Columbia University School of General Studies

06/02/2026

“The Marines instilled in me a deep service orientation, discipline, and a way of operating under pressure—navigating high-stakes situations as part of a team, making decisions with incomplete and unstructured information, and remaining accountable for what came next.”

And what’s next for Kiet Nguyen ‘26PBPM?

His next mission is taking him to Vietnam as a Fulbright recipient! The Marine Corps veteran will be drawing on his experiences as an Emergency Department research intern at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and GS Veteran Peer Mentor to serve others at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City.

And in a full-circle moment, he’ll be working just a few kilometers from where his mother once sold sugarcane juice before coming to the U.S. as a refugee, raising four children, and eventually finishing college later in life herself.

“Medicine felt like the most honest continuation of that service, and the role where everything the Marines gave me could now be directed toward the healing mission.”

Alumni News How One Marine Corps Veteran Will Continue his GS Story as a Fulbright Recipient For Kiet Nguyen ‘26PBPM, a commitment to service, discipline, and honor led him to medicine--now, he will carry his healing mission with him during his Fulbrigh...

05/22/2026

🎓 ⭐ The Class of 2026 by numbers!

From Honor Society members and U.S. military veterans to first-generation college graduates, the Class of 2026 represents the diversity of the GS experience.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and to each of their unique GS stories! https://bit.ly/4fHStDk

05/20/2026

Congratulations to our Columbia GS Class of 2026! 🎉

📷 Diane Bondareff & April Renae

05/18/2026

Today we celebrate the unstoppable GS Class of 2026 🎓✨🦉

From late nights to big wins, your resilience, ambition, and community brought you here and this is only the beginning.

Here’s to the memories made, the impact ahead, and the next chapter waiting for you.

Congratulations, graduates— the world is YOURS 💙

05/17/2026

“Food has been the language I've used to communicate in print and writing and on TV for the past 20 years now, and I loved it so much,” said Alejandra Ramos ‘26GS. “But when I turned 40, I hit this point where I wanted more depth."

After more than two decades away from school, the unfinished goal of earning her degree never stopped calling to her—and Columbia University kept feeling like the place where it could finally happen. Alongside a flourishing career in television, hosting The Great American Recipe on PBS and appearing regularly on the Today Show, Alejandra pursued courses in creative writing and art history at GS, exploring how art and food become powerful vessels for expression and identity.

Now, she’s celebrating achievements 20 years in the making: graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Phi Beta Kappa honors, and the Dean’s Prize in Creative Writing. This fall, she’ll continue her academic journey at Bard Graduate Center with plans to pursue a PhD in art history.

Her advice for others looking to return to school? Your timeline is your own. “It doesn’t have to be based on everybody else’s ideas of success.”

And Alejandra will also be the first to tell you: “It's very chic to come back to school in your 40s—everyone should do it.”

https://bit.ly/4wtwzdj

Profile A Time of Opportunity: Alejandra Ramos '26GS on Coming Back to School in Her 40s A longtime voice in food and television, Alejandra Ramos '26GS came to Columbia GS to explore how art, culture, and identity intersect--and to finish the degree she...

05/17/2026

“GS gave me more than an education; it gave me community, support, and the ability to imagine a future again.”

After leaving school at 16 to support her family, Batoul (Tooli) Shariah ‘26GS spent years prioritizing survival over education—unsure when, or if, she would return. That changed when she enrolled at the Community College of Philadelphia, setting her on a path to Columbia GS, where she double majored in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS) and human rights.

At Columbia University, she connected her lived experience and Bedouin heritage to her academic work—conducting research in Jordan, amplifying overlooked perspectives, and completing two senior theses.

Now, as she prepares to pursue an MPhil in History at the University of Oxford, Tooli is focused on what comes next: writing histories that have been left out of the archive—especially those of Bedouin women—and creating pathways for young women facing barriers to education and autonomy. “It is my promise that no other girl should have to choose between survival and becoming who she is meant to be.”

