It was early August. Summer was still in full effect, the temperature outside was in the mid 80s, and school had not yet begun. With the end of the season approaching—and the start of a new one looming in—the players of Manhattanville public programs convened inside the conference room walls of The Forum, the newest building on campus that has now become the group's recurrent meeting location.
Attendees included departments and offices from all over campus. The Wallach Gallery, Bio Bus, Columbia Business School, Columbia Community Service, the Education Lab, Zuckerman Institute Public Programs, The Forum, the Office of Government and Community Affairs, Lenfest Center for the Arts, the Employment Center, and the Wellness Center were all a part of the discussion. The faces were familiar, though a couple were new and warmly welcomed. The agenda for the meeting was simple and could be summarized in one word: community.
For the second year in a row, the Manhattanville team joined forces to collaborate on organizing an event for the neighborhood residents to enjoy. After weeks of deliberate planning and cross-collaborating, the day had come to welcome an expected 300+ people to the campus.