ClubHop

Columbia Bioethics Society seems to have been tailor-made for the current moment, and they know it. Their focus this semester has been on COVID-related topics. How have they adapted to the changes brought on by the pandemic, and how has the pandemic changed the nature of the club itself?

Our thanks to Aliza Bloostein (president, BC '21), Stephanie Calluori (vice-president, BC '21), and Grace Biondi (discussion coordinator, BC '23) for their time.

Students for Sanctuary is a campus group that puts students in the service of New York City's undocumented immigrant community through partnerships with city advocacy groups. While the organization hasn't changed that mission, it's of course had to adapt given current circumstances. How does the club stay connected to the Columbia community even as its efforts lie outside of it, and how does the club continue to reach its clientele, one of the hardest-hit by the consequences of the pandemic?

Our thanks to Trisha Mukherjee (co-director, CC ’21) and Ana Barrios (co-director, CC ’21) for their time.

(This is a bonus episode. A new episode, with a new club, is in the works.)

In an excerpt from the second episode with Columbia Catholic Ministry, the board talked at length about the Church's role in the movement for racial justice here in the United States, and about their Ministry's public stance on the issue. Once again, thank you to board members Drey Carr (co-president, CC ’21), Ricardo Mercado (social chair, CC ’22), and Astrid Liden (student leader, CC ’23) for their time.

Skip Stop services both Columbia's and Barnard's commuter community. Given present circumstances, however, no one's doing much commuting anywhere, least of all to campus. While this has affected how the board has approached programming this semester, it's also afforded both the board and their fellow commuters opportunities that they wouldn't normally have had. What's changed—and what still needs to change—for commuters on campus?

Our thanks to Roberta Bukshtab (president, BC '21), Hawa Tunkara (vice-president, BC '21), Mahnoor Jamal (treasurer, BC '21), Winsome Ching (secretary, BC '21), and Daniela Lebron (publicity officer, BC '22) for their time.

One of Morningside's newest clubs is the Columbia Marketing Club. They aim to be the bridge between undergrads and the "creative and business side of marketing," hosting events and connecting students with potential employers. In joining a number of other like-minded clubs, however, how does CMC differentiate—and how do its graduating co-founders establish the club amid the changes this semester has brought to campus life?

Our thanks to Andy Liu (co-president, CC '21) and Elena Scott (co-president, CC '21) for their time.

Columbia Catholic Ministry, or CCM, is as advertised—a place for Catholics to find community. But how does a religious community such as CCM serve its members (especially its newest ones) amid a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and all the challenges it brings, and how does one maintain a religious community at Columbia, even under normal circumstances?

Thank you to CCM board members Drey Carr (co-president, CC '21), Virginia Ignelzi (service chair, CC '22), Ricardo Mercado (social chair, CC '22), and Astrid Liden (student leader, CC '23) for their time.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Chandler Society's existence. Since its founding, it's served as a safe haven for Columbia's chemistry (and chemistry-adjacent) aficionados, of which there are a few. With weekly meetings, regular interaction with Chemistry Department staff, an annual undergraduate research symposium, an annual guest lecturer event, and service opportunities galore, it's a very active club under normal circumstances.

In this week's episode, we talk to the Society's board about the way they govern their club, their plans for this fall, and why Chandler exists. Our thanks to Michael van Duinen (president, CC '21), Myria Chen (vice-president, CC '22), Boyuan Chen (secretary, SEAS '23), and Amy Su (treasurer, CC '22)  for their time.