Reception for New Columbia Students
Heralding the start of a new academic year set to begin in the Fall semester of 2022, Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai organized a send-off for new undergraduate and graduate Columbia University students on July 28, 2022, in partnership with the Columbia Alumni Association of India’s (CAAI) Mumbai chapter. With more than 70 attendees, the reception gave incoming students the chance to connect with peers and alumni, and learn more about the unique journey they were about to embark on.
Marking the first offline send-off reception since 2019, there was a palpable excitement among the students to meet in-person and become better acquainted with their incoming peers. After a welcome by the Center, CAAI Mumbai representative, Jay Shah’ 09, shared experiences from his time at Columbia as a student at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and spoke about the coursework, student life, and memorable experiences on campus. He assured the new students that they had a strong community of support on campus among peers and the alumni network, and encouraged them to make the most of their time at the University and in New York City.
The anticipation to live in and experience New York City for its host of cultural offerings as well as professional opportunities was a common thread for all the students present. “There are several things that stand out about Columbia. It's needless to say that it is a very prestigious Ivy League school. But more than that, I think, New York in itself adds so much more. I am a commercial litigator so I feel that being in the financial capital of the world would definitely help me grow as a practicing lawyer,” said Sarvaswa Chhajer, set to start at Columbia Law School. Devashri Bhujbal shared her excitement to see the hallowed Pulitzer Hall as an incoming student at the Journalism School, which she had applied to after being inspired by the school’s illustrious roster of alumni in India.
Students were motivated to study at Columbia for its academic rigor and ample research opportunities, deep industry connections, focus on real world application and practice, and strong career opportunities that their respective programs would open. Another aspect that students were drawn to was Columbia’s diverse and global community. Incoming first year student at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Shiv Kampani, remarked, “I’m really excited to meet new people because Columbia has a really international student body and I feel like meeting people from different backgrounds will help me shape my outlook on a variety of issues and learn a lot more.”