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 books by members of the Columbia community are featured in Buzzfeed’s ”29 Summer Books You Won't Be Able To Put Down”.
Visual Arts Alumna Xiaoshi Vivian Vivian Qin ’15 currently has works in two galleries: How Do We Begin at X Museum in Beijing, China, and Next Act: Contemporary Art from Hong Kong at Hong Kong’s Asia Society.
Chosen, a pilot directed by alumnus Daniel Fermín Pfeffer '18, written and produced by alumnus Michael Goitanich '18, and produced by alumna Ewing Luo '18, was selected to screen as part of the Independent Pilot Competition at SeriesFest's Virtual Film Festival. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, the festival has shifted to a virtual edition taking place from June 18 to June 24 2020.
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality, the new documentary by Professor of Professional Practice Trey Ellis just won a Peabody Award.
Theatre alumna Ashley Tata '12 launched her livestream production of Mad Forest, a co-production of Theater for a New Audience and the Fisher Center at Bard College. The show played online three times between May 22 and May 27 with quarantined Bard acting students from 14 remote locations via Zoom.
The Brooklyn-based gallery Kunstraum LLC presents work from alumna Nadja Verena Marcin ’10 at the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) FAIR. The FAIR is a new art fair initiative designed to be entirely online, function cooperatively, and act as a benefit for NADA’s community of galleries, nonprofits and artists. According to NADA, “A percentage from each sale made from FAIR will directly benefit all participating galleries and artists. In addition, a percentage of each sale will go towards supporting NADA for their efforts in producing FAIR, their continued work…
Due to the global pandemic, the Cannes Film Festival did not take place under its usual conditions from May 12 to May 23 this year, but that didn’t stop the organizers from revealing its 2020 lineup. Four films by Columbia filmmakers are listed among the 56 movies chosen for the Official Selection picked out of a total of 2,067 feature films submitted.
Alumnus Cyrée Jarelle Johnson ’19 won the Lambda Literary Award in Gay Poetry with their book Slingshot.
Work by alumna Vesna Pavlović ’07 is currently included in Viral Self-Portraits, an online exhibition organized by the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Current Writing student Taylor Michael was selected as the inaugural A Public Space Editorial Fellow. This new fellowship for aspiring editors aims to support the next generation of editorial talent and encourages a more diverse publishing community. She was chosen among almost 200 applications and began her work in March.
The spring 2020 end-of-semester show for undergraduates is now online.
Two Columbia artists are featured in All at Once, an online exhibit hosted by the Fridman Gallery in New York.