Dear Students,
Whether you are continuing your academic journey with us, joining our community for the first time, or returning for the first time in a while: Welcome to Columbia!
University Life was created to build community for all students across all schools and all campuses. Our welcome extends beyond the start of the academic year and our offices serve as a resource for all students. We hope you’ll join us for programming and community building events this year and beyond.
As this academic year begins, we invite you to Welcome Home Columbia, a series of events happening September 6-16. Start your year on a positive note and connect with other students! You can learn about a few of the events below. For a full calendar of events happening across all three campuses, visit the University Life website.
- Speed Friending (In-Person). Are you looking to make new friends and connections among Columbia’s 30,000+ students? Join us for a night of conversation, snacks and fun. You might just meet your new best friend! Wednesday, September 7, 7:00-8:00 PM. Learn more and register here.
- Low-Lapalooza (In-Person). Join the University Life Events Council for a fun-filled night with Silent Disco, games, Insomnia Cookies and much more! Free headsets and three audio channels will be provided, and the first 75 students to arrive will receive free swag. Thursday September 8, 7:00-8:30 PM. Learn more and register here.
- Passport to Columbia (In-Person). Kick-start the fall semester with an evening of karaoke, free food and games from around the globe, hosted by the University Life Events Council and the International of Students & Scholars Office. All are welcome at this celebration of international identities and the diversity of our community. Thursday, September 15, 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Learn more and register here.
- Columbia Quest (In-Person). Join fellow students on this cross-campus Scavenger Hunt to explore Columbia's incredible resources and learn about our campuses. Register and be assigned to a team or sign up with a team. Teams who complete the hunt will be entered into a raffle for prizes! Friday, September 16, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM. Learn more and register here.
All Welcome Home Columbia events are free and open to all students, so just bring your CUID.
We also invite you to connect to opportunities and resources on University Life’s website, Instagram and Facebook. You can also share your stories for our Student Voices blogs and apply for the Social Justice Mini-Grant Program to fund a project advancing social justice. Throughout the year, you can always reach out to [email protected] with any suggestions or questions.
Once again, welcome. We wish you a successful year and look forward to seeing you at our events and to hearing from you.
Warm wishes for the year ahead,
Dennis A. Mitchell, DDS, MPH (he/him/his)
Executive Vice President for University Life
Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement
Professor of Dental Medicine at CUIMC
Joseph Defraine Greenwell, Ed.D. (he/him/his)
Vice President for Student Affairs
University Life
