Schedule of Events

Kick off Columbia Reunion 2026 with a special gathering for Columbia College and Barnard College classmates at V&T! Start the weekend’s celebrations with great company, good food and drinks, and lots of Columbia spirit!

Kick off Columbia Reunion 2026 with a special gathering for the Class of 1986 at The Expat! Start the weekend’s celebrations with great company, good food and drinks, and lots of Columbia spirit! Your ticket includes two drink comps and light bites.

Join the Class of 2011 to reconnect with old friends at Bird in Hand (owned by Matt Amsterdam CC10, LAW 13) for a Thursday evening happy hour to kick off our 15th reunion weekend.

Join fellow Columbia Engineering alumni for a special dinner to kick off Columbia Reunion 2026, where the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association will bestow the School's most distinguished medals.

6:00 PM: Reception in Faculty Room

7:00 PM: Dinner in Low Rotunda

If you are interested in purchasing a table, please email seasalumni@columbia.edu

Reunite with classmates and friends for a casual meetup at Amity Hall Uptown to kick off the weekend.

Kick off Columbia Reunion 2026 with a special gathering for Columbia College and Columbia Engineering classmates in the Upper East Side home of University Trustee Alisa Amarosa Wood CC’01, BUS’08 and her husband, Alastair Wood CC’01. Don’t miss this chance to start the weekend’s celebrations with great company, good drinks and lots of Columbia spirit!

Reunite with classmates and friends for a casual meetup at Purple Waves to kick off Columbia Reunion.

Kick off Columbia Reunion 2026 with a special gathering for Columbia College at Arts & Crafts! Start the weekend’s celebrations with great company, light food and drinks, and lots of Columbia spirit!

Kick off Columbia Reunion 2026 with a special gathering for Columbia College classmates at the Rosevale Cocktail Lounge in the Civilian Hotel, generously hosted by Michael Lee CC’96.

• Mini-Core Class: Seeing in Two Directions: Thinking, Contradiction and Democratic Education (10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Wang Pavilion, Lower Level

Core Director Larry Jackson will use texts from Contemporary Civilization and Literature Humanities to follow an arc from the ancient Greek discovery that contradiction is a way of thinking to John Dewey’s vision of democracy as productive disagreement, discussing ways in which we can think through complexity together.

• Faculty Lecture: New York City and the American Revolution — Reflections from the City on the 250th Anniversary of Independence (10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Rm. 555

How does the history of the American Revolution look different when we take New York City as a starting point? This year marks both the 400th anniversary of the formal founding of New Amsterdam and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This brief lecture, drawn from Professor Kimberly Phillips-Fein GSAS’05’s undergraduate course on New York City history, will look at the history of the American Revolution in New York City.

• Butler Library Tour: Meet the King’s College Class of 1776! (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) Butler Library, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, 6th Fl.

In honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, look back at what student life was like before the Revolutionary War, how King’s College was impacted by the conflict and how it reestablished itself in the new nation. Explore items from the University Archives collection, both originals and reproductions, that help tell this story.

• Butler Library Tour: Exploring Judaica Old and New(ly acquired) (10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) Butler Library, Rm. 523

Explore the wide dimensions of Columbia's renowned Judaica collection, including contemporary artists' books, centuries-old manuscripts, original artworks, and more!

An exciting lecture on AI and Neural Intelligence with Professor Richard Zemel, Trianthe Dakolias Professor of Engineering and Applied Science; Professor of Computer Science

Please note: there is no pre-registration required to attend this event. 

• Solo Piano Performance and Talkback With Michael Skelly CC’77 (1:00 p.m–2:30 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Wang Pavilion, lower level

Join pianist Michael Skelly CC’77 for a solo performance and talkback exploring works by Johannes Brahms, Nicolás Lell Benavides and Franz Schubert. The program features Brahms’ Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 21, No. 1, the contemporary piece Ricercares Intervalicos by Benavides and Schubert’s expansive Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960. Throughout the session, Skelly will share insights into the music and invite the audience into a brief conversation about the works performed.

