Hometown: Houston, TX
Major at GS: Religion, with a
Premedical Concentration
Path to GS:
- Born in Colombia
- Grew up in Houston with activist, feminist mom
- Volunteered and taught English, Spanish and salsa dancing in Cambodia
- Worked as a nanny in Florida
“As long as I can remember I wanted to be a doctor, but somewhere along the way I lost confidence in myself. Then in my first semester at GS, I was captivated by my Frontiers of Science class. When I found myself researching class topics just for fun, I realized that I needed to think again about pursuing my original ambition. Doing well my first year gave me confidence, and my advisor and fellow GS students gave me the support I needed to embark on the path to medical school. Thanks to them I realized that it’s never too late to follow your calling.”
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Occupation: Program
Coordinator, Council on Foreign Relations
Major at GS: Middle Eastern
Languages and Cultures
Path to GS:
- Left high school at 16 to pursue dream
- Intensive dance training
- Professional Ballet Dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet
How she continued her story: Assistant Director at the Council on
Foreign Relations (2004-2007); 2009 MBA from Columbia Graduate School of
Business; Associate Director, CCS Fund Raising (June
2009-present)
Today: Mason is helping close the education
achievement gap as vice president of growth strategy at New York Needs
You.
"When I decided to retire from my career as a professional ballet dancer, I accepted with some trepidation that I would be starting from scratch as I pursued jobs outside the dance world. Matriculating at General Studies enabled me to lose that fear and make a full-fledged commitment to the new direction of my life. Courses like Regime Change in the Middle East and Late Ottoman State and Society, combined with the skills and relationships I developed in student groups like the General Studies Student Council, prepared me to excel in a position at an influential foreign policy institution. My college experience turned a difficult career transition into an amazing opportunity for intensive academic and social exploration, and ultimately, helped me discover a whole new world!"
Hometown: Half Moon Bay, California
Major at GS: Political
Science and American Studies
Path to GS:
- Police Officer
- Moved from California
- Father of three
“I joined the police force to serve my community and, after I was wounded in the line of duty, I wanted to continue to serve. I chose GS and moved to New York because I really feel that, if you want to be your best, you have to be taught by the best. That’s what Columbia offers: the chance to realize my potential.”
Hometown: Newark, New Jersey
Major at GS:
Psychology/ Education
Path to GS:
- Inner-city Newark, NJ
- Fixing things; electrician
- Dad to little Toni
- Restoration of rail service to World Trade Center
- Teacher/Mentor
"As a kid, when my mom Fannie Mae went to church in the evenings, I spent my time repairing neighbors' knob-less black and white TVs needing antennas or their faulty light switches that sparked when flipped. My motto became "I fix things." These inner-city survival skills led to a career in the construction industry, yet I knew I had more to give to the world. As a student in GS's Program for Academic Leadership and Service, I am getting the education to fix things on a different level - one that allows me to pursue my dream of cultivating a positive environment for underprivileged youth through my ultimate goal of building an educational institution where their dreams can be realized."
Hometown: New York, NY
Major at GS: Anthropology
Path
to GS:
- Activist
- Emergency Medical Technician
"Anthropology showed me that it’s not only about the answers, but the questions that are asked. In an increasingly globalized world, a Columbia education provides students with the capacity to formulate answers to questions that haven't even been asked yet.
I will always relish the opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of gifted people who share views completely antithetical to mine. Columbia is not only what you learn inside the classroom, but also the experiences you go through along the way, with your fellow students, that will transform you into a cultivated and substantive individual."
Hometown: Berkeley, CA
Major at GS: Political
Science
Path to GS:
- Baseball player
- Professional ballet dancer
- Labor organizer
"Having grown up the son of a hardworking plumber, I learned early that my career had to be something I loved doing, not just a job. That’s one of the reasons I became a professional ballet dancer and the main incentive I had for moving all the way from California to New York and studying here at Columbia. Since beginning my studies here, the opportunities that Columbia and New York City have offered have been unbelievable. I’ve discussed US policy with world-renowned professors, listened to heads of state speak on human rights, taken restoration ecology classes in the Brazilian rainforest and art history classes in Venice, Italy. I’ve also had the fantastic experience of being a member of the Columbia rowing team and rowing on the Harlem River. As a student at Columbia, you have the opportunities that New York City has to offer. I’ve seen shows of American Ballet Theater and seen incredible art exhibits at MoMa and the Whitney. Being a student at the School of General Studies at Columbia University has afforded me so many amazing experiences and opportunities, and I feel lucky."
