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
Columbia Filmmakers are heading to Germany for the 75th Annual Berlinale to compete across several categories.
Founded by Tony Award-winning Adjunct Assistant Professor Cody Renard Richard, the scholarship champions artists of color working in non-performance roles to become the next generation of theatrical leaders.
Sound Art alum Char Jeré recently debuted their solo gallery show, Remembering the Mind: A Study in Progress, at Andrew Kreps Gallery. The show, which rendered a complex relationship between race and technology, was on view January 10–February 1, 2025.
Columbia filmmakers are taking their films to Austin, Texas for the popular South by Southwest Film Festival, held every year to celebrate the hottest innovations in culture, music, film, and technology.
Film and Media Studies alum Kate Saccone '13 has contributed a chapter to Doing Digital Film History: Concepts, Tools, Practices (De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2024), a new book examining how digital technologies have transformed film historical research and teaching practices.
Fiction alum Melora Wolff '87 has released her latest collection, Bequeath, a book of essays out now from LSU Press.
Undergraduate Film alum Jeremy Workman (CC '94) is making headlines with his latest documentary, Secret Mall Apartment, a project that has been nothing short of a sensation in the international film festival circuit.
Visual Arts alum Jeffrey Meris '19 has been awarded a 2025 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Visual Arts from the Vilcek Foundation. The $50,000 prize recognizes immigrant artists, curators, and scientists.
This year’s Sundance Film Festival came to a close on Sunday in Park City, Utah, where Columbia filmmakers saw their projects awarded top honors.
The Sundance Institute has announced its 2025 Screenwriters Lab fellows, with Film alums Chloe Sarbib ’20 and Adjunct Assistant Professor Katla Sólnes ’24 both earning spots in the competitive program.
Directing alum Kim Weild '07 serves as Co-Artistic Lead and Director of The Apothetae Residency at The Public Theater in New York, where she is developing innovative approaches to inclusive theatre-making.
In her latest novel, Don’t Be a Stranger, Susan Minot ’83 explores the fallout from an unlikely affair and its profound impact on her heroine.