Alumni Relations and Development

The Office of Alumni Relations and Development cultivates lifelong connections with SPS graduates to inspire engagement, foster pride, and advance the school’s mission through meaningful partnerships and support.

Meet the Team

Alumni Relations

The SPS Alumni Relations team is dedicated to nurturing enduring connections between SPS graduates and the school. Through a strategic blend of career-focused programming, curated networking opportunities, signature events, community-building initiatives, and philanthropic engagement, the team fosters a vibrant and supportive alumni ecosystem. 

While individual academic programs often engage their alumni in program-specific ways, the SPS Alumni Relations team leads school-wide initiatives that unify alumni across all programs and graduating classes. These efforts are designed to complement—and enhance—existing program-level activities. When needed, the office also provides strategic guidance, resources, and logistical support to program administrators to strengthen their own alumni engagement endeavors.

The team also works in close collaboration with the SPS Admissions Team and the SPS Career Design Lab to support their work by bringing alumni to engage with prospective applicants and admitted students and with current students for professional networking, mentorship and recruitment. 

The team also serves as a key liaison between SPS and the Columbia Alumni Association and University Alumni Relations Teams. 

Visit our webpage sps.columbia.edu/alumni for more information and resources you can share with alumni. 

For any questions, please contact [email protected].

Resources for Administrators

Get your program (alumni, faculty, students, events, etc.) featured in our all school alumni newsletter that is sent to our 17,000+ (as of 2025) and growing alumni population twice a month. This newsletter enjoys a strong open rate ranging between 25-40% and is sent on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. This is a great resource for you to amplify your programming and activities in addition to any email campaigns to your own program alumni or industry. 

The newsletter includes:

  • News and updates: Top stories from SPS, Columbia University, and alumni news
  • Class Notes: Updates submitted by alumni and staff using the submission form here.
  • Campus News: News and stories about Programs, Faculty, and Students
  • Events: To submit an event, use the submission form here and submission deadline and newsletter schedule can be found here.

For any questions, please contact [email protected].

Programs that wish to send emails to their alumni and view their program’s real-time alumni lists (includes location, employment, email, opt-outs etc) can do so via Slate. The functionality is available on the Slate Advising instance to those who have completed the required training. 

The training is essential for access and shall equip you to use the email functionality on Slate to design and send emails. It also familiarizes you with the Alumni Data Viewer that displays real-time alumni data sourced from the university’s official alumni database. 

NOTE: Programs are not allowed to send email campaigns (newsletters, event invitations etc.) to their alumni through LionMail, MailChimp or any other platform other than Slate. Programs are also not allowed to host alumni lists in Google Sheets/Excel or to create alumni lists by collating graduating class lists and store them on their local drives or Columbia Google Drives as this is not compliant with university data governance and security policies and federal regulations. 

To gain access and register for training or for any further questions, please contact [email protected]. 

 

Resources for Alumni and Students That Administrators can promote

SPS Connect is a digital community that allows alumni and students to connect directly for professional networking. All alumni and students are listed on the directory in SPS Connect and it is a great resource for alumni-alumni, alumni-student and student-student connections. The website is kept active with daily posts and is highly engaging. Alumni are very responsive to student outreach on this platform. We encourage you to share it with your alumni and students. 

Features include:

  • Directory: The most visited feature on the platform is the directory feature that lists all alumni and students. Search based on degree, graduation year, location, employer, industry and more. Users can message directly and connect.
  • Groups: Users can join program, regional or shared interest groups for greater connections.
  • Events: Users can browse and register for events on campus, virtual and/or in-person, as well as global alumni events.
  • Feed: Daily posts on news from campus.
  • Resources: Browse webinars, read articles, and view photo albums
  • And more

The platform is open currently to alumni and students, and program administrators who manage the program pages.

Join SPS Connect

For any questions, please contact [email protected].

We are actively encouraging alumni to provide their most current contact information including email address, location, employment etc. This is helpful in ensuring that they receive emails from the school and program at their preferred email address and also receive invitations for events and clubs in their local region from the Columbia Alumni Association helping them make the most of their benefits. 

If you know of any alumni in your network who have changed jobs, moved to a new city, or started using a different email, please encourage them to update the alumni directory to receive information on fellow alumni, events and clubs in their region and the latest news from campus.

Alumni Update Contact Form

Alumni can make connections through alumni groups based on interest, program, or by region. They can participate through in-person and virtual events hosted by each alumni group. Below are our current alumni groups.

Program Groups

Hosted on SPS Connect, alumni can connect with members from their program. Alumni can join their Program group by logging into SPS Connect here.

Columbia SPS Alumni Club (China)

The Columbia University School of Professional Studies is proud to have one of the largest Columbia alumni networks in China. The Columbia SPS Alumni Club in China brings this community together, offering a platform for China-based alumni to network, engage, and stay connected to SPS. 

WeChat

Alumni can connect with the SPS WeChat group and meet fellow alumni in the region, stay up-to-date on group events, and grow their network. 

Email [email protected] for access to the group.

Columbia SPS Alumni Club (India)

The Columbia University School of Professional Studies alumni network in India is steadily growing. The Columbia SPS Alumni Club in India brings this community together, offering a platform for alumni based in India, of Indian-origin, or who have an interest in the region to network, engage, and stay connected to SPS.

WhatsApp

Alumni, students, and faculty of the Columbia University School of Professional Studies who have lived, worked, or have an interest in India to connect are welcome to join the Columbia SPS India WhatsApp community. 

Email [email protected] for access to the group.

University-wide Alumni Groups - Columbia Alumni Association 

Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) has over 100 Global Clubs and Shared Interest Groups managed by volunteer alumni leaders. The groups are based on region, interest, industry, and affinity. 

Browse CAA Global Clubs here and Shared Interest Groups here.

The SPS Office of Alumni Relations hosts a series of signature events throughout the year, where alumni can expand their networks and stay connected through Columbia SPS alumni events. Events range from exclusive networking receptions to industry-specific panels and seminars, SPS events are designed to offer our alumni a unique platform to build meaningful relationships, exchange ideas, and stay at the forefront of their fields. 

Learn more about SPS Alumni Events including Alumni Networking Receptions (NYC), Global Receptions, Program-Specific Events, and Student Alumni Networking Night here.

Development

The Development team champions the mission of SPS by cultivating generous support from alumni, partners, and the community to empower student success and advance educational excellence.

All gifts and grants to the school must be channeled via the Office of Development who provide advice and support on the best way to structure, document, receive and report on a gift. 

SPS offers a variety of flexible ways for donors to make a gift and for alumni to give back. You can make a one-time or recurring gift, establish a named scholarship, or contribute to our annual fund, which addresses the school’s most urgent needs. Explore opportunities for employer matching or planned giving to amplify your impact. Additionally, we welcome gifts in honor of milestones, memories, or loved ones, allowing you to leave a personal legacy. 

Visit our webpage https://sps.columbia.edu/giving-sps for more information and resources. 

For any questions, please contact [email protected].