About the Mendelson Center | Columbia Business School Academics

About the Mendelson Family

The Mendelson family has had a long and continually growing relationship with Columbia College, Columbia Business School, and the University. The Mendelson Center for Undergraduate Business Initiatives was established with a $10 million gift from the Mendelson family: Laurans A. ’60CC, ’61BUS and Arlene H. Mendelson; Eric ’87CC, ’89BUS, P:’17CC, ’19CC and Kimberly Mendelson; Victor ’89CC, P:’18CC, ’20CC and Lisa Mendelson. For the Mendelsons, attending Columbia University is a family tradition spanning four generations, dating back to Samuel Mendelson 1906CC, an immigrant from Lithuania.

The family’s philanthropy at Columbia began in 1983 with the establishment of the Samuel and Blanche Mendelson Memorial Scholarship Fund and has continued through the endowment of two professorships: the Laurans A. and Arlene Mendelson Professorship of Economics and the Mendelson Family Professorship of American Studies. The Mendelson Center for Undergraduate Business Initiatives was established by University Trustee resolution in June 2016.

The Special Concentration in Business is enthralling as it opens an entirely new field of study, allowing students to capitalize on Columbia Business School’s academic excellence all the while developing their interpersonal skills. For example, having a strong understanding of financial statements is a transferable skill, and an asset that I plan to utilize in the future either within a corporate position or as a member of a non-governmental organization.

Inès de Vulpian

’21GS, Human Rights

In the long-term, I seek to start a company, become a business and community leader, and launch innovative programs to provide education and employment opportunities for underrepresented Americans. By concentrating in business management, I can achieve these two goals by learning the basics of entrepreneurship, business and management, and leadership.

Kingsley Neequaye

’21CC, Computer Science

“Being able to take classes, attend CBS events, and learn with Columbia Business School Professors has made me realize a strong passion for business that I didn't know I had before. The concentration has made me excited to apply for an MBA and continue this journey.”

Duda Penteado

’21CC, Psychology

“The Special Concentration in Business Management is a rare program in that I find applicational value in my potential career. Strategy formulation, corporate finance, and organizational leadership are just a few of the many principles that apply to any business endeavor, no matter what respective field I might find myself in.”