Columbia Reunion 2022

1:00 p.m.
Central Park Mid-Park Tour
Spend the morning visiting some of Central Park’s most notable features, including Strawberry Fields, The Lake, Bow Bridge, Bethesda Terrace, Belvedere Castle and the Ramble. Ken Chaya, a renowned urban naturalist and an instructor of the natural history of birds and insects at the New York Botanical Garden, will lead the tour and discuss the park’s history, architecture and natural features.
$20 per person
Historic Walking Tour
Step into a piece of musical, architectural and civil rights history by exploring the neighborhood that is the center of African-American culture for the United States. The tour stops at such storied locations as the Apollo Theater and Striver’s Row, as well as sites associated with W.E.B. Dubois and Martin Luther King Jr., to showcase the impact Harlem has had, and continues to have, on not only NYC but also the nation.
$25 per person

2:00 p.m.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
This venue has three levels of mind-bending multi-sensory immersive experiences that will forever change the way you view New York at any time of day or night. You’ll have full access to all three indoor and outdoor floors plus: Ascent: a thrilling glass elevator journey that goes above 1,200 ft.
$32.25 per person

2:20 p.m.
The Museum of Modern Art - Self-Guided Visit
Tour this iconic museum on your own terms! Perfect for a solo trip or the whole family, this self-guided tour will make for an extraordinary afternoon of modern and contemporary art.
$20 per person

6:00 p.m.
Engineering Dean’s Alumni Welcome Dinner & Columbia Engineering Alumni Association Awards Presentation
Join all Engineering Reunion classes along with Columbia Engineering alumni for an evening of dinner and cocktails in celebration of the start of Alumni Reunion Weekend! There will be an awards presentation presented by the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association.
General Alumni Ticket: $75, Recent Alumni Ticket: $50

9:00 a.m.
Columbia Engineering Alumni Association & Columbia College Alumni Association Welcome Breakfast
Mingle with friends in this classic, wood-paneled dining hall with an assortment of continental offerings. Fuel up for a day of intellectual programs, conversations with fellow alumni and fun on campus!
$20 per person

10:00 a.m.
Exploring the Jewish Book at Columbia
Enjoy a hands-on tour through Jewish history vis-à-vis Columbia’s Norman E. Alexander Jewish Studies Library Collection. Learn about the world’s third-largest Jewish studies manuscript collection and the great history and stories behind the books donated to Columbia.

10:45 a.m.
Engineering: Smart Cities Frontiers 
With increasing urbanization in America and around the world, urban challenges have become humanity’s challenges. Engineering can play a critical role in addressing these challenges. Already opportunities of new sensing modalities to better understand and manage our cities are hitting their stride to improve efficiencies, safety and performance. But over the horizon an even greater opportunity to overlay and integrate a digital layer with our physical urban system layer offers new channels for improved livability for all through rapidly adaptive urban functionality. Next generation low-latency high-bandwidth communications and edge computing technologies leveraging broader contextual awareness from sensor arrays will be at the heart of this digital layer. Critical to the adoption of a more real-time high-precision driven digital layer with urban functionality is the integration of security, privacy and fairness from inception at this new frontier in data processing from the public domain. 
Contemporary Civilization: Reading Politics…and the Politics of Reading
Contemporary Civilization is a course in reading politics. But it is also simultaneously a course that offers a politics of reading. That is, students and instructors confront texts that carry ideas and expectations about how to read, and how cultivating "good" reading practices informs the cultivation of good politics. That there is a politics (and ethics) to reading embedded in the CC syllabus will come as no surprise to Columbia alumni, whose nostalgia Contemporary Civilization often carries the sense of loss - or maybe sting of guilt! - for not having been able to really "finish the reading." Taking these ideas and shared experiences as a beginning point this lecture and integrated discussion will focus on a number of passages from central CC texts wherein authors make claims for or about reading in order to explore and reflect on their political and ethical implications.  What are the politics of being a good reader (or, a bad reader)? Who can be (or should be) a reader, and how does one cultivate such a self? Where are the fault lines and critiques of the politics of reading in the "western canon, and how has reading "itself" been transformed? What is the role of the “reader” within today’s political climate? This session will not promise to alleviate anyone's guilty feelings for not having finished the reading, but it will enable all Columbia alumni to better understand the roots of these feelings -- and therein to thoughtfully reflect on its ongoing implications. (Authors to be discussed in this lecture may include: Niccolò Machiavelli, Martin Luther, Rene Descartes, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Hannah Arendt, James Baldwin.) 
October 1897: Welcome to Morningside Heights!
Travel 125 years back in time to the groundbreaking of the Morningside Heights campus! This Rare Book and Manuscript Library exhibit and photo slideshow will show you what campus was like on opening day in 1897.

