Bard Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors. Photo by Queenie Si ’25
Bard is excited to shine a spotlight on some of its wonderful donors. Read their stories and learn about their love of Bard and why they feel inspired to give. Every gift enables Bard to build on its status as a college of excellence driven by a love of learning, supported by the generosity of its Board of Trustees, alumni/ae, families, faculty, friends, foundations and staff.
Family Leadership Council Cochairs!
In the spring in San Francisco, the cochairs of the Family Leadership Council and President Leon Botstein greeted accepted students and their families. Thank you to Jane and Richard Leider for their hospitality and leadership. Now the students have arrived on campus and are already immersing themselves in the vibrant life at Bard. It is wonderful to see the campus buzzing with energy and excitement as they continue their academic journey. If you have questions about the Family Leadership Council, please email [email protected].
Donor Highlight
Randy Faerber ’73
Ad Astra Scholarship
It is a pleasure to feature Randy Faerber ’73, an artist, dedicated alumna, longtime psychoanalyst, and advocate for Bardians everywhere in this profile.
Her love for Bard began when she arrived as a painting enthusiast in Annandale over 55 years ago. Randy began studying with a painter at age eight before beginning formal painting studies at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art at age 12. While working on her Senior Project and with the advice of Professor Tom Wolf, who told her she could do anything she set out to do, she switched to art history and was one of the first students to graduate with that major. After graduation, Randy stayed involved by volunteering for the Bard College Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors and has been a member since 1999. She also served as a reunion committee member and is the founder of the Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors Events Committee. Randy has long believed in Bard’s mission and has been a donor since she made her first gift in 1989 to the Bard College Fund.
Randy Faerber ’73
We are delighted to announce that Randy has donated $180,000 as part of Bard’s Endowment Challenge Campaign, which will be matched to establish the Ad Astra Scholarship, in memory of her beloved husband, Harvey Walden. Harvey was an elegant and dynamic man who worked for NASA for over 57 years. The scholarship will be given to a deserving and promising student majoring in physics who has plans to further their studies in this field.
Randy’s passion for education and her desire to make a difference in the lives of young Bard students is evident in her generous contribution to the Ad Astra Scholarship. This endowed scholarship fund is not just a one-time gift but a lasting legacy that will continue to reflect Randy’s values and impact the lives of students for generations to come. It will provide life-changing educational opportunities for students and ensure that tomorrow’s leaders have the resources they need to excel today.
On behalf of the many Bardians who will benefit from Randy’s generosity, thank you for your confidence and belief in the College and its students.
Christopher Scholz, president of Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle, and Anthony D'Amore '25 at the Isidore String Quartet concert on June 15, part of HVCMC's June concert series.
Margaret Creal Shafer Prizes in Performance and Composition
Thank you to Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle and especially Christopher Scholz, president of HVCMC, for establishing these prizes in Margaret's honor. HVCMC's contribution significantly impacts the recognition and reward of our students' hard work and dedication. The prizes celebrate their achievements and inspire them to continue striving for excellence in their academic and personal endeavors. Congratulations to this year's recipients, Steven Bonacci ’25 and Anthony D'Amore ’25.
Margaret Creal Shafer Prizes in Performance and Composition
In 1999, the Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle established an annual prize of $1,000 for an outstanding music major at Bard College. In 2012, it was renamed the Margaret Creal Shafer Prize in memory of her many years of devotion to the Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle, the Bard College community, and the training and encouragement of young musicians. In 2010, for the first time, two prizes, each $1,000, were awarded to an instrumentalist and a composer.
From Rochester, New York, to Turkey and China, to Phoenix, Arizona, and the Czech Republic, to Greece and numerous places in between, Eric Goldman ’98 has made it possible for students from all over the world to receive a Bard education. Read his full story to learn more about Eric’s time at Bard and how his generosity has helped shaped the College.
Making a Difference
Since 1982, Eric has annually supported talented students in the fields of economics or social studies through the Eric Warren Goldman ’98 Endowed Scholarship Fund, with 53 scholars and counting.
