Emma Asher
Suie Choi CC’24 (she/her) is co-president of this spring’s Bacchanal, Columbia’s long-running, multi-artist musical festival. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, April 6, on Low Plaza, featuring J.I.D. as the headliner, AG Club as the supporting artist, and Chandra [SEAS’25] as the student opener. Choi is an economics major from Livingston, N.J.
How did you get involved with Bacchanal?
I got involved during my first year as a part of its general body; that was during Covid-19, so being part of Bacchanal was definitely a lot different back then! When we came back in person during my sophomore year, I was part of the press team. In my junior year, I was elected to the executive board as the co-VP of finance and sponsorships. So every year my involvement has been different; it’s been a really rewarding experience to witness the festival’s growth year after year from within my different roles.
What has been your favorite Bacchanal experience?
Definitely the day of show in my junior year. That was the first time Bacchanal was held on campus during my time at Columbia. The headliner was Doechii, for supporting artists we had Bakar and Bktherula, and our student opener was Mayce [CC’24]. I’m super excited to have the event on campus again this year!
What would you like students to know about this year’s show?
Bacchanal is a student-run club that’s all about coming together and celebrating community. All the members of the e-board work really hard to make the event as amazing as possible. I hope it’s a fun day for everyone! Our student opener, Chandra, the supporting artist, AG Club, and our headliner, J.I.D., are incredible artists and I’m sure that they’ll have fantastic performances.
What’s been your favorite class at the College, and why?
One of my favorite classes is one that I’m currently taking, “Technology, Religion, Future” with Professor David Kittay [GSAS’11]. It’s changed the way that I engage with and view technology and social media.
What do you like to do outside of class?
I’ve been a part of CORE, which is the Columbia Organization for Rising Entrepreneurs; I led the planning on Global Tech Treks there. I also work at the Columbia Climate School as an administrative intern.
How do you like to take advantage of being in New York City?
One of the main reasons I decided to apply to Columbia was its location. I like to explore the city’s diverse music scene, whether that’s catching DJ sets in Brooklyn or attending larger concerts in iconic spaces like Madison Square Garden. I also love eating at different restaurants and trying new foods. The city has so many different places and things to offer; there’s always something new to try!