Graduation

PROCESSIONAL

50th Reunion Class
Graduates of the Class of 2024
Platform Party (Faculty, Senior Administrators, Speakers)

WELCOME 

Tess J. Kim ’24, Graduation Committee Co-Chair

DEAN’S REMARKS

Introduced by Mubashshir Sarshar ’24 LL.M., Graduation Committee Co-Chair 
Gillian Lester, Dean and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law

STUDENT SPEAKERS

Introduced by Justin Onwenu ’24, Student Senate President
Jonathan Elliot Gliboff, J.D. Class Speaker
Sharon Matongo, LL.M. Class Speaker

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES AND AWARDS

Willis L.M. Reese Prize for Excellence in Teaching

Introduced by Jermel M. McClure ’24, Graduation Committee Co-Chair
Jessica Bulman-Pozen, Betts Professor of Law 

Student and Faculty Prizes and Awards

Kathryn Judge, Harvey J. Goldschmid Professor of Law and Vice Dean for Intellectual Life

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Introduced by Jermel M. McClure ’24, Graduation Committee Co-Chair
Kristen Clarke ’00, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice

PRESENTATION OF CLASS DONOR

Mubashshir Sarshar ’24 LL.M.

PRESENTATION OF THE CLASS OF 2024

Andrea Cristina Saavedra, ‘06, Associate Dean of Student and Registration Services

READING OF THE NAMES: DEGREE CANDIDATES OF THE CLASS OF 2024

CLOSING REMARKS

Tess J. Kim ’24

RECESSIONAL

Where is the venue?

Baker Athletics Complex is located at 505 West 218th Street. 

• Find subway and Metro North directions here. 
• Graduates and their guests are encouraged to take public transportation; parking is not available on-site and is extremely limited around the complex. 
• Shuttle service between Morningside and Baker Athletics Complex is also available for graduating students, faculty, staff, and volunteers. Please note Columbia strongly encourages those who are choosing to utilize the shuttle to arrive at the designated locations at minimum 1.5 hours prior to the scheduled gate open time for the respective ceremony.

Graduates will use the Class of 1905 Gate (218th Street and Park Terrace West)

Guests will use Gate B (Queue begins on Broadway between 218th and 219th Streets)

Accessible Entrance for Graduates and Guests: ADA Gate at 218th Street and Park Terrace East, just left of Gate B

View Baker Athletics Complex Map

What about tickets?

Only guests with tickets will be allowed into the venue. All guests over the age of 3 must have a ticket. Names of graduates and guests on tickets must match identification. Otherwise, guests will not be permitted to enter. 

Tickets will be scanned at the door. You may not re-enter the venue once you exit. Tickets are valid only once.

Guests needing assistance do not need special tickets. Event staff will have wheelchairs available to help escort guests needing assistance to the designated seating area.

What should I bring or not bring? 

• All guests must have identification (e.g. CUID, license, passport, etc.). Graduating students must present their CUID and wear their cap and gown to enter. 
• For guests: Ticket saved, loaded, and/or ready to scan.
• Wear comfortable footwear; heels are not recommended.
• Water stations and portable restrooms will be available. You are encouraged to bring refillable water bottles for use at designated water stations.
• Bags, backpacks, and purses larger than 5 by 7 inches are not permitted. All guests will be subject to bag check at entry.

Balloons, sky lanterns, and other celebratory embellishments such as large placards, signs, flags, or any items that could obstruct the view of guests and graduates are not permitted. Prohibited items also include: outside food or drinks; glass bottles; pets or animals (certified service animals are allowed); clothing deemed obscene or offensive; firearms, knives, and weapons of any kind; laser pointers; pepper spray/mace; lighters or matches; amplified sound items and noisemaking devices including cowbells and air horns; any item that may interfere with and/or distract graduation speakers, graduates, or guests; any other items deemed dangerous or inappropriate; and anything else in violation of University policies or guidelines.

Find more guidelines and a list of prohibited items on the university’s website. 

What are the community standards? 

Commencement season is a time to celebrate and enjoy the accomplishments of our graduates. To honor the spirit and significance of this occasion, we do not permit the interruption of speakers or audience disruptions. All participants and guests attending Commencement season events understand and agree to follow the responsibilities set forth in university policies, including the Rules of University Conduct and Standards and Discipline. Those found in violation will be asked to stop and may be asked to leave the venue.

What security measures will be in place? 

The venue will have security on site, including the New York Police Department (outside the perimeter of the athletics complex), venue staff (checking tickets and managing crowd control inside the complex), and Columbia University Public Safety personnel (inside the ceremony tent and near the stage). All attendees will be required to have their tickets scanned, IDs checked, and bags searched. 

Is there a reception?

Graduates and their guests are invited to a brunch reception on Tuesday, May 14, in Faculty House from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

See more in the general FAQ above and in your email.

Where do I go? What time should I arrive?

Graduates must arrive at the Baker Athletics Complex, 505 West 218th St., no later than 1:45 p.m. Graduates MUST bring their CUID and wear their cap and gown to enter. Graduates and their guests are encouraged to take public transportation; parking is not available on-site and is extremely limited around the complex. Find subway and Metro North directions here. 

Graduates will use the Class of 1905 Gate (218th Street and Park Terrace West)
Guests will use Gate B (Queue begins on Broadway between 218th and 219th Streets)
Accessible Entrance for Graduates and Guests: ADA Gate at 218th Street and Park Terrace East, just left of Gate B

View Baker Athletics Complex Map.

What should I bring with me? 

You MUST bring your CUID and wear your cap and gown to enter. Staff volunteers will greet you at the entrance, check you in, and direct you to the line-up area in the Inner Concourse. 

If you are running late, become ill, or cannot otherwise attend the day of the ceremony, please contact either Jeff Bagares (J.D.s): [email protected] or Marissa Zalk (E.LL.M.s, J.S.D.s, and LL.M.s): [email protected].

What should I not bring? 

Please do not bring any bags. There is no place to store them, and you will not be given an opportunity to return to the Concourse after graduation.

See more tips to prepare and a list of prohibited items in our General FAQ and on the university’s webpage. 

What about lineup, seating, and photos?

Check your email for more details.

How long is the event?

The ceremony will start promptly at 3:30 p.m. and will last approximately two hours.
 

Is there a reception?

Graduates and their guests are invited to a brunch reception on Tuesday, May 14, in Faculty House from 9 a.m. to noon.

See more in the general FAQ above and in your email.

What should I bring with me? 

All members of the platform party must bring their CUID or a form of government-issued photo identification. See tips to prepare and a list of prohibited items in our General FAQ and on the university’s webpage. 

Can I go directly to Baker Athletics Complex instead of going to the Law School and taking the bus? 

No. All faculty, senior administrators, student speakers, and other members of the platform party MUST report to Case Lounge at the Law School prior to the ceremony and ride the bus to Baker Athletics Complex. 

May I leave on my own after the ceremony rather than taking the bus back to campus? 

Yes, you may leave on your own after the ceremony. We ask that you please return all rented academic attire to Elizabeth Williams prior to leaving the venue.

Is there a reception?

Faculty, please join us for a celebration for our graduates at Faculty House on Tuesday, May 14, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.