The Women's Committee of the CBS Hong Kong Alumni Club spearheaded a campaign to dedicate a cluster of three study rooms in honor of CBS Women in Asia. The study rooms, located on the third floor of Geffen Hall, seat up to six students each and are nestled in a high-traffic location near the CBS board room—named in honor of the Women of CBS—the S. Steven Pan Library, the Student Affairs Center, and the Uris Family Corner classroom.
The group originally targeted a fundraising goal of $250,000 to name a single conference room on campus. However, it surpassed that goal, raising a total of $411,650 from 47 donors across Asia.
The campaign came as part of the larger Manhattanville Women's Initiative, an endeavor undertaken by a group of alumnae that aims to celebrate the dynamic community of CBS women, their achievements, and their importance to the School by visibly representing them in the Manhattanville campus.
“When the School started fundraising for these two new buildings, it struck me that it would be a wonderful thing, as women were becoming more and more present in each class, to have a gift from women who had gone through the halls of Columbia Business School to honor all the women of our community—past, current, and future,” said Shelly Lazarus '70, one of the founding members of the initiative, upon its launch.
“Women are half the universe. We want to get to a point where women are half the universe everywhere and of everything: half the students, the faculty, the CEOs, and half the giving,” Lazarus added.
The Women's Committee of the CBS Hong Kong Alumni Club first rallied together in Hong Kong and then throughout Asia, hosting a multitude of fundraising and community events. The events featured CBS faculty and alumni who spoke on topics such as personal finance, mindful leadership, art, and fashion. In 2023, the group hosted a luncheon with CBS Dean Costis Maglaras, the David and Lyn Silfen Professor of Business. The event, which took place in Hong Kong, saw 50 alumnae in attendance from throughout Asia.
“It is a testament to the collective spirit and commitment of our alumnae in Asia that they not only met but significantly surpassed their fundraising goal,” Maglaras said. “This success speaks volumes about their dedication to the School's mission, and we are grateful for the pivotal role they play in the CBS community.”
Individual naming opportunities on the School's campus are still available. For more information, contact Sami Mihali at sr3514@gsb.columbia.
