The corridors of Uris Hall have been humming with enthusiasm and anticipation during the past few weeks, as members of the classes of 2016 and 2017 gather on campus to get acquainted with each other and begin their fall terms. This time, however, there is a nearly palpable feeling of celebration in the air as the School kicks off more than a year’s worth of festivities to commemorate its Centennial milestone.
"It’s very powerful. I will not be able to describe this experience to anybody, and I feel like the next two years are going to be like that," says French international student Juliette Mariani ’17. "It’s just a really exciting time to be here on campus and in the community," adds Will Noyes ’17.
Both the Class of 2016 and the Class of 2017—known collectively as the Centennial classes—plan to make the most of their time on campus during this landmark anniversary. "As we start moving forward, we’re going to see a lot more events popping up, which I am personally very excited to be able to partake in and be part of," Noyes says. "Being part of the Centennial class, to me, is an exciting opportunity to build on the legacy of the alums who came 100 years before us," adds Rob Dellinger ’16.
He will have help from his new peers. The 2015 entrants (January and August) represent a diverse and international group, consisting of 42 percent international students, 35 percent minorities, and 36 percent women. As in previous years, these students also hail from a wide range of industries including consulting, marketing/media, military/government, and nonprofit.
About the new students, Johnny Yaacoub ’16, a peer advisor, said: "I couldn’t find a single person who had a similar background or education to the others. [The School continues to incorporate] a lot of diversity and dynamic perspectives throughout the classroom." With energy and excitement like this, the next 100 years looks bright for the School, says Sabrina Pinto ’16. "Columbia will keep being a great leader in education and instructing students in how to be conscientious leaders for the future," she says.