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
Director Jamie Lloyd’s minimalist rendition of Sunset Boulevard was one of the most anticipated Broadway openings this season.
Acting alum Rebecca Henderson ’06 has made her Broadway debut in Cult of Love.
Adjunct Assistant Professor Dana Lok ’15 recently opened her second solo exhibition at Miguel Abreu Gallery, As Syllable from Sound.
Assistant Professor of Visual Arts Adama Delphine Fawundu ’18 is presenting her second solo exhibition at HESSE FLATOW gallery, go-slow.
Rev Publishing, founded by Writing alum Jessica Ciencin Henriquez '17, is on a mission to disrupt and redefine the publishing industry with new metrics for success and a determination to put writers at the center of everything they do.
Visual Arts alum Sasha Fishman ’24 is debuting her solo exhibition Resurrectura at Murmurs Gallery in Los Angeles, on view from November 9, 2024 to February 23, 2025.
On a Wednesday afternoon in Kent Hall, a dozen students stand in a circle outside the classroom, eyes closed, arms linked.
In the bustling halls of this year’s Visual Arts + Sound Art Class of 2025 Open Studios Exhibition, second-year Visual Arts and Sound Art students opened their studio doors to the public, showcasing a diverse array of innovative and thought-provoking works.
Visual Arts alum Linnéa Gad ’22 is presenting a new exhibition, Return of the Mollusk, at Astor Weeks. The exhibition delves into the intricate cycles of creation, transformation, and decay found in nature.
Amazon Prime recently announced that Film alum Jonathan Van Tulleken '10 will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the new high-profile limited series, Blade Runner 2099. Created and showrun by fellow Film alum Silka Luisa '11, the series’ production was moved to Prague, Czech Republic after initially being planned for Belfast, Northern Ireland. Production began earlier this year."
Filmmaker and Adjunct Professor at Columbia Climate School, Lydia Dean Pilcher, seeks to bring climate back into the cultural conversation with “Climatic Change: Storytelling Arts, Zeitgeist, and our Future,” an interdisciplinary graduate course in the Climate School, offered jointly with the School of the Arts.
Theatre alum Meropi Peponides ’13 sees dramaturgy everywhere: Netflix specials, budgets for stage productions, political campaigns, venues in Staten Island and the Bronx. “It’s just the way I think,” she said. “It’s not like I can turn off the dramaturgy brain.”