• Faculty Lecture: The Entertained States of America (1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Rm. 555

Drawing on her book, The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy, Assistant Professor of Political Science Eunji Kim explores how popular entertainment shapes Americans’ beliefs about success and opportunity. Shows like Shark Tank and American Idol often present compelling stories of talent and grit leading to success, subtly reinforcing the idea that the system works and anyone can make it. The result, research suggests, is greater optimism about economic mobility than the data supports — and less support for policies that address inequality.

• Faculty Lecture: Social Networks Throughout Life Phases (1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.) Roone Arledge Cinema, Lerner Hall

This talk, with Associate Professor of Psychology Meghan Meyer, will explore the brain mechanisms that shape how we form and navigate social networks across different stages of life. From childhood to adulthood, our social worlds shift and expand, and the brain adapts in ways that influence how we build relationships, maintain connections and move among different communities. The talk will also highlight how these changes shape the ways we experience and manage our social lives over time.

• Understanding the Highly Selective Admissions Process (1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Satow Rm., 5th Fl.

Join a discussion with an Undergraduate Admissions staff member on the college search process, highly selective admissions and the changing higher education landscape.

Join us for the following tours: 

• The Columbia Plasma Physics Lab to learn about the nascent fusion industry and experience the cutting edge of this exciting clean energy technology
• The Columbia Robotics and Rehabilitation (RoAR) Lab to learn about its focus on developing innovative robots and methods to help humans relearn, restore, or improve functional movements
• The Electron Microscopy Lab

The tours will meet in the courtyard outside Mudd by the Le Marteleur statue. 

Tours will run on a rolling basis between 1 pm and 4 pm, and you’re welcome to arrive at any time during that window. Each tour lasts approximately 30 minutes, and groups will be limited to a maximum of 15 people at a time.

This special session offers alumni a guided exploration of the library’s spaces, services, and collections, including a rare look at archival materials highlighting the history of the School of General Studies. In addition, participants will learn how to obtain a Library ID for on-campus access, discover the wide range of research tools and resources available to alumni, and gain insight into the expert support and services provided by the library staff.

A special CC’01 gathering on campus where you will reminisce with classmates and relive your college experience through fun activities and memorabilia.

• Butler Library Open House Rare Books & Manuscripts Library, 6th Fl. 

Revisit the iconic study spaces of Butler Library and hear from the University Archivist about the library’s operations and unique collections.

• Double Discovery Center Open House and Reception Alfred Lerner Hall, Rm. 306

Double Discovery Center alumni, friends and former staff are invited to this all-class celebration to reminisce, reconnect and renew their involvement with the DDC.

• Hamilton Hall Open House Core Curriculum Office, Hamilton Hall, Rm. 202

Revisit the classrooms where generations of Columbia College students began their Core Curriculum journey. Core faculty and College staff will discuss the current syllabus and answer questions while alumni and their guests explore these iconic academic spaces.

• Havemeyer Hall Open House Havemeyer Hall, Rm. 309

Hear from Arts & Sciences faculty, and graduate students from the biology and history departments, about current research and curriculum. Alumni and their guests may also step back into the building’s classic lecture halls to reconnect with their academic experience.

• Kraft Center Open House and Reception Robert K. Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, 2nd Fl.

Explore the Kraft Center, a vibrant hub of Jewish student life on campus. Hear about the evolving landscape of Jewish university life, and connect with fellow alumni and guests during a welcoming reception.

• Uris Hall Open House Career Center, Uris Hall 2nd Fl.

Explore the newly renovated Center for Career Education in Uris Hall and meet the staff. Learn how they support students at every stage of career development from counseling and internships, to connecting with employers and alumni.

• Wien Hall Open House 

Step inside Wien Hall to see what first-year residence hall life looks like today. Residential Life staff will share insights about living on campus and answer questions about the student experience.

