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
Acting alumnus Isaiah Dòdó-Williams ’22 has been selected as part of the 2024 Disney Television Discovers: Talent Showcase.
The results of the 2024 Tony Awards have been announced, and several projects involving the work of Columbia theatre artists are among the winners.
Writing alumna E.J. Koh ’13 has won the 2024 NYPL Young Lions Award for her novel, The Liberators (Tin House Books, 2023).
Acting alumna Amber Chardae Robinson ’15 appears as a series regular on Apple TV’s Palm Royale, which premiered in March, 2024 and has just been renewed for a second season this month.
Theatre alumnus Jeremy Blocker ’08 is leaving New York Theatre Workshop this summer to join Audible as their new head of live creative producing, the leading creator and provider of audio storytelling.
Writing alumna Kimberly King Parsons ’10 has published her debut novel, We Were the Universe. The novel is an exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, friendship, marriage, psychedelics, and the many strange, transcendent shapes love can take.
Stage Management alumna Rachel A. Zucker ’17 has been announced as the production stage manager for the Broadway transfer of Max Wolf Friedlich’s play Job.
Playwriting alumna Maria Alexandria Beech ’07 (GS ’98) will see her latest screenplay, Constance, transition from page to screen this summer.
Several School of the Arts alumni have been nominated for the inaugural 2024 Gotham TV Awards, celebrating excellence in television across various categories.
First-year Visual Arts student Rama Ghanem has been awarded a summer research fellowship through the Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life.
Writing Alumna Jackie Thomas-Kennedy '06 has sold her debut novel, The Thirteenth Wife, to Viking.
Power, a film edited and co-written by Adjunct Assistant Professor Ian Olds ’06, recently premiered at the IFC Center and is now available for streaming on Netflix.