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Name: Eva Peskin
Hometown: Roswell, Georgia
Year: 2009
Academic Areas of Interest: Comparative Literature, Music
What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? Two of the things that I enjoy most about New York are the incredible diversity among the different neighborhoods around the city and the subway system. I love to hop on a subway and go explore somewhere I’ve never been before. Walking from one neighborhood to another is often like crossing national borders. One of my favorite excursions included an outdoor craft fair in Williamsburg, dinner at Grimaldi’s in DUMBO, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, dessert in Little Italy, and a concert in the East Village, all in one day!
What is your favorite job or internship you have held while at Barnard? The summer after my freshman year I was an intern for the director of marketing and publicity at Joe’s Pub, a fantastic music venue run out of The Public Theater. On top of my many quintessentially intern-y duties, I periodically had to act as a stage manager for the concerts. I got to meet and interact with artists who ran the gamut, in terms of genre and notoriety, from legendary folk and country songwriters to downtown cabaret acts to Constantin Maroulis of American Idol fame. It was a non-paid internship, so their form of compensation was admittance to any and all of the shows there, and I also got free tickets to all of the shows at The Public Theater. Thanks to an internship grant I received from the Office of Career Development, however, I got free housing and monetary compensation as well. Even though I don’t work there any more, I still stage manage shows from time to time and I am still welcome to see concerts for free.
Describe your favorite classroom experience. To fulfill my First-Year Foundations seminar requirement, I took Reacting to the Past with Kristina Milnor. Throughout the course of the class I got to be a playwright in Athens, a Confucian scholar in 16th century China, and The Reverend John Cotton in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. I wrote and staged a play, delivered entreaties to the Wanli Emperor, and gave sermons. Never have I prepared as much for class discussions or had as much fun writing five to ten page papers as I did for that class.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I think that the Nexus gives Barnard the opportunity to become a more vital and prevalent facet of the Columbia undergraduate community as a whole. As a student involved in theatre, the people with whom I share my extracurricular time are extremely integrated in terms of the colleges they represent, be it Barnard, Columbia College, or SEAS; but, for the most part, all of our time is spent at Columbia facilities. The Nexus provides a space that Barnard can be proud to offer both BC students and Columbia students in general, allowing us to participate in the Columbia community on the side of the street we chose to call home.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Don’t get too caught up in what you think people are looking for. Yes there are certain standards that students meet, but one of the best aspects of the Barnard student body is that each student seems to be first and foremost an interesting person, not a statistic. It is certainly difficult to avoid, but it is important not to let the competitive nature of college admissions diminish your sense of self.
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Name:
Sara Arrow
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Year of Graduation: 2010
Academic Areas of Interest: Political Science
What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? Throughout my years living New York City, my favorite thing to do has always remained the same: I love riding the subway. The subway itself is a microcosm of New York City, reflecting the diversity and pulsing energy that is New York. There’s nothing better than going underground for a few minutes and finding myself in a new and exciting neighborhood, with fresh sights and sounds to explore. The world is really just a subway ride away!
What is your favorite Barnard tradition? I love Midnight Breakfast, an evening celebration that the entire campus enjoys right before final examinations begin. Faculty and professors return to campus in the late hours to serve us breakfast as they chat with us and wish us good luck on our exams. It’s a great Barnard tradition that reminds us that the College’s administration is concerned with our well-being and recognizes the hard work that we do all semester long. And, it’s so much fun to relax with friends before the finals season swings into full gear.
