Columbia College awarded University Trustee Jonathan S. Lavine CC’88 was awarded the Alexander Hamilton Medal on November 16 at a black-tie dinner held in Low Rotunda. The medal is the highest honor awarded to a member or members of the College community for distinguished service to the College and accomplishment in any field of endeavor.
Columbia College has announced the Eric H. Holder Initiative for Civil and Political Rights. Named after former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., a 1973 graduate of Columbia College and a 1976 graduate of Columbia Law School, the Holder Initiative will carve out a distinctive experience for Columbia University’s undergraduate students. Through an anonymous donor, $10 million has been raised to secure the Holder Initiative, halfway towards its $20 million goal of becoming an institute.
Columbia College mourns the passing of long-time Columbia College employee Peter V. Johnson.
University Professor Ronald C. D. Breslow, a trailblazing chemist who led the creation of the field of biomimetic chemistry and developed the anti-cancer compound Zolinza, passed away on October 25. He was 86. Breslow was a beloved Columbia College instructor for more than 60 years, and was instrumental to the College’s move to coeducation.
New students in the Class of 2021 arrived on campus on August 27, greeted by cheering New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) leaders who helped them move into their residence halls. Later that evening, the Class of 2021 began its Columbia journey under white tents on Low Plaza at Convocation. Following a procession of faculty, alumni marched with banners representing their class decades in the Alumni Procession to demonstrate to new arrivals their lifelong connection.
Columbia University announced that Alexander “Alex” Navab CC’87, a partner and former head of the Americas Private Equity business at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., and Li Lu CC’96, LAW’96, BUS’96, founding general partner at Himalaya Capital, have been elected to its Board of Trustees.
Former Columbia Fencing team members Nicole Ross CC’13, Nzingha Prescod CC’15 and Margaret Lu CC’17 made history when they — together with fencer Lee Kiefer — received a silver medal in the team foil event at the 2017 FIE World Championships in Fencing, the best result in a team foil event for U.S. women in world championships history.
Columbia College mourns the loss of Wm. Theodore de Bary CC’41, GSAS’53, the John Mitchell Mason Professor Emeritus and provost emeritus. He was 97.
Anneliese Mesa-Jonassen CC’17, originally from Pleasantville, NY, has been awarded a prestigious Mortimer Hays-Brandeis Traveling Fellowship. The fellowship provides $19,000 to support students in the visual and fine arts, including art history, conservation, studio art and photography, for travel and living expenses outside the United States.
The sun shone on Class Day 2017, with 1,172 seniors joining the ranks of College alumni.