AitN: March 2, 2020

On Wednesday, March 4, Columbia College will host the 42nd annual John Jay Awards Dinner, honoring six accomplished College alumni for their distinguished professional achievements. This year’s awardees are Michael Barry ’89 (president and CEO of Ironstate Development); Lanny Breuer ’80, LAW’85 (vice-chair of Covington & Burling); Anna Fang ’04 (partner and CEO of ZhenFund); Poppy Harlow ’05 (anchor of CNN Newsroom); Wanda Marie Holland Greene ’89, TC’91 (head of school at The Hamlin School); and Victor Mendelson ’89 (co-president of HEICO Corp.). The dinner raises money for the College’s John Jay National Scholars Program, which provides financial aid and special programming to enhance the academic and extracurricular experiences of outstanding students.

Jodi Kantor ’96 (left) and Megan Twohey

Martin Schoeller

On February 19, the New York Public Library announced the five finalists for the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. Among the works is She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement, written by Jodi Kantor ’96 and Megan Twohey; the winner (who receives a $15,000 prize) will be announced on Tuesday, April 28.

Tony Kushner ’78’s musical Caroline, or Change (Kushner wrote the book and lyrics, the score is by Jeanine Tesori) is being revived in a new Off-Broadway production at Studio 54; the original production first debuted Off-Broadway in 2003. Performances begin March 13.

Publisher Charles Miers ’80 and his imprint, Rizzoli, are being honored by the Institute of Classical America Architecture with the 2020 Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition. From the press release: “Since 2001, Charles Miers has been the publisher of Rizzoli New York, responsible for the acquisition, editorial direction, and commercial success of all books published under the Rizzoli, Universe, Skira-Rizzoli and Rizzoli Electa (museum publications), Welcome (travel and Americana), and Rizzoli Ex Libris (literary nonfiction) imprints, now approximately 175 new titles per year. As the publisher of Rizzoli New York, he is an officer and VP of Rizzoli International Publications and president of Rizzoli Electa. Over his 29-year tenure at Rizzoli, Charles has dramatically expanded Rizzoli’s program of books in interior design, art, fashion, photography, and contemporary culture, while strongly reinforcing and cultivating a long-standing program of books on contemporary and historic architecture ....” The ceremony will be held on Monday, May 4, at the University Club of New York.