Every year, Columbia College honors one of its most prominent alums with its most notable award through the Alexander Hamilton Dinner, an event in Low Library featuring President Bollinger, Dean Valentini, the entire Board of Trustees, a three-course meal, and various speeches. Tickets range from $425 for a “Young Friend Seat” to $100,000 for “Platinum Crown” sponsors, and the dinner is extremely well attended, reaching capacity days in advance. This year’s dinner raised around $1.25 million for Columbia College, which breaks down to an astounding $45,000 per table.

Lisa L. Carnoy CC’89, this year’s honoree, spent 23 years at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for AlixPartners, a global consulting firm. When she started at Columbia in 1985, Lisa was a member of the third class of women to be admitted to the College, a Carman resident, and a member of the track team. As a graduate, she spearheaded diversity efforts, acting as a co-founder of the Women’s Leadership Council at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and the Columbia Women’s Leadership Council for Athletics. Now, her significant contributions lead the College toward further progress; as the first woman to receive the Alexander Hamilton Award, Columbia College’s highest honor, Lisa paves a path for recognition of future female alumni.

Lisa opened her speech by describing the love letter she penned to admissions as a prospective student, asserting that her love for the college has never faltered, whether it be as a student, an alum, or, as of this past year, co-chair of Columbia University’s Board of Trustees. Communicating that the women who first attended Columbia College “kicked some serious you know what,” Lisa then asked all of the females in the room to stand and be recognized. Applause resonated throughout Low Library as half of the room rose, further highlighting the College’s progress throughout the last thirty years in relation to gender diversity and equality.

As Dean Valentini conveyed in his speech, Lisa is “always pushing the College to do more and more,” and there is “truly no one more representative of the greatest College in the greatest University in the greatest city in the world.” Congratulations, Lisa!

Photo via Danielle