One of the integral functions of the Office of Student Affairs at SIPA is supporting and facilitating co-curricular activities and opportunities. The resources on this page will acquaint you with extracurricular activities and services that will enhance your life on campus. A vibrant array of student groups organize programming on a variety of issues in international and public affairs, along with social events and community service. Learn about SIPA networking resources, publications, and campus services that will add value to your graduate school experience.

Asia-Pacific Affairs Council (APAC)

A forum for Columbia graduate students interested in East Asian affairs (including both East and Southeast Asia). Founded and run by students, APAC serves the entire university community by organizing events, distributing information, and coordinating East Asia-related activities while building a community for students interested in East Asia. APAC works with the Weatherhead East Asian Institute to fulfill its mission. APAC is shaped by its members. The organization can be the vehicle through which to share your interests in East Asia, and we invite you to make use of it.

Citizen.American.Voter.

Citizen.American.Voter is a Columbia University SIPA civic engagement non-partisan organization that seeks to educate, empower, and mobilize students and Americans across the nation to protect and exercise their right to vote. CAV operates under the leadership of former Philadelphia Mayor and current Public Policy Professor Michael Nutter, and our goal is to engage Americans from all corners of the nation into thoughtful consideration and deep understanding of their right, access, and readiness to vote. An engaged and participative community is one of the foundational pillars of our democracy and our group is committed to tackle numerous dimensions concerning the act of voting in the lives of American citizens, regardless of their socioeconomic, race, gender, or ideological background.

Columbia European Union Student Association (CEUSA)

Columbia European Union Student Association (CEUSA) is a student organization at SIPA that serves as a hub and premier platform to encourage dialogue and the exchange of ideas on the European Union. Focusing on economic, social, political, and cultural issues, CEUSA organizes debates, high-level panel discussions, cultural events, and social gatherings. These are geared to an enriching academic exchange and towards fostering the social ties within SIPA. The association constantly interacts with academic, private and public organizations interested in European Affairs.

Columbia Impact Investing Initiative (CI3)

Our Story: Columbia Impact Investing Initiative (CI3) is an organization at Columbia University dedicated to the emerging field of impact investing and social entrepreneurship. Founded in September 2010, CI3 now has over 200 graduate student members from Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia Business School, Columbia Law School, the Earth Institute and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The third power in our name reflects CI3's belief in the vast potential of mobilizing private and public finance to scale up sustainable enterprises designed to achieve triple bottom line results: financial return, social impact, and environmental impact...

Columbia Public Policy Review (CPPR)

The Columbia Public Policy Review is the School of International and Public Affairs’s nonpartisan student blog, radio show, academic journal, and workshop planner offering analysis and critical insight on today’s most pressing U.S. domestic policy challenges. CPPR is a student-run publication, featuring articles from students, faculty, policy analysts, and practitioners across the globe as well as informative topical workshops. Our mission is to promote thorough and empirical work in our field, as well as provide an outlet for thoughtful and provocative pieces on current events and contentious issues.

Columbia SIPA Veterans Association (CSVA)

Foundation: assist new students assimilate to SIPA by sharing critical information about the GI Bill ®, the VA, and general student life. Host prospective student veterans during campus visits, provide mentors to new student veterans during orientation, and host a website information session to circulate student veteran information. Forum: provide a forum for discussion of military and veteran issues, facilitate opportunities for student veterans to interact with other student veterans and students interested in military and veteran issues, and highlight veteran perspectives within the SIPA discourse. Future: connect SIPA veterans past and present; help SIPA veteran alumni connect with the...

Conflict Resolution Working Group (CRWG) at SIPA

Brings together students from all concentrations who are interested in Conflict Resolution (CR) by: Hosting CR events for SIPA students, so as to provide insight into current issues and strategies in the field Introducing students to key thinkers, leaders and practitioners in the field Providing career-networking and support Running hands-on skills training events Integrating CR into the wider SIPA and Columbia University community Exploring the intersections between CR and other fields of International Affairs

Criminal Justice Working Group

The United States represents 4% of the world’s population and yet it is home to 22% of the world’s prisoners. It is estimated that the 2.3 million people incarcerated in the United States costs the country approximately $74 billion. Such staggering and disproportionate figures that show no signs of abating necessitate response. As a nation that prides itself on freedom and equality, the mass incarceration issue in the United States is inconsistent with its espoused values. ting CJR we hoped to provide a space for students to learn about and discuss the issue of mass incarceration in this country through bringing speakers to campus and coordinating off-site visits to organizations that work in this field. We seek to evaluate the root causes of mass incarceration, understand impacted communities, discuss and propose effective policy solutions, and educate ourselves and our community. CJR is a platform through which Columbia students and the greater New York City community can engage in criminal justice issues, facilitating interdisciplinary dialogue, raising awareness and assessing potential solutions. While CJR’s focus is on addressing the causes of this epidemic in the US, we will look at examples of more just and effective criminal justice systems in other countries to propose realistic solutions in the US.

Defense and Security Student Organization (DSSO)

The mission of the SIPA DSSO is to explore the various disciplines of International Affairs through the lens of defense and security issues, as well as to educate our members and widen their viewpoints on these subjects by delving into areas that are not traditionally considered security issues. The DSSO will do so by bringing in guest experts on a wide variety of subjects to give talks ranging from broad issues like terrorism, energy, and finance, to narrower regional interests such as peacekeeping missions and post-conflict development. The DSSO shall also provide networking opportunities to students interested in pursuing careers...

Digital & Cyber Group (DCG)

The purpose of the DCG is to raise the knowledge and awareness of Digital and Cyber issues amongst the SIPA Student Body by providing a central platform for resources, a curated series of events, and connections to the wider Columbia community. Our long-term objective is to make SIPA the leader in digital and cyber policy education by integrating those subjects into the curriculum and highlighting the intersection between digital and cyber issues and the other salient subjects of our time.

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