While these students have all matriculated into Bard directly from high school, Eric’s route to Bard was far different. Although he graduated from Bard with the class of 1998, Eric was already recognized as a successful entrepreneur. Eric headed straight for Wall Street after graduating from high school. Within just a few years, his financial acumen propelled him from an initial internship in arbitrage into the realm of investment banking. In his early twenties, he was written about in Fortune and profiled on NBC. He was a financial wunderkind. Over the next decade, Eric’s business expertise extended to several ventures: energy and alternative energy companies, a laser manufacturing firm, and a restructuring firm. A true multitalented Bardian.
Eric entered Bard through what was then the Continuing Studies Program, a program to provide adults returning to college with the opportunity to study for a Bard degree. He focused on American Studies. Dick Wiles was his advisor and with whom he maintained a life-long relationship. Eric’s senior project, “Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Revelations from his Hudson Valley Heritage,” an exploration of F.D.R’s “laboratory” for social and economic experiments, led him to spend many hours in the Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park. As a returning student, Bard let him pursue his education according to a schedule that allowed him to work at the same time.
From a young age, Eric demonstrated his strong sense of social responsibility through volunteerism and philanthropy. Eric became involved with Bard in 1979 through his interest in the construction of the new arts center, The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Center. Additional funds were needed to complete the facility, and thanks to his generosity it opened in 1981. The college’s trustees invited Eric to join the board and he served from 1981-1985. As a Trustee, he spearheaded Bard’s first endowment campaign and worked tirelessly on innovative curriculum and programmatic changes.
Since then, Eric has championed and generously supported other building projects and programs on campus: the Bertelsmann Campus Center, Richard. B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, and the Anne Cox Chambers Alumni/ae Center. Most recently, his efforts helped create and support the Bard Center for the Study of Hate. As a member of the Bard College Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors since 2004, Eric led the Board of Governors Endowed Scholarship Fund as part of its 150th Anniversary Campaign. A collector of art and antiquities, he has donated several prized artifacts; a letter by composer Gustav Mahler and paintings by Milton Avery, for instance. His generosity and tireless advocacy for Bard has inspired others to support the college from alumni/ae to neighbors to philanthropists.
In 2018 Bard awarded Eric the Bard Medal, the alumni/ae association's highest honor. His citation noted: "We honor you for your forty years of service and dedication to Bard. Your bond with Bard began, improbably, as a benefactor and trustee. Your philanthropic efforts created the Milton Avery Arts Center and secured the future of the MFA Graduate Program, now one of the leading programs in the country. You then did the improbable: you chose to take a break in your career and attend college. You chose Bard. Taking a pause in a brilliant career in finance you became an undergraduate student, completing your BA in American Studies. Your love of art, your commitment to education, and the study of economics and history were strengthened by your experience as a student and led you, as an alumnus, to support scholarships, the library, and new initiatives at the College. You have been a tireless and articulate leader within the College's alumni/ae association. The Bard Medal marks the deep gratitude and admiration of your alma mater."
Eric Warren Goldman Scholars often stay in contact with Eric following their graduation. These communications led to the formation of the Bardians in Finance affinity group which meets regularly to network, talk about the latest financial and economic trends, and mentor current students and younger Bardians.
Professionally, in recent years Eric has devoted his time to the EWG Consulting Group and the Extended Family Office Group to assist individuals and families with their philanthropy, provide advice on legacies, estate planning, and art advising, among other areas. His core beliefs in helping others from an ethical and unbiased perspective inform his business practices.
As Eric has said repeatedly, “I believe in helping students with opportunities that they couldn’t normally have. And, you influence the life of a student scholar, and they make an impact on the world and their professions. And, hopefully they will give back, too.”
Bard is deeply grateful to Eric for his commitment to a liberal arts education as a pathway to an enriched and informed life. His generous philanthropy offers a Bard education to talented students and significantly enhances the welfare of the College.
