Alumni News & Events – International House

Alumni Spotlight: Sakura Sweethearts Edition

Written by International House on January 22, 2025. Posted in Alumni News & Events.

Spencer Dreher ‘95 and Marisha Wignaraja ‘97 Spencer Dreher and Marisha Wignaraja’s love story began on the dance floor of Davis Hall at I-House. At the time, Dreher was a PhD student studying organic chemistry at Columbia and Wignaraja was pursuing a master’s in international affairs at SIPA. They met at one of I-House’s many lively gatherings—Wignaraja recalls seeing Dreher dancing without a care in the world. “He just kept dancing,” Wignaraja remembers fondly, “And we’ve been dancing together ever since.” Living at I-House played a pivotal role in their relationship....

Alumni Spotlight: Sidney Nakahodo, Space Entrepreneur

Written by International House on May 11, 2018. Posted in Alumni News & Events, News Archive.

by Angelica Hill (UK), Resident Press Corps “A life-shaping experience,” he said of his time at I-House May 2018–Sidney Nakahodo is an alumnus of International House, born and raised in Brazil, and co-founder and CEO of the New York Space Alliance, a platform that empowers space entrepreneurs through mentorship, advising, investment, and community support. He also spends a lot of his time working with tech start-ups, playing a role as founder and adviser. He is a current lecturer at Columbia University specializing in Political, Social, and Economic Development in Brazil, and...