Strengthening Connections, Strengthening Community

One of Columbia College’s greatest strengths has always been its alumni. Long after we leave campus, the friendships we forged, the communities we joined, the ideas we debated and the experiences we shared continue to shape who we are. They remind us that being a College graduate is more than having a degree — it confers membership in a lifelong community.

That belief has become the foundation of the Columbia College Alumni Association’s (CCAA) strategic planning. While our work has always focused on connecting alumni to the College, our vision now extends further: We are committed to strengthening the connections alumni build with one another. We believe that the most vibrant alumni community is one in which Columbians continue to learn from and celebrate one another, rejoice together, mentor each other and create friendships across generations, professions, identities and interests.

Community is about more than attending an event or receiving a newsletter. It is about creating opportunities for meaningful relationships to develop and flourish. It is about bringing together alumni who share common experiences, whether through the organizations they joined as students, the intellectual pursuits that inspire them today or the values that unite us.

This vision is already coming to life in exciting ways. At Columbia Reunion 2026, we expanded the weekend’s Community Gatherings from 4 to 15. These receptions recognize that some of our most enduring relationships were formed through the organizations and communities that became second homes on campus — publications, performing arts clubs, athletics teams, cultural organizations, fraternities and sororities, service-oriented groups and more. Next year’s reunion (Thursday, June 3–Saturday, June 5) will offer even more opportunities to reconnect with the people and experiences that helped define your time at the College.

This same spirit will shape an expanded Homecoming celebration from Friday, Oct. 23–Saturday, Oct. 24. Along with our time-honored traditions, this year’s celebration will feature reunion meetups (for classes ending in 2 or 7, starting with 1977), a special lunch for Columbia College Golden Lions (alumni who have surpassed their 50th reunion) and a Young Alumni Happy Hour.

These programs will create spaces where alumni can see old friends, meet graduates from different generations and enjoy the remarkable diversity of experiences that define the College.

Looking further ahead, we are excited to celebrate a milestone: Next spring will mark the 40th anniversary of the graduation of the College’s first fully coeducational class. Columbia College Women will commemorate this landmark anniversary at its annual Signature Event by honoring the pioneering women whose leadership forever changed our community and institution. Their courage and accomplishments helped shape the inclusive College we know today, and this anniversary will allow the College to recognize some of their historic contributions and further strengthen the alumnae community.

In the CCAA’s effort to reach every corner of the alumni community, we will continue to enhance partnerships with alumni affinity organizations including the Black Alumni Council, the Latino Alumni Association of Columbia University, the Asian Columbia Alumni Association, Columbia Pride, WKCR, the Varsity Show, Spectator and others. We will create additional opportunities for alumni-hosted dinners, mentoring, networking, intellectual programming and social gatherings that encourage meaningful conversations and lasting relationships. By broadening the ways alumni can engage, we hope every College graduate will find a CCAA connection that feels like home.

As we continue to move forward with this strategic plan, we invite every alum to play a role. Attend reunion and/or Homecoming. Participate in a regional event. Mentor a student. Meet someone whose Columbia experience was different from your own. Every introduction, every conversation and every shared experience helps strengthen this remarkable community.

The future of the CCAA will not be measured simply by attendance numbers or fundraising totals. It will be measured by the strength of the relationships we help create, the communities we nurture and the sense of belonging every graduate feels throughout their lifetime.

Together, we are building a community that reflects the best of the College — curious, welcoming, intellectually vibrant and connected across generations. I look forward to seeing you at Homecoming and throughout the year as we write the next chapter of our shared story.

Roar, Lion, Roar!