Lerner 510 Became “a Second Home” to Michael Boisture ’25

Michael Boisture ’25 is serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia, where he will teach English in rural schools through 2027. He graduated with a B.A. in history and is from Seymour, Tenn.

What were you like when you arrived at Columbia?

I was very, very excited, and especially eager to play music. I wanted to play trombone in every musical group I could, so I joined six different groups on campus, including Columbia Pops, Columbia University Orchestra and Columbia University Bach Society. I even used half of my semester’s printing allowance in the first week to print hundreds of pages of sheet music. Let’s just say, I may have gotten a little too excited, and I soon overwhelmed myself with music and the multiple rehearsals or lessons I had each day. Before long, I realized that it was no longer sustainable, so I opted to stick with the one or two groups I cared about the most and had the most fun with.

What do you remember about your first-year living situation?

My freshman year was the first semester having in-person classes after Covid-19. So there were quite a few restrictions for those of us who lived in John Jay Hall in 2021–22. Initially, we weren’t able to enter dorms other than our own, or have guests. Later on, we still had to sign in other Columbia students who lived on campus. Another precaution was that we had lots of Covid testing: In addition to random testing, the University would also test each dorm’s wastewater and, if Covid was detected, the residents would all have to be tested.

However, the worst part was that my favorite dining hall, JJ’s Place, operated under very limited hours, closing at 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. There were far too many times when my late-night cravings for mozzarella sticks and milkshakes went unsatisfied. So, to any first-years currently living in John Jay: Appreciate the 24/7 JJ’s while you have it.

What Core class or experience do you most remember, and why?

“History of the Modern Middle East,” which I took to fulfill the Global Core requirement. It felt like the quintessential Columbia experience because I had the opportunity to learn from one of the world’s top scholars of Palestine and the Middle East — the kind of opportunity to learn from the best that you only have at a school like Columbia. Professor Rashid Khalidi (who has since retired) was a very engaging lecturer who managed to cover such a geographically and temporally broad span of Middle Eastern history with impressive focus.

What was especially notable, though, was the fact that I took the class in Fall 2023, which coincided with the Oct. 7 attacks and ensuing war in Gaza. Being able to connect what happened in the past with what is happening in our world today is why I love learning about history. So, I found that class memorable because it became so relevant not only to the war in Gaza but the effects that war brought to our campus for the following two years. I believe that is the point of the Core Curriculum — to engage students in critical thinking about those difficult topics, historical or otherwise — and nobody could have achieved that goal more successfully than Professor Khalidi.

Did you have a favorite spot on campus, and what did you like about it?

This might be an unpopular opinion, but my favorite spot is actually in Alfred Lerner Hall. Specifically, Lerner 510, which became my second home because every Friday night at 8:00 p.m., Columbia University Games Club meets there. I love to play board games, and 510 has all kinds of side rooms and meeting spaces that are perfect for exactly that. More than that, I found the Games Club community to be a welcoming, inclusive and friendly place. Especially as a first-year, it became an easy way for me to make friends and meet new people while also relaxing at the end of a busy week. And believe it or not, the oft-despised Lerner ramps were actually one of the few aspects of Morningside’s stair-covered campus that made it easier to cart around our wagons full of board games.

What, if anything, about your College experience would you do over?

My biggest regret was waiting until my senior year to get involved in community service. Even though I wanted to volunteer the moment I arrived in New York City, I quickly got overwhelmed by my busy schedule. It was only by in my senior year that I decided to make time for it. Through the Housing Equity Project, I found out about Broadway Community, a nonprofit that operates at Broadway Presbyterian Church. I worked at the soup kitchen a couple times a week, and it became one of the most meaningful experiences of my last year since I was able to connect with other volunteers, as well as members of the Morningside Heights community. If I could do it all over, I would have started working there sooner.