The Daily Plan-it / Dean of Students Blog, Columbia J-school

May 23, 2013

ALUMNI: Important Information for Graduates

Dear Class of 2013,

Congratulations! As you join the ranks of Columbia Journalism School alumni (10,494) around the world, we want to provide you with answers to some frequently asked questions we receive from students as they transition to alumni. As always, we are happy to answer any additional questions you may have.

Communications and Community

  • The Alumni website - www.journalism.columbia.edu/alumni, the alumni online community is your primary resource to stay connected witheach other and the School. You can update your personal information; find information about events and access resources available to alumni. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Alumni Relations at jalumni@columbia.edu or at (212) 854-3864.
  • Online Alumni Directory - The University-wide Alumni Directory helps you stay connected with alumni from all Columbiaschools. Update your information, and then search the directory for old friends and new contacts.
  • The class listserv - Every Journalism School graduating class since 1942 is linked via its own e-mail listserv, and listmembership is restricted to classmates. It’s a great way to connect with friends, share information, plan reunions, swap job leads, and debate ethics in journalism. The Journalism School has also created listservs by region, including an international listserv. To join a listserv or to change your email address, complete the Update Contact Information form.
  • This e-mail explains what you need to do to use your class e-mail listserv. Please read the e-mail carefully and follow the few basic steps.
  • To set up the J2013 listserv, we used the “real world” e-mail you supplied in your graduation survey (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, EarthLink, etc.). Please use the listserv with care; once you’ve posted a message to it, your message is read by EVERYONE on the list i.e. the entire class. Your postings cannot be retracted, so be forewarned. If you are in a dispute with someone, whether it’s political or personal, please take it off-line. Your classmates should be treated with respect. Also, the listserv does not accept attachments; our anti-spam filters are designed to prevent passing on network viruses. And if you hit the “reply” button without thinking, you will automatically broadcast your response to everyone!

Here we go:

1. HOW DO I USE THIS LIST?

To send mail to the list, address your email to: j2013@lists.jrn.columbia.edu

The mail will automatically be forwarded to EVERYONE on the list. Be careful about replying to e-mails from the listserv as everyone will read your opinion.

2. WHY SHOULD I BOTHER WITH THIS LIST?

This list is only as good as the people who participate. It represents an opportunity to maintain a connection with your fellow alums even though you’re scattered across the planet. It’s only for J2013 and a few friendly J-School staffers (Irena, Melanie, and Ernie), so enjoy this great networking tool. The listserv is also the primary vehicle used to send J-School announcements, invitations to events in your area, and the monthly E-News, so remember to keep us updated as you move, change jobs, etc.

3. WHAT TOPICS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE LIST?

Appropriate topics include:

1. Journalism and J-School related topics.

II. Job leads.

III. Story leads.

IV. Great stories and helpful information & web sites.

V. Fun stuff. Off-the-wall war stories or amusing incidents are welcome, but this is not an Internet joke-of-the-day forum. Same deal goes with gossip.

4. FLAMES

Flames are possibly abusive or inappropriately aggressive e-mails directed toward somebody. Be sharp, be witty, be pithy, but let’s keep it clean!

5. I LIKE THIS LIST, BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY MESSAGES . . . WHAT CAN I DO?

Filters. Presuming you’re using a modern e-mail client (Eudora, MS Outlook Express, MS Outlook or Netscape Messenger,) you can filter messages to different folders. Every message from the list will have[J2013] in the subject line, so tell your filter to look for that term and move the message to a separate folder so it doesn’t clutter up your inbox. You can also request a digest function, which will combine all the day´s posts.

6. MY MAIL PROGRAM LETS ME USE HTML MAIL. SHOULD I?

HTML messages download more slowly and not everyonecan read them. HTML mail messages (where you can change colors and customize font sizes) look nice, but are unreadable to those poor souls who use CUNIX or other simple e-mail programs.

7. AND ONE MORE THING…

Some of our e-mails are long and some e-mail systems will read those as spam — so set your system accordingly.

  • E-mail for Life and Forwarding - The Columbia Alumni Association offers alumni free, Web-based e-mail and email forwarding. Alumni email forwarding is a free service that combines the convenience of a single lifetime email address with the flexibility to change Internet service providers. More information about your Columbia email and forwarding is at http://alumni.columbia.edu/access/s2_2.html
  • Special Events - As an alumnus/a, you will be invited to a number of alumni events throughout the year and throughout the world. Please remember to keep the Alumni Office updated with your latest contact information so we can stay in touch. Remember to also save the date of April 25-26, 2014 for your first year Reunion!

Career Resources

  • Alumni Career Services - The Office of Career Services will be open all summer so please don’t hesitate to contact them if you still need help finding a job or internship, weighing or negotiating an offer, and other advice. Also, it’s very important that they have accurate records for your class, so as soon as you find employment, please remember to let Anusha Shrivastava know at as1698@columbia.edu. As always, all of our password-protected pages on job hunting and contacts are available to you with your UNI, and this includes JobNews, which is updated every day.

Campus Resources/Nuts & Bolts

For general information about alumni benefits and services, click here.