#bardianandproud
Contributions have a direct impact on Bard, expanding opportunities for education, fostering innovation, and supporting the next generation of leaders. We are genuinely grateful for the unwavering support and commitment to our mission shown by Bard donors.
Inspired to Give
Bryan Gutiérrez Shelton ’98
Bryan Gutiérrez Shelton ’98 felt inspired to donate to Bard following an event he attended in Los Angeles. “I have been a bit despondent over the state of things. Hearing Leon talk about the larger Bard project, the Bard High School Early Colleges, the schools in Palestine and Israel, the refugee students, and the Bard Prison Initiative, it all gave me some hope.”
Inspired to Give
Bryan Gutiérrez Shelton is a producer, director, and editor with diverse credits across television, advertising, and corporate communications. Recent projects include mission-driven, national programs with organizations such as Global Citizen, Stand Up to Cancer, the Biden Inaugural Committee, and the DNC on networks including ABC, CBS, Max, and NBC.
During the 2020 election, Bryan post produced and edited two pieces for the Democratic National Convention working with the agency, SS+K, and director, Glenn Clements. Built on interviews with Joe Biden’s primary opponents, the two pieces were praised across the political spectrum. He also produced and directed segments of Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy for CBS and Global Citizen, a special designed to increase youth voter turnout.
Bryan has worked as a producer and editor with agencies including BBDO, Deutsch, DDB, McCann Erickson, and TBWA/Chiat/Day and for brands such as Comcast, Conoco, Efteling, Fox, Intel, Macy’s, Pampers, and Walmart. Because of his experience building video systems and VFX workflows, he was hired by JWT as a consultant for the restructuring of their inhouse post department.
Bryan began as an editor in children’s television and spent most of his early career as a comedy editor and post producer on series and specials including Comedy Central’s Important Things with Demetri Martin and Jeff Ross Roasts the Border: Live from Brownsville, Texas.
Bryan is currently developing multiple projects for unir, a new company he founded with Ben Tiernan. unir’s mission is to connect creators with causes. unir’s first project was Ground Game: Georgia, a 10 episode podcast miniseries examining just how grassroots activists led the way in turning Georgia from red to purple.
Meeting the Match
Mark Feinsod ’94
“I donated to the Alumni/ae Reunion Challenge because a college is only as strong as its student body and alumni/ae, and as someone who benefited tremendously from my time at Bard, I can say with confidence that it changed the course of my life for the better. Bard alumni/ae share a unique experience, and I’m happy to give back so others can benefit."
Inspiring Others
Nikkya Hargrove ’05
Thank you to Nikkya Hargrove ’05, member of the Bard College Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors and Diversity Committee Chair, for being our guest speaker at this year's annual First-Gen Senior Reception celebration. Read a quote from her speech and more about her below.
Inspiring Others
From her address to the students: “…I know that my experience at Bard was not like yours, and that your experience at Bard is different from the person sitting next to you. But—you do not need to leave campus forever… you can always come back, like I have. You could support the College as part of the Alumni/ae Association Board of Governors and help the voices of current and future students be heard, or just stay in touch and attend events. Bard is always here for you…”
Nikkya is the author of the forthcoming memoir, Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found, set for October 15, 2024 publication. Nikkya has also contributed to Good Mom on Paper: Writers on Creativity and Motherhood, a collection of essays that explore the fraught, beautiful, and complicated relationship between motherhood and creativity. Nikkya is a contributing writer to Confident Parents, Confident Kids. Nikkya has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Shondaland, Elle, Parents, and others. Nikkya Hargrove is a graduate of Bard College and currently serves as a member of the school's Board of Governors and chair of the alumni/ae Diversity Committee. Nikkya is a LAMBDA Literary Nonfiction Fellow and has written about adoption, marriage, LGBTQIA+ issues, motherhood, and the prison system.
Feeling Inspired?
We welcome gifts of any kind, but encourage donations to Bard’s greatest need, through the Bard College Fund. Make a donation today and email us at [email protected] to tell us why you are inspired to give!
