Columbia College Chicago facts for kids
Columbia College Chicago seal
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Former names
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Columbia School of Oratory (1890–1904) Columbia College of Expression (1904–1928, 1928–1944) Mary A. Blood School of Speech Arts (1928) Columbia College (1944–1997) |
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| Motto | Esse Quam Videri |
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Motto in English
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To be, rather than to seem |
| Type | Private art college |
| Established | 1890 |
| Endowment | $311 million (2021) |
| President | Kwang-Wu Kim |
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Academic staff
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573 |
| Students | 5,928 |
| Undergraduates | 5,719 |
| Postgraduates | 209 |
| Location |
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United States
41°52′26″N 87°37′30″W / 41.87391°N 87.62498°W |
| Campus | Urban |
| Mascot | Renegades |
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Columbia College Chicago is a private college in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It focuses on arts and media. The college started in 1890 and now has over 5,900 students. They can choose from more than 60 different study programs.
Columbia College Chicago is home to several special groups. These include centers for Black Music Research and for Book and Paper Arts. It also has the Dance Center and the Museum of Contemporary Photography.
It is important to know that Columbia College Chicago is not connected to Columbia University. It is also separate from other "Columbia" colleges in the United States.
Contents
History of Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago began in 1890. It was first called the Columbia School of Oratory. It was founded by Mary A. Blood and Ida Morey Riley. They both studied public speaking in Boston. They wanted to open their school in Chicago because of the big 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. This event celebrated Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. They named the school after the exposition.
Blood and Riley were the first leaders of the college. They wanted to create a school that taught expression and built good character. Their school welcomed both boys and girls.
In 1904, the school changed its name to the Columbia College of Expression. It also started offering classes for teachers. After Mary Blood passed away in 1927, George L. Scherger became president. He briefly changed the name to the Mary A. Blood School of Speech Arts in 1928. But soon after, it went back to Columbia College of Expression.
Later, the college became connected with the Pestalozzi-Froebel Teachers College. This school trained kindergarten teachers. Bertha Hofer Hegner became president in 1929. Her son, Herman Hofer Hegner, took over in 1936. During this time, the college also started teaching about radio broadcasting.
In 1944, the college became a non-profit organization. It changed its name to Columbia College. In the 1940s and 1950s, it added new subjects. These included television, journalism, and marketing. The college also opened campuses in Mexico City and Los Angeles. These campuses later became independent.
By 1961, the college had fewer than 200 students. Mirron (Mike) Alexandroff became president that year. He wanted to make the college a place where students learned by doing. He also made it easier for high school graduates to attend. Under his leadership, the college grew a lot. It gained full accreditation in 1974. By the time he retired in 1992, the college had almost 7,000 students.
In 1997, the college officially became Columbia College Chicago. It continued to grow its programs and buy more buildings in Chicago's South Loop area. Today, the campus has almost two dozen buildings.
Warrick L. Carter became president in 2000. He started new student events like Manifest, an arts festival. He also oversaw the building of the Media Production Center. This was the college's first new building.
More recently, the college has faced some challenges. In 2011-2012, there were plans to change classes and staff. Students and teachers showed their disagreement. They were worried about class sizes and tuition costs. The college president, Warrick Carter, retired in 2013.
On July 1, 2013, Kwang-Wu Kim became the 10th president. He has a special degree in music. In February 2024, Kim announced he would step down in July 2024.
Presidents of Columbia College Chicago
- Mary A. Blood, 1890–1927
- Ida Morey Riley, 1890–1901
- George L. Scherger, 1927–1929
- Bertha Hofer Hegner, 1929–1936
- Herman Hofer Hegner, 1936–1944
- Norman Alexandroff, 1944–1960
- Mirron (Mike) Alexandroff, 1961–1992
- John B. Duff, 1992–2000
- Warrick L. Carter, 2000–2013
- Kwang-Wu Kim, 2013–2024
Adjunct Faculty Strike
From October to December 2023, some teachers at Columbia College Chicago went on strike. These teachers are called "adjunct faculty." They are part-time teachers. The strike lasted for 49 days.
The main reason for the strike was that many classes were planned to be cut. Most of these classes were taught by adjunct faculty. This worried both teachers and students. Students liked the small class sizes at the college. Fewer classes also meant less choice for students to take what they needed to graduate.
During the strike, classes taught by adjunct faculty did not meet. Eventually, other teachers stepped in to help. On December 17, 2023, the teachers and the college reached an agreement. The strike officially ended on December 21.
The college also told students they would get a $500 refund for each class affected by the strike. This money was taken off their spring tuition bill.
Academics
Columbia College Chicago has different schools where students can learn.
- The School of Fine and Performing Arts has seven departments. These include Art & Design, Dance, Fashion Studies, Music, Photography, and Theater. It also includes Business and Entrepreneurship.
- The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences has four departments. These are American Sign Language, English and Creative Writing, Humanities, and Science and Mathematics. It also has special programs like the Honors Program.
- The School of Media Arts has four departments. These are Audio Arts & Acoustics, Cinema & Television Arts, Interactive Arts & Media, and Communication.
Campuses
Columbia College Chicago has a unique campus. It is spread out in the South Loop and Near South Side areas of Chicago. The college owns many buildings for classes, art shows, offices, and student housing. Most of the campus is located between Ida B. Wells Drive, State Street, Roosevelt Road, and Michigan Avenue. Many of the buildings were built a long time ago. The college bought them as it grew.
