Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle del Hudson
A Course for Taking Life More Philosophically
Bard’s Clemente Course Returns to Kingston
Por Mariel Fiori
September 2026 What does washing dishes have to do with Plato? There are moments when we think better when we are not trying to think. Professor Marina van Zuylen, Academic Director of Bard College’s Clemente Course in the Humanities, finds those moments while washing dishes. It is not that she enjoys doing them, but for van Zuylen, routine tasks can create space for the mind to wander. You start out thinking about bills that need to be paid or your children’s grades, and suddenly another idea appears, another question, something deeper. “When we do things that are not linear, that are not so focused, we can understand certain things that we otherwise cannot,” van Zuylen explained.
That is the idea behind the Clemente Course classes, which return to Kingston this fall. Over two semesters, people who may never have had the opportunity to attend college will be able to sit around a table and discuss philosophy, literature, art, American history, and writing. They will not have to pay tuition or for books, and if they complete the two-semester program, they will receive six Bard College credits that can be transferred to other institutions.
But van Zuylen emphasized, in a recent interview on my program, La Voz con Mariel Fiori, that the credits are only one part of what makes the program special. “We are in a world that can be a little lonely these days,” she said. The course seeks to counter that isolation by bringing students together around a table to talk about the world through the works of great writers, philosophers, and artists.
The program was created to offer college-level humanities education to people facing financial hardship and other adverse circumstances. Bard’s initiative is part of a national program that seeks to help students develop tools for critical thinking, writing, and dialogue, while also enabling them to participate more actively in the cultural and civic life of their communities.
In Kingston, the classes follow a seminar format. Instructors introduce the works and ideas, but the conversations are built collectively. “One person brings one idea, another person brings another idea,” van Zuylen explained.
Van Zuylen came to Clemente after teaching at Columbia University. There she found intelligent and committed students, but also students who were very focused on one specific goal: getting a good job. For her, education can offer something more.
She is especially concerned that philosophy has disappeared from many American schools. The ability to think abstractly, she says, should not be an intellectual luxury, because it can become a way of living better. It can also help restore something many students lost long before reaching college: confidence in themselves.
The professors want students to believe again that they can write, think, and learn. “We can all be writers; we all have a story to tell,” Professor van Zuylen said.
Going Back to School
The course will be taught in English this fall, and the Spanish-language course is expected in the spring. A high school diploma is not required. What is required is commitment: attending regularly, completing assignments, and participating actively.
The program is intended for people age 16 and older. Students do not pay tuition, and Bard covers the cost of the credits.
Perfect English is not required either. Van Zuylen especially encourages those who may feel unsure about their English to apply. Many students, she explains, finish the course with stronger English skills because much of the learning happens through listening and talking with other people.
The Clemente Course information session will be held on September 29 at 6 p.m. at 7 Grand Street in Kingston. Registration is not required to attend the information session.
The application is now available on the website: clemente.bard.edu
Classes begin October 1 and meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at 7 Grand Street, Kingston. All materials are provided, as well as snacks and childcare if needed.
For more information, write to [email protected].
*Watch the full interview at this link: youtube.com/watch?v=oFy1e2S9fyE
COPYRIGHT 2026
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
But van Zuylen emphasized, in a recent interview on my program, La Voz con Mariel Fiori, that the credits are only one part of what makes the program special. “We are in a world that can be a little lonely these days,” she said. The course seeks to counter that isolation by bringing students together around a table to talk about the world through the works of great writers, philosophers, and artists.
The program was created to offer college-level humanities education to people facing financial hardship and other adverse circumstances. Bard’s initiative is part of a national program that seeks to help students develop tools for critical thinking, writing, and dialogue, while also enabling them to participate more actively in the cultural and civic life of their communities.
In Kingston, the classes follow a seminar format. Instructors introduce the works and ideas, but the conversations are built collectively. “One person brings one idea, another person brings another idea,” van Zuylen explained.
Van Zuylen came to Clemente after teaching at Columbia University. There she found intelligent and committed students, but also students who were very focused on one specific goal: getting a good job. For her, education can offer something more.
She is especially concerned that philosophy has disappeared from many American schools. The ability to think abstractly, she says, should not be an intellectual luxury, because it can become a way of living better. It can also help restore something many students lost long before reaching college: confidence in themselves.
The professors want students to believe again that they can write, think, and learn. “We can all be writers; we all have a story to tell,” Professor van Zuylen said.
Going Back to School
The course will be taught in English this fall, and the Spanish-language course is expected in the spring. A high school diploma is not required. What is required is commitment: attending regularly, completing assignments, and participating actively.
The program is intended for people age 16 and older. Students do not pay tuition, and Bard covers the cost of the credits.
Perfect English is not required either. Van Zuylen especially encourages those who may feel unsure about their English to apply. Many students, she explains, finish the course with stronger English skills because much of the learning happens through listening and talking with other people.
The Clemente Course information session will be held on September 29 at 6 p.m. at 7 Grand Street in Kingston. Registration is not required to attend the information session.
The application is now available on the website: clemente.bard.edu
Classes begin October 1 and meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at 7 Grand Street, Kingston. All materials are provided, as well as snacks and childcare if needed.
For more information, write to [email protected].
*Watch the full interview at this link: youtube.com/watch?v=oFy1e2S9fyE
COPYRIGHT 2026
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
Comments | |
| Sorry, there are no comments at this time. |