Student Profiles

Jessica Cuttone
New York, NY
Anthropology

I chose the School of General Studies because:
Coming to GS is an opportunity of a lifetime. While I was studying at a community college in the Bronx, I received encouragement to apply for a scholarship to attend General Studies.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
I enjoy learning and being part of the University community. Although, my fellow GS classmates and I have taken different paths to get to here, GS makes it enjoyable to be a student again.

Something I learned at Columbia that I will always remember:
People and culture are incredibly complex, so I think it is important to be exposed to new ideas and people. I believe when we are isolated we lose perspective and forget how much we have in common with others.

My favorite class:
One of my favorite classes is an Urban Studies course about race, ethnicity, and immigration. It is a subject that interests me a great deal. I also volunteer as an ESL teacher for the Center for the Integration and the Advancement of New Americans (CIANA) in Queens.

What I am most proud of:
I am proud to be at Columbia and to be doing well. I am able to do much more than I ever imagined, and somehow able to stay sane while balancing academics and family life.

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
Much of my free time goes to studying—I can probably be found in the GS Lounge.

Marlyn Gamez Garcia
Guatemala
Economics

I chose the School of General Studies because:
I’ve always dreamed about living in New York City. Dean Scott Halvorson and the financial aid provided by GS were instrumental in making it a dream come true.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
I like that no one has an identical background—GS students have taken different paths in life.

My favorite class:
My favorite class has been "Economic Growth and Development" because it has deeply impacted the way I see the world. Originally I was planning to pursue a degree in the humanities but economics captured my interest.

What I am most proud of:
I am proud of my education at Columbia. I feel I will benefit greatly from it in the long run.

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
NYC is amazing. A trip on the subway can take you to another part of the world. At any moment you’ll likely run into someone speaking a foreign language you do not recognize.

George Mallone
Brooklyn, New York
Political Science

I chose the School of General Studies because:
I earned my associate's degree at Hillsborough Community College, and I decided I wanted a more competitive and challenging academic environment that is oriented for nontraditional students. GS was the obvious choice.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
I like how GS is integrated with the University. Any course available to the traditional undergraduate is also available to me. The GS student body is diverse in every sense of the word: Olympic athletes, professional cellists, and people who've accomplished incredible things. But it’s our openness and willingness to embrace other perspectives that make the GS experience unforgettable.

Something I learned at Columbia that I will always remember:
I will remember the degree to which I’ve been pushed academically. GS provides a challenging environment. It is sometimes stressful, but it brings out the best in people.

My best class:
I’m currently taking President Bollinger’s course on freedom of speech. His legal knowledge is expansive and his lectures engaging. He challenges the class and expects students to fully justify their answers—a taste of things to come in law school.

Judith Russell’s Introduction to American Government: I'm familiar with the subject and didn't expect to gain new insight from an introductory class. In fact, the class inspired my thesis topic: why war-making power has shifted from the legislative to the executive branch.

What I am most proud of:
Hard work, determination, and the PALS Scholarship got me to Columbia University; I believe it’s never too late to pursue an education. I volunteer as a GED math instructor at Community Impact, and I feel lucky to be able to share my experiences with others who are aiming high and daring to dream.

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
Lerner Hall is a well-designed space—you feel like you’re out in the open while still being safe from the rain. It is a mix of hubbub and distraction with spots where you can find silence and anonymity, which also makes it conducive to studying.

Elizabeth Alonso-Hallifax
Berkeley, California
English and Comparative Literature

I chose the School of General Studies because:
GS appealed to me because of its exceptional undergraduate education—I wanted to continue to grow and stretch myself intellectually—and the opportunity to immerse myself in a different environment.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
The GS community is amazing. It’s a supportive environment filled with extremely creative and impressive minds—GS students are not afraid to speak up.

Something I learned at Columbia that I will always remember:
Looking back over my two years, I think that some of the experiences that developed me most were from Nicholas Dames' course on Dickens, Eliot, and Thackeray. He trained people to think, to find and articulate meaning from literature in a fashion that is practical, exciting, and sophisticated.

My best class:
It’s difficult to choose. But I would say Karen Karbiener’s course on Walt Whitman and New York City. Much of the New York Whitman knew is still standing, so with her hands-on approach to the city and Whitman, she brought his work to life.

What I am most proud of:
For someone with my background, coming to GS was a big change, but the culture here is about challenging yourself and making those changes. General Studies helped me to develop a greater capacity to learn, to constantly challenge myself, and to enjoy life. The most incredible gift is the confidence you build in your own capabilities, and the realization that nothing is out of reach.

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
The Low steps are always beautiful, no matter the season. An interesting bit of information is that the design of the steps is modeled after Raphael’s The School of Athens.

Connelly M. Stokes-Buckles
Woodstock, Vermont
Psychology

I chose the School of General Studies because:
My work as an LPN helped to clarify my desire to return to school and pursue a degree in psychology. I was primarily interested in attending Columbia University or New York University. After much research, I decided GS was the best fit for me, and 2 years of nursing school credits transferred.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
I find the diversity of GS amazing. Entering GS with me in 2006 were military veterans, writers, cab drivers, and an Olympic figure skater, to name a few. GSers bring a wide range of invaluable life experiences into the classroom.

