Main Image for Planned Giving
The Margaret and John Bard Society
recognizes and thanks those alumni/ae and friends who have included the College in their estate plans.

Consider Joining Today
Making a planned gift is a powerful way to strengthen Bard’s future. By including Bard in your estate plans, you become a member of the Margaret and John Bard Society and have the satisfaction of knowing that you are providing for the next generations of Bardians. 

For Further Information, Please Contact
Debra Pemstein, Vice President for Development and Alumni/ae Affairs
845-758-7405 | [email protected]


Giving Online

We’ve partnered with FreeWill: a free online platform that guides you through the process of making or updating your will, and creating a legacy that inspires curiosity, a love of learning, idealism, and a commitment to the link between higher education and civic participation. It only takes 20 minutes or less. Get started today. 

Get Started on FreeWill

The Margaret and John Bard Society Annual Luncheon held each year in December

Investing in Future Bardians

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    “We loved our undergraduate years at Bard, but it was neither nostalgia nor a sense of duty that inspired us to include the College in our estate planning. The College ceaselessly works to bring the liberal arts to underserved communities, and the commitment to the link between higher education and civic participation seems increasingly important. We hope you’ll join us in adding Bard to your estate plans.” —Marella Consolini Rodewald ’82 and James Rodewald ’82
     
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    The best [we] can do is to support Bard throughout [our] lives, in whatever ways [we] can, and make sure that when [we] die, [our] legacy is in part defined by the place that defined us. —Pia Carusone ’03
     
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    It’s so important to me to make sure that I know where my assets will go and not let a stranger direct them. —Eve Stahlberger ’97
     
Did You Know?
Posing here as a young man, John Bard was born in 1819 to a distinguished family of doctors and educators and Margaret Taylor Johnston Bard, ca. 1855.

Did You Know?

In 1860, St. Stephen’s College, a theologically based institution, was created thanks to a bequest made by John and Margaret Bard, in association with the leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. St. Stephen’s would later become known as Bard College, and were it not for this generous bequest, Bard College might not exist today.

Making Your Planned Gift

Planned Giving Information Sheet
  • Declaration of Intent Form
  • Life Insurance
  • Bequest Intention form
  • Charitable Lead Trust
  • Charitable Remainder Trust

For further information, please contact

The Margaret and John Bard Society or Planned Giving
Debra Pemstein, Vice President for Development and Alumni/ae Affairs
845-758-7405
[email protected]