From the President

The American dream conjures romantic notions of rugged individualism and the triumph of grit in the face of adversity. But that has never been the complete story of who we are or how we get ahead. Grit matters a lot, but so do intellectual, familial, and cultural networks—the friends and mentors who nurture us. We are all shaped profoundly by the people in our lives. 

Our connection to one another is what we sought to explore in this issue, the networks of relationships that are anchored by Bennington College. From the start, these networks have been the source of artistic collaboration, civic debate, and professional opportunity. As Director of the Poetry at Bennington program, Michael Dumanis said about inviting acclaimed poets to campus for the series: “We want our students to imagine what is possible.” Whether we are connecting computer scientists with incarcerated people for work training, or we are leveraging fine art to expand college opportunities through our Art for Access program, Bennington is building networks where they did not previously exist to make the world a more fair and humane place. Our students benefit from the relationships they forge in these efforts and from the process itself. The collaborative muscles they grow here can empower them throughout their lives and in every professional field. 

It can be tempting to confuse modern connectivity for community, to mistake social media contacts for friends. As Devin Gaffney ’10 illustrates in his Informing Opinions piece, digital social platforms are not, on their own, a civic good (p. 14). Real connections start with humans standing in earnest with one another, finding common ground across differences, and bearing witness to our varied experiences. The Bennington network is strong because our ties are real, not virtual. 

Whether you graduated more than 50 years ago or dropped a loved one off on campus for the first time this past fall, you are a part of this generative community of Bennington artists, creators, change-makers, scientists, and influencers. The benefits of this extended family are myriad. Alumni have been generous in creating Field Work Term opportunities for students, and post-college collaborations are common. Like the critically acclaimed folk trio Mountain Man or the team of current students and alumni about to premier their work, A Jester’s Tale, at Sundance, more than a few groundbreaking partnerships have been born on our campus. For both professional success and emotional resilience, these friendships have purpose in our lives. 

We believe in coming together at Bennington. And we are building networks for a more just, beautiful, and truly connected world. Thank you for being a part of this community. 

Sincerely,

Mariko Silver
President