Something I learned at Columbia that I will always remember:
I’ll never forget what a luxury it is to be a full-time student!

My best class:
Josh Davis’s psych course on social cognition stands out for me, and I’ve had a great time in every French class I’ve taken here.

What I am most proud of:
Going back to school is a challenge. My first semester back was nerve-wracking but I did very well—it was satisfying to know that I could still succeed academically after a long hiatus from school!

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
I enjoy hanging out on the steps at Low, at the Psychology Library, and at the Student Calling Center, where I work to raise money for GS and Columbia.

Donald Taylor
Chicago, Illinois
African-American History

I chose the School of General Studies because:
My decision was between Columbia and the University of Chicago. I hold both in high regard, but General Studies won me over at the personal level. Throughout the admissions process I felt welcomed and appreciated.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
There is nothing else like GS. I believe the School respects and embraces people’s differences. The GS community inspires me to dream and achieve things I did not think were possible. My peers at GS are passionate about learning, and our classroom interactions are always enriching.

Something I learned at Columbia that I will always remember:
Columbia is known for producing political and revolutionary leaders. After learning of that distinction, I began to believe that I too can be part of that legacy, that tradition. Ultimately Columbia has taught me that there is room in the world for dreams—and I am now an avid dreamer!

My best class:
Professor Nahum Chandler’s Historicity and Sovereignty seminar had a profound effect on me—it opened my eyes to people around the world and changed the way I think.

What I am most proud of:
At one point, I was working five jobs to pay tuition. It was a struggle to stay afloat financially and keep my studies in order. I believe many students at GS feel the same way I do—that GS represents not a first or second chance, but the only chance. I worked very hard and people noticed; I received a scholarship, which has helped considerably with my expenses and allowed me to focus on my education.

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
Two places have become home to me on campus, the Institute for Research in African-American Studies and the registrar’s office. In both places, the folks there took me in like family and have continuously provided strength in my times of weakness. I’ll never forget them.

Robert Ast
Wichita, Kansas
English and Comparative Literature

I chose the School of General Studies because:
I attended the University of Chicago for two years before leaving to work in Hollywood, but in the back of my mind I always thought about returning to finish my undergraduate degree. When it was time to make a decision about where to go, it was clear GS had the best combination of location and reputation, with the promise of a distinct, fully integrated college for nontraditional students.

What do you like most about being a student at GS?
I am most grateful for the exposure to interesting ideas and people, particularly my fellow students at GS. The people, all the resources, and the city come together to form something pretty incredible.

Something I learned at Columbia that I will always remember:
I’m sure that every time I buy some new piece of technology I’ll remember that the early humans used Acheulean tools for over a million years without changing a thing.

My best class:
I often find myself thinking back to Professor Edward Tayler’s Shakespeare class, which profoundly affected how I look at language (and a lot of other things, too).

What I am most proud of:
My column in the Spectator is about the history of the University, and its subjects range from the historical background of the name "General Studies" to Jack Kerouac's involvement in a murder in Riverside Park. Occasionally people will tell me that I’ve written about something they didn’t know, which makes me glad that I’ve been able to bring some of the richness and complexity (and sordidness) of the University's past to light.

My favorite place on campus or in the neighborhood:
The bars that still card me.

As long as I can remember I wanted to be a doctor, but somewhere along the way I lost confidence in myself. Then in my first semester at GS, I was captivated by my Frontiers of Science class. When I found myself researching class topics just for fun, I realized that I needed to think again about pursuing my original ambition.

Doing well my first year gave me confidence, and my advisor and fellow GS students gave me the support I needed to embark on the path to medical school. Thanks to them, I realized that it’s never too late to follow your calling.

Having grown up in poor Miami neighborhoods, I thought my options were limited. Thanks to GS, I now know there are no limits to my success.

An economics and political science major, I am planning a career in business and, eventually, politics. I believe it's important to have a well-rounded education in order to understand how the world functions, both at a macro level and in terms of appreciating the beauties of the human spirit. This is at the core of a Columbia education.

GS is changing my life! It has opened up doors for me I never knew could be opened.

Jacqueline Wayans
Bronx, New York
Writing

I am a single mom of three who used to live in one of the poorest economic sections of the Bronx. In my quest to secure strong public schools for my kids, I ended up motivating and teaching other parents how to do the same.

However, as I spoke to students and encouraged them to seek the best for themselves, I realized that I had not done that for myself. So, after prompting from my office director, I applied to the School of General Studies.

Now I'm soundly on my way to becoming a true role model for my kids and hopefully all the kids in New York City.

Dave Drury
Montgomery, New York
History

I was a New York City firefighter for twenty years before coming to GS. I may not look like a typical college student, but on this campus I feel like one, even though I have three college-aged sons. They are proud that I’ve gone back to school, and their support helps keep me focused.

My goal is to major in American history and possibly teach high school. I am thankful to be here, and I look forward to each and every one of my classes. If I had a wish list, I couldn’t add to it.