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SU Spring 2026 🌱 Our First Newsletter

Gabrielle Gray - Monday, February 9
 BSU Fall 2025 Newsletter 
Dear [FIRST_NAME],

SIPA BSU Community Newsletter

Week of Monday, February 9th, 2026 - Sunday, Feb 15, 2026

🌿 Welcome In & Welcome Back!

As the semester unfolds, BSU remains committed to fostering meaningful connections, advocacy, and belonging for Black students at SIPA.

As your BSU E-Board, we’re honored to serve, listen, and co-create spaces that affirm Black brilliance at SIPA. This semester, our north star is simple: connection with intention. We’re here to advocate, convene, and make sure Black students feel seen, supported, and celebrated—inside and beyond the classroom.

If you see us around, say hello. If you have ideas, bring them. This is your space, too.

Moments to learn, unwind, and build community without burning out. Expect gatherings that nourish both mind and spirit, with flexibility and care at the center.

🌱 Looking Ahead: Spring 2026 at a Glance

This spring is about deepening roots and expanding reach. We’re excited to create spaces that balance academic rigor with real connection—moments to learn, unwind, and build community without burning out. Expect gatherings that nourish both mind and spirit, with flexibility and care at the center.

🔍 Spring Semester Preview

Here’s a taste of what’s coming up:

  • 🎓 Alumni Chats – Honest conversations with BSU alumni navigating careers across policy, private sector, and beyond
  • 📚 Course Chats – Peer-led spaces to compare notes, share resources, and demystify tough classes
  • 📝 Study With Us Sessions – Structured focus time (with snacks, always)
  • 🍽️ Potluck Dinners – Food, culture, and community around the table
  • 🎉 Social Events – Because joy is not extracurricular
  • And more to come….!

✊🏾 Black History Month:
Past, Present, Becoming

Black history isn’t confined to a month—it’s alive in our classrooms, our organizing, our joy, and our resistance. February invites us to honor the architects who came before us while recognizing that we are actively shaping history ourselves. At SIPA, that looks like showing up boldly, questioning systems, and imagining policy futures rooted in equity, dignity, and liberation.

We carry the past forward—and we do it together.

👋 MEET THE E-BOARD

Jhordyne Donaldson
 
Jhordyne Donaldson
Treasuer
Kelyce Allen
Student
Co-President
Gabrielle Gray
Student
Co-President
Nalani Payson
Student
Secretary
Christie Chery
Christie Chery
Student
Communications Chair
Myla Abernathy
Myla Abernathy
Student
Social and Events Chair
Zahriah Sellers
Zahriah Sellers
Student
Vice-President

📊 Pulse Survey — We Want to Hear From You!
Your voice shapes our programming. Please take a few minutes to complete our BSU Pulse Survey and tell us what you need this semester—academically, socially, and communally.

👉 Pulse Survey Link Here 👈

📆 Upcoming Events This Semester

🍫 Meet & Greet: Valentine’s Day Edition

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026 | 12 - 1 pm EST | Outside of Publique


Love is in the air—and so are the snacks. Join us for a casual BSU Meet & Greet where you can grab some Valentine’s-themed sweet treats from Harlem’s Black-Owned Bakery Make My Cake, connect with fellow students, and check in with the E-Board. No pressure, no long program—just good vibes and sugar

Come as you are. Stay as long as you like.

Welcome Back Social 🎉

Wednesday, February 18th, 2026 | 6-8 pm EST | Amity Hall

As the semester reaches full swing, join BSU, CRC, SPAN, Debate Society, and PSWG to unwind and connect. Snacks and libations will be provided!

Join SIPA's first ever visit to The Studio Museum in Harlem! ❤️

Friday, February 20th, 2026 | 1:00 pm EST | Studio Museum of Harlem

Explore the stories, movements, and creativity that emerge from this historic neighborhood, and witness how Black artists have shaped cultural conversations in NYC and far beyond. Tickets are for general admission and non-refundable. Friends and family may join the program, but they must acquire their own general admission tickets. Register for tickets here.

🎭 Black History Month Comedy Night

Saturday, February 28th, 2026 | 7:30 - 8 pm EST | Alke Cafe

Join BSU and Black graduate student groups across Columbia at the Black-owned Alke Cafe in Harlem for a night of laughs, fellowship and fun. Space will be limited, so secure your tickets now!

Reserve your spot here.

📸 SIPAFest Recap 🎉

SIPA Fest was a joy—and seeing so many of you stop by our table reminded us why this work matters. From first-years to familiar faces, the energy was real, the conversations were thoughtful, and the love was felt.

Thank You 💐

To everyone who came through, asked questions, shared ideas, or simply said hello—thank you. Your presence keeps this community vibrant.

🌟 Student Spotlight: Carlene Nelson, MPA ’27

Please join us in celebrating Carlene Nelson, MPA ’27, on being named a 2026 Fellow on Immigrant Integration by the Rockefeller Institute of Government—a distinction that speaks to both her intellectual rigor and her deep commitment to community.

Please join us in celebrating Carlene Nelson, MPA ’27, on being named a 2026 Fellow on Immigrant Integration by the Rockefeller Institute of Government—a distinction that speaks to both her intellectual rigor and her deep commitment to community.

This four-month fellowship engages graduate students in multidisciplinary research aimed at identifying inclusive models of immigrant integration and advancing evidence-based policies that promote equitable opportunity and social cohesion. Through this work, Carlene will contribute to policy solutions that strengthen New York’s social fabric—work that feels both urgent and deeply aligned with SIPA’s mission.

We’re grateful you’re here and part of this community. 🌿

With care,

SIPA BSU E-Board Team

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