Gather with fellow Engineering alumni to celebrate the school! Enjoy light bites and refreshments, connect with your classmates and meet alumni from other decades. Join in celebrating the classes of 1976 and 2001 on their golden and silver anniversaries.

Join Dean Rosen-Metsch in conversation with Elizabeth Bellak (GS ’55) as she reflects on her time at GS and the remarkable story behind the publication of Renia’s Diary. Written by her sister, Renata Spiegel, as World War II unfolded, the diary survived the Holocaust and remained unseen for decades. Bellak will share the journey of honoring and amplifying her sister’s voice in this moving discussion of memory, history, and legacy.

Join us for the inaugural Reunion Lawn Party, a casual, family-friendly evening on the campus lawns celebrating all four undergraduate schools. Enjoy food, drinks, music and conversation as alumni of all ages, and their guests, come together to reconnect, relax and celebrate the Columbia community.

What does it look like when ideas don’t just live on the page—but move, speak, and perform? Performance Studies is an interdisciplinary field that goes beyond the historical study of theatre, using performance as a lens to explore social, cultural, and political life. But what if performance isn’t just something we analyze—what if it is the method? A way to ask questions, test ideas, and generate new knowledge?

Join us for a dynamic showing and conversation featuring two live performances. First, a reading by renowned actress and General Studies student. Following her reading, enjoy Robert Mulvey ’26GS and Madeleine Doty '26BC performing a work by scholar-practitioner Amanda Krische '26 NYU Tisch. Following their performance, get a behind-the-scenes look into the choreographic process as they engage in movement research onstage in real-time. 

Experience research in motion, then stay for a discussion on practice-as-research and the ways artists and scholars engage in shared processes of thinking, making, and knowing—through different forms. Come curious. Leave inspired. Close out the first day of Reunion with an elegant wine and cheese reception celebrating our featured artists and the vibrant community that brings us together.

Enjoy breakfast followed by the presentation of the President’s Cup, awarded by the Columbia College Alumni Association for service in a reunion year. Dean Josef Sorett will then host the State of the College Discussion.

All alumni are invited to start the day with inspiration and camaraderie at a special breakfast! Get a glimpse into the latest developments at Columbia Engineering with Dean Shih-Fu Chang, share in the excitement of what’s to come, and join in a celebratory toast to the Classes of 1976 and 2001 on their golden and silver anniversaries.

Join Dean Rosen-Metsch for breakfast and enjoy a faculty lecture with Professor Sarah E. DeMoya of the Columbia University Department of Psychology. A scholar of cognitive aging, working memory, and neuroscience, Professor DeMoya will explore how memory functions across the lifespan and what current research reveals about learning and retention

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jodi Kantor CC’96 for an inspiring keynote drawing on her new book, How to Start: Discovering Your Life’s Work. Kantor delves into the journeys of people who have found purpose and passion in their professional lives, sharing stories, research and practical strategies for discovering meaningful work at any stage. This talk will offer guidance, insight and motivation for anyone navigating career transitions, seeking fulfillment or exploring new paths.

Gather with fellow alumni for a relaxed and welcoming lunch celebrating all class years of the Columbia University School of General Studies. Enjoy time to reconnect, share memories, and build new connections over a shared meal. You’ll also hear from current students whose diverse paths have led them to GS. Be inspired by their remarkable stories and experiences—and take pride in the vibrant, evolving community that continues to define the School of General Studies.

Catch up with friends from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, Columbia General Studies and Barnard College! This al fresco, buffet lunch will offer a wide array of food and beverages. Families are welcome!

• 1754 Society Alumni Reception (3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Satow Rm., 5th Fl. 

This reception will honor members of the 1754 Society and also give attendees the opportunity to learn more about the impact of planned gifts to Columbia.

• Athletics Alumni Reception (4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.) Lion's Lounge, Low Plaza

Reconnect with fellow student-athletes alumni and celebrate your shared experiences on and off the field. Enjoy a special appearance by the Patricia & Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Jon Poppe as you mix, mingle and relive your Columbia Athletics memories.

