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
Dead Weight: Essays on Hunger and Harm (Knopf, 2024), a debut essay collection by Writing alumna Emmeline Clein ’22, begins by asking the reader: “Have you ever seen a girl and wanted to possess her?”
Winners of the 96th Academy Awards were announced last night, and projects by Columbia filmmakers took home awards.
Visual Arts alumna Anna Ting Möller ’23 is currently showcasing her solo exhibition, grafting, for that which grows and that which bars, at Tutu Gallery.
Ghina Fawaz is an MFA student in the Theatre Program at School of the Arts. When she isn’t creating her own dramatic projects at Columbia, she is most likely in the audience at one of countless productions that take place all over the city.
Writing alumna Terese Svoboda '78 has recently published The Long Swim (MIT Press, 2023), a compelling collection of stories exploring womanhood and humanity that was awarded the Juniper Prize for Fiction last year.
Climate change has been in our cultural discourse for decades, with artists often wielding their work to bring people’s attention to the state of the environment. Director and playwright Adam Marple ’10 is taking this idea to the next level, along with longtime collaborator, playwright Steven Gaultney ’11.
Alumni Spotlights is a place to hear from the School of the Arts alumni community about their journeys as artists and creators.
Winners of the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards were announced last week, and several Columbia filmmakers brought home major awards.
Rankine read from her new work-in-progress ‘Triage’ and discussed the current political moment.
Theatre alumna Cha Ramos '21, a fight directing specialist, brings her expertise to the Broadway stage in the highly anticipated musical adaptation of Sara Gruen's critically acclaimed bestseller, Water for Elephants, which premiered on February 24, 2024 at the Imperial Theatre.
The 74th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival came to a close last weekend, and two films by School of the Arts filmmakers won big at the festival.
Writing alumna Meg Matich ’15 has translated Ásta Sigurðardóttir's Nothing To Be Rescued (Nordisk Books, 2023), introducing her stories to English-speaking readers for the first time.