What class did you take to fulfill one of the Nine Ways of Knowing that put you most outside your comfort zone? Coming into Barnard, I really did not know how I was going to fulfill my Laboratory Sciences requirement. I ended up in an Introductory Biology class that really challenged me to see the relevance of scientific advancements to the world in which I live today. I realized that many of the issues we were studying in our lectures or testing in our labs were popping up in the daily newspapers I read. My professors made learning about global warming, studying ecosystems, or understanding human development accessible and exciting even to a humanities oriented person.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am really excited that the Nexus will be a hub for student life on campus. One of my favorite parts of Barnard is that I can go into any building and recognize familiar faces among students and faculty. I’m excited to see how the Nexus further enriches the deep sense of community that exists on campus.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? I would tell a prospective student to worry less about fulfilling requirements quickly or bringing the right winter clothes and more about making their time on campus meaningful. Four years on campus is a long time, certainly plenty of time to participate in interesting extracurricular activities, explore NYC, and nurture fabulous friendships. Take your time, and your life on campus will fall into place. You might even have some adventures along the way. |
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 Name:
Hannah Kass
Hometown: Richboro, Pennsylvania
Year of Graduation: 2009
Academic Areas of Interest: Theatre (Directing Concentration), English
What is the most unusual thing you have ever done in the city? After seeing the inspiring 2005 Broadway revival of “Sweeney Todd,” I emailed the director to express my appreciation of his production. He generously offered to meet with me for coffee to discuss my own aspirations as a director, so we met by Lincoln Center and ended up talking for an hour. When I left, I realized how fortunate I was to be living in Manhattan, as this sort of thing is only possible in a city with such excellent cultural resources.
What is the best part about going to a women’s college? There is a sense of female empowerment that you get at a women’s college that isn’t often found in a co-ed institution. A women’s college purposes first and foremost to teach students to believe that it is within a woman’s power to achieve all of her academic, professional, and personal goals. Long before I applied to school, my mother, who went to Smith College, told me that a women’s college endows its students with a sense of strength that motivates and inspires women to succeed. In my experience at Barnard, I have found this to be true, and I feel very confident that the staff and administration at Barnard will continue to advocate my success even after I’ve graduated.
Describe your favorite classroom experience. In the spring 2007 semester, I took “Shakespeare in Performance,” taught by Patricia Denison. Professor Denison structured this seminar so as to give each student the opportunity to lead a class discussion about a particular Shakespearean play and film adaptation. When it was my day to teach the class about Kenneth Branagh’s film version of “Henry V,” I showed clips from the film, referenced the text of the play, and prompted discussion with questions that I had formulated. I loved this experience because, in essence, I was given the responsibility of leading the class, and it was a great challenge to prepare insights that would stimulate interesting conversation. During the presentation, it was incredibly rewarding to see my peers build on the thoughts that I had introduced, and I came away from that experience with a uniquely meaningful appreciation of the text.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am most excited to see the theatre venues that will be included in the Nexus. I only wish I weren’t graduating so that I could stick around and use the spaces in the Nexus!
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Take advantage of the resources at Barnard, at Columbia, and in New York City. Barnard students truly exist in the best of all possible worlds, with the finest cultural, academic, social, and professional opportunities constantly available – it’s just up to you to explore. |
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 Name:
Daphne Larose
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Year of Graduation: 2010
Adademic Areas of Interest: English, Art History
What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? I love to just walk around and explore the city, especially with friends. You find really surprising shops and parks that you never knew about. Unlike other cities, New York has so much life and is constantly changing. You could go to the same spot three different times, but it may look different or be more exciting each time for one reason or another.
What is your favorite job or internship you have held while at Barnard? The internship that I currently have is probably the weirdest job I've ever had, but at the same time it is definitely the most interesting. I work for a pair of sex experts, Em & Lo. They have written columns for tons of magazines such as Glamour, Cosmo, Marie Claire, and GQ and they have appeared on television (VH1 specials, CNN, MTV, The Discovery Channel, and Playboy). They also have written five books on sex. On their website, they report the latest news in the world of sex and give relationship advice. As one of three interns, I research the latest in sex news and keep them up-to-date on what's going on. I also write a segment for their website. I'm sure there are people who would be turned off by the topic, but what I find to be so great about Em & Lo is that they are taking a topic that is typically considered taboo and discussing it in a humorous way that encourages men and women to feel good about their own bodies. I am happy and honored to be a part of something that helps people feel more comfortable with themselves.
