MS student Christophe Jean-Michaël Brown Receives 2021 Graduate Student Life Award from Columbia Engineering

By
ELIESE LISSNER
May 17, 2021

The Graduate Student Life Award is given to students whose participation and involvement at Columbia have enhanced the spirit of graduate student life on campus, creating a more purposeful, caring and celebrative community.

Christophe was not only a stellar student, but he also helped enhance the spirit of graduate student life on campus in more ways than one.

To start, Christophe volunteered as a 2020 EE Ambassador, sharing his experiences and advice with prospective students for the EE department and SEAS. The 2020 academic year was especially difficult due to COVID-19, and Christophe was sure to be available and in touch with prospective and current students throughout the year ensuring that they were comfortable with remote learning. 

"From the start, grad school, Columbia, and New York City were all huge leaps out of my comfort zone. At the same time, all of it was a huge opportunity to grow and learn from people from all walks of life. From students, faculty, and administrators alike - I draw inspiration to experience as much as I can and do my best work so that I can be in a position to make a difference once I'm off into my career. The challenges we've all endured over this time were, and still are, very real. But, we'll become stronger by pushing past it," said Christophe.

In addition to be an EE Ambassador, Christophe was also a member of Haitian Students Association, celebrating the history and culture of Haiti. He was President of the Coalition on Race and Ethnicity in Engineering (CORE²), fostering community among students from diverse backgrounds. He was a GEM Fellow with the University, advocating for advanced degree programs to undergraduate students at Columbia who have a high potential for graduate school, and lastly he was a Professional Development and Leadership Fellow, where he participated in, and advocated for, advanced training vital to a fulfilling career.

As you can see Christophe was an incredible member of the EE and SEAS communities and we can't wait to see what he does next!