Someone let J into the Milbank Greenhouse!

Name, School, Major, Hometown: J Madden, Barnard College, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Bloomsburg, PA

Claim to fame: Being a Big Strong They/Them, Chipotle Burrito Roller, Baewatch Social Chair, and Shotgun King

Where are you going? Forward

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2026?

  1. Say “Hi” to your peers. If you recognize someone from class on the street, say hello! During a silent elevator ride with your upstairs neighbors, say hello and compliment their outfit. We must get to know our neighbors so we can build connections and foster community. (If they ignore you or don’t wave back, just keep walking.)
  2. Take a dance class or join a dance group. Caroline Fermin’s class is life changing and healing. Vincent McCloskey’s Ballet I is a bundle of fun. There are so many brilliant instructors at the Barnard Dance Department- you should give dance a try! And it counts for a PE credit.
  3. Try something new. It’s easy to get comfortable and stick to a routine that consists of what you already know. But there are numerous exciting talks and panels that occur across Barnumbia everyday and fun club/intramural sports that I never even knew existed. Try to challenge yourself to do something new and perhaps you will find some connections and passions. 

“Back in my day…” You flashed your ID to the Barnard desk attendants instead of scanning electronically and JJ’s was 23/7

Favorite Columbia controversy? Barnard Trustee/Supermodel Karlie Kloss inviting me as a Guest to a #WomenInStem event…even though I’m an Enby in the Humanities.

What was your favorite class at Columbia? Feminist Theory with Dr. Marisa Solomon (WGSS) or Abolitionist Feminisms with Dr. Sarah Haley (WGSS)

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Does vegan cheese count as cheese? Cheese.

Whom would you like to thank? Baewatch, CU Sign, First Year Rascals and Dems, Well Woman, AllSex, Boys, Butches, and Bros, my quaranfamily, Chky, Partygirl, my haters, my friends and family, Iz, and Columbia Women’s Basketball! <3

One thing to do before graduating: Get into the Greenhouse on the roof of Milbank!

Any regrets? Sometimes I think I should’ve taken a year off of school when COVID first hit. But I didn’t know how long the pandemic would last and how much it would change our world. At Barnard, you also lose Guaranteed Housing if you take a Leave of Absence. So no regrets really because my choices felt right at the time. I want to look back and be gentle with myself because we are all surviving hard times.

Image of J via J