A Welcome Message from Laila Maher
Dean of Student and Alumni Affairs
Now more than ever it is crucial for artists to be supported as they pursue their craft. The life of an artist as well as that of a student involves much more than the classroom and the work itself, and this is where the Office of Student Affairs comes in. In addition to guiding new students through the process of transitioning to the School of the Arts, we plan the School-wide orientation, School of the Arts Convocation, and support student groups, events, and activities.
We also play a critical role in connecting School of the Arts students to the larger university and necessary services, and help students navigate many of the central offices including Health Services (which houses the Office of Disability Services, Insurance, Immunization, and Counseling and Psychological Services), Columbia Residential, Public Safety, University Life, the International Students and Scholars Office, and the Registrar's Office. Our office also helps to uphold many of the School and University-wide policies and we manage the School’s disciplinary procedures.
The Artists’ Resource Center, also part of our Office, maintains information on funding opportunities and career resources for students and alumni at the Columbia University School of the Arts, and provides consultations to students and alumni to help them look for professional development opportunities and more.
After graduation, the Office of Alumni Affairs provides more than 7000 alumni artists, creators, and leaders with opportunities to stay connected with the School of the Arts, the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA), and one another through alumni programming, benefits, a monthly newsletter, and collaborations with CAA Arts Access.
Our ultimate goal is to support our students and alums while they pursue their education as valued members of our dynamic community and as they navigate their time after graduation.
Student & Alumni News
Visual Art alum Linnéa Gad '22 presents her latest exhibit, Breath is Everywhere, alongside the work of the renowned Chinese sculptor Liu Shiming (1926-2010) at the gallery created in his honor, the Liu Shiming Art Foundation.
This year, Columbia alums and faculty are prominently featured in the Under The Radar Festival.
Columbia alums picked up several nominations and two awards at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards last night, when Hollywood celebrated the best and brightest of TV and film at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Valeria Contreras '23 has been selected by The National Association of Latino Independent Producers to join Netflix's fifth cohort of its Director Incubator.
MFA Film student Cameron Clay was named one of the four winners of the 7th Annual Focus Features Student Short Film Showcase, part of the Gotham Awards.
Acting alum Dave Register '15 stars in the second season of the Amazon Prime series Fallout, which premiered December 17 with new episodes coming out until mid-February. Register, who plays the role of Chet, was also a part of the first season and is slated to be part of the third season as well.
Don’t Be Late, Myra, a short film by Afia Nathaniel '03, is enjoying a stellar turn on the festival circuit, having won more than twelve awards, including the Oscar-qualifying Best Short Film at the Asian World Film Festival.
Elena Dudum '23 has been awarded a prestigious work-in-progress grant from the Whiting Foundation for her memoir, They Told Me The Way Back Home Would Be Beautiful. The book is forthcoming from One Signal Publishers.
Multidisciplinary Visual Arts alum Kevin Cobb '23 has a new solo exhibition, Optic Nerve, at Turley Gallery in Hudson, New York.
Four films helmed by Columbia alums selected to participate in Film Independent Fast Track program.
Pulitzer prize winner, former poet laureate, Poetry alum, and current professor at Harvard, Tracy K. Smith '97 has published a new book, Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times, with Norton Press.
This Is Who We Are is a series featuring Columbia University School of the Arts’ professors, covering careers, pedagogy, and art-making. Here, we talk with Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theatre Saheem Ali about understanding your why, finding your people, and learning by doing.