Columbia SIPA: Virtual Leadership Awards Gala
Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) engaged Empire to help produce their 20th Annual Leadership Awards Gala. The event included a virtual livestream as well as multiple VIP Zoom Receptions hosted concurrently before and after the main program. The virtual celebration honored four individuals who have helped unite the world through outstanding leadership, while raising funds to provide financial support to SIPA students.
The main program was live streamed on the Columbia SIPA website and featured pre-recorded remarks from Lee C. Bollinger, President, Columbia University, Merit E. Janow, Dean, Columbia University SIPA, Caroline Kennedy, Trustee, Carnegie Corporation of New York and Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Lan Yang MIA ’96, SIPA Advisor Board Member; Chair, Sun Media Group, Charles “Chuck” Schumer, U.S. Senator from New York, and exclusive messages from SIPA Alumni, including Eric Garcetti ‘92CC MIA, Mayor of Los Angeles, Jennifer Morris MIA ’97, CEO, The Nature Conservancy, current SIPA students, and many more.
This year’s recipients of SIPA’s Global Leadership Awards recognized Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, for her leadership in helping stabilize the global economic and financial system, and the late Vartan Gregorian, Former President of Carnegie Corporation of New York, for his work in furthering education, democracy, international peace and security.
The celebration also recognized inaugural recipients of SIPA’s Global Inspiration Awards, Joyce DiDonato, Mezzo-Soprano and Activist, for her activism using music, and Lang Lang, Pianist, Philanthropist, and Cultural Ambassador, for his dedication to global arts education. The program also included very special performances by Joyce and Lang Lang.
Empire’s scope of work included run-of-show development, remote and in-person pre-recordings, speaker advance, producing an Alumni feature video and overall virtual gala editing, staff training, technical production, and live streaming for the Main Gala, as well as the production and management of pre and post gala Zoom breakouts for attendees joining from the United States and China.
Empire is a leading producer of virtual, hybrid, and live events.
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
