Columbia University’s School of General Studies (GS) is excited to announce that United States Marine Corps veteran, accomplished financial and investment expert, and longtime champion and supporter of Columbia GS Larry J. Lawrence '69GS, '71BUS will deliver the keynote address at GS Class Day on Monday, May 18.
For the past 60 years, Mr. Lawrence has been one of the most consequential members of the Columbia GS community, mentoring generations of student veterans, providing wise counsel to multiple deans, leading our Board of Visitors, and setting an inspiring example with his own philanthropy as the single biggest donor for financial aid scholarships in the history of GS.
“Larry has been an invaluable resource for me during my tenure as dean of Columbia GS and I am thrilled that the Class of 2026 will have the opportunity to receive his remarks and wisdom at Class Day,” said Dean Lisa Rosen-Metsch.
Mr. Lawrence is currently the manager of JPBC Associates, LLC, a family investment company. Previously, he was the founder and managing partner of Allegra Partners, a venture capital firm that invested primarily in early-stage companies in the telecommunication, software, and services sectors. Prior to that, he was the founder and managing partner of Lawrence Venture Partners and president and chief investment officer of Citicorp Venture Capital.
He attended Yale for two years and served in the United States Marine Corps before matriculating at the School of General Studies where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He went on to earn an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1971. He is a former member of the Columbia Alumni Association Honors and Prizes Committee and was a co-chair of the Columbia Undergraduate Campaign Council during the University’s $6 billion capital campaign, which was completed in December 2013. Mr. Lawrence was awarded the Columbia Alumni Medal in 2010 and the Witten Award for Transformational Volunteer Leadership in 2013. Since November 2010, he has been a director of the Columbia Investment Management Company, which manages the University's $16 billion endowment fund.
Beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Lawrence has maintained a deep and enduring commitment to the University. He is a long-time member and currently the Chair Emeritus of the GS Board of Visitors. He previously co-chaired the Advisory Committee for the Columbia Business School Entrepreneurship Program and, in recent years, established the Larry J. Lawrence Matching Fund to help launch the 2022 Student Support Initiative, a transformative effort that significantly expanded financial aid and scholarship opportunities for the School of General Studies.
His children—Jesse, Ben, Peter, and Christina—all share his strong connection to the University, with three of them having attended Columbia Business School. He resides in Greenwich, Connecticut, with his wife, Sally, and their two Golden Retrievers, Gracie and Buster.
