Zeke Bernstein, vice president of strategic initiatives and dean of the college at Bennington College, shared insights on the school’s recently launched adult summer program. The responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
U.S. News: The adult summer program runs about a week, offering sessions on artificial intelligence, painting and writing. What went into choosing the topics and crafting the program? Are there plans to expand the subjects or the length?
Zeke Bernstein: The selected topics – artificial intelligence, landscape painting and writing – reflect both faculty expertise and areas of contemporary relevance.
- Each course combines technical or creative skill-building with broader conceptual inquiry, which aligns with Bennington’s interdisciplinary approach.
- The AI course, for example, explores not just technology, but also creativity and ethics.
- The painting and writing intensives emphasize observation, interpretation and cultural meaning.
- Each one reaches a sweet spot between Bennington’s strengths and what people want to learn.
Right now, the focus is on offering tightly structured, weeklong intensives that balance depth with accessibility for busy adult learners. Based on how it goes, the program length and subjects could expand in the coming years.
Courtesy of Bennington College
U.S. News: Most college summer programs focus heavily on high school students. What made Bennington College turn its attention to adult learners?
Bernstein: Bennington saw an opportunity to serve adults who are curious, self-directed and eager to engage deeply with ideas and creative practice.
By opening its campus to adult students, Bennington is extending that ethos beyond its traditional undergraduate population and creating space for lifelong learners to immerse themselves in rigorous, creative study.
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U.S. News: What is the goal of the program, and what do you hope learners – and potentially other institutions – take away from it?
Bernstein: The goal is to create an intensive, immersive experience where adult learners can think, make and explore alongside expert faculty in a focused, collaborative environment.
- The program is designed, in just one week, to deepen participants’ creative and intellectual practices while also fostering meaningful dialogue around art, technology and culture.
- More broadly, Bennington hopes to demonstrate the value of short-form, high-impact learning experiences for adults.
This is a model that other institutions might adopt to expand access to continuing education in flexible and substantial ways.
