Simon's Rock at Bard College

Simon's Rock at Bard College The oldest and most prestigious early college in the country. At Simon's Rock bright, motivated students begin college immediately after 10th or 11th grade.

For admission questions, email [email protected] No other college does what we do. We’re a small, selective, supportive, intensive college of the liberal arts and sciences in the middle of the Berkshires, one of the nation’s cultural and natural treasures. All of our 400 students come to us after 10th or 11th grade in high school. We give them a broad-minded, paradigm-shifting education; facul

ty trained in the country’s best universities; inspired and inspiring classes; first-class facilities for the sciences, the arts, and athletics; and an astonishing range of opportunities for conducting specialized research and gaining hands-on experience. We offer over 40 concentrations, many of them interdisciplinary; our academic program leads to an AA or a BA. Simon’s Rock was founded by Elizabeth Blodgett Hall in 1966. In 1979 we became part of Bard College (established in 1860), one of the country’s outstanding (and most innovative) liberal arts colleges, located 50 miles away, in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. To learn more about Simon's Rock:

- Visit our Admission page at http://www.simons-rock.edu/admission
- Email a current student at [email protected]
- For admission questions, email [email protected]

Connect with us:

- Twitter > http://twitter.com/SimonsRock
- Instagram > http://instagram.com/Simons_Rock
- Youtube > http://youtube.com/user/SimonsRock
- Pinterest > http://pinterest.com/TheEarlyCollege
- Tumblr > http://TheEarlyCollege.tumblr.com

John Myers, Faculty in Music, had a busy summer performing and composing. He led his jazz trio in concerts at the Berksh...
09/02/2026

John Myers, Faculty in Music, had a busy summer performing and composing. He led his jazz trio in concerts at the Berkshires Arts Festival in Monterey, MA on July 3rd and 4th, with Allan Dean, trumpet, and Pete Toigo double bass. He played at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge with saxophonist Eric Lofswold, and accompanied singer Mary Ann Palermo at the Jazz Gala in Millbrook, NY, the Sheffield Historical Society in Sheffield, MA, and other venues. John also enjoyed playing Western classical music in the Winds in the Wilderness Concert Series in Copake Falls, NY on July 16th. The concert included a new arrangement of his composition “Hands of Healing,” as well as Vivaldi Sonata R.V. 806, Pla Sonata in D minor, Robert Beaser Mountain Songs I.. With Sharon Powers - flute, Judith Dansker - recorder, and Pete Toigo - double bass.

"Hands of Healing"
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=rgPD1Z2c-rA

Check out the results from the Simon's Rock Library Summer Reading Challenge! Students, faculty, and staff participated ...
08/31/2026

Check out the results from the Simon's Rock Library Summer Reading Challenge! Students, faculty, and staff participated in the challenge to win gift cards generously donated by Oblong Books and Rough Draft Bar & Books!

What was Dr. Chris Coggins, Faculty in Geography and Asian Studies, up to this summer? Dr. Coggins shared about his fiel...
08/31/2026

What was Dr. Chris Coggins, Faculty in Geography and Asian Studies, up to this summer?

Dr. Coggins shared about his field research on village sacred forests in northwest Greece:

"I was lucky to spend June 14-19 in the Zagori Municipality in Epirus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Pindus Mountains of northwest Greece. My wife, Tanya Kalischer, and I were fortunate to work with Kalliopi Stara, a cultural geographer and ecologist, and her husband Rigas Tsariakis, an ecologist, forester, and ornithologist - the two primary specialists on village sacred forests and ecological transformation in the Zagori Region. I also gave a talk on the sacred forests of Asia in the village of Kato Pedina, Kalliopi's ancestral village for seven generations. This was my first research experience of field research on village sacred groves in a Mediterranean climate and the associated biome - sclerophyllous vegetation dominated by oak, pine, fir, and sycamore. I am making a short film on these sacred groves and will use this and other materials for teaching. I hope to collaborate with Kalliopi and Rigas in the future."

Photo 1. Tanya, Kalliopi, and Chris next to a well in a sacred forest at Agios Nikolaos (Saint Nicholas) - a remote and ancient church.

Photo 2. Kalliopi at Greek Orthodox shrine at the outer boundaries of Papingo Village, an "entrance" zone where one typically finds shrines, shrine trees, and groves.

Photo 3. Tanya beneath a sacred sycamore near the remains of a shrine on the boundary of Elaphotopos ("Place of Deer") Village.

Photo 4. Elaphotopos Village - a classic Zagori village with stone houses, very few tourists, and dwindling populations.

Photo 5. "Crossed tree" - a sign indicating a vow to the local guardian saint that helps protect the area from lightning and other calamities.

Here are some highlights from our 2026 Writing and Thinking Week! 📚️
08/28/2026

Here are some highlights from our 2026 Writing and Thinking Week! 📚️

Hear from second-year student, Owen '25, about his summer research for an independent anthropology project in Costa Rica...
08/28/2026

Hear from second-year student, Owen '25, about his summer research for an independent anthropology project in Costa Rica!

"My name is Owen and I’m a second-year at Simon’s Rock planning to major in anthropology with a concentration in environmental studies. This summer, I traveled to an exurban town in Costa Rica to intern with a supportive immersion based mental health gap year program. In my free time, I conducted ethnographic interviews with members of the local expatriate community, with a specific eye of variation in political and economic motivations they had for moving to the country, as well as their relationships to exonyms such as “gringo.” With the continued mentorship of Simon’s Rock’s Professor in Anthropology, Dr. Kathryn Boswell, and Psychology, Dr. Anne O’Dwyer, I hope to develop the project into a full ethnographic paper and potentially present it at conferences this spring." - Owen '25

What were Rockers up to this summer? Dr. Jennifer Browdy, Faculty in Literature, had a summer full of travel adventures!...
08/26/2026

What were Rockers up to this summer? Dr. Jennifer Browdy, Faculty in Literature, had a summer full of travel adventures! She lead a Riding and Writing workshop in Italy, rode horses in Iceland, and went paddling in Nova Scotia with her son Nico, and his wife, Lydia (both are Simon's Rock alumni), and their daughter.

Welcome to our new Rockers and their families! New students arrived this past Friday and are settling in with Writing & ...
08/24/2026

Welcome to our new Rockers and their families! New students arrived this past Friday and are settling in with Writing & Thinking Workshop this week.

08/21/2026

Hear from Xan, a rising second-year student at Simon's Rock, about how students at Simon's Rock have time to think, connect with each other, and share ideas. Xan says, "If you want to make the most of your brain, you should come here!"

Welcome to our new students arriving this week!
08/19/2026

Welcome to our new students arriving this week!

Address

30 Seminary Drive
Barrytown, NY
12507

Telephone

+14136444400

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Simon's Rock at Bard College posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Simon's Rock at Bard College:

Shortcuts

Share

Category