The Bard College Department of Athletics and Recreation has announced a Spring Speaker Series which will begin on Sunday. Feb. 27, and continue through the spring.
A diverse range of speakers from a wide variety of professions will offer their insights, experience, advice and challenges as they discuss their own journeys. The format for most of the sessions is a casual Q&A with a moderator, with time left for the guest to answer questions from those in attendance.
"This is a great opportunity for Bard students and staff to hear from compelling individuals from Bard and beyond," said Interim Athletic Director David Lindholm. "I'm excited for the chance to learn from our speakers' experiences, ask questions, and hear what they have to say that can be applied to our lives as athletes, coaches, and positive members of the Bard community and society as a whole."
The first speaker in the series is Paul Marienthal, Bard College's Dean of Social Change and the Director of the Trustee Leader Scholar (TLS) Program. Marienthal earned his B.A. from Stanford University in 1971, his M.A. from Antioch University in 1986, and his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1991. A former college athlete who is also an avid gardener and musician, he has been at Bard since 1997.
The Bard Prison Initiative, now spread across six interconnected prisons in New York, began as a TLS project created by Bard students under the oversight of Marienthal.
The interview will be conducted by TJ Kostecky, Bard's Head Men's Soccer Coach and co-founder of Vision Training for Life leadership workshops. The theme of the discussion will be how to build and lead successful groups.
"I really look forward to talking to Paul about the life-changing, innovative and diverse ways he has managed groups," Kostecky said. "He has a wide range of experiences and I have a lot I want to know."
The event will take place in Weis Cinema, inside the Bertelsmann Campus Center, from 7-8 p.m on Sunday. No registration is necessary.
Plans for similar events in March, April and May are ongoing and are to be announced.
