CUSP ALLIANCE
HISTORY
Founded in September 2005, the CUSP Alliance became a structure through which Scholars are empowered in their own Program under the direct guidance and supervision of the CUSP Executive Council (comprised of CUSP administratiors, CUSP BOA members, Scholar Alumni, and former presidents of the CUSP Alliance), and encouraged to be active collaborators in brainstorming and implementing new projects. This Scholar leadership upholds the CUSP Leadership Pillar and was initially conceptualized and implemented by the CUSP administration as a natural extension and enhancement of the original Scholars Advisory Board (a panel of twelve Scholars appointed to the Board by application, who acted as liaisons between the Scholars and the Office and helped brainstorm ideas for the Program). Scholars immediately participated and assumed leadership roles with an unforeseen vigor. Formerly known as the Scholars Governing Board & Scholars Advisory Council, the CUSP Alliance renamed itself to distinguish the organization as a collective of like minds inclusive of not only Scholars, but also their growing supporters in the Columbia community. Currently, the CUSP Alliance consists of 9 officer positions.
MISSION
The purpose of the CUSP Alliance is to place the Columbia Undergraduate Scholars Program in the hands of the Scholars by recognizing and formalizing a core of proactive Scholar leaders who desire to play an integral role in developing the Program. The CUSP Alliance offers the Scholars creative and constructive opportunities to serve as ambassadors between the CUSP administration, the Scholar population, and the greater Columbia, New York City, and global communities. They integrate the ideals of the four pillars--Academic Excellence, Leadership, Civic Engagement, and Global Awareness--into their processes of thought and action, promoting awareness and pedagogical engagement within and beyond the Scholar community. The Scholars in the CUSP Alliance develop invaluable leadership skills through a series of training sessions. They gain experience organizing and facilitating long-term community and civic programming that serves not only as an opportunity to foster a sense of community within CUSP but as one of many examples of the powerful results possible through application of CUSP ideologies.
MEET THE ALLIANCE
Tehreem Rehman (President) is a junior at Columbia University majoring in Women’s & Gender Studies. Along with helping put the spotlight on vaginas everywhere as an Assistant Producer for the Columbia-Barnard Vagina Monologues production this year, she also recently co-founded the Gates Millennium Scholars Public Service Initiative to provide students here with further opportunities for civic engagement. She is interested in health policy, reproductive rights, and looking at access to healthcare services within urban communities.
Debattama Sen (Vice-President) is a Columbia Engineering junior and C. P. Davis scholar studying biomedical engineering and computer science. She is interested in immunology and computational biology, and is looking to combine the two interests through interdisciplinary research. In addition to being Vice-President of the CUSP Alliance, Debattama is Managing Editor of the Journal of Global Health and Teaching Assistant for the Columbia Biology Department. In her ever-diminishing free time, she likes to try out a new cooking recipe or curl up with a good book.
Nicole Bleuel is a current sophomore studying Financial Engineering and minoring in Economics and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She has an interest in the business of media and currently works in the Strategic Marketing department for Syfy. Nicole is also a Resident Advisor for West Campus and a Mentor for Mercy Corps’ Youth Leaders. This past summer, Nicole traveled to Tanzania as a result of winning a video contest with the charity organization Heifer International. She is working on editing the documentary she filmed.
Hubert Chang is a sophomore studying Civil Engineering with interests in architecture. He is the Friends of CUSP Liaison for the Alliance, and also put together the CUSP Alliance newsletter "On The Cusp". Over the past summer, he worked on a research project developing recycled construction materials for rebuilding Haiti’s earthquake-damaged cities. In his spare time he enjoys practicing piano in the middle of the night and enjoying nice views of the city.
Charlie Starr is a sophomore in SEAS majoring in Applied Physics. This is his second year serving on the CUSP Alliance and he looks forward to another year of great cultural outings and programming. He is also an active member of the College Democrats and the Marching Band.
Anika Havaldar is a first-year student in the college, hoping to double-major in Art History and Anthropology. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the city, traveling, trying out new cuisines, painting and everything visual arts related.
Anu Akinbamidele is the HEAF liaison for the CUSP alliance. Although born and raised in the Bronx, New York she spent her high school career at a prep school, Blair Academy, located in Blairstown, New Jersey. While there she was elected onto my class council for all four years. Her job on the CUSP alliance is to bring to Scholars a civic engagement opportunity in the spring. HEAF is an organization that caters to academically gifted minority high school students from different schools, and stands for Harlem Educational Activities Fund. She works directly with the Youth Leadership Council (YLC), HEAF’s leadership organization. Students meet every Friday to develop their leadership skills by working on various service projects throughout the year. CUSP scholars can volunteer to work with HEAF students during the spring-time.
Tabitha Cohen, Events Coordinator, is a first-year student in Columbia College studying human rights and Chinese studies. She is also a member of Youth for Debate and the Columbia Ballroom Dance Team. Tabitha is thrilled to be a member of the CUSP Alliance and to take part in further developing CUSP into an even more enriching and exciting program than it already is.
Dennis Dacarett is a first-year student at Columbia University with the intention of majoring in Neuroscience and concentrating in Latin American Studies. A proud dancer and musical theater geek, he is currently dancing in Columbia Ballet Collaborative and has the opportunity to move his Honduran hips in Columbia's latino dance group, Sabor. Having had extensive artistic and arts administration experience, he is thrilled to use his insights to bring cultural outings to the Scholars in CUSP.