  • Health Insurance - Students who are currently under the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan will be covered through the summer following graduation until August 31, 2013. For those graduating students who would like to extend coverage, please note that you do have the option to participate in the Continuation Plan. Information will be posted on the Health Services web site on or around July 15, 2013. To access the Health Services site, click here for information regarding plans, dates, continuation and general coverage (including dependents). Be sure to access this site to confirm all dates including deadlines for continuation and coverage. It is the responsibility of each student to contact Health Services regarding their coverage.
  • Alumni ID Card - To apply for an alumni ID, take one form of photo ID to 201 Butler Library, have your photo taken and pay the $5 fee. This ID card will be valid for six years after which you can renew it.
  • Auditing Classes - All University alumni are welcome to audit courses through the School of Continuing Education. The Auditing Program provides adults not currently enrolled in college with the opportunity to attend selected lectures drawn from the University’s offerings in the arts and sciences during the academic year. For more information about the courses available for auditing, please visit the School of Continuing Education Web site at: http://ce.columbia.edu/
  • Library Access - With an alumni ID card, you may do research at campus libraries. Alumni who wish to check books out may obtain a borrowing privileges card for $30/month at the Library Information Office. Please see “Alumni ID Card” above. You can also access many full-text databases online at the Libraries Alumni Gateway at www.alumni.libraries.columbia.edu.

Transcripts and Diplomas

Columbia University Office of the Registrar
205 Kent Hall, MC 9202
1150 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027

You can also call (212) 854-4330. Press “1″ to order a transcript or verify degrees. There is no fee for this service; however, if the transcript is needed immediately, alumni must call and pay to have the transcript sent via FedEx.

**Note: Information on important documents from the Registrar can be accessed online at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/registrar/docs/alumni/index.html

Please contact the Office of Alumni Relations with any additional questions. Once again, congratulations!

May 17, 2013

CONTESTS: Journalism Library Decorate Our Wall Data Visualization Contest Winner

Filed under: Fun stuff, Contests

We are excited to name Jefferson Mok as the winner of the Journalism Library Decorate Our Wall data visualization contest! In “The NRA Network,” his use of NRA data, illustrating the wide distribution of funds around the country toward various programs, was a wonderfully innovative, and cleverly illustrated, way to share funding activities by this particular organization.

We congratulate Jefferson for his accomplishment - and we ask that you stay tuned as we will soon have this work proudly displayed in the Journalism Library. Thank you to all who participated in the first (of hopefully many!) Journalism Library Decorate Our Wall data viz contest. And a special thank you to JSchool’s Professor Susan McGregor and Professor Mark Hansen for serving as panel judges.

Congratulations again to Jefferson! And best wishes to the class of 2013!

EVENT: SPJ Boat Cruise

SPJ and the Dean’s office invites you all to the the Boat Cruise event which will take place on Sunday, May 19 and will start at 4 p.m.

All students (including non-graduating part timers) will enter for free (must show Columbia ID) and each guest will cost $20. Enter at New York Skyports Marina (East River and 23rd Street).

4 p.m. Boat party at dock begins
At 5:30 p.m. Kimberly Brooks will announce the 2013 Teacher of the Year (congrats Ari Goldman) and student of the year (its shhhh… still a secret).
5:45 p.m. For those who do not want to set sail with the rest of the class, there will be a warning to get off the boat.
6 p.m.-8 p.m. The boat will set sail to lower Manhattan (pass by Statue of Liberty, etc.)
8 p.m. Everyone WILL HAVE TO leave the boat.

The cruise includes a cash bar and a DJ. There will also be a “cash food bar” for $8 per plate (i.e., chicken, pasta, salad, rice, etc.). It is advisable to eat before you get on board as the food is snack-ish.

Dress code is party-ish; please note, we will be near the water, so dress accordingly.

May 9, 2013

OFFER: Class of 2013 T-Shirts

Reserve your class T-shirt! They are $10 each and will be available for pickup and payment on May 21 and May 22.

No extras will be ordered, reserve a shirt even if are not sure you want one.

DEADLINE TO RESERVE: FRIDAY, MAY 9 at 3 p.m.

DESCRIPTION
Color: navy blue
Front: #cujshirt
Back: That’s MASTER of journalism to you.

Sizes available:
small [no extra small sorry]
medium
large
XL
XXL

ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Go to http://bit.ly/2013classshirt
2)Type your name, email and size of shirt [if you want more than one shirt, type one a second line, 1 shirt per line]
3)Pick up and pay for your shirt on May 21 or May 22 [after graduation].

DEADLINE TO RESERVE: FRIDAY, MAY 9 at 3 p.m.

OFFER: Graduation Playlist

Filed under: Graduation, Fun stuff

What songs represent this year or your experience at the Journalism School? Share your ‘Best Songs of the Class of 2013′ by May 15 and we may add them to the Journalism School Graduation 2013 playlist at the Journalism School commencement ceremony. Share your song requests here: http://fs8.formsite.com/cjdos/GradMusic/

May 1, 2013

CONTEST: Data Visualization Contest

Dust off your hard work from the spring semester - we are excited to announce a data visualization contest for the Journalism Library! Submit your data visualizations to journalism@libraries.cul.columbia.edu by 5 p.m. May 13 to be included.

The winning entry will be made into a poster to be mounted and displayed with your name in the Journalism Library until October 1. The winner will also receive a libraries mug and the opportunity to submit your work to Columbia University Libraries Academic Commons.

