FEATURE
Three recent
alumni events in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Singapore brought
together graduates, current students and several early decision
members of the Class of 2006. These events were part of the
College's long-term participation plan to engage more alumni
throughout the country and internationally.
By Lisa Palladino
In
Los Angeles, about 200 alumni, students, parents and guests watched
Columbia battle UCLA's nationally ranked basketball team on
December 27 (the Lions gave the Bruins a scare before losing
55-64). The game was the centerpiece of a weekend that also
included a pre-game barbecue on the UCLA campus, a young alumni
networking night in nearby Santa Monica and a meeting of the Latino
Alumni Association of Columbia University.
Gerald Sherwin '55, president of the CC Alumni Association, was
on hand for the weekend, and men's basketball coach Armond Hill
greeted fans at the pre-game barbecue.
Two
weeks later, on January 12, 2002, The Columbia Club of Atlanta
sponsored the first Atlanta Columbia College Day, modeled after the
traditional Dean's Day activities on Morningside Heights each
spring. About 80 members of the Columbia community were greeted by
Dean Austin Quigley and heard talks by Professors Michael Seidel
and Virginia Cornish '91, Dean of Student Affairs Chris Colombo and
Executive Director of Admissions Eric Furda.
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Kathryn Wittner made a
special presentation geared toward the seven attending Class of
2006 early decision students and their parents. The students were
presented with The Iliad by Dean Quigley during a reception
held in their honor. Incoming students are required to read the
first six books of The Iliad before arriving on campus, and
the translation that the College requires sometimes is difficult to
find.
Also
attending the Atlanta events were Janet Frankston '95, president of
The Columbia Club of Atlanta, and Stuart Berkman '66, who heads the
Columbia Alumni Representative Committee in Atlanta and is the past
president of the Atlanta club. Both were instrumental in organizing
the day's activities. Other events held in Atlanta were a special
Friday night dinner for invited guests and a Sunday brunch to thank
southeastern region ARC members.
Last
June, the Columbia Club of Singapore, at its annual dinner at the
Hyatt, hosted a presentation by Derek Wittner '65, executive
director of Alumni Affairs and Development, about current issues
facing the College. The event was preceded by advising sessions led
by Kathryn Wittner for the 18 College and SEAS students from
Singapore who entered with the Class of '05, as well as receptions
for parents of incoming students hosted by Conrad Lung '72, P'01E,
P'04, who accompanied the Wittners on the trip.
The
Alumni Office is working to expand its program of national and
global events. An informational session was held with alumni in
Washington, D.C., in the fall, and another is planned for Boston.
Also on the immediate agenda are March and June events in the San
Francisco area and Los Angeles.
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