• Columbia Alumni Affinity Group Community Reception (2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Wang Pavilion, Lower Level

Hosted by the Asian Columbia Alumni Association, Black Alumni Council and Latino Alumni Association of Columbia University.

• Columbia College Women Reception (2:00 p.m.– 3:00 p.m.) Lion’s Lounge, Low Plaza

Columbia College women are invited to a special reception to reconnect and celebrate community. Join us for conversation, shared experiences, and light food and drinks.

• COOP Alumni Reception (2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) Furnald Lawn

Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program alumni are invited to reconnect at a special community gathering. Join fellow COOPers for an evening of mingling, shared memories, and light food and drinks.

• Great Teacher Awards Reception, sponsored by the Society of Columbia Graduates (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) Faculty House, Seminar Level, 2nd Fl.

Join the Society of Columbia Graduates and the deans of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to recognize this year’s Great Teacher Award recipients.

• Kingsmen Alumni Reception (2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Rm. 555

Reconnect with fellow Kingsmen alumni and celebrate the music and camaraderie that defined your time together. Enjoy a casual gathering filled with familiar faces — and maybe even a little singing!

• LGBTQ+ Reception (5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) Barnard College, 3009 Broadway, The Diana Center, Millicent Carey McIntosh Student Dining Room, 2nd Fl.

Join alumni from the College, Engineering, Barnard and General Studies.

• New Student Orientation Program Alumni Reception (NSOP) Alumni Reception (2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) Furnald Lawn Tent

Former NSOPers are invited to reconnect at a special community gathering. Join fellow alumni for mingling, shared memories, and light food and drinks.

• Performing Arts Reception (3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Low Plaza, Lion's Lounge, West Lounge  

Alumni who participated in Varsity Show, Marching Band, Alumni Singers, or who simply love the performing arts, are invited to this lively reception. Join us for an evening of mingling, shared memories, and light food and drinks.

• Residential Adviser Alumni Reception (2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) Furnald Lawn Tent

Reconnect with fellow residential adviser alumni and celebrate the communities you helped build and the impact you had on student life. Enjoy a relaxed gathering to reminisce, reconnect and share stories from your time in the halls.

• Social Justice and Community Service Alumni Reception (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Earl Hall, Dodge Rm.

Reconnect with other alumni interested in social justice to reminisce about your student days, explore how those moments have influenced your personal and professional journey, and engage in meaningful conversation about where this work is headed next. Join us for a gathering hosted by Community Impact at Columbia, celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2026.

• Sorority and Fraternity Life Reception (2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) Furnald Lawn Tent

Reconnect with fellow fraternity and sorority alumni and celebrate the friendships and traditions that shaped your Greek life experience. Enjoy a lively gathering filled with connection, shared memories and lasting bonds.

• Spectator Alumni Reception (3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.) Alfred Lerner Hall, Wang Pavilion

Reconnect with fellow Spectator alumni and celebrate your shared experience in student journalism. Enjoy a lively gathering of storytellers and newsmakers as you reminisce and reconnect.

• Veterans Reception (3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.) Kent Hall, CVTI

Presented by Columbia General Studies.

• WKCR Alumni Reception (3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) WKCR Station

Reconnect with fellow WKCR alumni and celebrate 85 years since the station’s first broadcast. Enjoy a lively gathering honoring the legacy of student radio, with plenty of stories, memories and shared love of the airwaves.

Join the Class of 2016 and Professor Gareth Williams for a discussion about carrying forward our undergraduate education into our later years.

• Alumni Panel - Leadership in Business 1:30-3:00 p.m. Butler Library, Tauber Rm. 523

Join alumni from all classes for a dynamic conversation on leadership, featuring a panel led by Charles Spinosa CC’76 alongside distinguished business leaders from milestone reunion classes (ending in 1 or 6). Explore key themes from Spinosa’s book Leadership as a Masterpiece Creation: What Business Leaders Can Learn from the Humanities About Moral Risk-Taking and engage in thoughtful discussion on leadership, purpose and impact.

