Columbia’s Center for Student Advising has been renamed the James H. and Christine Turk Berick Center for Student Advising in recognition of the couple’s dedication to and support for the University.
James H. Berick CC’55, an attorney, was a close friend and trusted adviser to the late Alfred Lerner CC’55. The center that bears the Berick name is located on the fourth floor of Lerner Hall, honoring the classmates’ longstanding relationship. This week, James is also celebrating his 60th Columbia College reunion with friends and classmates on the Morningside Heights campus.
Berick, now a retired partner with Squire, Patton & Boggs, has served as managing partner and chairman of Burke, Haber & Berick, chairman of Berick, Pearlman & Mills, and partner of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, all based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Bericks are longtime residents of Cleveland and Delray Beach, Fla.
The James H. and Christine Turk Berick Center for Student Advising, which will be formally dedicated on Thursday, May 28, serves all undergraduates in Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science — together, these schools boast a combined graduation rate of 96 percent. The center houses academic advisers who work one-on-one with students throughout their time at Columbia, as well as Columbia’s Academic Success Programs, the Columbia Undergraduate Scholars Program and the Office of Pre-professional Advising. The center holds more than 30,000 advising appointments in an academic year — on average, more than 130 appointments each day.
“The James H. and Christine Turk Berick Center for Student Advising is an integral part of the Columbia undergraduate experience,” said James J. Valentini, dean of Columbia College and vice president for undergraduate education. “Our advisers guide and support students in whatever ways they need, connect students to resources throughout the University and help empower students to achieve success at Columbia and throughout their lives.”
In addition to their ongoing support for the University, Berick and his wife, Christine Turk Berick, have made a bequest that will provide for future enhancements to the Berick Center for Student Advising.
Berick received the Columbia College Alumni Association’s John Jay Award for distinguished professional achievement in 1999. He served as a member of the Columbia College Board of Visitors, from 1981–1987, 1990–1996 and 2010–2014, and is now an emeritus member of the board. His father is the late Morris Berick CC’16, LAW’18, and he has four sons, Michael Berick SOA’85, Daniel Berick CC’84, Robert Berick and Joshua Berick CC’92, LAW’97.