Welcome, new members of the Barnard family!

Congratulations to all of the newly admitted members of the Class of 2014--and to their families! I can easily remember that mix of emotions when my daughters received word that they'd been admitted to Barnard: a huge amount of joy, pride and relief, and, underlying that, a little bit of nervousness. Suddenly, The Decision is back in your (or, if you are a parent, your daughter's) hands. I also remember that when it came down to making the decision, one question that came up was "Can I see myself here?" The answer to that isn't just one of academics, as important as that is.

When people hear that both of my daughters are Barnard women, often the first question is "Are they very similar?" and the short answer is no, they're not. Both are extremely bright, both have very quick senses of humor, and both have a keen interest in the visual arts (which their dad and I feel was born of the hours we spent dragging--um, I mean shepherding--them through museums, churches, and historic homes.) Other than that, they are very individual. In high school, Nicole studied voice and piano and did a lot of vocal performance. Campbell ran track and did volunteer work with a group that helps homeless children. Nicole's senior year was loaded with AP classes (that was one honors option at their high school), while Campbell did a year-long independent research project and thesis (that was the other honors option.) You get the picture.

Yet, Barnard was the right choice for both of them--and they continue to have had very different, but equally rewarding, experiences. The classroom experiences were, of course, stimulating and invigorating but that's what you pretty much can expect at a school like Barnard. The advising and support system is truly impressive. Outside the classroom, however, there is a huge menu of possibilities in terms of activities, work, summer opportunities that at least in our family has worked for two rather distinct individuals. Campbell is in a sorority and not only has found a strong group of friends there, but also myriad opportunities to learn leadership and management skills in the Greek life organization. Nicole helped found a literary magazine and later became a peer counselor and ultimately training coordinator on one of the university's crisis hotlines. Campbell joined the Barnard Babysitting Service and has hugely enjoyed the off-campus hours spent taking care of little New Yorkers. Nicole worked on campus as a Barnard tour guide and in the Admissions office. There have been summer internships at the New York Philharmonic and at Dolce and Gabbana. Oh, there is one other similarity: they both have groups of friends with equally varied Barnard stories. Some are deep in pre-med preparation, some are performers, some are writers, some are athletes, some are volunteers. They're all smart, strong and engaged in the world.