East Asian Studies in 2021 and a BA with Honors in East Asian Studies (and minors in Producing and Linguistics) in 2020. His research explores the ways in which cultural authenticity is perceived by global audiences of transnational media, with a focus on the ways in which American audiences consume anime localizations. Ask him about subs vs. dubs, linguistic play in Pokémon names, or the latest film and television news. Outside of work, Noah enjoys photography, riding his bike around the city, catching a good (or bad) movie, and traveling with his friends.

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Theresa Parson (she/her)
Student Activities Fees Assistant
As the Student Activities Fees Assistant, Theresa handles purchasing for the student groups recognized by SGA and GBB. She assists the office with planning events for Heritage Months and handles communications with external vendors students or the office works with. Theresa holds a Bachelors in Accounting from Rutgers University-Newark. Born in Queens, NY and raised in Jersey City, NJ, she loves visiting the city for adventures. 

Office Assistants
Angelic Molos ‘25
Arianna Suarez ‘26
Nina Marquard ‘26
Huda Paracha ‘26
Vianny Mondragon ‘26
Esther Cohen ‘26
 

Glicker-Milstein Theatre Production Assistants
Keala Henry, '26
Sophia Ling, '26
Fiona Bird, '25
Eliza Heath, '25
Jeongin Kim, '25
Miranda Paiz, '25
Maya Shore, '25
Sophie Simons, '25