The Get Engaged Conference is designed to grow the network of young social entrepreneurs and change agents who are actively using the liberal arts as a tool to develop solutions to challenges in their communities.
2019 Conference Program
Central European University
Budapest, Hungary
The sixth annual “Get Engaged: Student Action and Youth Leadership Conference” brings together 34 students from across the Bard international network of partner institutions, including Al-Quds Bard College of Arts and Sciences (East Jerusalem), American University of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan), Bard College (United States), Bard College Berlin (Germany), European Humanities University (Lithuania), Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. Petersburg State University (Smolny College, Russia), and Central European University (Hungary).
Get Engaged Conference by the Numbers
Not a traditional academic conference
Learn to be a Leader
The Get Engaged Conference brings together students from across the Bard International Network to develop community leadership skills and collaborate on solutions to local and global challenges. Workshops focus on: Leadership, Public Speaking, Networking, Social Media, Community Partnerships, Innovation and Creativity, Fundraising and Grant Writing, and Emotional Intelligence.
Support for Alumni Projects
Get Engaged Microgrants
Microgrants provide supplemental resources to deepen (or initiate) student-led engagement projects and can be used to link two or more projects across the network. Grant awards range from $250–$500 USD and will not exceed $600. New microgrant applications are due April 2.
Global Engagement Fellows
Selected fellows have developed and sustained a civic engagement project and demonstrated leadership skills and a desire and aptitude for working with others. Fellows may apply for a microgrant of up to $1,000.
2018/2019 Global Fellows
Anara Dubanaeva
Project: Sary-Chelek Summer Camp
for Development of Youth
Anara Dubanaeva is a second-year student of Social Entrepreneurship and Business Administration at AUCA. In the summer of 2017, she coordinated her dream project “Sary-Chelek Summer Camp for Development of Youth.”
Dalia Alayassa
Project: Debate Coaching Program
Dalia Alayassa is a second year student studying human rights and international law. Dalia is looking forward to connecting and engaging with students from different bard campuses in order to give them the advice they need to have the best experience during the conference and in the city.
Mira Dzhakshylykova
Project: From Heart to Heart
Mira Dzhakshylykova is a second year student majoring in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development. By serving as a global fellow, she wants to share her knowledge with others, and at the same time learn something new from other leaders in their area. From her project, she has learned about civic engagement through things such as communication, using social networks, branding, financial literacy, organizing issues, and the importance of social mutual aids.
Mitchell Levinson
Project: Culture Connect
Mitchell Levinson is a third year in the Historical Studies Department. As a participant of the Get Engaged Conference last year, he met students from across the Bard Network who inspired his approach to civic engagement. Now a Global Fellow, he is excited to work on the back-end of this conference, to brainstorm and implement creative recruiting strategies at Bard Annandale and help passionate conference participants improve their projects. He is also excited to collaborate with other Global Fellows and his colleagues at the CCE. Using his experience in English as a Second Language education, he hopes to help create a framework for the sustainability of projects in Annandale and across the Bard Network.
Paula Pinto
Project: Prost to Compost
Paula Pinto is a fourth year studying Economics, Politics and Social Thought. She is looking forward to seeing how cooperation between fellows helps to make great projects successful across campuses.