The Office of Alumni Relations is dedicated to fostering a strong and vibrant network of graduates of Columbia Journalism School. We offer a range of benefits and services to our alumni, including networking events, career development resources, and opportunities for lifelong learning. Connect with us to stay engaged and tap into a supportive community of fellow graduates!
For more information, contact Kelley M. Spencer, Director of Alumni Relations at [email protected].
Discover & Connect
Mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend 2025!
Return to Pulitzer Hall on May 2-3 to connect with classmates, faculty and friends and celebrate the achievements of this incredible community! Immerse yourself in exciting events like the Hearst Lecture and the Alumni Awards Ceremony, and reminisce about your J-School days with fellow alumni.
The Columbia Journalism School alumni board is representative of the J-School alumni body. Members work closely with the Alumni Relations Office to establish and to serve as a connection between the J-School and its 15,000 alumni.
CHAIR
Rex Smith '80, Writer and Creator, The Upstate American
VICE CHAIR
Andrew Seaman ’11, Senior Managing Editor for Jobs and Career Development, LinkedIn
MEMBERS
Lauren Betesh ’13, Volunteer Video Producer, Columbia Journalism School
Richard Chacón ’93, Director of News Standards, NBC
Vladimir Duthiers ’11, New York Correspondent, CBS News
Sophie Guité de Seynes MA ’06, MPhil ’08, Ph.D.’11, Portfolio Specialist on Morgan Stanley, Investment Management’s Global Multi-Asset Team
Anup Kaphle ’08, Executive Editor, Rest of the World
Liz Borod Wright '00, Social Media Director, Richard Attias & Associates
ASIA
Kavita Chandran Budhraja ’98, Trainer and News Content Advisor, Singapore
Nicole Neroulias Gupte ’02, Executive Editor & Nonprofit Communication Consultant, New Delhi
CALIFORNIA
Linda Himelstein '87, Independent Journalist
Lila LaHood ’98, Publisher, San Francisco Public Press, California
Darren McDermott '92, Partner and co-Head, the San Francisco Brunswick Group
Andy Reinhardt ’88, Health and Higher Education Editor, San Francisco Chronicle
OHIO
Heather Cabot ’93, Author and Speaker
SOUTH AFRICA
Zubeida Jaffer ’96, South African journalist and author
SOUTH AMERICA
Daniel Matamala ’12, News Anchor, Chilevision and a freelance columnist for La Tercera, Noticias de Chile
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Rhonda Colvin ’13, Capitol Hill Reporter, The Washington Post
Kathy Gest ’70, Communications Trainer, Public Affairs and Advocacy Strategist, Editor and Writer
Rishi Iyengar ’14, Technology Writer, CNN Business in San Francisco
Rosiland Jordan ’90, State Department, Specials, and Guantanamo Correspondent, Al Jazeera English
Tesfaye Negussie ’08, Digital Video Producer and Reporter, ESPN’s The Undefeated
Throughout the year, the J-School Alumni Association holds reception events across the country. Read below and keep up with CJS News to stay in the know about regional alumni events.
The 2024 Los Angeles Alumni Reception was held on February 8th. Dean Jelani Cobb discussed the evolving landscape of political reporting with Kevin Merida, former Los Angeles Times executive editor. The event provided an opportunity for J-School alumni, faculty, and administrators to connect in the City of Angels.
CJS frequently highlights the trailblazing efforts of our alumni, including newly published works, industry promotions, academy awards, and more.
Read on for examples of their excellence and keep up with CJS to stay in the know about our alumni's career moves.
Raney Aronson-Rath, ’95 M.S., won an Oscar for producing the first-person narrative "20 Days in Mariupol," which documented the beginning stages of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Read her describing the journey to this accolade in an op-ed for FRONTLINE.
Tamia Fowlkes, '23 M.S., shared a glimpse of covering the upcoming presidential election for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Every year, CJS informs our community about where our graduating class lands. Read on and keep up with CJS News to learn more about the careers of our emerging journalists and global leaders.
- The Class of 2024 landed at 88 companies, nonprofit newsrooms, agencies, and other organizations after graduation. Here’s some of the diverse international and national organizations and companies featured in this class.
- South China Morning Post
- Reuters Brazil
- Rest of World
- Honolulu Civil Beat
“The most valuable aspect of my time at Columbia was interacting with my classmates, who were from all over the world and brought diverse perspectives, and my professors, who are some of the best in journalism...That knowledge helps inform every story I write.”
The 2025 Alumni Award Winners
Each year, Columbia Journalism School honors up to four alumni for their exceptional journalism careers, single achievements, and contributions to education or related fields.
Learn more about this year's Alumni Award winners here and join them, as well as decades of alumni, at the 2025 Alumni Awards Ceremony in Low Library during Alumni Weekend.
Winners of Pultizer Center Post-graduate Fellowship
In 2020, Columbia Journalism School established a $50,000 annual fund to provide 10 recent graduates each year with grants to support short-term local news and international reporting projects after graduation. The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting administers this program.
In 2023, the fellows used the grants to report on a variety of topics, including migration, environmental justice, and the aftermath of war and natural disaster. Find more information about the most recent winners here.
Resources & Connections
Virtual Offerings for Alumni!
- Educators
- Switched to teaching after graduating from the J-School? Want to connect with other educators? Join this closed LinkedIn group.
- Business Journalists
- Are you a business reporter or editor who wants to connect with other J-School alumni who are passionate about business journalism? Join this closed LinkedIn business reporting mentoring group to share ideas and opportunities.
- Broadcasters
- Working in television, in front of the camera or behind the scenes? Connect with other CJS alumni in your field in this closed LinkedIn group.
- Content Creators
- Do you write technical articles or newsletters for banks? Do you work for a hospital chain and manage its website and social media? Want to connect with others working handling nonprofit digital presence? Join this closed LinkedIn group.
- Authors
- Want to meet other J-School alumni who write books? Join this closed LinkedIn group to share ideas and promote your works.
Journalism School alumni have access to an assortment of benefits and services including
- Ordering transcripts
- 12twenty, our password‐protected job listing database
- Book and computer discounts.
- Library and database access
- Cultural discounts
- Lodging discounts
- Access to reception and meeting facilities
- Lifelong learning programs
See the full array of resources offered by the Columbia Alumni Association.
- Class Notes
- Bookshelf