11:00 a.m.
Vertical Tour of Saint John the Divine
Climb 12 stories via spiral staircases to the top of the world’s largest cathedral. Explore its grand architecture, magnificent stained glass windows and beautiful sculptures. The tour culminates on the roof, with its sweeping view of the city.
$16 per person
Yoga with Justin Ifill CC'06
Join a meditative yoga session taught by certified instructor Justin Ifill ’06. The class is suitable for everyone from beginners to professionals, and will guide you through staying balanced while promoting physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

12:00 p.m.
Morningside Heights Campus Tour
Take a guided tour of the Morningside Heights campus to see what’s changed and what remained the same since your student days! The tour will be led by current  students who will share what life at Columbia is like today.

12:30 p.m.
Friday Lunch Under the Tents
It’s time to catch up with friends from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, the School of General Studies and Barnard College! This al fresco buffet lunch on South Lawn will offer a wide array of food, non-alcoholic beverages, beer and wine. Designated areas for each milestone class makes it easy to socialize with classmates. Families are welcome!
Adult Ticket: $30, Child (12 and under) Ticket: $15

1:30 p.m.
Vertical Tour of Saint John the Divine
Climb 12 stories via spiral staircases to the top of the world’s largest cathedral. Explore its grand architecture, magnificent stained glass windows and beautiful sculptures. The tour culminates on the roof, with its sweeping view of the city.
$16 per person

2:00 p.m. 
Engineering Lecture: Crisis Response and Ethics
Helio Fred Garcia, Adjunct Associate Professor of Professional Development and Leadership, will apply the crisis management and risk mitigation principles he teaches in his Leadership and Crisis elective to the US response to COVID-19 in comparison to other nations.
The Life of Aesop: An Ancient Biography of an Enslaved Sage
This Mini-Core lecture will highlight a recent addition to the Lit Hum syllabus: the ancient Greek "Life of Aesop," a biography, from the time of the Aeneid and Gospels, of Aesop, famed as the inventor of the fable.  First mentioned by Herodotus, Aesop was a Phrygian who came to the Greek world as a slave, then achieved his freedom, and was eventually murdered by the jealous residents of Delphi.  The "Life," a text which mirrors the Gospels in many ways, tells the story of how his intellect and resourcefulness helped him survive the conditions of enslavement, earn his freedom, and travel the near east as a sage, stopping along the way to author the animal fables that would make him famous.  In this lecture I will introduce the text and highlight some of its most interesting passages, talk about how it relates to more established texts in the Lit Hum syllabus, and consider how it enables conversations about the nature of the syllabus and literary canon and what we can learn from reading ancient literature.
Music Humanities: New Topics in Music Humanities
The Core Curriculum is one of Columbia's cherished assets, continuously morphing as times change. Each year, multiple debates take place on how the curriculum reflects, and is reflected by, our self-discovery as individuals and a society. The Mini Core lecture in Music Humanities will serve as an introduction of music that has only recently made its way into the syllabus: "Battle of Manassas" by Thomas Wiggins, a blind pianist born into slavery, as well as the African-American spirituals and the variety of their concert arrangements by the Twentieth-century composers: Eva Jessye, H. T. Burleigh, Margaret Bonds, and Florence Price. Concert pianist Magdalena Stern-Baczewska, Director of Columnbia's Music Performance Program and Lecturer in Music, shares these gems of music literature in live performance.
Columbia Campus Drawing Class
Express your creative side with this Columbia-themed drawing class! Participants will gather on campus with the host, The Art Studio NYC, and learn how to recreate iconic campus spots on paper. 
$40 per person

2:45 p.m.
October 1897: Welcome to Morningside Heights!
Travel 125 years back in time to the groundbreaking of the Morningside Heights campus! This Rare Book and Manuscript Library exhibit and photo slideshow will show you what campus was like on opening day in 1897.

