Columbia Grad Grams

Enjoy commencement ceremonies and jump into the next step of your life with the same passion you showed at Columbia!

-Heloise Dheilly '15SEAS

Good luck! There's nothing easy about a job search. Keep in mind, though, that having a computer means you don't to type the same letter over and over again. (I was using a cartridge typewriter back in 1985. It was better than a stone tablet and a chisel, but not by much.)

-Heather N. Paxton '85CC

Take a moment to yourself to grasp the moment! / Consider what you have achieved, because this is a major milestone and a turning point in your professional life. Record your thoughts and feelings, so that you can return back to that moment when things get tough. They will remind you your ability to succeed under difficult circumstances. This is you finishing the race - or just starting?

- Harry (Charalabos) Brilakis '95SEAS

make 'transition' with the support of mentors and the department in your graduate school that helps you locate job opportunities and professional development. / alumni needs to be organized with making accomplished alumni available to make the transition and for qualified mentors.

-Harriet Lubin '60CUSSW

Always be NETWORKING...never say no to a conversation and the people you meet will take you to places you've never imagined.

-Greg Guermanm '15

Get to know as many alums and faculty in your area of interest

-Gordon Kaye '55CC '57 '61GSAS

There's a time and place for compromising, but sometimes you also need to put your foot down and say, "no, THIS is what I'm going to do." And then you go after it with such passion and drive that doing it becomes inevitable.

-Gillian Rhodes '12CC

Contact people at the companies you want to work at directly in some form (email, letter, phone call). Find ALumni that work at those companies and contact them as well. 

-George P Wilson '83CC '86GSAPP

Take your time. Treat your twenties as a smorgasbord--sample everything that is offered before settling on what will be your main course for the next stage of life.

-George H. Gilliam '65GS

If you haven't bonded to your class and your school by this point, too bad. If not, work on catch-up. Going to Columbia was one of the supreme experiences of my life. That was in 1964, and we still try to stay in touch with one another. (The profs are gone, of course.)

-George Fattman '64JRN

Work in the field you are most interested in, even if it pays less in the beginning. Continue to learn further

-Geela Spira, PhD '79BARNARD '82P&S

Stay connected to Columbia! You will be surprised how tight-knit the community is and how you will continuously meet new people and share great experiences together.

-Gairy Hall 11CC, '16BUS

Graduation is just the beginning!

-Francisco Javier Azar '93SDOS, '93PH, '96PD

Get to know each other while at CBS and maintain contact afterwards. In the 1970-1972 time period, CBS was known for being very competitive and the student body did not seem particularly supportive and friendly. Many just went on their way, it seems, without looking back.

-Francis H. Dong, Ph.D. CC, GSB '72

I think it's important to establish contact with alumni because many (not all, sadly) will quite willing to help the new grads with advice, introductions etc.

-Frances Hardin '77JRN

Remember to stay connected to Columbia and that it is a valuable resource even after you graduate!

-Eunice Martinez '06GS

The degree is just the beginning and each graduate must remember the Men and Women in the Military service who have given their service to protect their constitutional rights and privileges.

-Eugene W Buckley '58GS

Believe in yourself, you have all the qualifications to make the world a better place

-Erzen Sogst '13SIPA

My best advice for new graduates is to meet people and learn from their professional journeys. Meet with people in positions that you find interesting for an informational interview to learn more - those people may think of you in the future when opportunities pop up.

-Emily Jabber '06SW

Stay connected to the people that made an impact on you, whether that's friends, professors, staff, etc. Graduating doesn't have to mean losing your community, it might just take more effort to keep it strong.

-Emily Aronson GS/JTS '15

Listen carefully to your faculty adviser. To this very day I am sorry I did not heed Prof. Nobbe's advice to "continue and finish your Ph.D." --Must admit I had an unusual schedule during the years it took me to complete my M.A., since I was married, had my first child, held a full-time job, and commuted from Pennsylvania to Columbia.--It did not take long to realize Professor Nobbe was right!

-Ellie Schmidt, M.A. '63GSAS

Be open to learning and give back with what your knowledge and resources

-Elaine Tai '03SEAS

Enjoy the moment of achievement and make sure to celebrate with your family and friends in the best way that you can. Life is full of many great moments, and graduating from Columbia is one memorable milestone worth sharing w/ loved ones. Take the time to create your own graduation memory.

-Eduardo Rivas '04SIPA

Know that what Columbia taught you was how to think, and that is invaluable; but others you'll meet have been doing that thinking for a long time, so take heed.

