Columbia University School of General Studies

Congratulations to Sarah Cecilia Bukowski ’27GS on receiving a prestigious NYPL The New York Public Library Dance Research Fellowship!

Building on her thesis project, "HOME SUITE _____: Biocartographies of Performance and Belonging," which was honored with Columbia University's Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race Outstanding Thesis Award, Sarah will use the fellowship to expand her research into a book-length study and develop a new chapter on modern dance pioneer José Limón. Through archival research at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts she will explore how Limón’s experiences as a Mexican-American artist shaped his ideas of home, identity, and belonging—and connect those insights to contemporary performance makers.

Read more about this exciting next chapter in Sarah’s academic and artistic journey!

Sarah Cecilia Bukowski '27GS Awarded New York Public Library Dance Research Fellowship School News Sarah Cecilia Bukowski '27GS Awarded New York Public Library Dance Research Fellowship The ethnicity and race studies major plans to expand her thesis into a book-length study exploring home, identity, and migration through dance. June 16, 2...

Columbia’s Annual Reunion Weekend brought together GSers across generations!

This year, GS welcomed alumni, students, faculty, and friends back to Morningside Heights to basque in celebration, reflection, and renewed connections.

One way GSers across generations connected? Through a meaningful moment with Elizabeth Bellak '55GS, an alumna from one of GS’s earliest graduating classes! During a conversation with Dean Rosen-Metsch, Bellak shared the remarkable story behind the “Renia’s Diary,” a book written by her sister during the Holocaust. At age 95, Bellak’s presence and her story forged a powerful bridge among GS generations.

Read more about this Reunion celebration of GS’s legacy and its future here!

Celebrating Legacy, Stories, and Impact at Columbia Reunion Weekend | School of General Studies Alumni News Celebrating Legacy, Stories, and Impact at Columbia Reunion Weekend Reunion Weekend celebrated the people, stories, and inspiration that continue to shape the GS community across generations. June 08, 2026 Columbia School of General Studies welcomed alumni, students, faculty, and friends...

We're proud to celebrate Anaïs Taffin ’28GS, who has been recognized as a 2026–27 Udall Undergraduate Scholar for her commitment to environmental protection, sustainability, and policy.

Anaïs, a -SciencesPo Dual BA student studying sustainable development and political science, works across climate education, regenerative agriculture, and environmental advocacy, demonstrating the impact that dedicated students can have both locally and globally.
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! 🌍👏



https://bit.ly/4uK2IvL

Anaïs Taffin '28GS named a 2026–2027 Udall Undergraduate Scholar | School of General Studies Profile Anaïs Taffin '28GS named a 2026–2027 Udall Undergraduate Scholar Congratulations to Sustainable Development major Anaïs Taffin ‘28GS, for becoming a 2026–2027 Udall Undergraduate Scholar! June 03, 2026 A sophomore in the Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po, An...

“GS is built for people who take a different path — full careers, families, lives that don't fit a traditional college timeline. That mission is personal to me.”

For Fulbright recipient Kiet Nguyen ‘26PBPM, that mission is both personal and professional! A United States Marine Corps veteran and Veteran Peer Mentor, Kiet knows how to connect with his community. Now, done with the Postbac Premed program, Kiet will be turning his outreach and research into his Fulbright mission. He will be working at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Vietnam, pushing to implement technologies that will create substantial impact on lower-resource hospitals.

And the best part—Kiet will be working just a few kilometers from where his mother sold sugarcane, the first steps to her own GS story.

Read more about Kiet’s Fulbright and his GS story:

How One Marine Corps Veteran Will Continue his GS Story as a Fulbright Recipient | School of General Studies Alumni News How One Marine Corps Veteran Will Continue his GS Story as a Fulbright Recipient For Kiet Nguyen ‘26PBPM, a commitment to service, discipline, and honor led him to medicine—now, he will carry his healing mission with him during his Fulbright program in Vietnam. May 28, 2026 As a Unit...

Congratulations to the GSers honored at the 2026 Academic Prizes Ceremony at Faculty House! 💙🎉

Every year, GS honors the highest achieving students for their academic excellence and their commitment to scholarship and research inside the classroom. More than 40 GSers were celebrated this year!

Check out the full list of awardees here:

GS Celebrates Excellence at the 2026 Academic Prizes Ceremony | School of General Studies School News GS Celebrates Excellence at the 2026 Academic Prizes Ceremony Congratulations to the GSers honored at the annual ceremony at Faculty House! June 01, 2026 On Friday, May 15, the School of General Studies (GS) celebrated the 2026 Academic Prizes Ceremony, where high achieving students are....

“The Marines instilled in me a deep service orientation, discipline, and a way of operating under pressure—navigating high-stakes situations as part of a team, making decisions with incomplete and unstructured information, and remaining accountable for what came next.”

And what’s next for Kiet Nguyen ‘26PBPM?

His next mission is taking him to Vietnam as a Fulbright recipient! The Marine Corps veteran will be drawing on his experiences as an Emergency Department research intern at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and GS Veteran Peer Mentor to serve others at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City.

And in a full-circle moment, he’ll be working just a few kilometers from where his mother once sold sugarcane juice before coming to the U.S. as a refugee, raising four children, and eventually finishing college later in life herself.

“Medicine felt like the most honest continuation of that service, and the role where everything the Marines gave me could now be directed toward the healing mission.”

How One Marine Corps Veteran Will Continue his GS Story as a Fulbright Recipient Alumni News How One Marine Corps Veteran Will Continue his GS Story as a Fulbright Recipient For Kiet Nguyen ‘26PBPM, a commitment to service, discipline, and honor led him to medicine--now, he will carry his healing mission with him during his Fulbrigh...

🎓 ⭐ The Class of 2026 by numbers!

From Honor Society members and U.S. military veterans to first-generation college graduates, the Class of 2026 represents the diversity of the GS experience.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and to each of their unique GS stories! https://bit.ly/4fHStDk

Congratulations to our Columbia GS Class of 2026! 🎉

📷 Diane Bondareff & April Renae

“Food has been the language I've used to communicate in print and writing and on TV for the past 20 years now, and I loved it so much,” said Alejandra Ramos ‘26GS. “But when I turned 40, I hit this point where I wanted more depth."

After more than two decades away from school, the unfinished goal of earning her degree never stopped calling to her—and Columbia University kept feeling like the place where it could finally happen. Alongside a flourishing career in television, hosting The Great American Recipe on PBS and appearing regularly on the Today Show, Alejandra pursued courses in creative writing and art history at GS, exploring how art and food become powerful vessels for expression and identity.

Now, she’s celebrating achievements 20 years in the making: graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Phi Beta Kappa honors, and the Dean’s Prize in Creative Writing. This fall, she’ll continue her academic journey at Bard Graduate Center with plans to pursue a PhD in art history.

Her advice for others looking to return to school? Your timeline is your own. “It doesn’t have to be based on everybody else’s ideas of success.”

And Alejandra will also be the first to tell you: “It's very chic to come back to school in your 40s—everyone should do it.”

https://bit.ly/4wtwzdj

A Time of Opportunity: Alejandra Ramos '26GS on Coming Back to School in Her 40s Profile A Time of Opportunity: Alejandra Ramos '26GS on Coming Back to School in Her 40s A longtime voice in food and television, Alejandra Ramos '26GS came to Columbia GS to explore how art, culture, and identity intersect--and to finish the degree she...