Posted in Parents
Fashion designer Kenneth Cole P'10 is joining with Columbia College and The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science to announce a groundbreaking initiative to encourage students to become agents of social change. The program, featuring undergraduate fellowships in community-based initiatives as well as classroom study, will help prepare students to make meaningful, sustainable change by developing practical approaches to challenges and opportunities faced by participating communities.
John W. Kluge ’37, the billionaire businessman who was one of Columbia’s most generous benefactors and who founded the Kluge Scholars Program that benefitted hundreds of current and former College students, died on Tuesday evening, September 7. He was 95.
Born on July 21, 1914, in Chemnitz, Germany, Kluge immigrated when he was 8, grew up in Detroit and earned a scholarship that allowed him to attend the College. “If it hadn’t been for Columbia, my path would have been entirely different in life,” Kluge said at a celebration of his 90th birthday in Low Library. “Columbia gave me an opportunity, and the only way you can really repay that opportunity is for you to help someone else.”
Columbia climbed to fourth place in U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 ranking of national universities, which was released on August 16. Columbia was tied for eighth a year ago. Harvard, which had tied with Princeton for first place in 2010, took over sole possession of the top spot this year, followed by Princeton and Yale. Stanford and Penn were tied for fifth, CalTech and MIT tied for seventh and Dartmouth, Duke and Chicago tied for ninth.
As the Class of 2010 celebrated Class Day on May 17, the College’s newest alumni were treated not just to mild temperatures and sunny skies but also to a rousing call to arms from keynote speaker Benjamin Jealous ’94, NAACP president.
For the seventh year, the procession included the Alumni Parade of Classes, with 115 alumni from as far back as the Class of 1936 marching with their class banners to welcome seniors into the alumni community.
Jenny Davidson, associate professor of English and comparative literature, received the 49th annual Mark Van Doren Award, and Katharina Volk, associate professor of classics, received the 35th annual Lionel Trilling Award, at a ceremony to be held in the Faculty Room of Low Library on Wednesday, May 5.
Hannah Perls, CC'11, and Todd Nelson, CC'12, have won the Udall Scholarship. This is the first time that Columbia has ever had two winners in the same year. The Udall Scholarship is the most prestigious award that can be given to an undergraduate in the field of Environmental Science. Named in honor of Congressman Morris Udall, the award recognizes those students who have shown deep commitment - through their scholarship and activism - to protecting the environment and who plan to become leaders in their chosen field. The scholarship provides a grant of $5000 as well as the opportunity to attend a symposium in August that will allow them to meet and network with elected federal officials and leaders in environmental protection, public policy, and Native American and Tribal Affairs.
Max Horlbeck, a junior double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science and a Rabi Scholar from New York City, has won the Goldwater Scholarship. Max plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. program so that he can conduct biomedical research to develop gene-targeted therapies, treat patients, and teach at the university level.
Ilya Belopolski, a sophomore double major in Physics and Mathematics and also a Rabi Scholar from New Canaan Connecticut, was designated as having received honorable mention. Ilya plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Astrophysics, researching gravitational-wave astrophysics and then intends to teach at the university level.
Matthew Franks, CC '09, has been selected to participate in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX), a year-long, federally-funded fellowship for study and work in Germany. Mr. Franks was selected as one of 75 participants (from more than 630 applicants) for this unique fellowship program. Since 1984, approximately 1,500 Americans have been awarded this opportunity to gain cultural, theoretical, and practical work experience in Germany, and Mr. Franks will be participating in the 27th year of the CBYX program (2010-2011).
Benjamin Jealous '94, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, will address the Class of 2010 at Class Day, Monday, May 17, on South Lawn.
Five accomplished College alumni were honored on March 3 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City with 2010 John Jay Awards for distinguished professional achievement.
Brian C. Krisberg '81, an attorney; Frank Lopez-Balboa '82 and Tracy V. Maitland '82, both from the finance sector; David Rosand '59, the Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History; and Julia Stiles '05, a stage and film actress, were joined by alumni, faculty, students, family and friends at the black-tie event, which drew more than 600 attendees and raised more than $1 million for the John Jay Scholars Program.