With several hundred colleges in the northeast, prospective college students in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires have a wealth of educational options to choose from. When it comes to faculty who are at the top of their fields and take pride in supporting students to push their boundaries both academically and creatively, there’s one college that stands out among the rest. Since 1966, Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington—the only accredited four-year early college in the nation—has provided bright students who are ready to start college after their sophomore or junior year of high school with a one-of-a-kind early college experience that ignites their full potential.
The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked Simon’s Rock as tied for #1 for Best Undergraduate Teaching and tied for #2 in Most Innovative School within the Regional Colleges North ranking, a comparison of almost 200 schools. Faculty members provide students with one-on-one mentorship and exciting opportunities to dig into their creative and intellectual passions.
In addition to their role as dedicated educators and scholars in their fields, the faculty in more than 35 Bachelor’s Degree-earning concentration areas—from anthropology and creative writing to physics and pre-medical studies—take pride in their r
esponsibilities as advisors who are guiding students on their journeys.
“For me the most precious aspect about the Simon’s Rock experience is how close students and faculty are able to work together,” says David Franco, a professor of French and Spanish whose own research examines the notion of heroism in 17th century French drama. “I’d say it is sort of a win-win situation. We as faculty have the opportunity to learn a lot from the students. And the students receive lots of personalized attention and guidance from faculty.”
Chris Coggins, Professor of Geography and Asian Studies, weaves together his extensive research on rural China, political ecology, biodiversity, and globalization in his classes, which range from Global Political Ecology to Organic Farming. Outside the classroom, he has led students on trips to China, many of which have involved intensive field research. After graduating from Simon’s Rock, Assistant Professor of Theater Sara Katzoff co-founded The Berkshire Fringe, a festival that brought attention from the New York Times and NPR during its nine-year residency on campus. Through her classes, she aims to expand what theater can mean for students as they grow into playwrights, actors, and other creatives.
In a world where hands-on experience is becoming more important for any young graduate taking the first steps in their chosen careers, those close relationships and collaboration with faculty mentors provide students with important exposure to potential fields of research and creative focus.
Students at Simon’s Rock can develop their own class topic for a group of students, put together an independent class where they work one-on-one with a professor, or propose an Extended Campus Project in which they can teach English in Thailand, study theater direction at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, or work on policy at the Staley B. Keith Social Justice Center in Hudson.
“What I find most valuable about the students at Simon’s Rock is their courage and their willingness to pursue what it is they’re interested in,” says Maryann Tebben, Professor of French and Head of the Center for Food Studies. “Even if they may not see the endpoint yet, we’ll help them get there."
To learn more about Bard College at Simon’s Rock visit Simons-rock.edu.