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
Assistant Professor of Visual Arts, Adama Delphine Fawundu ’18 has been awarded one of three CatchLight Fellowships. Established in 2017, these fellowships seek to foster an international community of visual artists who are committed to expanding the social footprint of multimedia storytelling.
It was Saturday September 17, 2022, and Columbia alumni Kamari Carter ’19 and Julian Day ’20 were performing their collaborative sound and light piece, To Be Held (2022) as part of Hyphen Hub’s Salon series.
Sound Art alumnus Kamari Carter ’18 recently presented I know I’ve hurt you, I’m sorry, (2022), an installation art piece at the University of Rhode Island as part of the exhibition, Just Good Food.
Two films from Columbia filmmakers will screen at the Metrograph as part of The Short List: NYC Film School Showcase. They are: Egúngún (Masquerade), written and directed by Olive Nwosu '21 and Tropicalía, written and directed by Rodney Llaverias '20.
The British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA) recently announced the cohorts of its various 2022 programs and several Columbia filmmakers have been selected to join the academy’s prestigious ranks.
All the Lies They Did Not Tell, a work of true-crime by Pablo Trincia and translated from the Italian by alumna Elettra Pauletto ’17, was recently published by Amazon Crossing.
For the second directing thesis production presented at Lenfest this fall, Jorge Schultz presents Asphyxia, a poetic psychological thriller that follows a detective receiving inpatient treatment after the serial killer murdered his partner and takes the heart away.
Playwriting alumni Zizi Majid ’20 and Julián Mesri ’20 have been named Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellows for 2022-2023.
In this series, we catch up with Columbia filmmakers who have recently graduated to chat about their time in the Film Program, what they’re doing now, and their goals for the future. This week, we spoke with alumna Ida Yazdi ’22.
Two projects from Columbia filmmakers took home prizes at the 2022 Gotham Awards.
A new book by Directing alumnus Colin Campbell ’96, called Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose, is set to be released March 14, 2023 by Penguin Random House.
Dog on Fire, the nineteenth book (and seventh novel) by Terese Svoboda ’78 will be released in early 2023 from Flyover Fiction, University of Nebraska Press.