Contest Rules:
1) Submissions must use publicly available data; data is broadly defined and can include
video, audio, photo
2) Submissions must be received no later than 5 p.m. on May 13
3) You may use previously submitted class work!
4) Submissions must be in PDF
5) Please do not use your name in the PDF filename; instead, in your email include the
following information: your full name, graduation year, a title for your creation, and
the data source/s used

All submissions will be judged based on accurate use of data and originality in aesthetic presentation; panel of judges includes Journalism Librarian, Cristina Ergunay, Data Services Coordinator, Ashley Jester, and J-School Professor Susan McGregor.

The winner will be announced at the JSchool Innovation Showcase on May 17. Please email journalism@libraries.cul.columbia.edu with any questions.

We look forward to your submissions - good luck!

Cris and Ashley, Columbia University Libraries

April 29, 2013

EVENT: SPJ presents The J-School Basketball Tournament

SPJ presents The J-School Basketball Tournament

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2013
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Dodge Fitness Center Basketball Court

Coed teams, all levels welcome! There will be teams for the M.S. Concentrations, the M.A. program and Part-Time Students.

SIGN-UP- To sign up for teams contact:

The deadline for team registration is Sunday, April 28 at midnight.

Once teams are finalized, the schedule and match-ups will be announced. Full-court playoff games of 12-minute halves will be followed by finals on same evening.

SHOOT FOR PRIDE AND J-SCHOOL GLORY!!

Any questions, please contact Harman Boparai (hsb2129@columbia.edu).

April 25, 2013

FUN STUFF: New 2013 Bike Maps Are In

The new 2013 NYC Bike Maps are in. The new maps include NEW bike lanes added, bike shops, safety tips and more!

You can pick them up at the Public Safety Office at both the Morningside & Medical Center campuses:

Morningside Campus
Low Library Room 111 24 hrs

Medical Center Campus
650 West 168 Street, Black Building Room 109 24 hrs

April 22, 2013

MEMO: Graduation Awards for M.S. & M.A. Students

Attn: Graduating Students
From: Dean Huff
Re: Year-end Awards for M.S. & M.A. Students
April 22, 2013
http://bit.ly/CUJ_Awards13

Each year on Journalism Day the school confers awards on several top-performing students. Each prize winner will receive a certificate and some will receive additional cash prizes (this depends on how the awards were originally set up). Below you will find the descriptions of this year’s awards.

These awards are open to any M.S. students graduating in this cycle (May 2013, Feb. 2013 and Oct. 2012). Some awards are also open to M.A. students – noted in each award description.

There are two broad categories of awards: those for which students can submit entries that are judged by faculty juries and those decided by the professors teaching the course for which they are awarded – no submissions are accepted for these.

Please note: The Blood award is run by an alumni committee and has already accepted submissions.

Another prize, the Harron Award, is decided by a faculty committee from nominations provided by the J-school community – see separate announcement). All M.S., M.A., Knight Bagehot, and Ph.D. students are eligible.

For juried awards, you may submit applications for no more than two categories (the Blood Award is not part of the limit), and each application can contain only one story, or segment of a Master’s Project/Thesis. Submissions must conform to the parameters (word count; video length; type of work) listed in the award description below.

The decisions of the faculty judges are final, and their deliberations are confidential.

To submit, please complete this form. In addition, for audio & video submissions, please also bring five copies of a labeled disk to Lauren Mack in 207A by Tuesday, April 30, at noon. If you are coming after business hours, please drop off the entries through the slot of the gray box outside of the DOS offices (Huff/Sotomayor).

If you are entering more than one category, you must complete a separate form for each entry (note: no more than two categories per student, not including Blood).

You can also read about how students graduate with honors in this DOS Blog post about year-end awards and grading.

FAQs about all this at the end of this post.

If you have any questions, please address them to dos@jrn.columbia.edu.

Regards,

Dean Huff

AWARDS TAKING SUBMISSIONS (descriptions below):

  • Blood Award for reporting (closed)
  • duPont/Judy F. Crichton Award - (M.A. eligible)
  • Hechinger Education Journalism Award - (M.A. eligible)
  • Horgan Prizes (3) for science reporting (M.S. Science Writing seminar only)
  • Journalism Editorial - (M.A. eligible)
  • Mencher Award for superior reporting
  • Wechsler for local reporting - (M.A. eligible)
  • Wechsler for national reporting - (M.A. eligible)
  • Wechsler for international reporting - (M.A. eligible)

AWARDS NOT TAKING SUBMISSIONS:

  • Best M.A. Thesis (M.A. only)
  • Balakian Award for writing about literature - (M.A. eligible)
  • Baker Award for City Newsroom
  • Baker Award for CNS
  • Baker Award for New York World
  • Baker Award for Magazine Workshops
  • Greer Award for financial writing (one M.S. & one M.A.)
  • Peter Keller Award for Editing
  • Joan Konner Broadcast Journalism Award
  • Lynton Fellowship in Book Writing (All Book seminar students eligible)
  • Nelson Award for national affairs reporting
  • Digital Media Workshop Award
  • Nightly News Workshop Award
  • Photography Award
  • Radio Workshop Award
  • Best Performance in Law Class
  • Taylor Award for best international student (M.A. eligible)
  • Video Storytelling Workshop Award
  • Louis Winnick Prize for RWI Writing

AWARD WITH NOMINATIONS FROM J-SCHOOL COMMUNITY

  • Harron Award or excellence in reporting as well as exemplary kindness and courtesy to fellow students (see separate announcement) [Whole school eligible]

2013 STUDENT PRIZES IN DETAIL

AWARDS TAKING SUBMISSIONS

THE RICHARD BLOOD AWARD
The Richard Blood Award is given to the student – judged by a panel of the former professor’s students – to have written the best investigative, hard-news or news feature story (closed).