Hometown: Montgomery, New York
Major at
GS: American History
Path to GS:
- Retired New York City Firefighter
- Rescue Operations Instructor for New York City Fire Dept.
- Developed Spanish program for New York State Fire Academy
- Designed and built family home (twice).
How he continued his story: In August 2009, Dave earned his masters
degree from St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Today:
Dave is cultivating a career as a secondary school teacher.
"I may not look like a typical college student, but on this campus I feel like one, even though I have three college-aged sons. They are proud that I’ve gone back to school, and their support helps keep me focused. My goal is to major in American History and possibly teach high school. I am thankful to be here, and I look forward to each and every one of my classes. If I had a wish list, I couldn’t add to it."
Hometown: Torrance, CA/Tucson, AZ
Major at GS:
Literature-Writing
Path to GS:
- Worked with developmentally disabled adults in a residential setting
- Moved to New York to be closer to Europe
- Social worker/paralegal/backup dancer/world traveler
Today: Erich is a poet and printmaker living in New York City.
“School and I never got along: my third grade teacher had me tested for the gifted program; my fourth grade teacher for special ed. By high school, I had enough and dropped out. I didn't slack off: over the years I explored careers from paralegal to performance artist to social worker to world traveler (not really a very lucrative career), but nothing felt right. At 29, I got my GED and discovered that I had an undiagnosed mathematics disability. A chance meeting with a Columbia professor in a local bakery led me to GS. When I stepped on to campus, it immediately felt right, and I submitted my application the next day. At first, I was only admitted provisionally, but I've proven myself, making the Dean's List several times.”
Hometown: Ra'anana, Israel
Major at GS: Neuroscience and
Behavior
Path to GS:
- Branch manager for medical aesthetics company at the age of 17
- Israeli Air Force Officer
- Cardiovascular surgery assistant
- Proud Keralite
- One-on-one training in Indian philosophy with a nationally acclaimed scholar
- B.A. with honors in philosophy from King’s College, London
- Enrolled at GS to pursue a 2nd Bachelor’s degree
"At GS I encountered professors and mentors who were keen and honest observers of the world they inhabit. I attended classes with an amazing variety of people, all of whom have enriched my life and my worldview. I’m also grateful to have been able to share my culture and my passion with our campus community by organizing a concert, with the help of the Heyman Center for Humanities, by Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan, one of the foremost exponents of South Asian classical music."
Hometown: Bay Shore, New York
Major at GS: Sociology
Path to GS:
- High school track star
- Graduated from community college
- Hostos Global Scholar
“I am guided by the African principle Sankofa, which means to return to the past in order to build for the future. Thus, I have decided to study at Columbia for the purpose of building a future for our mis-educated children whose minds have been annihilated by violence.”
Hometown: Santa Monica, CA
Major at GS: Sociology
Path
to GS:
- Insurance broker
- Retail manager
- Nanny
"Leaving my close-knit family and my life long friendships behind when I moved to New York from California to attend GS was very hard, but it was something I had to do. I was fortunate to have had a lucrative career as an insurance broker, but all my success came in a field that I sincerely wanted to leave. Ultimately, I decided to downsize my life, and I moved into a relative's house so that I could pursue my education. I took a risk, and it has been totally worth it. My dream is to teach elementary school, so here I am, making that happen, and I'm not looking back!"
Name: Sergei Kuznetsov
Hometown:
Neteshin, Ukraine
Major at GS: History with Premed
concentration
Path to GS:
- Arrived in Texas as a foreign exchange student from Ukraine
- Attended various community colleges
- While living in Rochester, NY my stepfather turned me on to the healthcare field
- Worked as a nurse for two years and decided I wanted to become a doctor
Today: Sergei is a student at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
"The instructors here, who are in many cases the leaders of their respective disciplines, set high standards for students, and I'm pleased to find they challenge my way of thinking: Be it Professor Pederson's discussion on the dilemma on ethics of post WW II British immigration laws or Dr. Mowshowitz's lecture on the use of viruses in genetic engineering. The administrators are easily reached for professional advice on anything from applying to a medical school to choosing a volunteer program. In this demanding and fast-paced atmosphere my classmates become a major part of my daily social support-system and together we even contribute to the neighborhood of Morningside Heights: Be it a Thanksgiving dinner at a fellow GS student's apartment or an AIDS awareness fair for the local community. I'm very happy about where I am nowadays."
