What Columbia’s New President Was Up to This Summer

As new and returning students step onto campus, Columbia News is looking back on a summer full of activities for President Jennifer L. Mnookin, who took the reins on July 1, 2026. 

On her first day alone, Mnookin met with Columbia faculty members across schools and colleges, hosted a lunch for staff and administrators in Low, and toured Butler Library, where she viewed a selection of archival material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library. 

That exciting pace extended throughout the summer, with visits, meetings, sit-downs, and get-togethers with students, faculty, staff, neighbors, alumni, and more across campuses, the city, and the region. All centered around listening, learning, and connecting with our community. 

The video above and the photos below capture only a small portion of that listening and learning, but we wanted to share a peek before the school year ramps up.