Why I Chose Barnard

Meeting Gloria Steinem

“Why did you choose Barnard?” 

I have been asked this question since I got accepted early decision. I have yet to come up with one, single answer because there are so many reasons that I fell in love with Barnard.

In my first post, I explained how I found out about Barnard through a professor I had at a summer program at Columbia. Most of you remember writing that “Why Barnard” supplement essay back in the fall when you were applying. I’m going to share mine with you:
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“As I walked through the black iron gates, I knew I was entering an oasis, a place spiritually apart from the business of the city and where the students and faculty represent one body. I honor the idea of learning aside young women who are motivated to become productive and exemplary citizens. I am enthralled by Barnard's devotion to providing young women scholars with foundations in an expansive range of subjects with its Nine Ways of Knowing. I have always envisioned myself walking through those gates once again, as a Barnard student, and being exposed to such a superb academic environment. Barnard will bring my intellectual abilities to a whole new level and enable me to continue challenging myself.”
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My reasons for attending and loving Barnard have multiplied over the past year. I have to admit that the fact that Barnard is a top tier liberal arts college in the City of New York factored into my decision-making. But it was more than just that. I remember as a high school junior, looking through every inch of Barnard’s website and being in awe of what both the faculty and students had accomplished, of how the college expands its connections globally, and of how everyone has a genuine smile in every picture. Most importantly, it was extremely empowering to me that I saw women on all of those pages and postings.
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At my admitted students Open House

I must confess that I was one of those people who came to Barnard despite the fact that it is a women’s college, but that is now one of the major reasons that I call this place my home. Because I’m in a nurturing environment where women are encouraged to go above and beyond their immediate potential, I am a stronger and braver woman than I was eight months ago. I never imagined myself speaking up in class, supporting women’s issues, majoring in economics, minoring in computer science, being elected class vice president, meeting the mayor and councilwomen in City Hall, or chatting with Gloria Steinem. If I weren’t attending Barnard, I probably would not have achieved even half of those things within my first year of college. Seeing women in leadership and being successful really encourages me to go out of my comfort zone and try things that might seem impossible at first, but are absolutely achievable.

Each day at Barnard is like a breath of fresh air: the strong sense of community, compassion of faculty, academic readiness of students, and unlimited possibilities of the future remind me how lucky and honored I am to be a Barnard woman. I chose to attend Barnard, and that made all the difference.

Sarah

How Barnard Helped Me Meet Ntozake Shange (and other Guest Speakers)

With Ntozake Shange '70 during her visit to Barnard.

Barnard is an amazing place where women, like you, come to be immersed and nurtured in an environment totally dedicated to learning. We become women that go on to do amazing things in the world and sometimes even return to the Barnard campus to inspire future generations of amazing women.

When I met Ntozake Shange '70 in the spring of my first year at Barnard, I was awestruck. Here I was, a first-year who had aspirations of becoming a novelist and playwright, and I had the honor of meeting an accomplished novelist and a playwright! Her hands had created worlds for people and Barnard was giving me the opportunity to have lunch in her presence.



So imagine my even greater surprise when I was asked to perform a piece of art for Ms. Shange alongside some of my peers. I declined at first, nervous to speak my own words in front of a woman who made words into beautiful songs. But after plenty of persuasion, I wrote a monologue to perform at her luncheon and was terrified she would hate it. 

Oprah Winfrey and Gloria Steinem with President Debora Spar
during their visit to Barnard.

She was amazing! Ms. Shange spoke to us about her plays and her books of poetry, how Barnard influenced her, and how to make the most of one’s experience here. Then I performed. I received a round of applause from everyone, even Ms. Shange! After all of our performances, Ms. Shange told us that we were a group of talented women. She even came up to me personally and said that she enjoyed my piece, calling it “powerful.”

 

Only a place like Barnard could give me the opportunity to meet a novelist and perform my work in front of her. But Ms. Shange is just one example of the diverse and powerful guest speakers who have come to Barnard since I have been a student here. We have also had Oprah, Anna Quindlen, Gloria Steinem, and Zadie Smith, just to name a few. As a student here, you will collect your own stories about meeting and hearing from Barnard's amazing and distinguished guests!

Marquita

Author and activist Elie Wiesel speaking at Barnard