Celebrating our Newest Engineers

Columbia University’s campus has been brought to life for the fall semester, as students, faculty, and staff welcomed new students into the Columbia community. In the weeks leading up to the first day of classes, orientation helps new students prepare for their upcoming academic journey at Columbia. 

Graduate Welcome Day

Columbia Engineering began the orientation season Aug. 21 with Graduate Welcome Day by ushering in a new cohort of graduate students to campus. Cheered on by the welcome crew, students kicked off the day by participating in activities such as “Guess that Song,” an annual icebreaker tradition with exclusive prizes for the winners.

Columbia Engineering Dean Shih-Fu Chang participated in the festivities by jumping in for a selfie with students. Dean Chang and Senior Vice Dean of Academic Programs Barclay Morrison also gave away Columbia Engineering merchandise to a few lucky students. 

Move-in Day and Convocation

In partnership with Columbia College and Undergraduate Student Life, Columbia Engineering gave a warm welcome to 1,806 undergraduate students on Aug. 23 for Move-In Day. Led by the New Student Orientation Program (NSOP), students are given resources to help their transition from high school to college. After the rush of moving into their residence halls, students attended the Aug. 24 Convocation led by Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett and Dean Chang. Each year, this event serves as the formal welcome ceremony for new students at both the College and the Engineering School. 

“We have been anticipating the arrival of our newest students for a long time and were thrilled to welcome them to campus for their orientations and Convocation,” said Dean Chang. “Our community thrives because of the enthusiasm, passion, and curiosity of our students.”

Academic Assembly

Columbia Engineering’s Academic Assembly held Aug. 27 marked the start of the academic journey for the engineering Class of 2029. Also known as the “Beanie Ceremony,” students receive a custom “Class of 2029” beanie as a part of a longstanding tradition. “First-years in the engineering school had to wear their beanies all year until they weren't first-years anymore,” said Vice Dean Morrison. “We won't make you do that, though. Wear them today. Maybe hold on to them, pull them out at graduation. It'll be a fun memento of your time here.”

The assembly also featured remarks from Assistant Professor of Computer Science Brian A. Smith, recent alum Alex Moreno BS’23, MS’24, and the Engineering Student Council President Janie Zhang BS’26. They each offered words of advice for the first-year students. 

“Columbia presents so many opportunities for you to discover your niche, but you have to take advantage of them to reap the rewards,” said Moreno, who was the School’s 2023 Campbell Award recipient. “I wouldn't be where I am today without approaching every day with curiosity and the motivation to learn more about what I could do with my education.” 

“[Engineering for Humanity] means that we as engineers have a responsibility to the planet and the people we build for,” advised Zhang as she closed off the assembly. “In practice, it looks like staying informed, being curious, asking hard questions – even if you might not know or like the answer –  and most of all, staying empathetic.” 

The day before Academic Assembly, Columbia Engineering also welcomed transfer and combined plan students to campus in a special ceremony. 

Caption:  Columbia Engineering Dean Shih-Fu Chang and Senior Vice Dean of Academic Programs Barclay Morrison III take a selfie with new graduate students. 

Credit: Tim Lee Photography/Columbia Engineering