Bard Students Join March Match 2024
Melonie Bisset ‘24 joined March March this year and worked at Ramapo for Children.
By Sofia Belle Schuhbeck ‘26
I sat down with Aida Malikova ‘25 and Melonie Bisset ‘24, who participated in the March Match program, an “Alternative Spring Break” opportunity that matches Bard students with local community organizations.
Melonie is a senior studying Film and Electronic Arts who worked at Ramapo for Children. She said the experience of March Match is rewarding in numerous ways, as you “gain knowledge about certain organizations around Bard, future work/internship/volunteer opportunities, meet new people, and have nice discussions.” She dreams of starting her own organization focused on education, the arts, and children, and notes that working closely with a community such as Ramapo was very inspiring.
Aida is a junior pursuing Psychology who transferred to Bard from American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan in fall 2023. Never having heard of the March Match program before, she learned about the opportunity from the Dean of Studies office when it was mentioned as an alternative for those staying on campus during spring break. She was also matched with the Ramapo for Children camp in Rhinebeck, which was her first choice when filling out the preference forms.
Aida recalls some of her tasks working with Ramapo, including helping manage inventory and facilitating the scheduling and activities for the upcoming summer camp season. She notes that she would definitely recommend March Match to other students interested in contributing to the community, especially since “people are matched based on their interests so they can better implement their skills, and it exposes them to the work environment that a host organization provides.”
Just as Melonie described, Aida felt inspired, and says, “I felt like I was involved in the community, and I appreciated the opportunity to do something helpful for the Ramapo Children's Camp and explore the area outside the campus.”
Aida and Melonie are great examples of how these connections foster long-term partnerships, and Aida is even considering working there this summer due to her great experience in March Match!
If you are interested in this opportunity or learning more about ways to get involved in the community, email [email protected] or [email protected].
Post Date: 04-13-2024