Tooli’s journey is a reminder that your path doesn’t have to be traditional to be powerful. 💙

Profile The Dream Didn't End--It Waited After years of putting survival first, Batoul (Tooli) Shariah ‘26GS reclaimed her education and is carrying her story into research, advocacy, and graduate study at Oxford. May 07, 2026 “I wake up at 4:00 a.m., fu...

05/16/2026

From a promise made to his grandmother during a phone call in prison to building a new future at Columbia GS, Jonathan Wrenn ‘26GS’s journey is one of resilience and transformation. After overcoming incarceration and unimaginable loss, he rebuilt his life through education, first at Germanna Community College and then Columbia University.

Through The Center for Justice at Columbia University and the System-Impacted Scholars student group, Jonathan found both mentorship and a network of peers with shared experiences. These spaces allowed him to be open about his story while working to expand visibility and support for other system-impacted students on campus.

“Columbia GS gave me not only an education, but a community and a sense of direction,” he said.

After graduating, he’ll continue helping others through his work at Rasa, a social impact startup focused on making criminal record clearing more accessible and affordable.

Jonathan’s GS story is proof that where you start doesn’t define where you can go. 💙🦉

Profile Forged in Resilience, Shaped by Purpose at Columbia GS After years of instability, incarceration, and loss, Jonathan Wrenn ‘26GS rebuilt his life through education. At GS, he found not only direction, but a passion to help others do the same. Ma...

05/16/2026

After facing significant challenges, including a diagnosis with OCD, Rachel Papirmeister ‘26GS initially believed higher education might not be possible. It was during her time at community college that she reconnected with her passion for intellectual discussion and reading—ultimately leading her to GS in Fall 2021.

At Columbia University, Rachel has continued to build on that foundation, pursuing interests in human-centric machine learning and preparing for a career in the AI industry.

She offers this advice to other students: “You will definitely mess up, but when you mess up again, you will mess up less. Keep doing this until you graduate.”

https://bit.ly/42HAh5g

Profile Beyond an Invisible Handicap: Rachel Papirmeister ‘26GS on Reclaiming Education and Redefining Her Potential Rachel Papirmeister ‘26GS reflects on how her path to GS pushed her out of her comfort zone and into a realm of possibility she never believed in before. May 06, 2026 After being ...

05/15/2026

For Marquise Johnson '26GS, community is everything. Whether that be the student organizations he was a part of at GS, the faculty whose endless support motivated him, or his Army mentors who always pushed him. It’s no surprise that the community here at GS led to his transformational experience at Columbia.

As Marquise tells future Columbia University GS students: “GS is just a stepping stone on the amazing path that lies before you. Make the most of it and enjoy yourself as you experience the amazing community that is GS.”

Read more about the Army veteran’s path to GS and all that community can truly do for a student.

Profile A U.S. Army Veteran and the Importance of Community Student veteran Marquise Johnson ‘26GS basks in the impactful GS community one last time before graduating with a new sense of purpose. May 07, 2026 “Look out, world, here I come,” says Marquise Johnson ‘26GS on his future after GS....

05/15/2026

From a passion for film and live theater to finding her place in New York City, Maeve Sheehan ‘26GS has made the most of her time at Columbia GS.

As a film studies major in the Columbia University Dual BA Program with Trinity College Dublin, Maeve has been actively involved across campus—serving as Vice President of Communications for the General Student Council and directing for a student sketch comedy group. Her experiences reflect a strong commitment to both creative expression and student leadership.

Inspired by storytelling and the energy of the city, Maeve continues to explore new opportunities that challenge and excite her.

Her advice to fellow students: “Read your emails!” and “Try new things!”

Check out Maeve’s full reflection on her experience as a GS and Dual BA student here:

Profile Beyond the Luck of the Irish: A Dual BA Story Balancing life between Ireland and New York, Maeve Sheehan ‘26GS found the perfect fit in the Trinity-Columbia Dual BA program. May 07, 2026 Perhaps it was the luck of the Irish—or perhaps just serendipitous timing. Either way, Staten Island-...