THE DUPONT/JUDY F. CRICHTON AWARD (M.A. eligible)
The duPont/Judy F. Crichton Award is named in commemoration of the former duPont-Columbia Awards juror, who during her career served as one of the first female documentary producers at “CBS Reports;” and who became the founding Executive Producer of PBS’ show, the “American Experience.” It honors student video work that most encapsulizes Judy’s ideals of hard-hitting journalism, long-form narrative storytelling, and historical perspective on issues of concern to American culture and history. Entries can be posted on Vimeo or Youtube, or on DVD’s There is no time limit on material. Questions? Contact Abi Wright, Director of the duPont Awards: awright@columbia.edu.

THE FRED M. HECHINGER EDUCATION JOURNALISM AWARD (M.A. eligible)
This award is given to a student who produces outstanding work in education reporting. This award was established by the Hechinger Institute on Media and Education at Teachers College, in honor of The New York Times education editor, Fred M. Hechinger. Stories are accepted in television, digital media, radio and print. There is no length restriction. Judges will be looking for insight and excellence in reporting and writing.

HORGAN PRIZES
There are three Horgan awards given to the students who have produced the best stories focused on science, health or the environment in the M.S. science writing seminar. No length restrictions.

JOURNALISM EDITORIAL
This award recognizes excellence in editorial writing. Opinion pieces such as editorials, commentaries, and essays with a strong point of view are eligible. Entries must not exceed 1,000 words.

MELVIN MENCHER REPORTING AWARD
The Melvin Mencher Award was established by the students, friends and associates of Professor Melvin Mencher, the man who wrote that text book, who retired in 1990. The award recognizes superior reporting on local government activity (including education, social services, politics, health, etc.). Only print entries of no more than 2,000 words will be considered. Print Master’s Projects are welcome but must be excerpted or condensed so that they fit the word limit.

THE JAMES A. WECHSLER MEMORIAL AWARDS (M.A. eligible)
The first James A. Wechsler Memorial Award is presented to the student who, in the judgment of the Faculty, submits the best story (no more than 750 words) on a significant local issue. The awards were established by the Pisces Foundation in memory of the former editor and columnist at The New York Post. The second James A. Wechsler Memorial Award is presented to the student who submits the best story (no more than 750 words) on a significant national issue. The final James A. Wechlser memorial Award is presented to the student who submits the best story (no more than 750 words) on a significant international issue. Word counts are non-negotiable and submissions with a higher count will not be considered.

AWARDS NOT TAKING SUBMISSIONS:

BEST M.A. THESIS
This award honors the best M.A. thesis as determined by the deans.

THE NONA BALAKIAN AWARD (M.A. eligible)
The Nona Balakian Award was established in 1992 to honor the student who shows the most promise for achievement in writing about literature. Ms. Balakian, a 1943 graduate of the Journalism School, was an editor at The New York Times Book Review and had much influence on American arts and letters for more than four decades. Students are nominated by faculty and then the nominees will be asked to submit work samples. Book reviews, profiles and articles about the literary world are acceptable.

THE RICHARD T. BAKER AWARDS
The Richard T. Baker Award for outstanding performance in the Newspaper workshops – City Newsroom, New York World, Columbia News Service – was established in honor of the late Dick Baker, a J-School graduate and long-time professor who also served as acting dean, associate dean, historian and administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes. The second Richard T. Baker Award is for outstanding performance in the Magazine workshops.

PHILIP GREER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND AWARD (one M.S. & one M.A.)
The Philip Greer Memorial Scholarship Fund Award, presented for the first time in 1988, was established in honor of the late Mr. Greer, a financial correspondent and columnist for the New York Herald-Tribune and The Washington Post, to recognize the outstanding students in financial writing.

THE ROBERT HARRON AWARD
The Robert Harron Award is presented to the student who has demonstrated excellence in writing and reporting as well as exemplary kindness and courtesy to fellow students. The award was established in memory of Robert Harron, the former sportswriter and long-time assistant to the presidents of this university, through gifts from his many friends. (Call for nominations)

THE PETER KELLER PRIZE FOR EDITING
The Peter Keller Prize is presented to a student who shows great promise in editing. This award is made possible by a gift from Lisa Keller Yakas and Saky Yakas.

THE JOAN KONNER AWARD
This prize is presented to the student who has produced the most thought-provoking and original television and radio reporting.

THE LYNTON FELLOWSHIP IN BOOK WRITING (All students in the Book Writing Seminar are eligible)
Lynton Fellowship in Book Writing is given for outstanding work in the Book Writing seminar.

THE LARS-ERIK NELSON PRIZE
The Lars-Erik Nelson Prize was established by the New York Daily News, in honor of Lars-Erik Nelson, its distinguished Washington columnist, who died in 2000. It is presented to a student for best reporting or opinion piece in the National Affairs Reporting seminar.

THE DIGITAL MEDIA WORKSHOP AWARDS
This award is for outstanding performance in the Digital Media Workshops.

THE NIGHTLY NEWS AWARD
This award is given for outstanding performance in Nightly News Workshop.

