Dean Josef Sorett shared the following message with Columbia College students, families, alumni and staff on October 25, 2024.

Dear Columbia College Community,

In his epic documentary film on the history of New York City, Ric Burns CC’78 describes the city as “the supreme laboratory of modern life.” As an institution both in and of the City of New York, I like to think that our academic community in Morningside Heights plays no small part in this enduring experiment. And, just as we are bound to New York, so, too, is Columbia College inextricably tied to the currents of global affairs that have been part of the city since it began as a Dutch trading outpost on the frontier of what was described as a new world.

This interplay of local concerns and global currents is reflected in the College and its mission. The Core Curriculum itself was born in response to the global upheaval of the First World War, and many of our institution’s most pressing moments of introspection, realignment and progress have arisen as local and global issues converge. It is both instructive and heartening to remember that in all of these moments Columbia’s character has shown through.

Since I last wrote to you — with a presidential election just nine days away and as our community continues to reflect the world back on itself in our campus’ public forum — I am heartened by our students, alumni, faculty and staff’s collective eagerness to stay engaged with the world, rather than shrinking from it.

• Just last week — as part of the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement’s integration into the broader Columbia Global enterprise — students came out to the Undergraduate Global Opportunities Fair, and continue flocking to information sessions on the array of experiences open to them.
• This morning — at the Undergraduate Research Symposium — the work of students, diverse in background and scholarly interests, was on display as a vivid reminder of the remarkable breadth of global concerns that converge in our classrooms and on our campus.
• This weekend — over Homecoming and Family Days — we welcome alumni and families of students from across the country and around the world to Morningside Heights. Beyond the camaraderie, this weekend always serves as a potent reminder of the College’s global connections and of the distinctive spirit that imbues our campus — particularly for those not immersed in its daily affairs.
• And throughout the month, students filled career fairs and interview prep sessions with the Center for Career Education as they look toward post-graduate life and engagement with the broader world.

No matter what is to come in the weeks ahead, we will continue our work here — asking questions, seeking engagement, celebrating our shared humanity and seizing opportunities for transformative learning and connection.

In words and deeds, I see our community continuing to invest in its great strength — and I hope you are as honored as I am to be a part of it.

With respect,

Josef Sorett
Dean of Columbia College
Vice President for Undergraduate Education