The Low Down

By Melody Wilding '11SW of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
Originally published on Forbes.com

Being a sensitive person in the workplace can often feel like a double-edged sword.

Your colleagues likely appreciate your generous nature, depth of personality, and sense of dedication. On the other hand, when it comes to tough realities of the workplace like receiving feedback, your emotions can run unchecked.

This week, we welcomed the Class of 2017 to our alumni community. More on this and other Columbia news below.

Note: This is a rebroadcast of an episode about the 2016 Commencement ceremony.

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It's my favorite day of the year. Because it's tens of thousands of people out here being excited about what our students have done. And it's awesome.

- Katharine Conway '02CC, '06TC, '07TC, '12TC
‎Chief of Staff & Secretary of the College at Teachers College

Columbia's Commencement week ended two weeks ago. New graduates moved out of University housing to start their lives off-campus and the streets of Morningside Heights have emptied out for the summer. In September, new and returning students will move in and the streets will vibrate with excitement and energy again.

But, in this episode, we're not going to look ahead. Instead, we're going to look back at the height of Columbia excitement and energy: Commencement. If you've never experienced Columbia’s Commencement, that's ok. We interviewed alumni, faculty, staff, and students to give you a glimpse at the day.

Check out the latest news and events from your alumni community.

For this episode, we're diving into the archives to play you excerpts from a discussion that took place in 2012. The discussion was called "Understanding Our Brains, Understanding Ourselves," and it brought together an expert panel of Columbia alumni and professors to talk about the brain.

If you've ever wondered what smell New Yorkers like the most and what smell they hate, you've definitely come to the right place.

By Caroline Ceniza-Levine '93BC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network
Originally published on SixFigureStart.com

When I blogged previously about the importance of thank you notes (including five real job seekers whose thank you notes hurt or helped them get a job), I meant to showcase an often-overlooked by powerful job search step. This isn't to say, however, that for any of the job seekers I showcased the thank you note was the only factor in the hiring decision. There are always numerous factors that employers use to make hiring decisions. Typically these factors build upon each other, so job seekers should aim to showcase their best at all stages. Here is a job search checklist for what employers look at when deciding whom to hire.

The latest from your Columbia alumni network:

By Eric Horwitz '90CC of the Columbia Career Coaches Network

Having a strong foundation of education is critical to an informed citizen in a free market society. A mixture of moral clarity and scientific reasoning can form the foundation for an active life of contributing and receiving abundance. Since the beginning of the university system, great men and eventually women were sequestered in a search for these empirical truths. Education is meant to develop individuals into contributing members of the social fabric.

Earlier this year, Columbia hosted a conversation between two iconic public figures—billionaire investor Warren Buffett '51BUS and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. For that conversation, Buffett and Gates sat down with PBS and Bloomberg TV host Charlie Rose to discuss their friendship, philanthropy, business, innovation, and leadership.

On April 22, 2017, the world will celebrate the 47th anniversary of Earth Day, the modern environmental movement that began in 1970. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. 

The initial Earth Day marked some interesting activities on Columbia's Morningside campus as well. Read on for a look at Earth Days at Columbia, then and now, and some Earth Day facts about how Columbia is a leader in sustainability, from academics to dining halls.