Uncertain about shifting climate change policies? The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law has developed a Climate Deregulation Tracker to monitor federal attempts to reduce or repeal environmental sustainability regulations. Learn more.

On March 2, hear Toomas Ilves ’76CC, former president of Estonia, speak about Russia and cybersecurity. In January, the US Intelligence community reported that Russia sought to influence the 2016 US presidential election through covert cyber operations. How will this impact US-Russia relations? Register for the event.

The week before Valentine’s Day, alumni shared Columbia love stories on CAA’s Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. Posts on Instagram performed four times better than those last year with CAA gathering over 300 stories thus far. See the #ColumbiaLoveStories Facebook album and read stories on The Low Down.

Our campaign video, a kaleidoscope of images bringing our campaign brief and Q&A’s to life, needs a soundtrack.

Submit one high-energy song in the spirit of the messaging guide to [email protected] by Friday, March 10. 

Charles R. Drew ’40P&S

See below January’s Countdown Contest winners who correctly matched the biographies of distinguished black Columbians to their names.

Thank you to those who participated! Winners received a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card.

CONTEST WINNERS

Catherine Griggs, major gifts officer, CC and A&S 
Paul Lindberg, alumni relations coordinator
Christine McPherson, associate director for human resources
Jessie S. Mygatt, associate director of alumni relations
Maria Vallejo-Nguyen, annual fund manager
Olivia Vignone, development assistant of gift planning 
Talya Westbrook, major gifts officer, A&S
Diana Wong, development assistant

“Social Scientists must believe that poetry, essays, and drama are as legitimate expressions of the spirit of man as the works of John Stuart Mill, Adam Smith—or even Karl Marx.”

Nicolson ’63HON became the first female full professor at an Ivy League university. As a Columbia faculty member from 1941 to 1962, Nicolson pioneered scholarship in literature and science, and she was the first female president of Phi Beta Kappa. She chaired the English and Comparative Literature Department, challenging sexism in academia and deepening Columbia’s commitment to the arts. Learn more.

The Alumni Center’s fourth floor conference room is named after Nicolson.

Sign up for this year’s all-staff meeting on February 8. We will participate in an exploratory workshop with SOA’s Digital Storytelling Lab to help us connect with each other and discuss our collective and individual roles in supporting our campaign. Through this dynamic session with our own Columbia faculty leaders, we hope to surface exciting opportunities to apply to our work. For questions, please e-mail [email protected].

We welcomed 2017 by toasting the new year at Columbia. After a campaign preview in Low Library, Amelia asked each of us to voice what matters most in our work and in meeting our own and Columbia’s goals. Some of our colleagues shared their commitments below.

Ryan Carmichael, deputy vice president for development
“I am committed to increasing Columbia’s impact in the world by increasing the resources we raise.”

Ryan Hart, executive director of planned giving
“My commitment is to accelerate the growth of 1754 Society membership to increase the proportion of Columbia’s fundraising attributable to Gift Planning strategies, methods, and vehicles.”

Janine Jacquet, associate dean of alumni and development, JRN
“My commitment is to be creative in thinking about how to bring in gifts that will help those committed to creating Just Societies come to Columbia to get the education they need.”

Paul Keenan, senior vice president for University development
“I commit to working with my colleagues across the University to shape an alumni relations and development practice that helps us all feel productive and proud.”

Jane Lowry, assistant dean of alumni & development, JRN
“My Columbia commitment is to work closely with Gift Planning to close more planned gifts at the Journalism School. We are planning on having a session at our Alumni Weekend in April, and the team of gift officers are committed to seeking more planned gifts.”

Donna MacPhee, vice president for alumni relations & president of CAA
“My commitment is to ‘electricity’—to being a vibrant part of our team feeding off each other to generate energy, excitement, and enthusiasm across our Columbia community.”

Jacquelyn Morton, senior philanthropic advisor, Gift Planning
“My commitment is to increase the donations of current loyal donors by encouraging them to consider gift planning opportunities.”

Adeline Ortiz, program coordinator, Gift Strategy
“I am committed to producing top quality work, with the utmost efficiency, and to smile every day!”

Lisa Yeh, senior associate dean, BUS
“I am committed to supporting a collaborative, transparent, working environment that encourages sharing new ideas for alumni and friends engagement and fundraising that recognizes when we think big, we accomplish big!”

Dewitt Clinton Professor of History Eric Foner and President Lee Bollinger discuss the Columbia University & Slavery website.

Attend a January 30 event about Columbia University & Slavery, a new website and student-led report about the University’s relationship to slavery and its abolition. Jordan Brewington ’17CC and Jared Odessky ’15CC will discuss their findings following an introduction by DeWitt Clinton Professor of History Eric Foner. Read more about their project in this week’s New York Times.