• Faculty Panel - Artificial Intelligence in Education 1:30-3:00 p.m. Alfred Lerner Hall, Roone Arledge Cinema 

Join faculty from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering for a timely conversation on the role of AI in today’s classrooms. Gain insights as the speakers explore how emerging technologies are shaping teaching, learning and the student experience.

The Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration (CVTI) did not emerge by accident. Its founding was the result of an extraordinary convergence of forces—fierce advocacy, profound institutional support, courageous leadership, and a shared belief that student veterans deserve more than accommodation; they deserve intellectual community and opportunity at the highest level. But beyond these visible forces lies something deeper: a distinctive way of thinking about student veterans that was born at the Columbia University School of General Studies. This philosophy—one that takes seriously veterans' ability not only to thrive in the elite college classroom, but to transform it in unique and positive ways—has fueled CVTI's metamorphosis from an aspiration to a national center of innovation and excellence. Join R.J. Jenkins, CVTI's Director of Education, for a dynamic conversation about risk, vision, and the enduring power of an educational ethos that promotes stronger outcomes for student veterans not only at Columbia, but across the United States. Come and learn how an institutional philosophy born in Morningside Heights became catalytic action from Mission Viejo, California to Fargo, North Dakota to Orange County, Florida—and is changing the national conversation about supporting veterans in higher education and the civilian workforce.

 R.J. Jenkins is a civilian veteran-serving professional who has dedicated his career to building stronger cultures of support for veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The Director of Education for the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, R.J. helps aspirational colleges, universities, employers, and veteran service organizations across the country build their capacity to support veterans, service members, and their families in the classroom and in their careers. In addition to his work with student veterans, R.J. has deep professional experience teaching, advising, and counseling first-generation college students, nontraditional students, adult learners, and student athletes. Educated at Columbia University, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard University, R.J.'s primary professional concern is finding better, more compassionate, human-centered ways to think about, talk about, and achieve excellence.

An exciting lecture on Energy, Transition, and Mining with Professor Dan Steingart, Stanley-Thompson Professor of Chemical Metallurgy; Professor of Chemical Engineering; Chair, Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering.

Please note: no pre-registration required to attend this event. 

Gather with veteran alumni and students from all generations and all Columbia schools to connect, network, and learn about the University's support for veterans, including those provided by the Center for Veteran Transition and Integration (CVTI). Appetizers, beer, and wine will be served. 

Join fellow Columbia Engineering graduate program alumni and Engineering leadership for an opportunity to catch up with friends and expand your network.

Choose from a selection of walking tours with fellow CC’01 alums. All tours will depart from the Sundial!

Join the Society of Columbia Graduates and the deans of Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to recognize this year’s Great Teacher Award recipients. 

For this specific event, please register here.

Graduates of our Dual and Joint Degree Programs with Sciences Po, Tel Aviv University, Trinity College Dublin, City University of Hong Kong, and List College of the Jewish Theological Seminary are invited to a champagne reception in celebration of these diverse and groundbreaking nontraditional undergraduate programs.

Reconnect with alumni and students from the Postbac Premed Program at this special reception! Light bites will be served.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College, Columbia Engineering and Barnard College to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with classmates from Columbia College and Columbia Engineering to connect over drinks and dinner and close out reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Gather with fellow Golden Lions and connect over drinks and dinner to close out the reunion. Arrive by 6:30 p.m. to join your class photo.

Don’t miss the biggest GS alumni event of the year! At this special event, attendees will hear from Dean Rosen-Metsch, and the Owl Award will be presented to this year’s recipient. Following dinner, join alumni from all schools at the Starlight Reception on Low Plaza.

Close out Columbia Reunion 2026 with a bang at this annual party, complete with a live band, dessert and champagne. Lounge on the Steps, under the gaze of Alma Mater, and take part in one of Columbia’s most special evenings of the year.