Events Newsletter 2025-26

This Week at Columbia: Events & Opportunities 11/3 - 11/20

November 04, 2025
Events and opportunities on pink background

Dear Students,

We hope you can take advantage of some of the opportunities below and enjoy a few moments of relaxation and connection. 

Build Connections with the Community Citizenship Initiative
The events below are designed to help you fulfill Community Citizenship Initiative (CCI) participation requirements. CCI is required for all newly enrolled students and optional for others.

  • Peace & Presence: Coping Skills for Safety & Connection (Virtual). Explore how our autonomic nervous system reacts to stressors and trauma with Counseling and Psychological Services. Thursday, November 6, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Register here.
  • Managing Conflict: Leading with Courage and Care (In-Person). Learn practical tools and strategies to approach challenging conversations thoughtfully, manage disagreements constructively, and lead with respect and cultural awareness. Learn more. 
  • Courageous Conversations (In-Person). Join this workshop developed by LeaderShape, Inc, for a session designed to help participants engage in honest, respectful, and authentic conversations across differences. Thursday, November 12, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • Orientalism, Enlightenment, and Human Endarkenment (In-Person). Join us for a lecture exploring how Orientalism is not just prejudice of West against East but that it functions at a deep structural level and stems from an epistemology that constituted the Enlightenment itself. It argues that in all our systems of modern life, Orientalism is philosophically and materially anti-human. Thursday, November 12, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • Leading and Engaging in Society – Creating Positive Change (In-Person). Reflect on your impact as a global citizen and an agent of positive social change in this workshop geared to help you strengthen your skills in empathy, collaboration, and community engagement. 

University Life Events & Opportunities
All events listed below are in Eastern Time (ET), free, and open to all students across all schools and campuses.

  • Drop-In Hours: Earl Hall (Hybrid). Stop by Earl Hall or request a Zoom link for spiritual care and support. Sessions are open to all students, whether you’re religious, spiritual, questioning, or none of the above. Today, November 4, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Learn more. 
  • Journaling with Intention: Write, Reflect, Repeat (In-Person). Head to Earl Hall for a cozy night of journaling, crafting, intention-setting, and reflection. Take the True Colors assessment, pick out your own journal, and let your imagination run free. Wednesday, November 5, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Register here. 
  • Sacred Music Concerts (Hybrid). Religious Life is hosting sacred music concerts throughout the Fall semester. Find a moment for quiet reflection and beautiful music. Thursday, November 6, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here.  
  • Yoga Class (In-Person). Take a break to relax and refresh with yoga in Earl Hall. Please bring your own mat and arrive 10 minutes early to set up; doors close at 6:35 p.m. Thursday, November 6, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Register here. 
  • Coffee Conversations and Spirituality (In-Person). Explore life, meaning, and purpose over breakfast with Religious Life. No beliefs required, just bring your sense of connection and curiosity. Friday, November 7, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Register here. 
  • Dance Fitness Series: Lyrical (In-Person). Experience the artistry of lyrical dance in a special, beginner-friendly workshop led by staff from the renowned Alvin Ailey School of Dance. Learn new choreography and make friends while dancing together! Friday, November 7, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Register here. 
  • Citizen-Leaders: A Conversation with the Obama Foundation Scholars (In-Person).  In collaboration with Columbia World Projects, University Life is proud to host the 2025 Obama Foundation Scholars at Columbia University for a discussion on how they use leadership, innovation, and collaboration to drive meaningful change. Don’t miss this insightful panel discussion – a Q&A will follow, with lunch provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Monday, November 10, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Learn more. 
  • Community Connections: Celebrating the First Gen Graduate Experience (In-Person). Join the Graduate Initiative for a Wicked-themed Community Connections event centering the experiences and achievements of Columbia’s first-generation graduate students. Connect with your peers, swap stories, and celebrate your journey. All students are welcome to attend. Thursday, November 13, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Register here. 
  • Fill the Pantry Fridays at Community Impact. Help us keep every shelf stocked! Every Friday, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., the Community Impact Food Pantry is accepting donations to help support our neighbors. If you’re able, please consider donating canned and dried goods to help make sure no one goes without. Learn more.
     