THE RADIO WORKSHOP AWARD
This award is for outstanding performance in the Radio Workshop.

BEST PERFORMANCE IN THE LAW CLASS
This award is for outstanding performance in the Law Class.

THE HENRY N. TAYLOR AWARD
The Henry N. Taylor Award was established in 1962 by friends of Henry Taylor, a journalist who was killed on assignment in the Congo at the age of 31. The award is given at the end of each school year to that member of the International Division who has demonstrated the qualities of a superior journalist. The award includes a grant providing for travel in the United States before returning to his or her homeland.

THE VIDEO STORYTELLING WORKSHOP
This award is for outstanding performance in Video Storytelling Workshop.

THE LOUIS WINNICK PRIZE FOR RWI
This award in memory of Louis Winnick, is given to the best story done in RWI in the previous calendar year. The story must demonstrate outstanding reporting and writing, along with great precision and accuracy in grammar.

FAQs ABOUT AWARD SUBMISSIONS

Over the years, students have asked questions along these lines:

  • Can I submit more than one entry per award?
    THE ANSWER: No, you cannot. We want you to pick the best story and submit it, rather than send in more than one for any one award.
  • Can I really only submit entries in two awards?
    THE ANSWER: We want you to pick up to two awards and submit stories for those only. The Blood Award is not part of that quota.
  • Can I submit same piece for two different awards?
    THE ANSWER: Yes, you may submit the same story for two different awards.
  • Can I submit a double-bylined story or a team production in broadcast or digital media?
    THE ANSWER: Yes, you may. Each year, multi-person entries do win awards.
  • All questions to dos@jrn.columbia.edu

April 18, 2013

HEALTH: Take a Study Break and Preview the New Health Site

As you may already know, Columbia Health is redesigning its website, health.columbia.edu.

We invite you to take an early peek at the new Health site. From May 7 to May 9, feedback sessions are open to all full- or part-time Columbia students on the Morningside campus.

Join us for snacks and refreshments and tell us what you think! All participants will receive a Barnes and Nobles gift card at the end of the session too.

RSVP to one of three sessions by completing this brief online form. A confirmation will be sent to you within 3 business days.

Questions? Contact pt2245@columbia.edu or acd2150@columbia.edu.

Sincerely,

Columbia Health

April 12, 2013

Request: Experts for Chai Wallah Book

Two young Americans are heading to India to write a book on chai wallahs and would like to meet with experts on various India themes before they head out in August. If you can help, please get in touch directly and copy Sree Sreenivasan (ss221[at]columbia.edu) know they got some leads).

Zach Marks zach.marks@gmail.com
Resham Gellatly resham.gellatly@gmail.com

Zach and Resham lived in India from 2010-2011 on a Fulbright Fellowship. They are returning to write a book on chai wallahs around India. In a country with tremendous diversity, chai wallahs are a constant presence, from urban slums to rural villages to the call centers and factories driving India’s economic rise. The same way New York City cab drivers might be able to tell the story of the city through their interactions with customers, chai wallahs can tell the story of India in all its diversity and complexity.

They will be traveling around India for a year beginning in August. While they are still here, they are hoping to meet people who have studied and/or written on South Asia in the following fields:

  • Sociology
  • Anthropology
  • Cultural / Diaspora Studies
  • Economics
  • Political Science
  • Food
  • History
  • Others with connections to South Asia!

Zach graduated from Yale University in 2010. Since returning from his Fulbright, he has worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Co., where he has focused on international development and social entrepreneurship. Most recently he has been working in South Sudan, helping develop the world’s newest nation’s agriculture strategy. He helped write a McKinsey report on social impact bonds, an innovative finance mechanism for scaling social programs. He has written for the Huffington Post and was featured in The New York Times for his culinary creations in college dining halls.

Resham graduated from Boston University in 2010. Since returning from her Fulbright, she has been conducting psychiatry research at New York University and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Resham worked with survivors of torture seeking asylum through a joint Bellevue/NYU program and currently mentors high school refugees at the International Rescue Committee. She recently co-authored a paper on cultural comparisons of mental health in Argentina and New York. Her fiction and non-fiction pieces, including one about Hawaiian food culture, have been published in her hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii.

April 3, 2013

Event: Joseph Pulitzer Birthday Party

Columbia Journalism School Office of Alumni & Development invites you to A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JOSEPH PULITZER with Dean Nicholas Lemann, David Peterkin ´82, chair, Alumni Board and fellow classmates on FOUNDER’S DAY (Joseph Pulitzer´s birthday) Wednesday, April 10, 2013.

A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JOSEPH PULITZER
Lobby of Pulitzer Hall
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Birthday Cupcakes

EVENT: CU Public Safety Biking Tips and Free Events

Thinking of commuting to campus or NYC by bike? Follow these tips from CU Public Safety:

  • Please avoid using cable type locks to secure your bike, they can be easily cut.
  • Please use a U-lock type lock to secure your frame and tire to a bolted down bike rack.
  • CU Public Safety offers discounted Kryptonite bike locks at cost. A variety of bike locks can be purchased at the following places:

Morningside Campus Public Safety Low Library Room 111 Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Medical Center Campus Public Safety Black Bldg 650 W168 Street Room 109 24 hrs

EVENT: Taping of BBC’s “Any Questions?” with Host Jonathan Dimbleby

Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism’s Office of Alumni & Development is pleased to invite you to join a special taping of BBC’s “Any Questions?” with host Jonathan Dimbleby on “U.S. Politics and America´s Place in the World” on Thursday, April 18, 2013.