3:00 p.m.
Double Discovery Center Alumni Mingle
Do you have fond memories of being a tutor for the Double Discovery Center? Perhaps you were a student of DDC? The Double Discovery Center invites you back to say hello, get a glass of wine, and meet other past mentors, tutors, instructors, and students. 

3:30 p.m. 
1754 Society Member Social - CANCELLED
This event will honor members of the 1754 Society and give attendees the opportunity to learn more about planned gifts to Columbia and membership in the society. Light refreshments will be available.
Admissions 101: From Campus Visit to Mailing Day
The last two and a half years have proven that it’s integral to remain flexible and adaptive, and that’s just what Undergraduate Admissions is doing. Jessica Marinaccio, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions & Financial Aid, will discuss how our Admissions colleagues recruit and select the future Columbians with whom we all work, as well as Admissions in the time of COVID.
Today's Student Experience
Hear what student life is like today, including an overview of the over 500 student organizations and the many rich, community building programs that exist. Aaron Gomes, executive director of Student Engagement, and current student leaders will discuss the work of his team and share perspectives on student life.

4:00 p.m.
Columbia/Barnard Hillel: Jewish Life Alumni Reception
Jewish life on campus has grown significantly through the years, with a larger and more diverse group of students engaged in meaningful and immersive Jewish experiences. Learn about what Jewish life on campus looks like today from Brian Cohen, the Lavine Family Executive Director of Columbia/Barnard Hillel, who will share a few words on “The Changing Landscape of Jewish University Life.” The afternoon will continue with a reception for alumni from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, the School of General Studies and Barnard College.

7:00 p.m.
A Celebration of the Performing Arts at Columbia
Columbia's School of General Studies has long been home to some of the world's leading performing artists. This exciting event will bring together leaders in the arts for a conversation about the importance of creativity during unprecedented times, and the best practices to amplify the role of art and artists in a post-pandemic landscape. Speakers include Alicia Graf Mack '03GS, Dean and Director of Dance at The Juilliard School, and Michael Novak '09GS, Artistic Director of the Paul Taylor Company, and guests will enjoy exclusive performances by student artists. The evening will conclude with a dessert reception.
Ticket prices vary

7:30 p.m.
Chelsea Piers Reception
A new reunion event that is sure to become a favorite! Don’t miss the chance to mingle with classmates at one of Manhattan’s most spectacular venues. Chelsea Piers boasts the city’s largest waterfront venue and is the perfect backdrop for your evening with its floor-to-ceiling views of the Hudson River. 
General Admission Ticket: $100; Recent Alumni (2012-2019) Ticket: $75; Newly Graduated (2020, 2021, 2022) Ticket: $25

8:00 p.m.
Columbia/Barnard Hillel: Shabbat Services and Dinner
Every week, hundreds of students come together at the Kraft Family Center for Jewish Student Life for Shabbat dinner. Share in this joyous Shabbat experience by joining fellow alumni from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, the School of General Studies and Barnard College for a festive family-style dinner. Alumni families are welcome too!
$36 per person

8:00 a.m. 
Riverside Park 5K and Fitness on the Lawns with Columbia Athletics
Break out your running shoes for a Riverside Park 5K, find your center with yoga on the lawns or test your endurance on the rowing machines with Columbia’s trainers. Then enjoy some post-exercise fuel!
Camp Columbia
Children ages 3 to 12 can enjoy a fun, “wacky Olympics” themed day of camp run by Corporate Kids Events and activities with New York Fun Factory . Sessions are available all day and evening, with a break to join family members at Saturday's lunch under the tents. Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided.

