This page is dedicated to stories about Columbia's campus and community. From student, staff, and faculty profiles to interesting events happening on campus and in our surrounding neighborhoods, here is where you can find the latest about what's happening on and around Columbia's campuses.
Story Highlight
When she was just nine years old, Savona Bailey-McClain went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the first time on a field trip with her elementary school in the Bronx. She vividly remembers her mother tenderly loaning her a scarf and special pin for the trip. When she got there, everything changed: seeing and thinking about art became core to her identity.
Decades later, as a young woman settled in Harlem and working full-time at a mental health clinic for children, still taking every chance she got to immerse herself in the art world, she noticed something: People she met every day felt shut out by museums and galleries, intimidated before they even reached the front door.
“I never could quite understand why people were so intimidated,” Bailey-McClain told Columbia Neighbors. “It is a very American problem, and I just said, ‘What if I helped to bring art into the open public space where people could see it every day?’”
Photo of the Week
This past year, 450 Columbia, Barnard, and Teachers College employees and retirees generously donated nearly $250,000 for grants distributed to 47 local nonprofits to combat hunger, provide crucial social services, champion arts and culture, and bridge educational gaps for local youth in STEM, literacy, and the arts.
COLUMBIA HISTORY
In the northeast corner of campus, Constantin Meunier’s sculpture Le Marteleur greets visitors in front of the home of the engineering school. Le Marteleur or the Hammerman was a gift of the Class of 1889 of the School of Mines (now the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science) installed all the way back in 1914. But did you know that the statue has moved multiple times over the years? And not always easily or willingly.
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Out and About
More Stories
Columbia, Barnard, and Teachers College join Morningside and West Harlem neighbors to help clean Broadway and send a message of unity.
Meet us on September 19 and 20 to initiate the Washington Heights, Morningside Heights, and West Harlem portions of the effort to clean up Broadway.
From Convocation and move-in, NSOP to ice cream trucks on College Walk, the fall semester is off to an energetic start.
Henry Clemente, a head cleaner with Facilities and Operations, knows every nook and cranny of the Morningside campus. He shares the spots every newcomer should know.
Ruben Natal-San Miguel, a 9/11 survivor, is using his artistry to amplify the power of human connection.
We featured some cool cats and hot dogs on campus for International Cat Day and National Dog Day, but there's plenty more happening at Columbia as we prepare for the fall semester. Test your knowledge of the latest news stories across the University!
As the school year kicks off, we asked Columbia researchers and staff how best to handle new endeavors. Here’s what they said.
Ocean Rivera, a peer health navigator at Columbia ICAP’s Harlem Prevention Center, was a state finalist in the 2023 Miss New York USA pageant.
President Minouche Shafik joined the Columbia community on July 1 and has hit the ground running in her new role. Here are just a few highlights from a busy summer.
Is there any more delightful sight across Columbia's campuses than a puppy bounding with endless enthusiasm?
If you live Uptown and are looking to visit a farmers market near you, we’ve got you covered.
Suggestions for where to find art, music, and more around Columbia.
