Multicultural & Social Justice Education Programs

GS Student Life is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community that celebrates the diverse experiences of the GS student body.

Program Offerings

The Dean of Students Office invites first-generation and low-income students to gather for a monthly community space and resource share over lunch. occurring throughout the year, students will receive information about upcoming FLI Fridays in the GS newsletter.

Through collaborations with Columbia College, Barnard College, and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, GS advises the development of heritage and awareness months that celebrate the history and various contributions to society. Students interested in getting involved should email [email protected].

In celebration of the Heritage and Awareness months, GS Student Life will be taking students on excursions to museums, theatre, film screenings, and various other cultural institutions. Occurring throughout the year, students will receive information about upcoming excursions in the GS newsletter.

Heritage and Awareness Months

GS Student Life coordinates various identity-based programs and support to provide spaces for students to discuss general experiences based on identities and leadership roles on campus, share resources that have proven helpful, discuss ways in which to utilize experiences to frame future leadership roles (at Columbia, GS, and beyond), and develop support among peers and administrators. Identity based programming includes:

  • Women & Femme of Center Discussion Spaces
  • Students of Color Discussion Spaces
  • LGBTQ Discussion Spaces
  • LGBTQ+ Social Hours

GS Student Life partners with the CC/SEAS Office of Multicultural Affairs and Barnard Student Life to provide leadership development opportunities for students interested in developing a better understanding of their identities as leaders within and beyond the LGBTQ community at Barnard and Columbia. We also work with students to better understand the ways in which their intersecting identities interact with their leadership. For more information email [email protected].

Social Justice 101 is a workshop series dedicated to cultivating critical consciousness of self and practice tools for social change through interactive workshops, activities, and guided discussion. Participants in Social Justice 101 will learn and gain an understanding of identity, power, privilege, systems of oppression and identify strategies for social change and advocacy. 

GS Student Life encourages students to become involved in student organizations that address and affirm identity as well as personal and professional interests. Columbia University has more than 500 student organizations that are open to students in all four undergraduate schools that span various interests such as the arts, politics, identity, culture, sports and recreation, religion, and many more. Students can use LionLink to search for groups that align with their interests.

GS Student Life advises the following identity-based and social justice oriented student groups:

American Medical Women's Association (AMWA)

The American Medical Women's Association, an auxiliary club of the Premedical Association, aims to promote women in medicine, connect students to professionals in the field, and advocate for women's health issues.

Contact
[email protected]

GS Alliance

GS Alliance is a student organization, recognized by the Student Governing Board, dedicated to the advancement of education and advocacy regarding issues of special interest to the LGBTQA community and its allies.

Contact
[email protected]

Koreans in GS (KIGS)

KIGS is a student organization, recognized by the Activities Board at Columbia, dedicated to building community among Korean students at GS.

Contact
Koreans In General Studies Facebook Group

Student of Color Alliance (S.O.C.A.)

S.O.C.A. is an unrecognized student group dedicated to providing a space to discuss issues affecting GS students of color.

Contact
[email protected]

Queer Health Alliance

The Queer Health Alliance, an auxiliary group of the Premedical Association, aims to provide a community for queer and allied premedical students at Columbia where they can share experiences, discuss relevant issues (such as LGBTQ Health issues and disparities), and build a network.

Contact
[email protected]

Social Justice Medicine (SJM)

Social Justice Medicine, an auxiliary group of the Premedical Association, is an organization that works to establish a foundational knowledge of social justice medicine among premedical students through classroom-based and experiential learning opportunities.

Contact
[email protected]
Columbia Social Justice Medicine Facebook Page