This Week at Columbia: Events & Opportunities 2/25 - 3/11

Dear Students, 

We hope you can take advantage of some of the events and opportunities below.

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

• Joyful Jots: Gratitude Journaling Workshop (Hybrid). Come by for a session to help you pause, reflect, and capture the little moments that bring you happiness and peace. Dr. Sophia Godkin, author of the best-selling The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal: Give Thanks, Practice Positivity, Find Joy, will share insights from her work as well. Please note: Five Minute Gratitude Journals will be available to the first 50 attendees. Wednesday, February 26, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Register here.
• Munch & Chat with CSSI (In-Person). Munch & Chat is a series of roundtable discussions with staff from the Center for Student Success and Intervention while munching on snacks! We will discuss the proper use of Artificial Intelligence and how to navigate conflicts you may experience on campus. Thursday, February 27, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Black History Month (BHM) Game Lounge (In-Person). Join this annual celebration of Black-owned and community-favorite games! Enjoy an evening of trivia, board games, card games, great food, and even better vibes. Make new friends, share laughs, and create unforgettable memories. This event is part of The Graduate Initiative for Inclusion and Engagement. Thursday, February 27, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here.
• Neurodivergence in Academia (In-Person). As part of Integrity Week 2025, this session will begin a conversation about the potential benefits of neurodiversity in fostering innovation and creativity, while also shedding light on the urgency of dismantling ableist structures to create inclusive and equitable institutions that value diverse cognitive perspectives. Friday, February 28, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Register here.
• Vibes on College Walk: Performer Application. The Campus Collaborative Fund (CCF) is excited to introduce the College Walk Live Music Series, which aims to turn College Walk into a vibrant performance space, bringing light and energy as we inch closer to the spring. Interested in performing? Apply by February 28!
• Community Connections: Women of Color (In-Person). Celebrate Women's History Month and enjoy some light refreshments and good music as you connect with other students at Columbia. This event is part of the Graduate Initiative for Inclusion and Engagement. Wednesday, March 5, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Register here.
• Meet, Greet, and Treats with University Life (In-Person). Come together around food and conversation with fellow students, Joseph Greenwell, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs, and Rana Khan, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs. Please note: space is limited. Wednesday, March 5, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Register here.
• Public Benefits Workshop (Virtual). Join CSSI’s Case Management and Student Support team for an opportunity to learn more about SNAP, WIC, and other benefits that are available through New York City Access HRA. You will also learn how to connect with the Case Management and Student Support team for support with basic needs and connections to internal and external resources. Friday, March 7, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Register here.
• Women Who Lead: Creating Your Life’s GPS & Breaking Unseen Barriers (In-Person). In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, join University Life and ISSO for an open discussion on navigating higher education and leadership with an emphasis on the unique challenges that women face in academia and beyond. This event is part of the Graduate Initiative for Inclusion and Engagement. 
• Painting with Strangers: A Paint Night Social (In-Person). Enjoy delicious mocktails and meet new people while you create your masterpiece! An instructor will lead you through the process, step-by-step, so no prior experience is necessary. Friday, March 7, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Register here.
• The Food Pantry at Columbia Student Leadership Board Openings. The Food Pantry serves all currently registered students across Columbia’s 21 schools, colleges, and affiliates. If you are passionate about food access and helping the Columbia community, consider applying for one of the open Student Leadership Board positions! Learn more or email [email protected].
• Sacred Music Concerts (Hybrid). Join Religious Life’s free, weekly concert series in St. Paul’s Chapel. Learn more and register for an upcoming concert.
• Yoga Class (In-Person). Take a break and relax with yoga in Earl Hall hosted by Religious Life. Please bring your own mat and arrive 10 minutes early to sign in and set up! Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Learn more.

More Events and Opportunities Happening Around Campus

• Pop-Up Concerts: Wael Farouk (In-Person). Praised as a “formidable and magnificent pianist,” Egyptian-American pianist Wael Farouk is known for his groundbreaking performance projects. Farouk returns to Miller Theatre to share solo piano works by Bach, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Scarlatti, and more. TODAY, February 25, 6:00 p.m. Register here.
• Open Hours: Low Rotunda (In-Person). Low Library Rotunda will be open weekly to students, faculty, and staff this semester. Stop by to gather or study! Wednesday, February 26, 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.
• Live Sound: How to Use a PA System (Music Tech Workshop Series) (In-Person). The Music & Arts Library, in collaboration with Libraries Digital Scholarship, is offering a series of music technology workshops hosted by Sound Art MFA graduate students. This session will focus on sound systems, including how they work and how to properly connect technology. Wednesday, February 26, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here.
• A Biographical History of the Most Dangerous Idea Ever Invented (In-Person). Join Maison Française for a conversation with Andrew Curran, author of the forthcoming book, The Race Makers, a group biography that traces the development of the concept of race in the eighteenth century. Wednesday, February 26, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here.
• The IRA, Drug Pricing & Innovation (In-Person). Columbia Business School is hosting this engaging panel discussion on the transformative effects of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on drug pricing and pharmaceutical innovation as part of their Healthcare Spotlight Series. The conversation will dive into the implications on affordability, access, and more. Thursday, February 27, 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. Register here.
• Arthur Ross Gallery Opening: Prospecting Ocean (In-Person). Columbia GSAPP presents the opening of Prospecting Ocean by Armin Linke, a multimedia artistic research project investigating the technocratic entanglement of industry, science, politics, and economics at the frontiers of ocean exploration. Thursday, February 27, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Learn more.
• Groundbreaking Research in Addiction and Community Engagement (In-Person). Bringing together a diverse group of participants, the HEALing Communities Study is hosting a day of learning about using team science and community engagement to fight addiction and overdose deaths. Participants will leave with practical insights and a deeper understanding of how HCS methodologies can be adapted to address a range of public health behaviors, from addiction to broader health challenges. Friday, February 28, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Learn more and register.
• Mind, Brain, and Society: Presidential Scholars in Conversation (In-Person). The Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience host past and present Scholars, who will share how their research at the intersection of neuroscience and society has shaped their work. Explore how this unique program has sparked groundbreaking ideas and continues to influence the future of interdisciplinary collaboration. Monday, March 3, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Register here.
• Columbia AI Summit (In-Person). The Columbia AI Summit spans our three Manhattan campuses, marking the formal kickoff of the Columbia AI initiative, a University-wide effort to advance the frontiers of AI to address pressing societal challenges. Learn from leading experts on the effects of AI on healthcare, business, public policy, engineering, the arts, and more. Tuesday, March 4, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Register here.
• Nicotine Awareness & Help (NAH) Town Hall (Virtual). Alice! Health Promotion invites the Columbia community to take part in this town hall, reviewing the current smoking policy and proposing an updated policy, which could include Morningside and Manhattanville campuses becoming smoke/vape free. If accepted, this change would more closely align with other smoke, vape, and nicotine policies on other campuses and affiliates. Tuesday, March 4, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Learn more and register on Zoom here.

Take care,

Joseph Defraine Greenwell, Ed.D.
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs
University Life
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Ixchel Rosal
Senior Associate Vice President for Student Life
University Life
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers