Dear EPD-ers,

We hope that you are all taking care of yourself and each other. With the news of doxing of SIPA (and Columbia) students, we are shocked and appalled and condemn any and every incident of doxing and leakage of information of our fellow students. Our diverse student community is our strength and we are thinking of everyone who is anxious about their families, friends and their safety in these difficult times. We also fully stand with our fellow students who are feeling unsafe on campus and want to reiterate that we are here for you to talk and listen. Students can also reach out to OSA and/or their assigned advising dean as needed.

In addition, here are additional services available to students in distress:

• CPS walk-in hours: Mondays - Thursdays from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. (check-in closes at 7:30 p.m.) at Lerner 502.
• A 24/7 hotline for urgent mental health concerns: 212-854-2284
• Problem-Solving hours at OSA on Wednesdays from 1 - 3 p.m.
• CSSI case management available via email at CSSI@columbia.edu and online at https://cssi.columbia.edu/ 

• EPD Fall Social Details!
• EPD Events
• SIPA events
• Career Advancement Center Events 
• Events Happening at Columbia 
• Recommendation of the Week - The Middle East Crisis Factory 
• EPD Office Hours

EPD Fall Social 

As promised, EPD is hosting a fun evening at Amity Hall today!  There will be food and drinks and the best part is, EPD faculty will also be joining us! So come forth and bring your EPD friends for a fun evening to recuperate from the midterm season. Click here to register.

EPD Events

The Political Future of Muslims in India with Professor Mujib ur Rehman

• When: Monday, 30 October, 2023 | 1-2 pm
• Where: Room 801 

Click here to register. 

Managing Humanitarian Crisis 

• When: Friday, 3 November 2023 | 1-2 pm
• Where: Room 801

Join EPD and HRHP for a discussion with Su‘ad Jarbawi. Su’ad was formerly the international relations and aid management consultant for the Palestinian National Authority. She also served as a program manager for CHF International and as the Middle East regional director for Mercy Corps. Su’ad received her Master of International Affairs from Columbia's SIPA in the field of Economic and Political Development.

The discussion will be hybrid on Zoom and in-person, lunch will be provided.

Click here to register

Events at SIPA

Go Back Where You Came From: In Conversation with Wajahat Ali

• When/Time: Tuesday, October 31, 2023 | 12 - 1:30 pm
• Where: TBD

On racism, Islamophobia and Othering in America. Join us for a conversation with author and public speaker, Wajahat Ali, for his reflections on growing up in the US and his advice for navigating turbulent times.

Click here to register.

Mission Possible: On Corporate Social Responsibility with Alexandre Mars

• When: Thursday, 2 November 2023 | 1-2 pm
• Where: Room 801, IAB

Listen to French entrepreneur & disruptive philanthropist Alexandre Mars discuss how he went from starting his first business at 17 to being a serial founder CEO. Over the last 15 years, he has successfully launched and sold several companies in Europe and the US across diverse sectors, including venture capital, Internet, mobile marketing, social media and advertising. His two latest startups, Phonevalley (the world’s largest mobile agency) and ScrOOn (a social media management system) were recently sold to Publicis Groupe and Blackberry, respectively.

Click here to register. 

A Multicultural Discourse on Happiness 

• When: Thursday, 16 November 2023 | 6-7:30 pm
• Where: Publique

Join us November 16th in Publique for an evening of shared stories and reflections on happiness across cultures.

Agenda

• 6:00 - 6:30 Open mic: Participants can express their personal journeys on happiness in the form of poems, notes, anecdotes, stand-up and all forms of art they feel comfortable in.

• 6:30-7:30 Open discussion on exploring diverse ways we understand and seek joy and happiness.

Hot chocolate and pastries will be provided.

Click here to register! 

Career Advancement Center Events

• International Student Job Search Strategy

International students must deploy specific job search tactics to stay competitive. Learn about tools and resources that will prepare you for your CPT, OPT or H1B Visa Search. Learn all about Interstride which can prepare you for landing a job in the United States. 

This event is now at maximum capacity. For more information, CLICK HERE.

• Finding a Job at the UN

Holly White is the Managing Director of HWhite Group, Boutique Human Resources consulting firm based in Brooklyn, NY focused on organizational effectiveness through alignment, engagement and development of people and teams. Holly has spent over 25 years working as a Human Resources Professional spanning the public and private sector. She spent 15 years working for the United Nations (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA) both in the US and West Africa.  Holly earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and a Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Holly will share strategies to approach and enter the UN system through formal and informal channels.

This event is now at maximum capacity. For more information, CLICK HERE.

• APSIA Fellowships Fair - Fall 2023

The APSIA Fellowship Fair lets graduate students at and recent alumni from APSIA schools connect with fellowship programs in small, personalized conversations. Each program hosts a breakout room where they will give a brief overview (including eligibility requirements and application due date) and answer questions. Attendees will be able to visit several breakout rooms throughout the fair.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

• Behavioral Interviewing

In this workshop you will learn the importance of job description analysis, and how to use behavioral interviewing to ensure your interview responses align with the needs of the organization. Join us to learn how to best approach the behavioral interview process, and do amazing on your next round of interviews!

