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
Writing alum Kevin Wang '22 published his translation of Terao Tetsuya's Spent Bullets with HarperVia on October 14, 2024.
Film alum Mounia Akl '17 has directed three episodes of Netflix’s show House of Guinness, created by the same team as Peaky Blinders.
Columbia artists in major new Dia Art Foundation commission by Duane Linklater, Duane Linklater: 12 + 2, and its accompanying performance series, buffalounit for bison bison (dance_hum for dirtbath).
Professors Wanda Strauven and Alexandra Schneider showcased children’s cinematic expressions from past and present.
The latest exhibition on view in Columbia University Butler Library's third-floor display cases, Streets Taken, features photographs by prominent New York photojournalist Edward Schwartz from the Butler Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML) alongside new works by MFA Visual Arts student Francisco Javier Ramírez.
Theatre alum Liba Vaynberg has been selected as one of two playwrights for the 2025 Roundabout Underground Playwright Residency.
Tony Award-winning producer and Theatre alum Barbara Whitman '05 is set to receive the James C. Hormel Spirit of Tectonic Award from Tectonic Theatre Project at their annual benefit gala, A Tectonic Cabaret, on Monday October 25, 2025.
For Zefan Wang, SoA ’25, what started out as a casual browse of film festival submission platforms ended with him accepting a trophy bestowed by filmmaker Jon M. Chu.
Playwriting alum Melis Aker '18 has been tapped to write a new Prince biopic The Most Beautiful, in production at Crazy Legs Features.
Fiction alum Karen Russell '06 and Poetry alum Gabrielle Calvocoressi '00 have made the shortlist for the 2025 National Book Award.
Recently appointed Head of Playwriting and Associate Professor James Ijames has co–written the new musical Saturday Church currently on at New York Theatre Workshop.
The Maenads, a new play by Playwriting alum Stephen Foglia '17, is currently playing at The Tank Theater in Midtown, from September 18 to October 12, 2025.