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Dear
incoming Barnard students and families,
The
college years bring tremendous opportunities for growth
and change. The freedom to explore and the opportunity to
try new things—taking classes in an unfamiliar subject,
new friendships, overcoming a fear, taking a risk—can
be heady and exhilarating for students. This process of
self-discovery can be a source of great joy, both for students
meeting the new demands of college life, and for those of
us—teachers, administrators, and parents—who
have the pleasure of witnessing this transformation from
questioning teen to self-assured young adult. But new freedoms
and choices can also be overwhelming. Even positive transitions
can be stressful, confusing, and sometimes painful to experience.
Each student has her own concerns and goals to address as
she makes her way through her Barnard experience and into
the world beyond.
Student
Development at Barnard is comprised of several independent,
but linked offices which offer services related to health
and wellness to members of the Barnard community. Health
Services and Disability
Services are outlined elsewhere elsewhere on this site;
other offices include:
It
is the mission of the Student Development team to keep Barnard
women confident, strong, and healthy in all aspects of their
lives. We are committed to providing support, information,
and a network of supportive spaces within which students
may confront their concerns, and consider their options
for addressing those concerns. We do not dictate a path
for our students, rather we try to provide the tools with
which they may best orient themselves through a holistic
approach to “wellness.” We recognize that good
health extends well beyond a narrow definition of medical
health, and that many factors—medical, emotional,
social, and academic—contribute significantly to the
overall picture. We seek to target issues that are of concern
to our students before they reach the level of crisis: issues
pertaining to identity, self-image, nutrition, public health,
preventive maintenance, career choices, sexuality, and academic
confidence.
Our
Student Development team works steadily to adopt creative
solutions to the challenges that our students encounter
as they explore the campus, the city, and their own changing
worlds.
Sincerely,
Marjorie Croes Silverman
Associate Dean of the College
Dean for Student Development
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