KINGSTON — Michael Atkin doesn’t have a good memory of his time in college studying philosophy. “The professor hated me and I just didn’t get it,” he said.

Atkin, 65, fared better at computers, a skill that led him to several well-compensated tech jobs. That was until he was caught in a downward spiral about 10 years ago. A layoff, a divorce and a 42-day jail stint later, Atkin found himself living on the streets in Kingston. But his love for reading remained alive, and over the years, he would devour newspapers and books on politics and the economy.

Atkin had been unhoused for two years until his name came up on the lottery to move into Kingston’s Landmark Place, a supportive housing project for seniors built by the nonprofit RUPCO. That’s where, during a conversation with his neighbor, he heard about Bard College’s Clemente Course in the Humanities.

The program offers free, accredited humanities courses to disadvantaged adults who, over the course of nine months, learn about U.S. history, writing, literature, philosophy and art history through twice-weekly class discussions, readings and written assignments. The aim is to build critical thinking skills and self-advocacy.

Atkin was intimidated at first — he hadn’t been in school in decades. But he gave it a try and soon found himself looking forward to the weekly Zoom meetings, learning with others and becoming more himself in the process.

Atkin is now one of Clemente’s most recent graduates.

It took a little bit of courage. I said, ‘I failed once at this. I don’t know, we’ll see what happens.’ But these professors teach right under these banners that read ‘education is a human right’ and that dictates the way they approached us,” he said. “I went in with very high hopes and in fact, I couldn’t have even imagined how great it would be.”

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