This Week at Columbia: Events & Opportunities 4/21 - 5/1

Dear Students,

Take a break before finals and join us for upcoming events designed to help you relax and reset!

Join an Upcoming Campus Conversation
Campus Conversations is a dialogue-based program from University Life, led by graduate students, designed to bring students together across differences. All students are welcome.

• How Can Healthcare Providers Exercise Culturally Competent Care? (In-Person). "Culturally competent care" has become a common buzzword in the healthcare industry, but what does it look like in practice? Join us in exploring how healthcare providers can better support immigrant communities. All students are welcome, regardless of background or experience. Monday, April 27, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Columbia and the Changing Landscape of Immigration Policies (In-Person). How does the changing immigration policy landscape affect students’ sense of belonging both at Columbia and in the wider community? This conversation will provide space for you to process how the current political climate impacts migrant and international students. Wednesday, April 29, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Register here. 
   

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

• Grad Hangout: Brushes & Botanicals (In-Person). Join the Graduate Initiative for a hands-on art and plant-care workshop designed to help you recharge. Paint your own mini succulent pots, learn beginner-friendly plant care tips, and pot a succulent to take home. *Registration for this event has reached capacity. You may join the waitlist, and we’ll be in touch if a space opens up. Wednesday, April 22, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Find a Friend: Brilliant Books & Boba (In-Person). Talk books over boba tea and meet some new friends! Swap favorite reads, discuss your TBR stack, and share your favorite quotes and characters on our Book Wall. *Registration for this event has reached capacity. You may join the waitlist, and we’ll be in touch if a space opens up. Thursday, April 23, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Register here.  
• Grad Networking: Brewing Connections (In-Person). Whether you’re preparing for graduation or continuing your graduate journey, you’re invited to join the Graduate Initiative, in collaboration with the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA), the SIPA Black Student Union, and the Association of Black Social Workers, for an evening mixer to help you grow your network in a relaxed cafe-style setting. Thursday, April 23, 5:00  - 7:30 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, April 23, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Register here. 
• Grad Hangout: Build a Lion for Little Lions (In-Person). Build Roaree-inspired stuffed animals for children at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem with the Graduate Initiative. Unwind, connect, and give back with other students in support of the “little lions” in our community. Tuesday, April 28, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here.
• Make Space: A Self-Care Crafting Series #3 - Translucent & Tranquil (In-Person). Slow down and discover moments of intentional care and relaxation through glass-inspired crafting. Create glass magnets, mosaic tile coasters, pressed flower frames, and more all while making new connections. Wednesday, April 29, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here.
• Legacy of New York: LES Food Tour (In-Person). Explore the Lower East Side (LES) through food! Trace the immigrant stories that have shaped the LES, and get a taste of Dominican, Puerto Rican, Jewish, Italian, and Chinese flavors, experiencing first-hand how food continues to play an important role in connecting people to their heritage. *Registration for this event has reached capacity. You may join the waitlist, and we’ll be in touch if a space opens up. Thursday, April 30, 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Register here. 
• Grad Hangout: MoMA – Ideas of Africa (In-Person). Visit The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) with the Graduate Initiative and discover Ideas of Africa: Portraiture and Political Imagination, a new exhibit considering how photographic portraiture in Central and West Africa shaped political imagination and Pan-African solidarity during the mid-20th century. *Registration for this event has reached capacity. You may join the waitlist, and we’ll be in touch if a space opens up. Thursday, April 30, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Petal Therapy: Unplug & Bloom (In-Person). Go analog for a few hours and reconnect with yourself through crafting in a screen-free environment. Make fresh bouquets, enjoy coloring, puzzling, and reflective writing all over light snacks and refreshments. Friday, May 1, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Kompa Nuit (In-Person). Celebrate the rich culture and history of Haitian Flag Day with an interactive dance class from Cumbe Dance Studios and the Graduate Initiative. Learn introductory Kompa steps from a professional instructor and practice your new moves in the community. All experience levels are welcome, and light snacks will be provided. Friday, May 1, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Sacred Music Concerts (Hybrid). Join Religious Life’s free, weekly concert series in St. Paul’s Chapel. Various dates and times. Learn more. 
• Apply to be part of the Student Group Accountability Review Board (SGARB)! Submit a nomination or apply for the opportunity to join SGARB and develop critical thinking and equity-informed leadership skills while contributing to an educational accountability process for student organizations. Applications are due this Friday, April 24. 
• A Testing Integrity Reminder from CSSI. Helping maintain a fair testing environment makes a difference for everyone. As you take your exams, be sure to follow all testing guidelines to ensure our academic community remains equitable and respectful for all students. Learn more. 
   

