The new flag

Look out the window! The sun is out! Here’s a reason to go outside!

Today at 3 p.m., students and alumni of Columbia University School of General S

tudies will hold a dedication and flag raising ceremony on the northeast corner of Lewisohn Lawn where a new flag symbolizing School of General Studies school pride will fly. The flagpole and flag is a gift of the Class of 2013.

Spearheaded by former General Studies Student Council vice president of policy Nikki Morgan ’13, the project is a way for the Class of 2013 to give back to GS. “The flag represents the banner under which incredibly diverse walks of life converge. It acts as a guide showing GSers that they have a clear place on campus and in the Columbia community,” Morgan said. “I wanted to leave something behind for future students that encapsulates this unique journey—something that says, ‘You are part of this community.’”

The flag physically marks GS’s place on the Morningside Campus—Lewisohn Hall—as the home base for Columbia’s students who have followed a nontraditional path towards a traditional education. Ultimately, however, it demonstrates students’ strong school spirit. As Dean of Students Tom Harford wrote in an email to students and alumni, “The flag represents students’ pride in their college and community.”

The nascent GS flag was covered in the November issue of The Blue and White.

Image via GS’s Facebook page