Hometown: Los Altos, California
Major at GS: Political
Science
Path to GS:
- Olympic athlete
- That’s really all I had time to do
- Seriously
Today: Lauren works in sales and electronic initiatives at a credit derivatives brokerage firm in New York City.
“When I was training as a synchronized swimmer, I was in the pool too early to watch the morning news, and after a 10-hour day of training, I was too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep. I felt pretty out of touch with the world outside of swimming. After competing in the Olympics, I wanted to see what other challenges awaited me, so I applied to GS. It’s comforting that I’m not the only person who took an alternate path to follow an extraordinary dream. Now, I’m working toward the next one. And the nice difference between academics and synchronized swimming—when I study, I don’t have to hold my breath.”
Hometown: Cupertino, CA
Major at GS: Economics and Political
Science
Path to GS:
- Nationally recognized paintball player
- US Army Special Forces
- Community College Student
"After leaving the military I knew I wanted to pursue the best education possible. Initially I thought a school like Columbia was out of my league, until I attended a regional information session and found out about GS and its preference for students with nontraditional backgrounds like myself. Whether I’m meeting countless new friends who’ve helped push me to new heights, spending a summer in D.C. working for the U.S. Senate, or networking with other veterans at Mayor Bloomberg’s Veterans Day breakfast, my time at GS has been amazing."
Hometown: West Hollywood, CA
Occupation: Political
Science
Major at GS: Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
Path
to GS:
- Waitress
- Trader Joe's Crew Member
- Commercial Real Estate: Development/HR
"I’ve always enjoyed studying politics, so majoring in political science seemed like excellent preparation for a career in law enforcement. But I’ve also enjoyed sampling some of the other disciplines at Columbia—for example, the Chinese Summer Language Program in Beijing was truly an exceptional opportunity. I’ve participated in student government and, although it was occasionally difficult to manage my responsibilities with my studies and outside obligations, the depth that they’ve added to my overall academic experience has been invaluable.
My favorite Columbia moment took place on the last day of my favorite class, “Challenges of Sustainable Development,” when Professor Jeffrey Sachs quoted the words of John F. Kennedy: “And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet” In that moment I realized Professor Sachs, over the course of the semester, had given me the tools to become a better member of our human family. For that, I was and am, most grateful."
Hometown: Manchester, TN
Major at GS: Undeclared
Path
to GS:
- Published author at age 12
- American Musical and Dramatic Academy graduate
- Working actress, with roles on MTV's Undressed, Chappelle's Show, and on stage
"After years of going on auditions and working day jobs, I realized I missed learning and wanted to go back to school for a well-rounded education. At GS I’ve developed my creative writing skills and discovered new interests in architecture and psychology while still auditioning and working. I took a semester off to get married, and I appreciate the flexibility that GS offers. After graduation I plan to continue auditioning, but I’ll also be qualified in another field that I’ll enjoy as I pursue my career in acting."
Hometown: Lafferty, Ohio
Position at Columbia:
Professor, Department of Chemistry; Dean, Columbia
College
Interests:
- Dynamics of chemical reactions
- Cycling
- Cars
- Restoring my old house
- Being a dad to my three sons
"GS students enliven and enrich my courses. It is great to have people who have studied and worked as artists, accountants, publishers, historians, entrepreneurs, and chefs in a science class. They bring many different perspectives from their wide ranging life and work experiences, and through their perspectives I see my course material in new and insightful ways. They are smart, determined, energetic, competitive, and questioning. They demand a lot of themselves and of me. They challenge me and I challenge them. I try my best to respond and I know they do too. We are all better because of that."
