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
Meet the Makers is an ongoing interview series highlighting current Columbia University School of the Arts Film Program students and faculty.
Alumna Bora Kim ‘11 recently released her first feature film, House of Hummingbird. Kim is the writer, director, and co-producer of the film, which had its world premiere this month at the Busan International Film Festival, a major Asian film festival. House of Hummingbird has been met with praise and won the Audience Award as well as the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award.
Alumna Nadja Verena Marcin '10 was recently included in an exhibition from September 17 through October 12 at Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. The exhibition included all entrees for the Climate Change Action Award, “an annual series of events that showcase artists creating climate-inspired public works and actions,” according to the website.
Meet the Makers is an ongoing interview series highlighting current Columbia University School of the Arts Film Program students and faculty.
Ryan Craver is a Film Directing student from North Carolina, currently in his fourth year.
Film alumni Barbara Cigarroa '18, Ellie Foumbi '17 and current student Johnson Cheng were selected at this year’s New York Film Festival’s Artist Academy. The Artist Academy, in its eighteenth edition, is “an immersive four-day program for filmmakers early in their careers. Tapping into both the Lincoln Center and New York film communities, the private four-day program is comprised of talks, workshops, and screenings” as stated in the press release by the festival’s website.
Fiction alumna and professor Sigrid Nunez '75 is longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award for fiction for her latest novel The Friend, and poetry alumna Diana Khoi Nguyen '12 is longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award for poetry for her book Ghost Of.
Meet the Makers is an ongoing interview series highlighting current Columbia University School of the Arts Film Program students and faculty.
The Alumni Spotlight is a place to hear from the School of the Arts alumni community about their journeys as artists and creators.
The Alumni Spotlight is a place to hear from the School of the Arts alumni community about their journeys as artists and creators.
Fiction alumna Rachel Kushner '01 has been shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize for her novel The Mars Room.