The college also has a special program in Hollywood, California. Students can spend five weeks learning at Raleigh Studios. This is for students studying film, TV, music, and business.
Alexandroff Campus Center
This building at 600 S. Michigan Avenue is the college's Main Building. It was built in 1906-07. It used to be the main office for the International Harvester Company. The building was very modern for its time. It had a steel frame, fast elevators, and electric lights. The lobby still has its original marble. Columbia College bought the building in 1975. It now holds classrooms, studios, and offices. The Museum of Contemporary Photography is also on the first two floors.
33 East Ida B Wells Drive
This building was built in 1925-26. It used to be called the "Congress-Wabash Building." It had a bank, offices, and even rooms with many pool tables. Columbia College started leasing space here in 1997 and bought it in 1999. Today, it has offices, classrooms, and the college's radio station, WCRX 88.1 FM. It is home to the American Sign Language, Audio Arts & Acoustics, Journalism, and Radio departments.
623 South Wabash Avenue
This building was built in 1895. It was first a regional office and warehouse for the Studebaker Brothers Carriage Company. Later, it was owned by the Brunswick Corporation, which made furniture and entertainment items like billiards tables. Columbia College bought it in 1983. It now has classrooms, offices, science labs, and art studios. You can also find ShopColumbia here, which sells art from students and alumni.
624 South Michigan Avenue
This building was built in 1908. It was first home to the Chicago Musical College. Later, it was called the Blum Building and had dance studios and clothing stores. Columbia College bought it in 1990. It now holds the college's five-story library, classrooms, and the bookstore.
1104 South Wabash Avenue
This building, built in 1891, is a City of Chicago Landmark. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by William LeBaron Jenney, who is known for inventing the skyscraper. This building was one of the first skyscrapers to be covered entirely in terra cotta.
It was built for the American Book Company. This company printed books. The building was designed to hold heavy printing presses. Today, it houses the college's Center for Book and Paper Arts. It also has offices, classrooms, and studios for film and television. The college's modern Film Row Cinema theater is on the 8th floor.
Music Department
The building at 1014–16 South Michigan Avenue was built in 1912. It used to be offices for different companies. In 1941, it became the Sherwood Conservatory of Music. A famous comedian, Phyllis Diller, studied piano here. Columbia College Chicago bought the building in 2007. It is now home to the school's music department.
Getz Theater
The Getz Theater building at 72 East 11th Street was built in 1929. It was originally owned by the Chicago Women's Club. This club held meetings and events there, including rallies for women's voting rights. Columbia College bought it in 1980. It now has a renovated 400-seat theater, classrooms, and studios for film and photography.
The Dance Center
The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago is a major dance education center. Many famous dance companies have performed here.
The Dance Center building at 1306 S. Michigan Avenue was built in 1930. It was first a film exchange for Paramount Publix Corporation. This is where films were shown to movie theater owners. Columbia College bought the building in 1999. After a lot of work, the Dance Center opened its modern facilities in 2000.
Media Production Center
The Media Production Center (MPC) is at 1600 South State Street. It was finished in 2010. This was the first new building built by the college. It has two film soundstages, a motion-capture studio, and digital labs. It also has animation suites and classrooms. The building is designed to be very energy efficient.
Environmental Record
Columbia College Chicago cares about the environment. In 2010, it promised to work towards reducing its impact on climate change. The college has a plan to reduce its carbon footprint.
In 2012, the college changed its Recycling Program into a bigger sustainability program. This program helps manage recycling and other efforts. It also takes care of green spaces on campus.
Campus Media
Students at Columbia College Chicago run several media outlets. These help them get real-world experience.
- The Columbia Chronicle is the college's award-winning weekly newspaper.
- Frequency TV is the college's television station.
- WCRX (88.1 FM) is the college's radio station.
Students work on these for class credit. Some students at the newspaper and TV station can also get paid. Journalism students also write for Chicagotalks.org. This is a website for community news. They also create a magazine called Echo each semester.
AEMMP Records is a record label run by students. They find artists, produce albums, and market them.
Other publications at the college include Hair Trigger and Columbia Poetry Review.
Student Organizations
Columbia College Chicago has many student groups. These groups help students get involved and develop leadership skills.
Some major student organizations include:
- XC3ND: Columbia College Show Choir
- Producer's Guild of Columbia (PGC)
- Student Government Association (SGA)
- Student Organization Council
- Student Athletics Association (Renegades)
- Columbia Urban Music Association
- ReachOut
- Asian Student Organization
- Students Supporting Israel
- Hillel
- International Student Organization
- Columbia College Association of Black Journalists (CCABJ)
- Hispanic Journalists of Columbia (HJC)
- Columbia Pride (an LGBT student group)
The Latino Alliance and Black Student Union are two of the oldest student groups on campus.
Student Government Association
The Student Government Association (SGA) helps students have a voice at the college. It has a student president and other leaders. It also has a Senate with student representatives from different departments. There are also senators who represent all students.
The SGA has different committees that focus on various topics. SGA Senate meetings are open to everyone. They are held on Tuesdays during the school year.
Notable alumni and faculty members
See also
- List of colleges and universities in Chicago
- Manifest (urban arts festival)
