Columbia Club is New York’s premier private club for Columbia University graduates and affiliates. We bring together graduates of Columbia University’s many schools through networking events, professional development programs, cultural evenings, and community service — building lasting ties among the Columbia alumni who shape this city.
From intimate fireside chats with industry leaders to our signature annual gala, every event is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of the Columbia community right here in New York. Learn More About Us
Membership Benefit — Eligibility to Join the Penn Club
Members are eligible to join The Penn Club at their standard rates, giving you access to their full amenities and services in Midtown.
Subject to separate membership dues. View details.
— WHY JOIN
More Than an Alumni Club —
A Lifelong Community
The Columbia Club brings together extraordinary people who share your academic heritage and your commitment to New York.
- Access to exclusive networking events with Columbia alumni leaders across every industry
- Priority registration for sold-out events including our annual gala and signature lecture series
- Searchable member directory connecting you to 8,000+ fellow Columbians in New York
- Monthly newsletter with curated news, events, and member spotlights
- Reciprocal privileges at Columbia alumni clubs worldwide
Speaker Series
Intimate conversations with Columbia alumni who are shaping business, culture, and policy.
Networking Events
Monthly mixers, industry roundtables, and career development programs across New York.
Annual Gala
Our flagship celebration of the Columbia community — an evening of recognition and connection.
Global Network
Reciprocal access to 100+ Columbia alumni clubs and interest groups worldwide.
— FEATURED EVENT —
Featured Columbia Club Event
October 5, 2026 · 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Penn Club30 West 44th Street, New York, New York, United States
Event Details
What does it take to turn a great idea into something that changes the way millions of people live—and what role will artificial intelligence play in shaping what comes next?
Join the Columbia University Club of New York for a fireside conversation with Professor Harry West—engineer, entrepreneur, design leader, and Columbia educator—whose career has spanned academia, global innovation, and the creation of some of the world’s most recognizable consumer products.
Professor West’s work has contributed to breakthrough innovations including Swiffer and ThermaCare. His career has taken him from MIT, where he taught engineering design and kinematics, to leadership roles at some of the world’s foremost design and strategy firms. He has served as CEO of Continuum and frog and as a Senior Partner at Prophet, working with organizations including P&G, BMW, American Express, Fidelity, and Motorola.
Today at Columbia, Professor West brings decades of real-world experience into the classroom, helping the next generation of entrepreneurs understand how ideas become products, products become businesses, and why some innovations succeed while others never make it beyond the drawing board.
A recipient of the Society of Columbia Graduates Great Teacher Award, Professor West is known for making complex ideas engaging, practical, and accessible.
In this fireside conversation, we’ll explore innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, leadership, and AI, including how emerging technologies might be designed and used in ways that bring out the best in human judgment, creativity, and values.
We’ll also consider the essential question at the heart of every new venture: What separates a clever idea from one that actually succeeds?
Moderated by Michael McCarthy C ’83, Member of the Board of the Society of Columbia Graduates.
Join the Columbia Club
Membership opens the door to a community of 8,000+ Columbia alumni in New York — and reciprocal access to clubs worldwide.