Meet a Few Soon-to-be-Famous Columbians

Mary Byers

You can get a good academic education at many different institutions, but what makes Columbia unique is that the learning opportunities don’t stop when you walk outside of the classroom. At Columbia, you’re in the most interesting city in the world surrounded by amazingly diverse and talented people to learn from. At the same time, it’s so important for me to stay connected to the student body at large by going out and meeting as many people as I can! At Columbia, you know that everyone has a story to tell or something awesome to share.

I’m currently the President of the Class of 2013 on the Engineering Student Council. It’s a lot of work, but Student Council is really great because it keeps me connected with a lot of things that are happening on campus, plus I have lot of fun planning big events for my class. I also enjoy working with other students and administrators on policy initiatives that help improve and shape student life at Columbia.

Right now, I’m also a leader for the Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program (COÖP) that takes first-year students out on four-day hiking, canoeing, or biking trips before New Student Orientation in the fall. COÖP is so much fun and it’s so nice to be able to spend time out in the wilderness with friends before coming back to the busy city. It’s also a great way to get to know a group of people before Orientation Week even begins. I’ve met so many amazing people through COÖP!

Emily Nagel

"Columbia Behind the Scenes"
Hometown: Ridley Park, Pennsylvania
Academic Interests: Drama and Theater Arts, English

I came to Columbia because I was really excited by the Core, by the idea that I would get to read all of the names on Butler Library, that everyone who’s ever gone to Columbia has read the same books. In fact, in my Modern Drama class, our professor was lecturing on (Columbia alum) Tony Kushner’s Angels in America and pointed out that Kushner used the phrase “wine dark,” which is the same phrase Homer used in The Iliad.  My peers are also incredible; they’re all incredibly passionate people, and more than willing to go to battle about their passions, whether it happens to be a major, or even just an activity. I’m proud to be a Columbian not just because of all those who have gone before me, but because of the people I share campus with right now. Not to brag, but Columbians are incredible.

I’ve worked on two Varsity Shows thus far. In my freshman year I stage managed, and in my sophomore year I ran publicity. If I had to pick just one, the Varsity Show would hands down be my favorite tradition. I just love that for 116 years Columbians have gathered together to laugh at themselves. And I love that we walk in the footsteps of giants – really. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote the Varsity Show of 1920. Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, Tony winners and recent Pulitzer winners, wrote for the Varsity Show in the 1990’s. Jenny Slate (CC’05), the newest cast member on Saturday Night Live, was once a cast member. The way I see it, the Varsity Show is a perennial gift to the Columbia community, a love letter, and I take a lot of pride in making that happen, and making it happen well.

Doug Yolen 

"The Renaissance Man"
Hometown: Ridgefield, Connecticut
Academic Interests: Operations Research and Engineering Management Systems

Besides the incredible academic opportunities with Columbia Engineering, I wanted to gain a well-rounded perspective. I firmly believe that any engineer who is unable to convey his or her findings in writing is ultimately useless, and Columbia’s emphasis on additional academic opportunities (like the ability to minor in a liberal arts subject or taking the famed Core Curriculum classes) drew me to the school. Reading Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations through an economist lens in one of my engineering classes and then reading it again through the lens of moral and political thought in Contemporary Civilization gave me a unique perspective only found at Columbia.

In addition, the constant hustle and bustle on Columbia’s campus and in New York City has really made a profound impact on me. There are always speakers, performances, artists, and cultural events going on in Morningside Heights as well as the city at large. Even just being able to go to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Metropolitan Museum (The Met) with your Columbia ID or catching a show downtown with discount tickets from the Columbia Ticket and Information Center (TIC) has introduced me to some of the best culture this world has to offer.