What unique common ground did you discover that you had with your first-year roommate? My roommate and I had a very unique and special relationship. We clicked immediately. The great thing about living with someone, especially someone who you get along with really well, is that it kind of forces the two of you to develop a strong bond very quickly. After only the first few months, we were already very close friends. One thing we definitely shared was our unusual obsession with Fergie and Aqua (an obsession that our friends will never let us live down). This past year I discovered that it is definitely possible to become best friends with your roommate, despite how unrealistic and clichéd it may seem.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am most excited about the resources that will be available in the Nexus. My first year, I spent my life in the old student center McIntosh, and though I will miss it dearly, it will be nice to have brand new facilities and more space.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Don't come to college with your life already planned out and set in stone because, chances are, you will only end up disappointed when that plan starts to change. When you get to college, just come ready to learn and ready to meet new people because that's really what it's all about.
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 Name:
Anna Law
Hometown: Singapore and Paris
Year of Graduation: 2010
Academic Areas of Interest: Environmental Policy
What is your favorite museum in New York City? The Neue Gallery, on Fifth Avenue, dedicated to early Twentieth Century German and Austrian art. It’s very elegant and intimate, being set in a former private home, and reminds me of some of my favorite small museums in Paris. The permanent collection has great works by Schiele, Klimt, Kirchner (amongst others), and the temporary exhibitions I’ve seen so far have also been very good. The museum also has a great bookshop and a beautifully decorated Viennese cafe, which I like to come to when I’m feeling Europe-deprived.
Describe a way in which you have been involved in the Columbia community. One of the first things I did when I arrived at Barnard was join the Columbia Model United Nations team. I was truly impressed at how welcomed I felt and how willing everyone was to let freshman take an active role in the team. I got the chance to participate in the first Columbia MUN conference held on campus and to travel to Boston for the Harvard conference. Most importantly thought I got to meet amazingly hard working, interesting and fun people. It’s easy to feel lonely during freshman year, and it was during those moments that I was particularly glad to be part of the MUN team.
What class did you take to fulfill one of the Nine Ways of Knowing that put you most outside your comfort zone? I took an environmental science class, ‘The climate system,’ to fulfill my lab requirement. Even though the class involved quite a bit of physics and biology, which I’ve never been keen on, both the professors and the other students were so passionate about the issues at hand that I almost forgot I was never a science person in the first place. Having the opportunity to discuss the New York Times’ morning headline news on climate change with professors who are deeply involved in the issue made it worth it to study the Coriolis force and phytoplankton. I decided to become an Environmental Policy major in great part thanks to this class.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? Being an environmental policy major, I would definitely say the green roof. I’ve heard about green roofs but have never actually seen one, so I’m rather excited to have one on our own campus. It’s important to me that Barnard commits to being environmentally friendly, so I think this is great initiative.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Be yourself. When I applied to Barnard, I had this idea that there was a typical ‘Barnard profile’, which I should match. There isn’t: we all had very different experiences before coming to Barnard and we all expect different things out of our Barnard experience. Just because you don’t do community service and don’t aspire to be vice president one day doesn’t mean you don’t belong at Barnard.
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 Name:
Lorna Magee
Hometown: Potomac, Maryland
Year of Graduation: 2008
Academic Areas of Interest: Political Economy
What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? I love Sundays in the City. I wake up to Weekend Edition on WNYC, and with the sun streaming in my window I enjoy my breakfast while browsing the Sunday Times. I head off early to the Greenmarket farmers’ market in front of Columbia, where I stock up on gorgeous, locally grown fruits and vegetables, jams, and breads. At ten o’clock I take the subway to my favorite ballet class at Steps on 74th Street; afterwards I wander back up Broadway, taking in the Sunday goings-on of the City. After lunch I do some studying, cook myself a nice dinner, and call home to talk to my family. Sundays are my day to really enjoy being in New York City, and to remember how lucky I am to be living here.
