Wilk appointed University archivist
Jocelyn Wilk, a longtime staff member who is known as an authority on Columbia’s institutional history, has been named the University archivist. She is charged with collecting and interpreting Columbia’s history and helping to implement a records-management program for the Office of the Provost.
GS senior wins Rhodes Scholarship
School of General Studies senior Luca Springer has won a Rhodes Scholarship, making him the first GS student to earn the prestigious fellowship. Springer, who is currently studying political science in Columbia’s dual-degree program with Sciences Po in Paris, will pursue a master’s degree in public policy at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government beginning this fall.
School of Continuing Education changes name
Columbia’s School of Continuing Education has been renamed the School of Professional Studies. The name reflects the school’s renewed mission to serve “professionals grappling with the challenges of a transformed global marketplace,” says President Lee C. Bollinger.
The School of Professional Studies offers fourteen master’s degrees in disciplines such as actuarial science, applied analytics, bioethics, sports management, and sustainability management, alongside a comprehensive portfolio of non-degree programs.
Philosophy students recognized
Rethink, a community-outreach program led by graduate students in the philosophy department, was awarded the 2015 Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Philosophy Programs by the American Philosophical Association and the Philosophy Documentation Center. Rethink volunteers lead small-group discussions with youth caught up in the court system, as well as victims of domestic violence.
Startup expert named fellow
Steve Blank, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has cofounded several successful technology companies, has been named the University’s inaugural Senior Fellow for Entrepreneurship. Blank will work with faculty, students, and administrative leaders to enhance the resources available for the University’s programs in entrepreneurship, innovation, and design.
Grounds for congratulations
The University’s Baker Athletics Complex in Upper Manhattan recently received the Professional Grounds Management Society’s Grand Award — its highest honor for exceptional field maintenance. Judges noted the complex’s “great looking turf,” “flawless maintenance of landscape,” “diverse plant and hardscape surfaces,” and sustainable practices.
Five profs elected to American science association
Neuroscientists Michael Shadlen and Steven Siegelbaum, neurologist and pathologist Robert Burke, biologist Andrea Califano, and sociologist Thomas A. DiPrete ’78GSAS were recently elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
