Clementine Kline ‘25

Hello dear readers of the Bardvark!

My name is Clementine Kline and I will be your editor-in-chief for the next year! I want to take this time to not only introduce myself, but hopefully to introduce everyone reading this to the Bardvark, or at least what it has meant to me. 

When I was a freshman, I spent months ruminating over what my first article for the Bardvark would be about. I overthink almost everything, but this decision felt particularly hard to make. The Bardvark seemed like a sacred piece of Bard culture, filled with effortlessly cool seniors that I was too scared to interact with. How could I possibly create something that measured up to their standards? I had my dreams of starting a theater column, seeing that there was a lack of arts coverage and that was something I knew too much about. But by the time I had picked a musical that I thought I could say something “important” about, I had lost a lot of my inspiration. My motivation was no longer out of curiosity and excitement to share something I loved with my peers but had been consumed by a vision of sophistication and intellect. 

I suppose this wasn’t a unique experience. Of course, the details will change, but I know how intimidating participation can be, especially in a new environment. What I was missing as a freshman was a reminder of who the Bardvark is for. It is not The New York Times, and its audience is not the world at large. It isn’t looking for news according to CNN, but instead news according to you. It’s hard to put into words how special the Bardvark feels without simply saying “Bard” over and over again. What I’m trying to say is that as a part of Bard’s community, there is a place for you and your work here. I’ve read pieces that range from incredibly nuanced takes on global events to the inspection of a suspicious churro store in the neighborhood, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. 

My actual first issue ended up being a wandering essay that broke down a four-note theme from the Sondheim musical “Into the Woods.” I got so into it that I had to write to the then editor-in-chief Emerson Rhodes in a panic to ask if there was a word cap (there isn’t one, if you’re wondering). Much to my surprise, people enjoyed my article, as unofficial and informal as it was. All I had to do was write, and from there I found a community in this group that I had only ever dreamed of looking up to. As I’ve made my way through the ranks with the Bardvark, I’ve witnessed how much work and care goes into keeping the paper running, and I couldn’t be happier to be leading it in my final year here. 

I would like to end as many have before me, by encouraging you to participate in the Bardvark this year! Whether you are a zealous freshman or suffering from a case of early-onset senioritis, I promise there is a place for you. If you are leaping to join or simply just want to say hi, feel free to shoot us an email at bardvark@gmail.com! 

Hope to see you at a meeting this year,

Clementine Kline