9:00 a.m.
Dean’s Breakfast and State of the School Address
All Engineering graduates join Interim Dean Shih-Fu Chang for his State of the School address and  a champagne breakfast to celebrate the induction of the Class of 1972 to the Golden Lions Society and the Class of 1997 to the Silver Lions Society.
$25 per person

12:00 p.m. 
Morningside Heights Campus Tour
Take a guided tour of the Morningside Heights campus to see what’s changed and what remained the same since your student days! The tour will be led by current  students who will share what life at Columbia is like today.

12:30 p.m.
Saturday Lunch Under the Tents
It’s time to catch up with friends from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, the School of General Studies and Barnard College! This al fresco buffet lunch on South Lawn  will offer a wide array of food, non-alcoholic beverages, beer and wine. Designated areas for each milestone class makes it easy to socialize with classmates. Families are welcome!
Adult Ticket: $30; Child (12 and under) Ticket: $15

2:00 p.m.
Engineering Lecture: Integrated Mechanobiology for Women’s Health
Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science is a world leader in engineering innovations in medicine. Uniquely, SEAS is pioneering ways to provide effective and equitable tools to improve women’s health. In this session learn how our engineers design and develop mechanobiology-based tools to diagnose, predict, and treat preterm births and understand healthy exercise for women of all ages.
Lion's Pride: A Panel of Young Alumni Innovators
Hear from several of the young alumni who were featured in Columbia College Today’s Winter 2021–22 issue’s feature “Ones to Watch: The Lion’s Pride Honors.” These alumni are making waves in industries from education to business, to the arts, to science and technology. They are leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs, and they’ll discuss finding paths with purpose that have an impact on their communities and the wider world.

2:15 p.m.
Literature Humanities: "What do I know?" On Montaigne's Nonchalance
This mini-class will discuss Montaigne's Essais - or "experiments" - as both a performance and a defense of partial, subjective knowledge. We'll focus on his Preface to the Reader, "On Repentance," and "On Experience," to consider how nonchalance can be a serious, intellectually rewarding attitude for both writers and readers.
Contemporary Civilization: W.E.B. Du Bois & The Souls of Black Folk
This lecture will include a discussion of W.E.B. Du Bois's classic book, The Souls of Black Folk (1903), opens up a conversation about the range of texts, old and new, and the perennial questions that organize the year long Core course, Contemporary Civilization

2:30 p.m.
Today's Student Journey Panel
Hear from current Columbia College students about their experiences with academics, extracurricular activities and community-building at Columbia as they discuss life on campus today.

3:00 p.m.
Alumni of Color Reception
The Asian Columbia Alumni Association, Black Alumni Council and Latino Alumni Association of Columbia University invite you to socialize with friends and celebrate the richness of Columbia’s alumni community. Appetizers and soft drinks will be available.
Performing Arts Group Reception
Reconnect with fellow alumni from Columbia’s vocal, instrumental and theater groups over refreshments and a brief performance by the Columbia Alumni Singers. All alumni are invited to enjoy the performance!

3:30 p.m.
Veterans Reception
Gather with veteran alumni and students from all generations and all Columbia schools. Connect, network and learn about Columbia's support and programs for veterans, including those provided by the Center for Veteran Transition and Integration. Appetizers, beer and wine will be served.

4:00 p.m.
Great Teacher Awards Reception, sponsored by the Society of Columbia Graduates
Join the Society of Columbia Graduates, and the deans of the College and Engineering to bestow the annual Great Teacher Awards upon the faculty recipients. All are welcome. Refreshments will be served.
$20 per person

4:15 p.m.
LGBTQIA Alumni Reception
Celebrate pride and love! Open to alumnae/i, allies, and guests from Barnard, Columbia College, SEAS, and General Studies.

5:15 p.m.
Wine Tasting
Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or new to the scene, enjoy this selection of wines from vineyards in the Columbia Alumni Wine Industry Network! Mingle and sip with friends from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, the School of General Studies and Barnard College. A sommelier will be on hand to guide your tasting. Get your tickets now — this event always sells out quickly!
$30 per person

9:30 p.m.
Starlight Celebration
It’s one of Columbia’s most special annual events! The Starlight Celebration gives you a chance to lounge on Low Steps with Alma Mater while taking in live music and enjoying dessert and champagne. 
$10 per person