Columbians Fill New York Public Library to Welcome President Jennifer L. Mnookin

President Jennifer L. Mnookin and University Trustees and leaders shared an evening with alumni, friends, parents, donors, and volunteers at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library on October 1, 2026, as part of a series of events to welcome and introduce President Mnookin to members of the Columbia community. The president answered questions from news anchor and political commentator George Stephanopoulos (CC’83, HON’26), who is also an active Columbia alumnus. 

Trustee Co-Chair Jeh Johnson (LAW‘82) began the program with a personal anecdote about the ways that Columbia creates opportunities and experiences that are beyond ones’ comprehension at the time. 

At the start of their wide-ranging conversation, Mnookin described the listening and learning at the core of her first few months, highlighting meaningful experiences with students: from the warmth of community-building shown on Move-in Day, to the array of interests and offerings at Activities Day to students’ incisive and thoughtful questions at World Leaders Forum events. Drawn to her role by Columbia’s longstanding academic excellence and unique impact on our city, nation, and world, Mnookin described being even further inspired by how deeply Columbians care and want to help the University move forward, a point underscored by the engaged audience of more than 550 attendees. 

Stephanopoulos raised artificial intelligence and its impact over the last few months, and Mnookin noted the significant role Columbia is playing and will play on AI and its appropriate applications. She also noted the importance of preparing Columbia students to navigate a world with AI while also providing tech-free spaces for them to develop critical-thinking skills. Stephanopoulos also raised questions and topics of concerns submitted in advance by the audience, notably campus access and Columbia’s resolution agreement with the federal government. Mnookin discussed that agreement and how the University is forging ahead, while meeting the challenges facing higher education, including the skepticism on all sides of the political spectrum about its value in an ever-changing economic landscape. She expressed confidence that Columbia can hold on to academic freedom, freedom of speech, and reasonable institutional autonomy under the conditions of this agreement. Mnookin then described the updates she made to streamline campus access, noting how she is leading the University on a path to a more open campus, with all considerations in mind, first and foremost ensuring and protecting the academic mission of the University and safety of the campus community.

Immediately after closing remarks from new Trustee Co-Chair Abigail Black Elbaum (CC’92, BUS’94), who will become sole chair at the end of the year, Mnookin began greeting the alumni, friends, donors, and volunteers in the audience. Guests exited the library, which was alight in Columbia blue, with Wu and Nussbaum black and white cookies and a deeper connection to the University’s new leader. 

Here are some photos from what was an exiting evening with alumni, friends, parents, donors, and volunteers.