Describe a club in which you have been involved at Barnard. The student group I have been most involved with is BarnardEARTH, the campus environmental group. The group is small, which means we are a casual, friendly bunch, but the size of the group is also limiting in terms of what we can accomplish. One of our main goals is to increase campus awareness of environmental issues such as recycling and waste, energy and water conservation, and local and organic foods. While working on awareness campaigns, I have enjoyed getting to know various members of Barnard’s staff and administration, including those at Facilities, Dining Services, Housing, and College Activities, with whom our group coordinates to increase campus sustainability.
Describe your favorite classroom experience. One of the highlights of my experience at Barnard was being involved in a piece for the Spring 2006 performance of Barnard Dances at Miller. There were ten of us in the group, and we worked with the wonderful New York-based choreographer Keely Garfield. The whole experience was a whirlwind of long hours of rehearsal, creation, destruction, re-construction, and flying paper cups. But the part of the memory I hold dearest to my heart is the bond that the group formed in working towards creating and performing the work, a bond which was serious and cooperative, but also silly, argumentative, and nurturing, all at the same time. The crazy and exciting experience of working with my fellow dancers and Keely, rather than the final performance itself, is what made the collaboration so special to me.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am looking forward to a building design that allows for more natural light, and hoping that the new space will create more room for Barnard’s cramped dance department.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? In this day and age when students are so fixated on finding the right match school, scrutinizing the possibilities, and putting in over ten applications, I would advise prospective students to take a step back and learn to trust their gut instincts. I knew Barnard was where I wanted to be because it felt right when I came to visit. Never underestimate the importance of visiting the schools you are interested in, because how you feel standing on campus is a quicker and more accurate way of making choices than reading brochures and browsing web pages ever could be. |
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 Name:
Anya Manning
Hometown: Natick, Massachusetts
Year of Graduation: 2007
Academic Areas of Interest: Environmental Science, Jewish Folklore (Midrash)
What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? Volunteer usher. All you have to do is call up places like Blue Man Group and the Joyce Theatre and let them know the dates you can volunteer usher and then you get to see the play for free.
What is your favorite neighborhood or spot in New York City? When I need to get away from the noise, taxis, and hubbub of Manhattan, I venture to Park Slope where I can hear myself think, get a nice sandwich at a local café, and play on the playground.
What is your favorite Barnard tradition? The free BBQ at the beginning of the year when everyone comes out and eats on Lehmann lawn.
Describe a club in which you have been involved at Barnard. One of the most amazing aspects of Barnard is that there is constant encouragement and support to start new clubs if they don’t already exist. For example, I was part of the first Barnard Environmental Club. While there was a Columbia University group we wanted a club dedicated to sustainability and greening on Barnard’s campus. I was also involved in starting a one week volunteer trip to Guatemala. Barnard was very supportive throughout!
What do you miss most about being a first-year? As a first-year your meals are a built-in time to meet people and your RA is constantly planning social activities. When you are off the meal plan and more engrossed in your own studies you don’t get a chance to meet as many new people.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? There will be more space for clubs to meet and people to hang out and have group study sessions.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Look up. We get so caught up in our own tasks that we forget to look out and see other people walking by, flowers being planted, or celebrities.
What have you been doing since graduation? I have been working a summer job as a co-director of a homeless shelter in Cambridge, MA. Beginning in September, I will work as a staff member for a pre-college program, based in Israel which travels throughout Europe and Asia for 2 weeks spurts throughout the ten month program. The program is called Kivunim: New Directions. |
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 Name: Jackie Mauro
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Year: 2010
Academic Areas of Interest: Undecided
What is the most unusual thing you have ever done in the city? That would have to be the subway party I went to first semester. We ran down into the 1 station with a boom box, streamers and balloons and monopolized a car. The best part was that, as we were dancing on the seats and swinging around on the bars, all our fellow passengers seemed completely unfazed. In true New York style, they’d seen stranger things on the subway and were probably just glad we weren’t asking for money.
