Columbia College celebrates the Class of 2013

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Columbia College celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2013 at a Ceremony on South Lawn on Tuesday, May 21. Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally CC ’60, the Class Day keynote speaker, shared his experiences and advice for the class. Columbia College Dean James J. Valentini, Columbia University President Lee Bollinger and Columbia College Alumni Association President Kyra Tirana Barry also spoke, along with Yoshiaki David Ko, the Class of 2013 salutatorian, and Ryan Mandelbaum, the Class of 2013 president. Maria Sulimirski, the chair of the Class of 2013 Senior Fund, presented the Class of 2013 Gift.

Student life, academic, and alumni awards and prizes were conferred to students at the ceremony, and graduates’ names were read as they processed across the stage. Each graduate also received a class pin from a member of the Class of 1963, which will celebrate its 50th reunion next week.

Students receiving academic awards and prizes, along with those inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, were also honored later in the afternoon at Faculty House.

Colombia College students will join other Columbia University graduates at a Commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22. The Empire State Building will shine blue and white on the evening of May 22 in honor of the graduates. 

Click here to watch a video of Class Day.