The 2023 Paul Robeson Conference and Gala began last Friday with a fireside chat featuring former Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., CC ’73, Law ’76, and Dean of Columbia Journalism School Jelani Cobb.

Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science received 5,738 early decision applications for the class of 2027, according to Columbia Undergraduate Admissions.

When Gloria Charité, CC ’23, first got the call, she ignored it. Then, her phone rang a second time. She ignored it again. But the third time an unknown number lit up her phone, Charité picked it up. On the other end was a member of the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee with news that left her speechless: Charité, a Rwanda native, would be named the 2023 Rhodes Scholar for East Africa, one of the newest international constituencies of the program launched in 2018, selecting one student each year.

Former President Barack Obama, CC ’83, discussed the next generation of leaders and the importance of democratic values at the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum last Thursday, nine days after the national midterm elections. More than 800 people from 70 countries attended the event at the Javits Center in Hudson Yards.

A coalition of campus unions and activist groups held a coordinated walkout and rally on Low Steps Thursday. Between chants and rounds of applause, dozens of protestors demanded a slew of changes to University policies.

Former Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., CC ’73, Law ’76, discussed his recent book, “Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote”  in a conversation with University professor Frank Guridy on Thursday.