This popular weekly radio broadcast features a discussion of national and international issues and will include panelists:

  • Sir Harold Evans
  • Eliot Spitzer
  • Donna Edwards

All audience members must be seated by 7:20 p.m. for the 8 p.m. start time of the show taping. Members of the audience who wish to participate in the program by offering questions to the panel must arrive by 6:45 p.m.

Lecture Hall
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

THE EVENT IS FREE, BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND: https://secure.www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/COU/event/showEventForm.jsp?form_id=149703

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED

April 1, 2013

EVENT: 100 Great Stories

We are pleased to announce that the centennial list of 100 Great Stories by Columbia Journalists is now live here. The second installment of 50 stories was selected and voted on exclusively by alumni. Where available, we provide full content for each story. Faculty member Josh Friedman ‘68 is included in this new list, for story #36, covering famine in Africa. Congratulations to Josh, and everyone else on this list.

We hope you will enjoy the following features of the centennial site:

  • See the list of “100 Great Stories” by Columbia journalists, and comment on the story if you are so inclined.
  • Post a “Reflection” and read those posted by others from the J-School community.
  • Submit photos or video to the centennial page by emailing them to cuj100@posterous.com.

We are eager to hear your feedback. Please send all comments and questions to CUJSCentennial@columbia.edu.

If you plan to tweet about the centennial, please use this hashtag: #CUJ100

March 29, 2013

EVENT: Columbia Venture Community Spring Fling

Columbia Venture Community (CVC), the largest Columbia-based entrepreneurship community, is hosting the CVC Spring Fling, its largest event to date on Wednesday, April 17 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Columbia Club (15 W 43rd Street - 4th Floor).

The group will be celebrating the (hopeful, real) arrival of spring, mingling with fellow CVC’ers and announcing the winners of the first annual CVC Roars. There’s an outdoor terrace to soak in spring. There will be complimentary light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. For more details and to RSVP, please visit http://www.meetup.com/ColumbiaVC/events/110931492/.

For a full list of upcoming CVC events, please take a look at CVC’s new website: http://www.columbiaventurecommunity.com/events.php

EVENT: Visit ABC News

The Office of Alumni & Development in collaboration with the Career Services Office is pleased to announce that it has arranged a visit to ABC News led by David Peterkin ‘82, Executive Director of News Practices and Chair of the Journalism Alumni Board.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Sign up here.

March 28, 2013

OFFER: Tickets to J-School Centennial Closing Party

Friday, April 12 is the official close of this year’s centennial celebration, with a party at the New York Public Library. The party, which is the official kickoff of alumni weekend, will include a delicious cajun supper and a musical performance by New Orleans musician Jon Batiste - full details are below.

We have a limited number of subsidized spots that we will make available on Monday, April 1 at 12 p.m. We will offer these tickets on a first-come, first-served basis to students who register and pay the $20 ticket price.

Click on this link to purchase tickets. Any questions, please direct them to your SPJ Centennial Chair, Stuart Sia.

March 12, 2013

EVENT: Take a Tour of The Huffington Post

The Office of Alumni & Development, in collaboration with the Career Services Office, is pleased to announce that it has arranged a visit to The Huffington Post led by Jack Mirkinson ‘10, media editor, and Johanna Barr ‘14, news editor, on Thursday, March 21 at 11:00 a.m. (during spring break).

The newsrooms visits are hosted by a Columbia Journalism School alumnus/a who is one of our most loyal supporters, volunteering his/her time for the school and contributing to the Annual Fund, which provides crucial scholarship funds for current and future J-School students.

The group will be limited to 30 students and, as we did for previous newsroom visits to Bloomberg News, CNN and The New York Times, complete this form to sign up. Next up: ABC News.

We advise you to check both your email and the class of 2013 Facebook page, as our office has no control over the listservs and how quickly (or slowly) the messages go out after we press “send.”

We are very happy to bring you these opportunities and are grateful to the alumni who make it possible.

March 5, 2013

EVENT: Take a Tour of The New York Times

The Office of Alumni & Development, in collaboration with the Career Services Office, is pleased to announce that it has arranged a visit to The New York Times led by Rick Berke ‘81, assistant managing editor, on March 12.

The group size is limited to 40. Signing up is a commitment to attend, and you will receive a confirmation email if you made the list. If you fail to attend, you will not be permitted to sign up for future newsroom visits.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013
5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
The office is located at 620 8th Avenue (between 40th and 41st Streets)
Please be in the lobby by 5:20 p.m. to check in with security.

Sign up via the following link:
https://secure.www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/COU/event/showEventForm.jsp?form_id=147421

The Alumni & Development office has organized (Bloomberg, CNN, The New York Times) with the cooperation of alumni who have generously volunteered their time to provide a tour and answer any questions. The schedule is dictated by the availability of the alumnus/a in question, and if a newsroom visit conflicts with class, we hope there will be other visits that may accommodate your class schedule. Coming up next is Huffington Post and ABC News.

We appreciate your interest in these newsroom visits. And, as always, we are very grateful to the alumni who support their alma mater and volunteer their time to do this, despite news deadlines and their demanding schedules.