Describe your most coincidental meeting with a fellow Barnard student or an alumna? I work at a bike store on 96th street, and one day a woman came in who not only had gone to Barnard, but had lived in San Francisco (where I’m from) and had worked in one of my favorite restaurants back home. She was a political science major who’d done a double-degree program with Juilliard and we talked for far longer than I should have (the store was way too busy for that) about Barnard and how much she’d liked it and how people really took care of you there. She told me to say hi to Dean Blank for her, though honestly I forgot to.
What unique common ground did you discover that you had with your first-year roommate? My first-year roommate was flat out the sweetest, smartest girl I’ve ever met and even though we didn’t have all the same interests, likes and dislikes, we had a good time together. I think our true bonding moment came when we discovered that neither of us was all that neat and that even though our friends’ rooms always looked lovely, ours did not and that was ok. I had a space between my bed and the wall where I used to hide all my things when I was being lazy (most of the time) and when we were each lamenting that our side of the room was by far the messiest, pointing out that little space was my ace in the hole.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? Honestly, I was really nervous about the Nexus at first, but the fact that it’s such a green building sold me on it. The things that they’re doing to make it environmentally friendly are pretty ingenious.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Know what you’re getting into. Things move fast at Barnard. There’s a lot of work to do, and a lot of city to see, and you’re never going to feel like you have enough time to do it all. It’s a life style that takes some getting used to, but it’s as exhilarating as it is exhausting and personally I wouldn’t trade it for anything. |
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 Name: Beth Pape
Hometown: Garden City (Long Island), New York
Year: 2008
Academic Areas of Interest: History
What is your favorite neighborhood or spot in New York City? Definitely Alice’s Tea Cup, on 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. It’s a quaint tea shop that serves the best scones around. Also, it’s located in my favorite neighborhood, the Upper West Side, which is a great area for shopping, eating, or just walking around, both on the street and in Riverside Park.
Describe a club in which you have been involved at Barnard. The McIntosh Activities Council (McAC) has meant the most to me out of all my other campus activities. We are the major programming board on campus, and we strive to create events that allow students, faculty and administration to network while also having a good time. Being part of this club is like being part of a family; I have made some of my closest friends through McAC. Also, the events we plan help bring the Barnard community closer together, many of which become traditions that Barnard students look forward to every year.
What class did you take to fulfill one of the Nine Ways of Knowing that put you most outside your comfort zone? I elected to take ‘Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies” in order to fulfill the Reason and Value requirement. I felt that since I was attending a women’s college, I should take the class to take advantage of the stellar Women’s Studies department that Barnard houses. The class was challenging in that I had to think about women and society and the construction of gender roles in a way that traditional history classes had never taught me. I ended up loving the class, and because of it have taken several more women’s studies classes, as well as making my concentration for my history major in women’s history.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I think that the amount of space that will be available for student events is the best aspect of the Nexus. The Nexus will include nice, roomy offices for the major clubs on campus that will allow them to have more direct access to students coming in and out of the student center. Also, the spaces that will be available for student programming will allow for even better events to be planned.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? If you are really interested in coming to Barnard, definitely come to campus and walk around the neighborhood to see what it is like in person. Try to talk to current students, or sit in on a class. You should take advantage of the welcome days that the Office of Admissions offers to prospective students. The best way to learn about Barnard is by spending time here or talking to students who can tell you from experience what life is like as a Barnard student. |
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 Name: Saranya Purushothaman
Hometown: Scarsdale, New York
Year: 2009
Academic Areas of Interest: Neuroscience & Behavior, Art History
Describe a quintessential New York City moment that you have had. I was making my routine trip to Magnolia Bakery (the best cupcakes in the city!), when I noticed that there was a princess standing in front of me in line. Okay, not a real princess, but Anne Hathaway from The Princess Diaries. She was on a break from filming ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ with her costar, Stanley Tucci. Then, she turned around and asked me which one was my favorite cupcake. I told her that I loved the vanilla and chocolate frosting, but that she had to try the banana pudding. A few minutes later, she approached me outside the quaint bakery and told me that the banana pudding was her absolute new favorite! Ah, New York.
