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COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY CLASS DAY AND COMMENCEMENT 2013
Class of 2013 Joins Ranks of Alumni
B y A l e x Sachare ’71
Dean James J. Valentini welcomed the 1,169 members of
the Class of 2013 into the ranks of Columbia College
alumni at Class Day on May 21, saying he had calculated
their accomplishments: 1,946,970; 124; and 1. He
drew laughs when he explained, “1,946,970 minutes since your
very first class on September 9, 2009; 124 credits for graduation;
and 1 swim test.”
He noted that the graduates swell the ranks of living CC
alumni to 47,516 and said, “It is they, now including you, who
allow me to say that Columbia College is the greatest college in
the greatest university in the greatest city in
the world.”
The next day, the members of CC ’13
joined some 13,000 other Columbians who
officially graduated as President Lee C.
Bollinger presided over Commencement.
Honored during the ceremony were the 2013
Alumni Medalists, including Stephen L.
Buchman ’59, ’62L; Dr. Marvin M. Lipman
’49, ’54 P&S; and Ira B. Malin ’75, co-chair
of the Columbia College Fund.
The Class Day keynote speaker was playwright
Terrence McNally ’60, a native of
Corpus Christi, Texas, who recalled spending
his first night in New York City sleeping
on the sidewalk outside the Mark Hellinger
Theatre, waiting for the box office to reopen
Terrence McNally ’60, the keynote speaker
at Class Day, told the graduates, “Your
work is just beginning.”
PHOTOS: EILEEN BARROSO
the next morning so he could nab a standing-room ticket to see
My Fair Lady. “If that didn’t make me some kind of an instant
New Yorker, I don’t know what would,” he said.
As for words of advice, he noted, “Good or bad, advice is
easy. I don’t have a lot for you. Be nicer to people, wash your
hands more frequently, count to 100 at least twice before asking
someone to marry you. Be useful, keep your word. Re-read that
email before you hit the ‘send’ button. Don’t put compromising
photos of yourself on Facebook. That’s about it.”
Also speaking at Class Day were Bollinger, salutatorian
Yoshiaki Ko ’13 and class president Ryan
Mandelbaum ’13. In addition, then-Dean of
Student Affairs Kevin Shollenberger presented
distinguished class awards, Dean of Academic
Affairs Kathryn Yatrakis presented
academic awards, Columbia College Alumni
Association President Kyra Tirana Barry ’87
presented alumni awards and prizes, and
Senior Fund Chair Maria Sulimirski ’13 presented
the class gift.
Watch the Class Day and Commencement
ceremonies at totalwebcasting.com/view/id=
columbiacomm. Read McNally’s keynote address
at college.columbia.edu/terrencemcnally. View
more photos from Class Day and Commencement
at facebook.com/alumnicc.
The 1,169 members of the Class of 2013
celebrated their rite of passage at Class
Day and Commencement as they joined
the ranks of College alumni. Some sported
fanciful decorations on their caps while
others wore crowns and carried toy
swords. Dean James J. Valentini wore his
crown at Commencement when he asked
President Lee C. Bollinger to officially
grant the seniors their degrees. A highlight
of the Class Day processional was the
10th annual Alumni Parade of Classes,
where the graduates stood and cheered
as alumni marched with their class banners
to symbolically welcome them into
the alumni community.
PHOTOS: LEFT, SUSAN COOK;
ALL OTHERS, EILEEN BARROSO
SUMMER 2013
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SUMMER 2013
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