Year in Pictures | Columbia College Report

The Annual Report

From July 2012 to June 2013

August 27

The College welcomed the Class of 2016 at Convocation. More than 100 alumni participated in the annual Alumni Parade of Classes, which ushers the newest Columbians into the community.

August 29

Community Development’s New Student Orientation Program culminated with Community Forum, an event that brings together first-year students from all four Columbia undergraduate schools. The event honors Columbia's history and ends with a surprise celebration on Low Plaza for the classes.

September 7

Community Development hosted the annual Activities Day, which connects students with more than 250 student organizations. Students learned about how to engage with the myriad clubs on campus, including Club sports and Community Impact.

September 14

More than 620 students attended the Center for Career Education's inaugural open house, which featured an employer relations station, power half-hours on the job/internship search, an internship station and quick meetings with career counselors.

September 20

Columbia received a grant from the Mellon Foundation to develop new programs abroad and hire new faculty who teach courses with a global component.

September 21

The Center for Career Education's Fall Career Fair drew more than 120 employers and more than 1,000 students to discuss internships and full-time positions in more than 30 industries.

September 28

More than 50 programs were represented at the Office of Global Program's annual Study Abroad Fair in Lerner Hall.

October 2

Terry Plank, a professor of earth and environmental sciences, and Maria Chudnovsky, an associate professor of industrial engineering and operations research at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, were awarded MacArthur Foundation “genius” grants.

October 12

Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz ’62, ’66 P&S, a professor at the Duke University Medical Center and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors. He shared the prize with Dr. Brian K. Kobilka, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

October 17

The Kenneth Cole [P'10; (far left)] Community Engagement Program brought Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker (far right) to campus to empower Columbia students to get involved with their local communities. Ten College students were selected this year as Kenneth Cole Fellows.

October 24

Columbia University raised $6.8 million in 24 hours during the inaugural Giving Day Challenge. The College led the charge, raising $1.28 million from 900 donors and secured $98,000 in matching funds. Photo: Courtesy Columbia University Office of Alumni and Development

October 25

Famed Columbian Jacques Barzun ’27 passed away at 104. A distinguished teacher, historian, educator, cultural critic and University administrator, Barzun taught Contemporary Civilization for more than 30 years and was a driving force behind the creation of “Humanities A,” which became Literature Humanities.

November 6

Barack Obama ’83 was reelected President of the United States of America. Photo: Courtesy The White House

November 15

University Trustee Jonathan D. Schiller ’69 (second from right) is awarded the Alexander Hamilton Medal, the College’s highest honor, for distinguished service to the school. Attendees pledged more than $850,000 for financial aid at the 2012 Alexander Hamilton Award Dinner.

November 18

Students from the School of the Arts performed Oedipus the King for all Literature Humanities students. Above, a costume study for Sophocles' Oedipus Rex by Paolo Veronese, c. 1585. Photo: Courtesy Columbia University. Cocke, Richard, Veronese's drawings : a catalogue raisonne / Richard Cocke. 415 p., [12] p. of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm., London : Sotheby, c. 1984

November 30

Columbia students celebrated the annual Tree Lighting and Yule Log ceremony with a capella music, hot beverages and remarks by Dean James J. Valentini.

February 7

The annual Dean's Scholarship Reception brought together more than 100 donors and more than 400 students to celebrate financial aid and scholarships. Columbia College’s financial aid policies are among the most inclusive in the country and help ensure that all students can attend Columbia College regardless of their families’ financial situations.

February 11

Dean James J. Valentini was interviewed by Jonathan Abbott '84, president and CEO of WBUR Boston, at a Columbia College event at the Boston public radio station. Valentini also traveled to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco to meet with alumni, parents, friends and future students. Photo: Courtesy Columbia College Alumni Affairs and Development

March 4

Photo: © Columbia University, Media Center for Art History

March 6

Four distinguished College alumni – Thomas Cornacchia ’85, Katori Hall ’03, Michael Schmidtberger ’82 and George Yancopoulos M.D., Ph.D. ’80 – were presented 2013 John Jay Awards for distinguished professional achievement. The awards were presented at the annual John Jay Awards Dinner by Dean James J. Valentini and current John Jay Scholars.

March 7

Community Impact honored University Trustee Michael B.Rothfeld ’69 (second from left) with the “Making a Difference Service Award” for his support of Community Impact’s programs throughout Upper Manhattan.

March 11

More than 500 students attend Media Networking Night, which offers the opportunity to connect with more than 300 employers and alumni.

March 21

Dean James J. Valentini met alumni, parents, friends and future students at events in London and Paris. In Paris, he was interviewed by Gregory Viscusi '85 and introduced by Madeleine Jensen '12. In London, he was interviewed by Albert Scardino ’70. Photo: Courtesy Columbia College Alumni Affairs and Development

April 13

The annual Columbia spring concert series Bacchanal celebrated the end of the school year and brought together the entire student community. The spring 2013 concert featured artists Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

April 14

The women’s tennis team earned its first Ivy League Championship thanks to a win against Princeton.

April 18

At the request of Dean James J. Valentini, the Columbia College Committee on Instruction and the Educational Planning and Policy Committee conducted a review of “Frontiers of Science.” Following their recommendation, Valentini appointed a committee to develop a new science course for the Core. Professor Stuart J. Firestein (above) is a professor of biological sciences and a member of the review committee.

April 24

Leah Friedman ’13, a Russian literature and culture major from New York, was named valedictorian. Yoshiaki Ko ’13, a neuroscience and behavior major from California, was named salutatorian.

April 26

More than 200 alumni, students, parents and faculty commemorated the 75th anniversary of Literature Humanities at a panel discussion in Low Library. Afterward, current and former students gathered in rooms around the University for Lit Hum discussions and to discuss the significance of the Core in their lives.

May 1

In response to the “A Million Reasons to Give” challenge, 2,478 College alumni made a gift in April to the Columbia College Fund and secured the full $1 million matching gift. Photo: Courtesy Columbia University Office of Alumni and Development

May 4

Columbia Baseball won the Ivy League Championship with a doubleheader sweep against Dartmouth.

May 8

The Columbia College Student Council’s Academic Awards Committee presented the 2013 Mark Van Doren Award to Nicholas Dames, the Theodore Kahan Professor of Humanities and chair of the Department of English and Comparative Literature, and the Lionel Trilling Award to Boris Gasparov, the Boris Bakhmeteff Professor of Russian and East European Studies. Alan Timberlake, professor of Slavic languages and director of the Institute of East Central Europe, accepted on Gasparov’s behalf. Here, former Columbia Colleg

May 21

Cheered on by family, friends, faculty and alumni, and with encouraging words from Dean James J. Valentini and Class Day speaker Terrence McNally ’60, the Class of 2013 celebrated its graduation.

May 21

The Class of 2013 Senior Fund raised more than $25,000, the most in Columbia College history, with donations from approximately 750 students. Here, Dean James J. Valentini poses with the Executive Committee at the fund's kickoff event.

May 30

More than 4,000 alumni returned to campus to celebrate Alumni Reunion Weekend and Dean’s Day, enjoying class lunches and dinners, cultural events throughout New York City, Mini-Core Courses and Affinity Receptions, among other activities.

June 25

Columbia Experience Overseas intern Ben Harris ’14 (far right) and other students met with Secretary of State John Kerry and others at the India-U.S. Higher Education Dialogue in June in New Delhi. The CEO program expanded into Mumbai during summer 2013, bringing the total number of countries that offer international internships to seven. CEO interns gain valuable international work experience and connect with alumni mentors while abroad.

June 30

The Columbia College Fund raised a record $17.3 million from 11,908 donors.