Global Stories, Local Impact
This week’s student film screening brought global civic engagement into sharp focus for the Bard community. Organized in collaboration with Bard Center for Civic Engagement, the event paired pizza and conversation with short films highlighting projects led by students who are tackling important matters across the world, along with other students who participate in opportunities through the Global Higher Education Alliance for the 21st Century (GHEA21).
As Stael Toussaint ‘27 reflected, curiosity about student activism was a driving force behind student turnout: “I decided to attend the screening because I was curious to see how students like me are leading civic engagement projects around the world. I wanted to learn how they started their work and how they are managing challenges in their communities.”
This sense of connection between ideas, communities, and each other was a recurring theme throughout the night. One film that stood out to Stael told the story of students in Zimbabwe creating bioethanol from corn stover to provide clean cooking fuel. “It amazed me how such a simple idea could have such a huge impact by protecting forests, reducing pollution, and helping families,” said Stael. Another film based in Dhaka focused on access to clean water for thousands, illustrating how student-led civic work can meet critical human needs.
Beyond individual projects, the films made the scale and seriousness of the student-led civic work clear. “The films helped me understand that these projects are not just abstract ideas but real actions being carried out by students,” Stael explained. “It showed the faces, voices, and communities behind the work, which made the impact feel more real and powerful.”
The medium of film itself greatly added to the resonance, as noted by many. Vishal Parkash ‘26, a BCB student who is an exchange student at Bard agrees, “Showing these projects through film is important because it helps us connect emotionally to the stories. Reading about a project is one thing, but when you actually see the people, the communities, and the changes happening, it becomes more powerful.”
For the Bard community, the screening was a reminder of shared responsibility and possibility. “The screenings encourage Bard students to see themselves as part of a global network of changemakers,” Vishal noted. “It shows us that we’re not working in isolation—there are students everywhere trying to solve issues in their own communities. That sense of connection sparks new ideas for projects here on campus and reminds us that small actions can lead to bigger change.”
Events like these bridge the local and global, helping Bard students see their own civic work in conversation with the efforts of peers worldwide. These films directly speak to the possibilities that arise when creativity and community work in unison, while also highlighting the work that remains to be done. Stop by the Center for Civic Engagement to learn more about how you can get involved with international civic opportunities and GHEA21 courses offered through Bard.
Post Date: 10-03-2025