February 27, 2013

EVENT: Take a Tour of CNN

The Office of Alumni & Development, in collaboration with the Career Services Office, is pleased to announce that it has arranged a visit to CNN, led by Rob Frehse ‘00, assignment manager for CNN, on Thursday, Feb. 28. Signups will go live on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 12 noon ET and will be announced via the class listserv and on Facebook.

The group size is limited to 15. Signing up is a commitment to attend. If you fail to attend, you will not be permitted to sign up for future newsroom visits.

  • Thursday, Feb 28
  • 5:30 p.m.
  • (45-minute tour)

The office is located on 58th Street between 8th and 9th. It’s on the north side of the street – a big glass entrance with a “Time Warner” sign. Please be in the Lobby by 5:20 p.m. to check in with security.

February 26, 2013

EVENT: Bike to Campus Day

Get ready for Bike to Campus Days 2013!

Monday, April 15 2013 – Morningside Campus 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Low Plaza (West 116 Street & Broadway) Rain or Shine.

Thursday, April 18 2013 – Medical Center Campus 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Front of 701 West 168 Street (Haven Ave & West 168 Street) Rain or Shine.

Want to escape from the crowds and heat in the subway or the hassles of finding a parking spot? Bike to campus! Bicycling is one of the most healthy, economical, fun and environmentally friendly ways to commute.

  • FREE Bike Tune Ups & Bike Registration with the NYPD and CU Public Safety.
  • Discount bike locks and accessories.
  • GetOut.com – Stolen Bike GPS program.
  • Zip Car Columbia Discount Program
  • Bike Clubs in NYC
  • And More!

Morningside Campus Bike Rack Locations: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety/bikemap.pdf

Medical Center Bike Rack Locations: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety/images/CUMC_Map_withBikeRacks.JPG

How to properly secure your bike: http://www.bikenewyork.org/advice/nyc-info/locking-your-bike/

Want to learn more about biking? New York is a great city for riding! Visit http://www.nyc.gov/bikes for bike routes, safety tips and other helpful information.

November 26, 2012

EVENT: Storylink: Networking Event

EVENT: STORYLINK (rsvp required)

FOR: Writers & Directors in these graduate departments: Creative Writing, Film, Journalism, Theater.

DATE: Friday, November 30th, 9pm.

LOCATION: Dodge Hall, room 501.

WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/Storylink

RSVP / CREATIVE PROFILE FORM: http://fs9.formsite.com/soafilm/form110/index.html?1352690883802

HOST: Film Directing Professor Ramin Bahrani, http://arts.columbia.edu/film/ramin-bahrani-0

ABOUT:

STORYLINK is an exclusive networking event to link graduate students in the Creative Writing, Theater, Journalism and Film departments. This is an opportunity for writers (screenwriters, playwrights, fiction writers & journalists) and directors (theater & film) to meet and spark collaborations on story ideas that can become scripts, plays or films.

There is tremendous talent spread through multiple departments at Columbia, and we hope that this event can bring students together and foster long-lasting collaborations both within and also outside the scope of the coursework of each discipline.

By RSVP’ing in advance and filling out the RSVP/CreativeProfile Form, we will attempt to connect writers and directors who share similar interests in creative speed-dating sessions. A mixer with food and drinks will follow where dialogues can continue, and also provide a forum to meet writers and directors who you were not paired with in the creative speed-dating sessions.

November 19, 2012

The Tiziano Project - 2012 Student Partnership Opportunity

The Tiziano Project is currently looking for students and student groups to collaborate with on audience engagement
and program development for the 2012 American Giving Awards voting contest (Nov. 27-Dec. 4). With funding
from the American Giving Awards, The Tiziano Project plans to support one or more student groups interested in
completing their own storytelling projects around the world.

Current students at the elementary, high school or college level can sign up as a group to compete for a $15,000 grant
to complete a storytelling project in their own community.

The Tiziano Project will provide winners with program support and consultation on their projects and will promote
the final project through our own channels (a value of an additional $15,000 in pro-bono communications support).
Final story packages will be featured on the StoriesFrom.us platform.

Student groups must register for a unique URL at www.TizTheSeason.org and invite supporters to vote during the
week of Nov. 27-Dec. 4.

Please contact Victoria Fine (vfine@tizianoproject.org) or visit www.tiztheseason.org for more information.

November 5, 2012

INVITE: Open Invitation to visit “Democracy Plaza” at NBC News Division

Dear Students,

You have been invited by Sharon Otterman, NBC’s Chief Marketing Officer, for anyone to visit “Democracy Plaza” at NBC News Division tonight, tomorrow morning or tomorrow night and watch a variety of correspondents, anchors and others from the network in action at NBC News headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Center.

Showcased tonight are journalists Ezra Klein and Eugene Robinson and tomorrow, will be Andrea Mitchell at 9am, the Rev. Al Sharpton at 11 am, Chris Hayes at 2:30 pm, and Lawrence O’Donnell at 4 pm. Visitors will be able to view interviews with newsmakers by NBC correspondents and guests.

There will also be a viewing party all night around the headquarters for those interested in hanging around. Everything is free and open to public.

Ask for Sharon Otterman upon your arrival and she can provide you with wristbands to gain access to various locations.

