The College’s Enduring Story

This year marks a historic milestone for the Columbia College Alumni Association (CCAA), as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of its founding. Throughout this issue of CCT you will find fascinating glimpses into key moments from the last two centuries of this community’s rich history — and powerful reminders of how College alumni have made their mark on the University and the world, as well as on subsequent generations of students.

It is, of course, no accident that these glimpses of our shared past stand alongside stories of the remarkable work that College alumni are engaged in today — from creating cultural touchstones like FX’s award-winning Shōgun, to building tools that bridge language gaps across global communities. Each is a part of the grand story of our alumni’s work, over centuries, to drive our campus, communities and culture forward. Similarly, the work being done by today’s undergraduates in Morningside Heights, across the country and around the world, is setting the tone for the futures they will shape.

That work, of course, is never finished and educational institutions are, by their very nature, constantly evolving. The College itself and the center of its academic life — the Core Curriculum — are designed to enhance the value of our education for successive generations through an ongoing process of reflection and reassessment. The University, and the society of which it is a part, have developed and adapted in ways unimaginable to prior generations, but our work has continued, and our mission has endured.

We must keep sight of the key elements of that longevity: the people who make this grand experiment possible and worthwhile. Namely, the students we teach and the alumni they become. This virtuous cycle, each drawing inspiration and benefits from the other, is foundational to the meaningful engagement that sustains our community.

Last January, in this space, I introduced the Undergraduate Community Initiative, which is kicking off its second year with a now-annual celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s event features a keynote speech by Ben Jealous ’94 — a former president of the NAACP and the current executive director of the Sierra Club — whose life’s work and recent writings serve as a powerful lens through which our students and community can pause, examine and reflect on our ongoing work to realize our commitments to one another.

The power of this example is why we invite student leaders and scholars to events like the Alexander Hamilton Award and John Jay Awards dinners, why initiatives like the Odyssey Mentoring Program and our incredibly popular alumni-hosted dinners are so important, and why we welcome alumni back to campus to lend their voices and perspectives to issues facing students in the here and now.

Since the CCAA was founded, the work of the College’s alumni community has been defined and carried forward by leaders who understood that the ties of scholarship and shared experience forged among students are far stronger and more enduring than the shifting concerns of the day. And the generations of alumni who followed their example have continued to share in the earnest belief that the College is an enduring and vital force for good in human affairs.

As we enter this new term and this 200th anniversary year, I remain grateful for this community’s enduring spirit and devotion to alma mater. I encourage you to stay engaged with the life of the College, and I look forward to welcoming you back to campus for Columbia Reunion 2025, from Thursday, May 29, to Saturday, May 31.

With respect,

Josef Sorett
Dean of Columbia College and the Henry L. and Lucy G. Moses Professor; Vice President for Undergraduate Education; Professor of Religion and African American & African Diaspora Studies