For the second consecutive year, the Undergraduate Community Initiative (UCI) invited student groups to apply for Community Engagement Mini-Grants — funding from $500 to $1,500, awarded in support of campus events that bring undergraduates together while cultivating one or more of UCI’s key values: respect, belonging and service. Programming must also be free to students and welcoming to all. This Spring, nearly $20,000 was given across 19 events. Here, we spotlight four, from comedy and a cappella, to a class social, to a community meal following a Ramadan fast.
Representative: Alif Masron CC’25, president, Clefhangers; deputy organizer, CUAF
Tell us about the festival.
It was basically a big showcase for all of Columbia’s a cappella groups. We have 14 on campus, but there aren’t many opportunities for everyone to come together in one event. So we thought, why not create something that celebrates the whole community? It’s about sharing our music with each other, building stronger connections between groups, and showing the campus how vibrant the a cappella scene really is.
How did the event reflect UCI priorities?
One of the biggest goals for CUAF was to create a sense of belonging across Columbia’s a cappella community. We brought together groups with all kinds of musical styles, backgrounds and identities — from pop and R&B to music from different cultures. Having everyone share the same stage was a way to celebrate that diversity and showcase just how much creativity exists within the Columbia community. It wasn’t just about performing; it was also about showing respect for each other’s work, building new connections and making a cappella a more visible, celebrated part of campus life.
What did you find most meaningful about the festival?
Honestly, it was seeing how much genuine support there was among the groups. People weren’t just performing and leaving; everyone stayed to cheer each other on, and after the festival ended, a lot of singers stuck around to mingle and celebrate each other’s work. It really felt like the festival helped to break down walls between groups and created a stronger sense of community. After all the planning and organizing, it was so rewarding to look around and realize that this was exactly the kind of connection we were hoping to build.
What are some things that you value about the College community?
How diverse people’s passions are. You’ll meet students who are deeply committed to completely different things, whether it’s music, public service, research or the arts — and everyone brings their own energy to campus life. Even within the a cappella community, people come from many different academic backgrounds. I’m studying economics and political science, but I’m singing alongside people majoring in English, astrophysics and other fields. Being part of groups like the Clefhangers, working on projects like CUAF, and connecting with other students through programs like UCI have shown me how much creativity and drive there is here.
Another thing I appreciate is how much Columbia encourages you to step outside your comfort zone, whether it’s through the Core Curriculum or through the different communities you can get involved with. It’s pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t expect, and to find connections between all the different parts of campus life that matter to me.
Representative: Ali Alomari CC’25, religion representative, Columbia College Student Council (CCSC)
Tell us about your event.
During the month of Ramadan, many Muslim students fast throughout the day, and then break their fast with a meal at sunset known as iftar. To support those observing Ramadan and build community across campus, CCSC and Engineering Student Council sponsored and organized a free iftar. Hundreds of students, both Muslim and non-Muslim, attended the event, and it was great to see everyone gather to enjoy the dinner and connect with peers.
How did the dinner reflect UCI priorities?
The iftar really reflected the values of belonging and community. In addition to the meal, it created a space where students from all backgrounds could come together, learn about Ramadan and share a meaningful evening. Groups of friends, whether they were fasting or not, were sitting together, socializing and learning from each other, and I think that goes a long way in encouraging compassion, interfaith dialogue and broader understanding.
What did you find most meaningful about the experience?
One of the highlights for me was the atmosphere: It felt peaceful, welcoming and full of genuine connection. You could see students meeting for the first time, sitting together, talking and learning from each other, all while enjoying some good food. I also think the iftar really captured the spirit of Ramadan, a time that inspires us to reflect, to be kind and to focus on what it means to be good to ourselves and to others. That spirit came through in the conversations, the hospitality and the sense of shared celebration.
What is something that you value about the College community?
The range of backgrounds and stories here. You’re constantly meeting people with different life experiences, passions and goals, and that variety creates space for interesting conversations and broader perspective. It also means that students are constantly learning from each other — not just in classrooms, but in everyday moments — and there’s a real sense of support that comes from that shared exchange.
Representative: Emerson Ellenwood CC’28, president, Columbia College Class of 2028
Tell us about the Spring Social.
We hosted our first-year spring social on Revson Plaza on April 3. We had music, free pizza, lawn games and plenty of glow sticks! First-years from the College, Engineering and Barnard had the chance to socialize with their peers in the beautiful campus atmosphere as the sun set over Amsterdam.
How did the social reflect UCI priorities?
This event was most focused on creating a sense of community and belonging among first-years. Providing an opportunity to meaningfully interact with peers whom they might not see in their classes or everyday environment is incredibly important to UCI’s mission.
What did you find most meaningful about the event?
It was wonderful to see people together, who might not have otherwise met, sharing food and laughter. It was powerful to see people from across schools bonding over volleyball, getting creative with glow sticks and even closing the night with Public Safety officers joining the fun.
What is something that you value about the College community?
I greatly value the community’s commitment to connection. People are able to come together for many different reasons — over similarities, shared interests or a common curiosity about the world. Seeing people from across experiences come together in real time makes me even more grateful to have chosen Columbia to call home.
Representative: Rohan Mehta CC’25, executive producer, Memento Mori
Tell us about Friday Night Live.
It was a comedy extravaganza bonanza. We invited all the comedy groups at Columbia — sketch, improv, stand-up and our satirical newspaper — to come together for the first time ever. Then we got the largest theater space we could find on campus and, to close things out, hired a professional comic to headline.
How did the event reflect UCI priorities?
It’s no secret that things have been rough on campus for the last two years, and Friday Night Live was truly a moment of joy for everyone. We had more than 200 students watching and, most of the time, laughing. Just to bring that many people — from all corners of campus — together for a night of fun was a real moment of community building.
Friday Night Live also really strengthened the Columbia comedy community. A few weeks before the show, we held a workshop where groups were able to teach skills that might apply to other forms of comedy or receive notes on their material. And then to see all these groups in the same room for the show, chatting backstage, and watching each other, really highlighted how many amazing and talented students there are here.
What did you find most meaningful about the evening?
That it happened, and that it killed! I’ve been wanting to produce a show like this for a while, but there were so many hurdles in bringing together all seven comedy groups, hiring an outside comic and just making everything happen. So to see this dream happen, and to see how happy so many of my friends and peers were to watch it, made all the work we put into the show worth it.
What is something that you value about the College community?
This was a new show and required groups to adjust what they might have normally done — yet every group took it in stride and created something amazing. The Fed, which normally does a satirical newspaper, delivered an incredible live “Weekend Update”-style segment about events happening at Columbia. Our two improv teams, Third Wheel and Fruit Paunch, combined for the first time in a while to perform a joint set. CUSS [CU Sketch Show], which normally does filmed sketches, added a live element. To see all these students use Friday Night Live as a way to think outside of the box and explore other forms of comedy was another great reminder of how creative and talented Columbia students are.