Hometown: Bronx, NY
Major at GS:
Literature-Writing
Path to GS:
- Singer/choreographer/director
- Working mother
- Children's education advocate
"I am a single mom of three who used to live in one of the poorest economic sections of the Bronx. In my quest to secure strong public schools for my kids, I ended up motivating and teaching other parents how to do the same. However, as I spoke to students and encouraged them to seek the best for themselves, I realized that I had not done that for myself. So, after prompting from my office director, I applied to the School of General Studies and am soundly on my way to becoming a true role model for my children and hopefully all NYC kids."
Hometown: Forest Row, East Sussex, England
Major at GS:
Psychology
Path to GS:
- Waldorf graduate
- Actor
- Gemologist
Today: Thomas is employed at Tiffany & Co.
"When I was 14, I played the lead in my high school’s production of Bye Bye Birdie—I wore a gold lamé suit, and all the girls loved me. That’s when I fell in love with acting. I studied at Bennington College and then came to New York to professionally pursue my craft while working a day job in the diamond district. After six years, although acting and diamonds were both rewarding, I realized that I wanted something more, which I hadn’t found yet. That’s why I decided to go back to school—right now I’m studying developmental psychology and interning at Columbia-Presbyterian in the same field. I plan to attend business school after earning my bachelor’s degree and look forward to combining what I’ve learned from diamonds and acting with my studies in psychology to create a meaningful career that I can be proud of."
Hometown: Varena, Lithuania
Major at GS:
German Literature and Cultural History, Comparative Literature and
Society
Path to GS:
- Born in Soviet Lithuania
- Motorcycle accident helped me meet my husband, an American GI
- Moved to New York City with a suitcase, a bicycle, a newborn son, and the determination to finish my degree
“Growing up in Lithuania during the Cold War, I didn’t really know what freedom was, a fact I learned quite dramatically when Soviet troops attacked my country’s only TV station in the middle of the evening news. The first boy I ever kissed was killed in the fighting that ensued that day. After that, I realized wanted to experience real freedom and ran away to Germany, where I eventually worked for Lufthansa and traveled the world. I also met my husband, an American GI, and moved with him to New York. I decided to return to school because I know that when I graduate, I’ll have an education that will grant me the freedom to do anything – and that’s something I can be proud to share with my son.”
나는 기본적으로 좋은 대학인지 구린 대학인지 가장 확실하게 알 수 있는 방법중 하나가 그 대학을 다니고있는 재학생들의
얼굴빛을 보는것이다. 얼굴빛이 어둡거나 우울하면 그 대학은 구리다고 보고, 밝거나 총명하면 그 대학은 좋은 대학이라 본다.
이들의 얼굴에서 나는 어둠을 찾아볼 수가 없다. 뒤늦게 사회생활을 시작하고 뛰어든 다양한 직업분야의 엄마 아빠뻘 되는 사람들.
야간대학의 범주에 들어가긴 하지만, 그래도 SAT 성적 어느정도 이상에(SAT 성적 필수임) 고등학교 성적도 좋아야 되고,
그게 안좋다면 그것을 커버하고 남을만한 뛰어난 EC가 있어야만 세계최고의 야간대학인 컬럼비아 GS에 들어갈 수 있다. ㅋㅋ
컬럼비아 GS가 야간대학이긴 하지만 우리가 흔히 알고있는 야간대학 개념은 아니고, 야간대학중 최고난이도 야간대학이며,
다른 야간대학은 나오면 학부인정 안해주고 취직에 도움안되는 반면, 컬럼비아 GS는 나오면 이득이 있기 떄문에
일반적인 야간대학이라고 생각하면 안된다. 왜냐면 애네들은 컬럼비아 CC, SEAS생들이랑 똑같은 수업 듣고 똑같은 기준으로
성적이 매겨지기 때문에. 야간대학 배려 ㅍㅌㅊ?
한마디로 개삽질이란 삽질은 다하고 결과는 김재규에 의한 피살이라는 비참한 인생을 살다 간 박정희의 비슷.
공부량은 한강의 기적이지만 결과물은 김재규에 의한 피살.
그러나 18년동안 지배했기 때문에 놀고먹고 할건 다하고 죽었겠지.
컬럼비아 GS도 학부졸업이라는 최소한의 타이틀은 딸 수 있을거다. ㅋ
그리고 그 결과물은 시간이 지남에 따라 없어지지도 않을거다.
좋은 의미로.