Fall 2012

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Each fall brings the promise that comes with the start of a new school year. The Columbia College Alumni Association Board of Directors is particularly energized for the Dean Valentini era. The board was busy this summer planning for the current year and brainstorming how we can help improve the Columbia experience for all students, current and former.

Columbia College students were hard at work this summer as well, expanding their intellectual horizons or applying some of their new skills in the workplace. The CCAA is proud to have played a part in facilitating this opportunity for the 27 students who participated in the first year of the Columbia College Alumni-Sponsored Internship Program (CCASIP), which was developed in response to students’ desire to interact more with alumni and with CCAA’s conviction that the alumni network is one of Columbia’s strongest assets.

This joint Center for Career Education (CCE) and CCAA board program was spearheaded by CCAA’s Career Education Committee and its then–co-chair, Michael Behringer ’89. A group of alumni leaders reached out to fellow alumni to ask them to host a student intern for the summer. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Through every step of the process — from the high numbers of students who applied for the positions to the enthusiastic feedback from the interns, their employers and their mentors — it was clear that the students relished the engagement and commitment of College alumni. Thank you to everyone who participated. We look forward to expanding this program for summer 2013.

Another committee initiative inaugurated this past year is the Alumni Dinner Series, in which an alumnus/a hosts a dinner with 10–25 students to speak about his or her career and life track. John MacPhee ’89, Dan Futterman ’89 and Jared Hecht ’09 spoke to students about careers in medicine/pharmaceuticals, the arts and entrepreneurship, respectively. Students were grateful for the opportunity to learn directly from alumni about their careers, and expressed hope for continued engagement with alumni.

Alumni interested in hosting a student in the workplace next summer or hosting students at a career-focused dinner should contact Kavita Sharma, CCE dean: ks2173@columbia.edu or 212-854-3561.

The 2012–14 Career Education Committee is co-chaired by Sherri Pancer Wolf ’90 and Eric Mendelson ’87, ’89 Business. The committee works with CCE and the Alumni Office to develop, advise on and promote career programming and to facilitate opportunities for interactions between alumni and students. The committee meets regularly to review programs, to identify alumni for programs and to support CCE. The committee welcomes non-board participation.

Wolf has been a member of the CCAA board since 2000 and a committee co-chair since 2011. She was a member of her 20th Reunion Committee and the Dean’s Alumnae Leadership Task Force, and a Columbia College Women mentor. She is a member of the New England Regional Columbia Club and has been a member of the Alumni Representative Committee since 1996. Wolf brings to the committee more than 15 years of experience with start-ups in a variety of financial and operational roles. She is the CFO at JOOS, a rapidly growing nutrition and wellness business. Wolf lives in Boston with her husband, Doug Wolf ’88, and their three children.

Mendelson lives in Miami Beach with his wife, Kimberly, and their three children. A member of the CCAA board since 2008, Eric, his brother, Victor ’89, and father, Laurans ’60, ’61 Business, and their families recently endowed the Mendelson Family Professor of American Studies. Mendelson is co-president of HEICO Corp. (NYSE:HEI) and has been an employee of the aerospace company since 1990.

Although neither lives in the tri-state area, both Sherri and Eric have a meaningful impact on the Columbia community, with the CCAA board and on Columbia students. Columbia’s reach is growing around the world and we encourage all alumni to be an active part of the Columbia family. This summer, alumni hosted students in locations ranging from Beijing, China, to Chelsea, NYC. I encourage each of you to join us this year in advancing career opportunities for the next generation of Columbia graduates.

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