Center for Student Success and Intervention Events & Opportunities

  • Advisors: Your Go-To Guides! When your student group goes through the formal Student Group Accountability Review Board (SGARB) process, you can have your advisor help you navigate things along the way. Advisors can be staff or professors, but here’s the deal: they’re there to support and guide, not to speak for your group. Think of them as your calm coach, helping you stay grounded and prepared, while you take the lead in representing your group! Learn more.
  • CSSI Online Puzzle Search (Online). Explore the many resources and support services CSSI offers through a fun, interactive online scavenger hunt. Follow clues, uncover answers, and discover tools to help you thrive at Columbia, all while competing for prizes (perfect scores will receive a grand prize!). Monday, November 3 - Monday, November 17. Learn more.
  • Campus Connect with CSSI: Religious Life (In-Person). Whether you’re interested in learning more about campus resources, community service, interfaith dialogue, spiritual support, or just want to meet new people, this is a welcoming space to build connections, ask questions, and discover how the CSSI and the Office of Religious Life can enhance your Columbia experience. Thursday, November 6, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Learn more. 
  • Living in New York City: Tenant’s Rights (Online). If you have been struggling with problems with your off-campus apartment or just want to learn more about your rights as a tenant in NYC, this virtual workshop is for you! Tuesday, November 11, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • Get to Know Student Group Conduct & the SGARB Process! (Online). We’re excited to introduce a dedicated group committed to supporting and advancing the success of student organizations through education, collaboration, and compliance. This is your opportunity to get to know the team, learn about the resources available to student groups, and share your thoughts. Friday, November 14, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Register here. 
     

More Events and Opportunities Happening Around Campus
The events below are only some of the free, University-wide events open to all students. For a full list of events, visit the University Events Calendar.

  • The Listening Tables (In-Person). Connect with students, faculty, and staff at a Listening Table for open conversation, reflection, and a shared meal. Multiple sessions available. Wednesday, November 5, 11:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Register here.
  • "'Tsniut,' between Gender, Law, and Ideology" (In-Person). Join Dr. Emmanuel Block as he explores how Orthodox communities navigate modern issues like gender roles, sexuality, and social norms while maintaining continuity with tradition. Wednesday, November 5, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • The Future of Press Freedom in an Era of Democratic Backsliding (In-Person). Enjoy lunch and listen to a panel of legal experts and journalists, including RonNell Andersen Jones, Nora Benavidez, Azmat Khan, Margaret Sullivan, Sonja R. West, as they consider how to protect the crucial role of the press in our democracy. Wednesday, November 5, 12:15 - 1:45 p.m. Register here. 
  • Wholesome Book Time (In-Person). Curious about rare books and need a break to enjoy the artistry of print? Stop by Butler Library for an informal gathering to enjoy rare books from the collection at Columbia's Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Wednesday, November 5, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • Dog Therapy with Alice! Health Promotion & Recovery Coalition (In-Person). Take a paws and relax with therapy dogs from New York Therapy Animals, courtesy of Alice! Health Promotion and the Recovery Coalition. Access is first-come, first-served and limited to 60 students. No registration needed, just bring your CUID. Thursday, November 6, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Learn more.
  • On Dante and Lorenzo Da Ponte – Worldwide Week of the Italian Language (In-Person). ​In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, The Italian Academy is celebrating Worldwide Week of the Italian Language. Join a talk by the Executive Director of the Italian Academy, Barbara Faedda, and Da Ponte Professor of Italian, Teodolinda Barolini, to explore the resonance of Dante Alighieri’s language and the legacy of Italian learning at Columbia. Thursday, November 6, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Register here.  
  • Hope in the Water With Andrew Zimmern & Barton Seaver (In-Person). Don’t miss this special conversation from Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver, co-authors of The Blue Food Cookbook, for a talk on how seafood can shape a more sustainable and delicious future. Moderated by Sandra Goldmark, the Columbia Climate School’s Dean for Impact and Engagement. Friday, November 7, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Register here. 
  • The Listening Tables @ J-School (In-Person). Graduate students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend a Listening Table at the Graduate School of Journalism. Meet, mingle, and enjoy open dialogue over a complimentary meal. Tuesday, November 11, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • Summer Government Internship Information Session (In-Person). The Office of Government and Community Affairs is hosting a session to help you learn about different internship opportunities for Summer 2026 in Washington D.C., including opportunities provided by Congress, the White House, as well as state and local opportunities. Former interns and the Center for Career Education will be available to answer questions. Wednesday, November 12, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Register here. 
  • Crafts on The Corner: Sketch Sessions (In-Person). Take a creative break and head to the Lee C. Bollinger Forum and spend some time drawing the views and activities around Manhattanville, as seen from inside the Forum. All materials provided, and no previous experience required. All are welcome! Wednesday, November 12, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Register here.
     

Campus Resources to Support You

  • Track Live NYC Poll Site Wait Times. Find the most accessible poll site before you head out to vote. The NYC Wait Time Map shows real-time updates across all five boroughs to help you plan your trip and save time. Learn more.
  • Get to Know the International Student & Scholar’s Office. Discover all that Columbia’s International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) has to offer, from visa guidance to cultural programming and community events, ISSO is here to help you make the most of your time in New York. Explore resources, connect with peers, and feel at home on campus and beyond. Learn more. 
     

Wishing you all the best, 
University Life