-Edward Ferguson '78CC

Find a way to act in the public interest with a commitment to social and economic justice.

-Eduardo Rivas '04SIPA

God's love and care is for all. When we come in contact with each other we learn more about ourselves. We learn from each other who we really are.

-Dorcas Demás '75PS

You are one of very few people who are both talented and fortunate enough to attend a world-class school like Columbia University. I know that graduating from Columbia took tremondous efforts. Please be proud of what you accomplished and continue to do something that make both you and your loved ones happy.

-Dongho Lee '10SEAS

Make use of as many Columbia resources as are offered. I didn't know enough to follow up this rich resource mine and regret it now.

- Dolores Dembus Bittleman '56GS

Treasure art & literature.

-Dirk van Nouhuys '56GS

When you take your first job, make sure it provides a broad range of experiences within your profession. Ask many questions, and find a mentor who will nurture your development and challenge you.

-Diane Madras, PT, PhD '86PS

As a professional woman, you need to believe in yourself. There will always be men and women who will diminish your accomplishments. Remember, you don't want to work with them.

-Diana M. Bolick '86GS

As Columbia grads, its our job to make the planet a bigger, better, brighter place. Follow your passions, not the paycheck.

-DC Dayton, MA, EdM '00GSAS, '13TC

Be courageous. Your future is a journey-- don't be afraid to travel to new places or take on challenging work assignments; don't let fear limit your possibilities.

-David Walsh '06SEAS

Listen carefully to job offers, and then listen even more carefully to the alternative positions available within each firm offering you a position. Had I been more knowledgeable about how the offer I accepted, I could have increased my earnings and enjoyment 100% within my first four years at my initial posting out of business school.

-David Ross '85BUS

Start the next step early. / / Reach out to alumni early and often - something that have to do on own as my experience through career and job placement did not involve any alumni.

-David Putelo CC '88

Stay in touch with everyone you care about. Time moves fast. Your classmates can be some of the best friends you'll ever have if you make an effort to keep them close.

-Daniel Wilkey 'SEAS11, 'SEAS15

I believe very strongly that receiving a liberal arts degree remains one of the best ways to prepare for life in general, as well as for a career. In an era when many students are preoccupied with developing "practical" or "vocational" skills, I am more convinced than ever that a liberal arts education is an invaluable resource for negotiating life's complicated paths. The fact that Columbia College continues to offer its students an exceptional liberal arts curriculum is very reassuring to me.

- Daniel LaRue Gross '80CC

Design your own path and be fearless in following it, even if it feels lonely sometimes or if you're unclear about where it's going. Be the best version of your unique self, because there is only one of you.

-Cristina Handal BC 2007, GSAPP 2011

Take advantage of and seek out new opportunities to engage with the resources Columbia provides for networking, socializing, and maintaining community beyond graduation.

-Chuck Roberts '12CC 

Figure out what you want to do and go for it. Understand that you starting at the bottom and be humble. Be honest and work hard. Remember you're building an army of supporters.

-Christopher Patrick Milligan '96BUS

Use the power of the Columbia network.

-Christina Winnicker '05MPH

Enjoy the campus scenery and the library! :) Both are gems. Quite often I go back to campus and walk around to take it all in again and remind myself that hard work pays off.

-Christelle Niamke Professional Studies 2013

Advice for those who did a Grad School program - Remember the reason why you went to grad school in the first place? Stay focused on that goal. Sometimes, with everything that's going on, it's easy to forget or lose track.

-Chienye Ogwo '11JRN

Eventually, YOU define what it means to be a Columbia graduate.

-Celine Rottier SIPA MIA'14

Keep the long term in kind - it's not just about that first job, but where the skills and experience you earn can take you next. / / Pay off those loans ASAP so you can start your life!

-Carla Sapsford SIPA, J '03

You will learn the most through listening. Share what you know in the service of others, not to gain power. Consider the values you want to be known by and show these through your actions.

-Bonnie McDougall Olson '14SCE

Use this time in your youth to do what you are most interested in. This is the time you can most afford to take a risk, explore, etc.

-Bob Fischman '74BUS

Stay connected to your classmates and to University activities. Networking may not seem relevant now, but can be important to your career or simply for reminiscing about the good ol' days when you send your own kids off to college.

-Billie Tekel Elias '75SEAS

The most important thing is to remember, listening to your gut will never let you down.

-Barry Lewinsky '71LAW

Arrange for interviews and job acceptance before graduation.

-Barbara Ponte Tolbert CUPH 1962