News
Last Wednesday, the worldwide Columbia community came together to raise an unprecedented $695,784 for GS students from hundreds of individual gifts—an incredible 56 percent increase in fundraising compared to last year’s totals, and a more-than-threefold increase over the last five years. These gifts directly support scholarships for current and future students at the School of General Studies.
For more than a decade, United States Army veteran Kristofer Goldsmith ’20 has been championing veterans’ rights after experiencing shortcomings in the system, testifying before the United States Congress and advocating for several bills to protect veterans that became law. Most recently, his efforts have been focused on combating online disinformation campaigns designed to influence political opinions within veteran communities.
On Friday, October 30, the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration (CVTI) will host a virtual college fair for active duty service members and military veterans interested in enrolling in two- and four- year institutions. Representatives from more than 100 institutions will be available to speak with students, including the Columbia University School of General Studies, Princeton, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Virginia Tech, Johns Hopkins University, and more.
School of General Studies Veterans Appreciation Social Hour
Fri., Nov. 6, 12 - 1 p.m.
Zoom
Students of the School of General Studies are invited to celebrate Veterans Day at a social hour presented by the GS Dean of Students Office and GS Student Life. The Zoom link to participate will be emailed to registrants prior to the start of the event.
Register
2020 NYC Veterans Day Parade
Wed. Nov. 11, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Online
For the twelfth year in a row, the School of General Studies is a major sponsor in the Veterans Day Parade. As a part of the 2020 sponsorship,…
After four years spent discovering a love of learning at Mesa Community College in Arizona, Robbie LeDesma '14 experienced a critical medical crisis that inspired him to take his education more seriously. With a solidified direction, LeDesma completed his associate degree with almost double the number of required credits, a major scholarship to a university in Arizona, and the necessary skills and confidence to enroll at Columbia. LeDesma graduated from GS in 2014 and is finishing up his final year as a Ph.D student at Princeton University, where he is studying molecular…
On Wednesday, October 21, faculty, staff, friends, and family gathered virtually to celebrate the induction of 78 students into the School of General Studies Honor Society. The GS Honor Society was created in 1997 to recognize the exceptional academic achievements of GS students who have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.8 in more than 30 points of academic coursework at Columbia.
Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the nation’s oldest and largest honor society for students seeking associate degrees and credentials from community colleges, discusses the the success of community college students who become members of PTK and later decide to transfer to traditional four-year colleges, including the Columbia University School of General Studies.
Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, Superintendent and President of Santa Monica College, discusses the important role community colleges play in higher education today, and the success of community college students who decide to transfer to traditional four-year colleges, including the Columbia University School of General Studies.
Before transferring to the Columbia University School of General Studies (GS) in 2017, Chris Thompson traveled the world, from Los Angeles to Croatia, as a professional chef. While his profession was profoundly satisfying, he knew he needed something more.
Many community college students have failed to connect with learning in a meaningful way at other institutions or have been forced to overcome significant challenges. To struggle and even fail, and then come back and find your own path forward reduces the fear of failure while strengthening self-reliance. Community college students are often forced to figure it out on their own and once they do, they have a determination and resiliency that carries them forward.
Fredrick Ochoa dreamed of becoming a doctor in high school, but fear set in just before he began college in New York City. Then, as COVID-19 began to develop around the world, he found himself returning to his dreams of becoming a doctor and turned to a friend who recommended Columbia University's Postbac Premed Program.
Global Columbia Collaboratory's fall program is now accepting applications for participation. After a successful summer pilot, the Collaboratory has a new opportunity for undergraduates and global experts to discuss and design solutions for challenges facing our world. Fall 2020 will focus on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which include issues such as climate action, reducing inequalities and clean water and sanitation.
This April, the GS Alumni Relations team launched “Alumni in Conversation,” a new event series aimed at bringing together students, alumni, and members of the wider Columbia community for engaging conversations led by alumni with diverse experiences and expertise.
Project STAY is offering free home HIV and STI testing to those who are interested. Project STAY is affiliated with the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP).
The Justice and Pandemics Preparedness Academy is a partnership among the Columbia School of General Studies, the Mailman School of Public Health, and the Columbia School of Social Work that is open to students from all four undergraduate schools and provides students with the opportunity to learn, first-hand, about the intersection of pandemic preparedness and systemic racism. This fall, it welcomes 24 students into its first cohort.