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
The Venice International Film Festival has announced its lineup for the 78th iteration of the festival, taking place September 1–11, 2021.
Noor Theatre recently announced that alumna Salma S. Zohdi ’16 will join their team as their new Associate Director of Development and Communications.
Cry Back My Sea (Knopf), a new collection of poetry by alumna and former faculty member, Sarah Arvio '83, is now available for pre-order and will be released on August 10, 2021.
Void, a debut collection by Poetry Alumna Alla Vilnyanskaya '18, is available for pre-order from Thirty West Publishing House. The collection is scheduled for release on August 27th, 2021.
Down with the King, produced by Rob Cristiano '13, has been acquired by Visit Films for worldwide distribution.
"Boundaries," a short story by Marianne Vitale translated from the Italian by Writing student Laura Green, has been published in World Literature Today.
Nonfiction student Ye Odelia Lu and Fiction student Lin King are contributors to the Asian American Writers' Workshop's Queer Time: A Special Notebook of Taiwanese Tongzhi Literature, which will launch on July 26, 2021.
"Boundaries," a short story by Marianne Vitale translated from the Italian by Writing student Laura Green, has been published in World Literature Today.
At this weekend's closing ceremony on the stage of the Grand Théâtre Lumière, the jury of the Festival de Cannes gathered to announce the 74th annual winners of this most prestigious film festival. Film alumni Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović '17 and Frank Graziano '18 were awarded the Camera d'Or for Murina, and alumna Jasmin Freitas Tenucci '20 was given a Special Jury Mention for her short film, Céu de Agosto (August Sky).
Acting Alumna Rebecca Henderson '06 is featured in the film Werewolves Within directed by Josh Ruben.
Cosmic Dawn, a film starring Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage) and Camille Rowe (The Deep House) and co-produced by Film alumni Joseph Raso '04 and Mark Raso '12, has been acquired by levelFILM and Cranked Up (an arm of Good Deed Entertainment) for North American distribution.
Naysayer is the new web series developed and produced by a team of alumni.