In celebration of the trailblazers, mentors, or biggest supporters in your life, you have the opportunity to honor someone who opened the door for you—personally or professionally—by making a gift in their name to a Columbia school, program, or cause that matters to you.
Show your appreciation and create new opportunities for students, faculty, or researchers.
Katie Day Benvenuto ’03CC, ’12BUS opened the door for me, a young, fellow women’s basketball alum, by giving me my first full-time job, mentoring me in that role, and inspiring me to follow her footsteps in getting my MBA. Roar, Lion, Roar!
Barnard and Columbia Professor Catharine Nepomnyashchy, who invited me to teach with her at the Harriman Institute. She supported my Master's thesis on how war-related trauma in Bosnia and Herzegovina undermines long-term democracy building efforts in the country.
Mandy Hackett ’92BC opened the door for me by showing me incredible generosity and support at an early point in my career. As a fellow Columbian and theater-maker, Mandy has been a mentor, friend, and guide, and has fundamentally shaped me as a person.
In 1986, as I headed for a career in BigLaw, Gaele McLaughlin Barthold, a Philadelphia Deputy District Attorney, convinced me that a year in public service would be rewarding. After three decades as a government attorney, I am so grateful for her support, mentoring, and friendship all these years.