What Did Your Peers Think?
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Kiara Peña ’26"Coming back early to Bard might sound intense, but it is totally worth it! For me, a highlight was definitely the networking events and preparing an elevator pitch. I had never done any kind of networking before, and now I feel more prepared to enter the workforce after finishing college." – Kiara Peña ’26 -
Nathan Cho ’24“It is worth preparing, especially if you are a junior or senior. It’s a really good time, right before the semester starts, to think about how you can start to plan your post-Bard life.” – Nathan Cho ’24 -
Jayla Smith ’23“Going into BardWorks, I thought, “I'm not ready to do this because I don't actually know exactly where I want to be or what I want to be doing”. But clearly, as I started to look at what the programming was going to be, I realized that that was a big focus of the program. It was really helpful to have that lens of mindfulness immediately a big part of the process.” — Jayla Smith ’23
Past Speaker Highlights
Erin Law ’93, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley
Erinn J. Law is an executive director at Morgan Stanley and has global responsibility for the firm’s pro bono program, through which Morgan Stanley employees provide thousands of hours of free legal services annually.
Erin Law ’93, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley
After graduating from Bard, where she studied psychology and was one of the founders of BRAVE, Erin taught special education in rural Louisiana through Teach For America. At Tulane Law School, Erin began providing pro bono services to survivors of domestic violence. She has been recognized by her peers for her unwavering commitment to pro bono work and received the American Bar Association’s highest honor to pro bono practitioners in private practice, the Pro Bono Publico Award.
Harry A. Johnson, Jr. '17, Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company
Harry A. Johnson, Jr. is a Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company and the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Brothers@, a dual-beneficiary high-school retention and college-persistence organization serving young men of color across more than five states.
Harry A. Johnson, Jr. '17, Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company
Harry’s work spans strategy, education transformation, and community-centered leadership. From 2022 to 2023, he served as Director of Transformation at Delaware State University, where he led institution-wide transformation following the first-ever acquisition of a Predominantly White College by a Historically Black College or University. Before this role, he worked as a Business Analyst at McKinsey, consulting on public and social-sector institutions and organizations.
In 2017, Harry was awarded the prestigious Watson Fellowship, receiving funding to design and lead a year-long international project focused on community-led development and scaling grassroots initiatives. He has also held a fellowship with the U.S. Department of State, deepening his commitment to public service and global engagement.
A dedicated advocate for education access, equity, and leadership development, Harry has been recognized with numerous awards and scholarships, the Allstate/NABC Good Works Team honor, and multiple academic and civic scholarships. He is a sought-after speaker on topics such as community impact, persistence pathways, and social innovation.
Harry earned his MBA from Columbia Business School and holds a BA in Sociology from Bard College, where he began shaping his commitment to mentorship, systems change, and youth empowerment.
Jasmin Graham, Executive Director at Mid-Hudson Energy Transition
Jasmine Graham is the Executive Director of Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, leading initiatives to empower communities through renewable energy ownership, healthier buildings, and community wealth-building.
Jasmin Graham, Executive Director at Mid-Hudson Energy Transition
She serves on New York City’s Sustainability and Climate Mobilization Advisory Boards, co-chaired the Hospital Working Group for Local Law 97, and is a 2022 Clean Energy Leadership Institute Fellow. Jasmine is pursuing an MBA in Sustainability at Bard College and is a Founding Member of the Trust for Public Land’s Next Gen Steering Committee.
Jasmine holds a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont. Outside of her professional work, she’s a scuba diver, volunteer rugby coach, an occasional poet, and a dedicated plant and puppy parent.
Mia McCully '07, Director of Talent Acquisition, The Rockefeller Foundation
Mia McCully is Director of Talent Acquisition at The Rockefeller Foundation, where she has led the recruitment and hiring strategy for the organization’s global teams since 2022.
Mia McCully '07, Director of Talent Acquisition, The Rockefeller Foundation
The BardWorks Team
BardWorks is made possible through the generous support of Bard’s devoted community of donors, families, and alumni/ae. The BardWorks committee, a collaborative initiative of several departments, including the Career Development Office (CDO), the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), and the Office of Development and Alumni/ae Affairs (ODAA), extends its sincere gratitude to all who have contributed to making this program possible.
- Erin Cannan, Vice President for Civic Engagement
- Maureen Aurigemma, Director of Career Development
- Jane Brien ’89, Director of Alumni/ae Affairs
- Mackie Siebens ’12, Assistant Director of Development for Family Programs
- Tyler Williams ’19, MAT ’21, Assistant Director of Alumni/ae Affairs
- Elena Sniezek, Assistant Director, Career Development
- Teresa Mandrin, Alumni/ae Engagement Associate
- Dalaina Yamawaki, Communications & Special Events Lead, Career Development
- Jeszack Gammon ’19, Career Adviser, Career Development
- Lisa Kooperman, Pre-Professional Health Adviser, Career Development