October 2, 2012

HEALTH: Student Volunteers Needed for Alice! Health Promotion

Dear Students,

Don’t know how to ask out that cute classmate in Biology? Is your mom
calling every Friday night to ask you about your grades? Having trouble in
class but not sure how to ask your professor for help? As students of
Columbia University, most of you naturally excel academically; however, time
spent in a classroom is only part of the college experience. Over the next
year, Alice! Health Promotion will be developing a new initiative, Rel@te,
which will address a variety of relationships experienced by students
ranging from relationships with parents, friends, roommates, partners,
teachers and more.

Do you have something to say about relationships? We are looking for
student volunteers to participate in hour-long discussions about
relationships on campus. These conversations will directly inform the
development of the Rel@te program and you’ll get a $15 Barnes & Noble
giftcard
! To participate, please take two minutes to complete this
short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/relate. You can also
email us at al2758@columbia.edu to find out more information!

Thanks for your help!

Alice!

September 12, 2012

INVITE: New York Press Club Conference

You have been invited to the 20th Annual New York Press Club Foundation Conference on Journalism 2012

Saturday, Sept. 29, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At New York University’s Kimmel Center 60 Washington Square South (at LaGuardia Place)

Keynote speaker Joan Walsh, Salon.com & MSNBC
Plenary discussion: “Is This Any Way to Cover an Election?”

Sessions include:
Investigative Reporting, Personal Branding, Taming the Information Overload
Covering NYC Sports in the Social Media Age, NYC’s “Big Soda” wars
& “Flacks vs. Hacks,” a discussion on relationships between journalists & PR pros

Student special:
Reel, Resumé & Website Review: How To Best Present Your Work To Hiring Managers

Featuring panelists from: The Associated Press, Columbia Journalism Review, ProPublica, The New York Times,
Newsday, Fox News, WNYC/ ItsAFreeCountry.org, Thomson Reuters, BreakingNews.com, LinkedIN,
The 4th Estate Project, The New York Post, Fox News, Brand Talk, 360Degrees PR, MSG Network,
WABC-TV, 1010WINS, “On the Black” video blog, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
Stevens Media Consulting, Stony Brook University and more.

Student Pricing: $10 for members; $20 non-members

Register at: newyorkpressclub.org

April 23, 2012

HEALTH: Spring Tips from ALICE!

Greetings from Alice!
Happy spring! We are approaching that time in the semester when things can get a little (more) hectic. Alice! would like to share some information with you regarding strategies to ensure that stress does not interfere with the ability to achieve your personal and academic goals.

Here are two great resources made specifically for Columbia students:
v Stressbusters Support Network: This comprehensive guide highlights campus resources to help you cope with stress positively.

v Stressbust Yourself Toolkit: This toolkit lists six easy ways to relax yourself that can be done at any time.

Easy tips to help you relax:
· Make “to do” lists

· Spend time with friends/family

· Engage in physical activity

· Choose balanced meals; check out CU’s Guide to Healthier Eating

· Get good sleep to boost concentration; a good night’s rest will help you do your best

· Make a budget

· Get a back-rub from a Stressbuster

· Practice Yoga or meditation

· Stop by the Alice! office and grab a stress ball

· Take deep breaths

· Make an appointment with Counseling and Psychological Services to help gain some perspective or work through any issues you may be experiencing

Did you know that Alice! sponsors the Stressbusters program? On Mondays and Wednesdays during the semester, you can drop in to the following locations for a stress break and receive a brief neck and back rub.
Melt Away Mondays (1st & 3rd Mondays of the month): 7-8pm, Wallach Hall, 1st Floor Lounge
Wind Down Wednesdays (every week): 4-5pm, Wien Hall, 1st Floor Lounge

Look for Stressbuster events at other locations throughout the year. Check out the Stressbusters Page on Facebook and the Stressbusters website for more information.

March 21, 2012

Event: Screening & Panel - Deadline Every Second

Filed under: Speakers, Fun stuff

Columbia University presents Deadline Every Second - New documentary follows 12 of the world’s top Associated Press photographers on assignment.

7 p.m., Monday, March 26
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Lecture Hall, 3rd Floor
2950 Broadway (at 116th St.)
New York City
Free, RSVP to: dos.events.rsvp@gmail.com

Filmed, edited and produced by San Francisco State University professors Ken Kobré and John Hewitt, Deadline Every Second delivers unprecedented behind-the-scenes access as the photographers gather breaking news stories from 9/11 and clashes in the Middle East to fires threatening Santa Barbara and cyclists racing in the Tour de France.

In this action-packed film, the photographers and their editors share the stories behind the global headlines and the more than one million photos delivered annually by the AP to news outlets around the world.

March 15, 2012

CPS Workshop: Enhancing Your Relationship - A Workshop for Couples

Do you already have a strong foundation for your committed relationship, but want to see it get even better? This might be the workshop for you!

Enhancing Your Relationship: A Workshop for Couples

This hands-on, sequential 4-session workshop will provide practical tools for couples who wish to strengthen their relationship. Topics include:
• Understanding Relational Expectations and Beliefs
• How to Nurture the Positives in the Relationship
• How to Improve Problem Solving Ability and Communication Skills

When: Tuesdays, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24 & 5/1/12
What time? 5:30pm to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Counseling & Psychological Services’ Conference Room, Alfred Lerner Hall, 8th Floor
For: Couples only (one member of couple must be a Columbia student who has paid the health services fee)

To reserve a spot or for more information, please e-mail:
Dr. Yaniv Phillips at py2120@columbia.edu or
Dr. Aoife Villafranca-West at saw19@columbia.edu






















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