ThirdSpace@ Barnard

This semester is different than we had anticipated, to say the least. At Barnard, we pride ourselves on our ties to New York City, the on-campus community, and our liberal arts curriculum — all of which have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and our inability to gather together, as a community. Even though our semester has been different than we expected, the Barnard community has shown up (online) for each other, by creating and unveiling online programs, introducing a flexible three-semester schedule, and checking in on one another when necessary. One of these programs, ThirdSpace@, has been particularly impactful in connecting students not only with their Barnard community but also with their hometown and New York City communities at large. 

ThirdSpace@ is a collaboration between Barnard’s Athena Center for Leadership; the Office of the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and the Center for Engaged Pedagogy. It brings together Barnard students, experienced guides, and these three departments to have conversations and create meaningful change within our communities, whether that happens virtually, at Barnard, in New York City, or elsewhere. ThirdSpace@ acknowledges that Barnard is not offering the on-campus life we had all hoped for this year while harnessing the opportunity that comes with online learning. The virtual component is, in fact, essential to ThirdSpace@’s programming. All Barnard students can participate in the program, and being spread out allows all of us the opportunity to pursue change throughout the world, looking towards how change looks in different places while connecting with others at Barnard. Especially right now, change on an individual level can feel hard. ThirdSpace@ brings together Barnard students, professors, and faculty looking to make change, and provides them with tools and resources, supported by the people around them, at Barnard and within their other communities. The programming focuses on how to alter our world for the better, in the context of three interconnected challenges. Throughout the year, members of the Barnard community will think through community safety measures that fail to keep all of us safe, inadequate economic safety nets, and access and participation gaps in education. 

ThirdSpace@ is twofold — it includes SPARK and BUILD as part of its virtual programming. Through SPARK, students become ignited by ideas. By watching short videos, engaging in resources, and attending virtual events from changemakers, Barnard students can begin thinking about how to change the world for the better. BUILD brings this learning out into the real world. All Barnard students are eligible to participate in BUILD circles, where they will consider their approach to these challenges and develop a plan for tackling one of the lenses detailed above. The point of BUILD is to utilize the community around you, so Barnard students are encouraged to reach out to local community partners, implement their plan in their community, and bring their findings back to their BUILD circle. Together, BUILD circles consider where they want to act, what they want to change, and with whom they’ll need to act — connecting and discussing the systemic issues on campus and in their communities. 

This semester is different than anything we’ve ever experienced before. However, even in a mostly virtual climate, Barnard community members are engaging and motivating each other to create change within their communities, whether that be on campus, in the city, or their hometowns. At Barnard, we recognize that there is an urgency for change. We know the systems currently in place do not work for us, and through virtual learning and online engagement, we’re trying to make meaningful change where we are growing, healing, and building, supported by the people around us. The ThirdSpace@ program is only one example of how Barnard is adapting and remaining flexible in a virtual environment, but by providing funding to students who collaborate in BUILD circles and appropriately valuing the important work of changemakers, this programming demonstrates the impact of individuals in creating change on a community level.  

-Maya Corral