Describe a club in which you have been involved at Barnard. I am a proud and passionate member of the Columbia Raas dance team. As an Indian American, I was happy to find a community where I could remember my Indian heritage while living an American lifestyle. The team competes in several intercollegiate competitions including the Garden State Garba in New Jersey. I have made so many wonderful friends through the group, and look forward to rehearsing and performing each semester.
Describe your favorite classroom experience. Last semester, I took an art history class that held weekly discussions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I distinctly recall during one of our visits when I stood in a room, surrounded by the works of Monet and Picasso; I was learning the history and details of the brushwork from my professor, while looking at the original paintings right in front of my eyes. It was this experience of seeing the work in person that inspired me to become an art history major, benefiting from Barnard’s ideal location in the heart of the cultural metropolis.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am excited to witness the construction of the future of Barnard. Through the development of the Nexus, Barnard is moving into the next century, providing a location for students to make memories for years to come. I look forward to returning to campus and witnessing a new era in the Barnard tradition.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Enjoy all of the opportunities that Barnard and New York City have to offer. But don’t be tempted to do everything at once; you have four years of college life ahead of you, and will feel more fulfilled if you dedicate time and passion to one individual endeavor at a time. |
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 Name: Laura Stoffel
Hometown: Zurich, Switzerland
Year: 2008
Academic Areas of Interest: Political Science, German Literature
What is your favorite thing to do in New York City? I love exploring the city. I’ve been a NYC resident for three years now, and there’s still so much to see. Each neighborhood has a life of its own; none will ever supersede the other. My newest discovery has been the Lower East Side – known to many as LES. What a spectacular place!
What is your favorite Barnard tradition? So many to choose from! My favorites are: Midnight Breakfast, the Big Sub, Bling Night, the One World Show, Breakfast in Bed, and Spirit Day.
What is your favorite Hewitt meal or food item? Vanilla Colombo Fro-Yo with cookie pieces.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am excited about every aspect of the Nexus! The new student center will be a wonderful addition to our already beautiful campus. The architects - Michael Manfredi and Marion Weiss – have put a lot of thought and care into ensuring that the new building only enhances the property. My favorite aspect is probably that they designed the exterior façade to allow for a clear view of Milbank.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” |
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 Name: Ariel Wagner
Hometown: Manhattan
Year: 2009
Academic Areas of Interest: Psychology
What is your favorite neighborhood or spot in New York City? My favorite spot in New York City is the promenade on the East River. It is totally underrated, and not many people know about how pleasant it is. There is a boardwalk, a park. and a lot of dog runs which are adorable!
What is your favorite Barnard tradition? My favorite Barnard tradition happens to be Orgo Night. I am not pre-med, so I guess it is very funny for me to see everyone studying really hard in their rooms and then the Columbia Band coming across the street to the quad where everyone throws their notes out the window and runs outside to dance. There is so much energy and I love seeing the Quad come alive like that.
Describe your favorite classroom experience. My favorite classroom experience, like most Barnard girls’ is First-Year English. I had Professor Vandenberg whom I quickly grew to love. She was one of the many professors who pushed us to attempt to reach our goals of gaining as much information as possible and fully understanding the theories and materials that she presented. The literature was excellent and to see Prof. Vandenberg in action is truly a treat. In addition, the closeness that was established between the small, intimate classroom of girls facilitated a better understanding of the material and formed friendships that have yet to be broken.
What aspects of the Nexus are you most excited about? I am excited to see the Barnard community be extremely proud of its student center. There is a lot of mental and physical effort going into this project and I am excited to see how it turns out and to see the blue-prints come to fruition. I am most excited to see the final project in completion.
What one piece of advice would you give to a prospective student? My one piece of advice would be to try new classes even if you think that the class will be hard or outside of your comfort zone. You never know if you are going to love a subject or professor, even if someone else had a bad experience with it. Take the time to shop classes and really get a feel for what you enjoy. Trust the little voice in the back of your head that is saying that regardless if the class sounds hard, it could be the class that you not only enjoy the most, but end up conquering and loving. Take advantage of all of the wonderful classes and professors that Barnard has to offer!! |
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