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.

• Time Management | Well-being Workshop (Online). Discuss how you spend your time and learn strategies from Columbia Health’s Alice! Health Promotion to help you overcome procrastination, build balanced schedules, and prioritize what matters most. Thursday, April 23, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Register here. 
• 2026 Bancroft Prizes in American History and Diplomacy (In-Person). Join Columbia University Libraries for a program and reception to celebrate the 2026 recipients of the Bancroft Prizes in American History and Diplomacy, as they discuss the research behind their acclaimed books on Native American treaty relations and anti-Chinese discrimination in the United States. Thursday, April 23, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Register here. 
• “This is the Only Kingdom”: A Novel (In-Person). Join Assistant Professor of Writing Jaquira Díaz as she discusses her new novel “This is the Only Kingdom,” with Edwidge Danticat, the Wun Tsun Tam Mellon Professor of the Humanities in the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies. Thursday, April 23, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Register here.
• New Plays Festival 2026 (In-Person). Catch a free play through the New Plays Festival, as produced by the Columbia MFA Playwriting Students. Friday, April 24 – Sunday, May 10, Times Vary. Register here. 
• Signature Speaker Series: Ginger Zee, ABC’s Chief Meteorologist (In-Person). Ginger Zee reflects on key milestones in her career, including coverage of Hurricane Katrina, the California wildfires, and tornado outbreaks across Alabama and Oklahoma, and the profound impact these natural disasters have on communities. Monday, April 27, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Register here. 
• Fixing Our Democracies (In-Person). Listen to Peter MacLeod, co-author of “Democracy’s Second Act: Why Politics Needs the Public,” and Hélène Landemore, author of “Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule,” to hear about the growing trend of citizens’ assemblies and other deliberative processes as practical tools for democratic renewal. Jonathan Collins, assistant professor at Teachers College, will moderate. Monday, April 27, 6:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Film Screening & Discussion: "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" (In-Person). Watch a free screening of the Academy Award winning documentary feature “Mr. Nobody Against Putin.” Mikhail Zygar will moderate a conversation afterward with director David Borenstein, director Pavel Talankin, and producer Robin Hessman. Monday, April 27, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Register here. 
• Pop-Up Concerts: Alice Teyssier & Friends - Adventures of La Maupin (In-Person). Attend a free concert featuring Alice Teyssier and a small ensemble for a new cantata-style work inspired by the life and legend of La Maupin, the late-17th-century queer opera singer and swordswoman renowned for her rapturous voice and fabled adventures. Tuesday, April 28, 6:00 p.m. Register here. 
   

Campus Resources to Support You

• Share your thoughts at the Listening Tables. Hosted by The Trust Collaboratory, the Listening Tables offer moments to connect with students, faculty, and staff from all over the University. Find an upcoming Listening Table session that works with your schedule and enjoy open conversation, reflection, and a shared meal. All students are welcome. Learn more. 
• Check out the Columbia Arts Initiative. Soak up the spring-time weather with discounted and free tickets to New York City’s best museums, performances, and movies. Explore the city, make some new memories, and take advantage of these opportunities with new friends! Learn more. 

Have questions or want to connect? Join us at an upcoming event or get in touch.

Wishing you all the best, 
University Life