For more information, CLICK HERE.

• Career Chat with Tim Decker, Head of North America Incident Management @ TikTok

When/Time: Thursday, November 2, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 
Where: Virtual
Dress Code: Casual
Work Authorization Requirement: All Work Authorizations Accepted

Join Tim Decker, Head of North America Incident Management at TikTok, for a discussion on his career path, his current role and team, and careers in the trust & safety space more broadly. Prior to TikTok, Tim held roles at YouTube and Google. He holds degrees from LSE and UC San Diego. Please bring questions for Q&A.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

• Networking for International Students

When/Time: Friday, November 3, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 
Where: 404
Dress Code: Casual
Work Authorization Requirement: Permanent US Work Authorization Required, All Work Authorizations Accepted, Other Work Authorization Required, STEM eligible degree

Networking is a valuable and necessary tool when it comes to the job search process in America. Since most jobs are never posted online, we will learn how to access the hidden job market and practice networking skills. We will discuss informational interviews and how to network at in-person events.

For more information, CLICK HERE.

Events Happening at Columbia 

• Revolving Closets, Open Undergrounds: Clandestine Homosexualities

Revolving Closets, Open Undergrounds: Clandestine Homosexualities in the French Banlieues
A Talk by Mehammed Amadeus Mack

RSVP HERE

Mehammed Amadeus Mack will be talking about the interplay between French urban space and the formation of homosexual subcultures. His talk will explore the relationship between architecture, urban planning, and sexuality. He will also linger over art forms like fashion and music videos, which are heavily dependent on urban subcultures for aesthetic inspiration.

Mehammed Amadeus Mack is an Associate Professor of French Studies at Smith College, where he teaches courses on Franco-Arab cultures, travel literature, the development of French Islam and media studies. He is the author of Sexagon: Muslims, France, and the Sexualization of National Culture (Fordham University Press, 2017). His next book project, tentatively titled "Eurabia: Reverse Crusades and Counter-colonization in European Culture," focuses on dystopian visions of a European future in which the continent has been overrun by immigrants.

• "Black Love Letters" Panel and Book Celebration

When: Thursday, November 2, 2023 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Faculty House, 64 Morningside Dr., New York, NY 10027 Room/Area: 3rd Floor

Join us for a panel discussion and readings from this exquisite collection, followed by a reception. 

Black Love Letters is an all-new anthology of letters and original illustrations on the subject of Black love by Natalie Johnson (Sociology MA, '23) and Cole Brown. With letters from celebrated Black writers, creators, and thinkers including Brontez Purnell, Morgan Jerkins, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Dr. Imani Perry, this anthology is an ode to Black community, struggle, joy, love, and Blackness in its many forms.

Join us and select contributors for a panel discussion and celebration of Black Love Letters. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Food and refreshments will be provided.

Click here to register.

Recommendation of the Week

• The Middle East Crisis Factory–Tyranny, Resilience and Resistance by Ahmed Gatnash and Iyad El-Baghdadi

Why is the Middle East a crisis factory, and how can it be fixed? What does the future look like for its 500 million people? And what role should the West play?

Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash tell the story of the modern Middle East as a series of broken promises. They chart the entrenchment of tyranny, terrorism and foreign intervention, showing how these systems of oppression simultaneously feed off and battle each other. Exploring demographic, economic and social trends, the authors paint a picture of the region’s prospects that is alarming yet hopeful. Finally, they present ambitious and thoughtful ideas that reject both aggressive military intervention and cynical deals with dictators.

This book, written by two children of the region, is about the failures of history, and the reasons for hope. The Middle East Crisis Factory offers a bold vision for those seeking peace and democracy in the Middle East. If you are into history, international affairs, middle east politics, or have an interest in international security, this is the book for you!

EPD Office Hours 

• José Antonio Ocampo, EPD Co-Director
  • jao2128@columbia.edu
  • Sign up online for office hours: https://tinyurl.com/officehours-ocampo
• Eugenia (Jenny) McGill, EPD Co-Director & EPD Workshop Director
  • em419@columbia.edu
  • Sign up online for office hours: https://tinyurl.com/mcgill-oh
• Ilona Vinklerova, Concentration Manager
  • iv2105@sipa.columbia.edu
  • Sign up online for office hours: https://sipa.campusgroups.com/meetings/1060915/IlonaOH_Fall2023 
• Paras Abbasi (MPA/EPD), Program Assistant
  • pa2643@columbia.edu
  • Email for appointment
• Orcun Dogmazer (MIA/EPD), Program Assistant
  • od2263@columbia.edu
  • Email for appointment

Paras and Orcun