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
Two Columbia films are among those selected as juried award winners of the 2021 Palms Springs International Shortfest Festival.
Writing alumnus Dennard Dayle ’17 recently sold his debut book, Everything Abridged, at auction to Overlook Press. The collection of stories will be released in Spring 2022.
Writing Alumnus Eduardo Martinez-Leyva '15 has been selected as a 2021-2022 Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center Fellow. With the help of this prestigious fellowship, Martinez-Leyva will live and work at the Fine Arts Work Center for a period of seven months beginning in October of 2021.
Family Style, an Asian foodie series directed and produced by alumna Marie Jamora '05, is now streaming on HBO Max.
Behind the D4 is an interview series about the D4 films made by Film MFA Program students. After completing their Directing IV coursework, each student is required to direct a short final project, called the “D4 Film.” Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, films that would have been filmed during the Summer of 2020, began shooting in September 2020.
Courtroom 3H, a feature documentary directed by alumnus Antonio Méndez Esparza ‘08, will be part of the official selection at AFI Docs 2021.
Work by Visual Arts alumna Clare Koury '20 is currently available for viewing in a new exhibition at Miriam Gallery, There was earth in them, and they dug. The exhibition will be open until August 8, 2021.
National Queer Theatre recently announced that Theatre alumnus Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko '09 is one of two inaugural New Vision Fellows.
Emergency Contact, a new feature film written by alumni Rory Haines '11 and Sohrab Noshirvani '12, will go into production for Warner Bros in the coming weeks.
Writing alumna Catherine Lacey '10 recently won the 2021 NYPL Young Lions Award for her novel, Pew. This prestigious award is given annually to an American writer aged 35 or younger for an outstanding novel or collection of short stories, and the award carries a monetary prize of $10,000. This year's judges were authors Hernan Diaz and Emma Straub, and critic Yahdon Israel.
Work by Visual Arts alumna Joan Linder '96 is available for viewing in Slightly Surreal Suburbia, an exhibition at Cristin Tierney Gallery, starting June 18, 2021. Linder's work appears alongside paintings by Maureen O'Leary in this two-person exhibition, which will run until August 6, 2021.
Leylak, written and produced by Mustafa Kaymak '14, associate produced by Mark Castillo '18, and executive produced by Sola Fasehun '15, was named the winner of the 2021 Special Jury Mention Award in the shorts category of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival.