Bard College Clemente Program

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Officially referred to as the Bard College Clemente Course in the Humanities, the program is a community-based academics outreach to economically disadvantaged individuals with low expectation of attaining post-secondary (i.e. college-level) education. Initially attempted in urban centers and focusing on minorities, the program has branched to rural areas with the collaboration of local universities.

The services and materials are offered free of charge to the applicants solely on the stipulation that the student will attempt to attend all sessions and try his best. Grading is a non-issue (generally success is pass/fail for the entirety of the course) and focus is thus turned to dialectic (versus didactic) methods, thereby realizing the potential inherent knowledge of adults that have a range of experiences from which to draw. As noted previously, this differs from the "banking" model that treats a knowledge seeker as an empty vessel to be filled by an authority figure.

The purpose of this philanthropy is to imbue the student with a classical palette that serves as a key to venues and references to which he had not previously had knowledge. This puts the Clemente student on fairer ground with those with easier access to the arts and college-prep. Furthermore, the faculty use the course materials to illustrate the underlying causes of poverty and its recidivism in an attempt to reveal a clearer path out of one's undesired circumstances.

These methods strengthen confidence of factual knowledge, but more importantly generate a sense of individual potential and cooperation with fellow human beings with regards to joint accession of enlightenment. The applicable college credit awarded to graduates of the course promotes further education and utilization of newfound worth.

The Bridge Program, which was inspired by the Clemente Program, is currently available to low income adults in Los Angeles.