One of the most important research centers worldwide for over 250 years, Columbia University provides a distinguished learning environment for its students. In the 2000s, 71,300 people earned a degree from the university and became alumni. In the 2010s, this number jumped to 99,700. In the 2019-2020 period, Columbia University awarded over 2,280 bachelor’s, 9,190 master’s, 580 doctoral research degrees, and 830 doctoral professional degrees. In total, 14,271 students received a degree or certificate from the institution, pursuing further education or becoming a Columbia University alumni.
The Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) was created to link almost 375,000 alumni and cultivate an environment where they can enjoy the lifelong benefits of the University community. CAA’s mission is to serve as a global network for connecting alumni from all schools to each other and Columbia, generating diverse, impactful, and inspiring opportunities to engage both students and alumni.
There are numerous benefits for those who join CAA, including access to over 100 global clubs and shared interest groups and 200 programs around the world, as well as online resources. In addition, exclusive discounts for CAA members include personalized and professional insurance counseling, preferred pricing for pet health coverage, savings on prescription medications at over 67,000 pharmacies, and a health discount program. Alumni and guests also have access to accommodations on campus and off-campus at the Columbia University Club of New York.
CAA members and the Columbia community may join CAA’s program Arts Access for free when it comes to learning and cultural enrichment. CAA Arts Access is a hub for connecting audiences, artists, producers, and scholars with resources and dynamic programs. Arts Access members get ongoing discounts, receive invitations to exclusive events, and several benefits from the program’s cultural partners, including the Athena Film Festival, The New Yorker, and the Museum of Arts and Design. At the same time, those interested in continuing their Columbia education while immersing themselves in another culture can apply for the CAA travel study program.
All Columbia alumni can enjoy lifelong reading and borrowing privileges at Columbia libraries and receive a complimentary subscription to Columbia Magazine, a publication that has been sent quarterly since 1975. Some other lifelong learning resources to which alumni have access are general course auditing, a lifelong learners program through the Columbia School of Professional Studies, and exclusive learning content like executive education courses, podcasts, and seminars.
CAA members can also help Columbia address world issues involving precision medicine, climate response, and social justice, among others. In addition, they can give back and participate in the Columbia community with their time, expertise, and ideas, volunteering in one of the several possible ways. For instance, alumni can sign up for the feedback panel Alumni Voices, where over 3,000 people share their opinions regularly to help the university shape its offerings.
One way former students have partnered with CAA to serve others has been by establishing the CAA scholarship. The CAA scholarship was created by a group of visionary Columbia alumni interested in providing support for students at every school. Besides granting financial assistance to recipients, the CAA scholarship aims to connect alumni to students, offering the latter personalized mentorship and increasing the support already provided by the School. Alumni and friends have committed or contributed over $3.5 million for the CAA scholarship as of September 2021.
