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Columbia University 2026 Alumni Survey

The following survey is an opportunity to share your feedback and insights with the Columbia University Office of Alumni Relations and Development. Your candid responses will contribute to a broader understanding of what drives meaningful connection, participation, and support across our global alumni network.

The secure survey will close Friday, June 5. It will take just about 10 minutes to complete—and feel free to skip any question that may not resonate with you. Fifty randomly selected participants will receive a Columbia sweatshirt!

Thank you for your time and participation.
We recommend completing the survey on a computer or tablet. If using a mobile device, please rotate to landscape for the best experience. You do not need to answer every question—just be sure to click “submit” at the end so we can capture your responses.

Section I

To start, please tell us a bit about yourself and your experience with Columbia.
1. Which of the following describes your overall current opinion of Columbia?
PoorFairGoodExcellentNo opinion
2. How often do you speak favorably about Columbia to others?
NeverOccasionallyRegularlyAll the timeNo opinion
3. Which of the following best describes your experience as a student?
PoorFairGoodExcellentNo opinion
4. Which of the following best describes your experiences as a Columbia graduate?
PoorFairGoodExcellentNo opinion
5. How would you rate your decision to attend Columbia?
Poor decisionFair decisionGood decisionGreat decisionNo opinion
On a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the lowest, how connected do you feel to Columbia University?
012345678910
On a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the lowest, how likely are you to recommend Columbia University to a prospective student?
012345678910
6. How well did your Columbia education prepare you for each of the following?
Space Cell Poor preparationFair preparationGood preparationExcellent preparationNo opinion
a. Getting a job I wanted soon after I graduated
b. Further graduate education
c. Lifelong commitment to continuous learning
d. Navigating opportunities in a rapidly changing, global environment
e. Being involved in my community
f. Progressing in my career
g. Intellectual growth and curiosity
h. Confidence and resilience
i. Ability to engage with various viewpoints
7. Please indicate the extent of your connection to each of the following:
Space Cell Not connectedSomewhat connectedConnectedVery connectedNo opinion
a. The school I graduated from within Columbia
b. My degree program or major
c. A faculty member or instructor
d. A student organization or activity I participated in
e. Columbia Athletics
f. Columbia as a whole (beyond my school)
Section II

The following questions are about your experience as a student.
8. In which of the following organizations/activities did you participate as a student? (Check all that apply.)
9. How important was each of the following to your experience as a student?
Space Cell Not important Somewhat importantVery importantCritically importantNo opinion
a. Relationship with other students
b. Academics and classes
c. Relationship with faculty
d. Campus community and student life (clubs, leadership, etc.)
e. Career preparation and professional development
f. Campus culture (traditions, values, exposure to various perspectives)
g. Opportunities to engage with alumni
h. Being in New York City
i. Core Curriculum
j. Campus environment (sense of safety and belonging)
Name one person who had a special impact on your experience as a student. Please also provide a brief description of the relationship.
Section III
 
The remaining questions relate to your experience as a Columbia graduate.
In your alumni relationship with Columbia University, please describe how often you do or have done each of the following:
Space Cell NeverOccasionallyRegularlyAll the time
a. Attend alumni events
b. Get in touch with other alumni
c. Read email sent by my school or Columbia University
d. Read Columbia Magazine
e. Read my school’s alumni magazine
f. Attend Columbia Athletics events
g. Attend class reunions
h. Visit campus
i. Visit Columbia University or alumni websites
j. Volunteer for Columbia University or alumni association
k. Engage with Columbia University on social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
l. Participate in CAA global clubs or alumni interest groups
11. For each of the communication methods listed below, please tell us how important that method is to you. Also, how effective is Columbia in utilizing that method?

Importance

1 = Not important
2 = Somewhat important
3 = Very important
4 = Critically important

Effectiveness

1 = Poor
2 = Fair
3 = Good
4 = Excellent                  

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
a. Alumni website(s)
b. Columbia Magazine
c. Columbia website
d. Digital newsletters
e. Email communications
f. Information related to services and benefits available to alumni
g. Invitations to alumni events
h. Printed materials delivered to my home address
i. Social media channels
12. Please indicate your feeling regarding the frequency of the following:
Space Cell Way too muchA little too muchAbout rightWould welcome moreNot nearly enoughNo opinion
a. Email correspondence (newsletters, campus updates, etc.)
b. Printed materials (magazines, letters, etc.)
c. Information regarding benefits/discount programs (credit cards, insurance services, etc.)
d. Solicitations for donations (annual fund, support for athletics, etc.)
e. Invitations to alumni events
f. Posting on social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
13. Tell us which topics you would be interested in hearing more about from Columbia. (Select up to 5.)
15. How important is it for alumni to do the following, and how well does Columbia support them?

Importance

1 = Not important
2 = Somewhat important
3 = Very important
4 = Critically important

Performance

1 = Poor
2 = Fair
3 = Good
4 = Excellent                 

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
a. Mentor students
b. Identify job opportunities for graduates
c. Recruit students
d. Serve as ambassadors promoting Columbia to others
e. Provide philanthropic support for Columbia
f. Network with other alumni
g. Volunteer
h. Hold leadership positions on an alumni board or committee
i. Attend alumni events
j. Attend Columbia Athletics events
k. Engage with the University on social media
16. How likely are you to participate in the following alumni programs and events?
Space Cell Very unlikely Somewhat unlikelySomewhat likelyVery likelyNo opinion
a. Virtual event
b. In-person event
c. Event featuring a University official (president, coach, etc.)
d. Events focused on networking or career development
e. Columbia Athletics event
f. Travel with other alumni
g. Contribute or help to raise funds
h. Hold a leadership position on an alumni board or committee
i. Take online courses
Which of the following alumni activities would you be the most likely to participate in? (Check up to 5.)
17. What are barriers to your participation in alumni activities? (Check all that apply.)
18. Which of the following best describes your philanthropic support of Columbia?
19. Which of the following causes most inspire your philanthropic support (both at Columbia and other organizations)?
Space Cell Not inspiringSomewhat inspiringVery inspiringExtremely inspiringNo opinion
a. Arts, culture, and humanities
b. Community development and local programs
c. Education (access, scholarships, schools, universities)
d. Environment and sustainability
e. Faith-based and religious organizations
f. Health and healthcare (including medical research and mental health)
g. International aid and global development
h. Poverty alleviation and basic needs (food, housing, financial security)
i. Scientific research and innovation
j. Social justice, equity, and human rights
When deciding to support Columbia University, please rank the top five items that are most meaningful to you. (Choose up to 5.) Order the items from the following list. First select an item with the spacebar to show a menu of possible ranking positions. Next, click a ranking position to order it in the ranked list. Note the menu will display more ordering options as you add items to the ranked list.
20. When deciding to support Columbia University, please identify the items that are most meaningful to you (Select up to 3.)
If you were to donate to Columbia in the future, which areas would you be most likely to support? (Check all that apply.)
21. Where would you rank Columbia as one of your philanthropic priorities?
Not a priorityLowMediumHighHighest
22. Please indicate how much each of the following impacts your overall opinion of Columbia:
Space Cell No impact on my opinionSome impact on my opinionSignificantly impacts my opinionCritically impacts my opinionNo opinion
a. Accomplishments of alumni
b. Accomplishments of faculty/research
c. Accomplishments of students
d. How well Columbia lives up to its values (academic rigor, free expression, social impact)
e. Media coverage of Columbia
f. Prestige, history, and tradition of the University
g. Success of athletic teams
h. Thriving and vibrant alumni community
i. Value of degree
Please provide the following demographic information:
Your current location:
Thank you for your input. Your time is greatly appreciated.
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