HUMANS OF COLUMBIA
To the student reading this:
WE THINK WE’VE GOT SOMETHING SPECIAL, AND WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US. We’re Columbia College Chicago, and we wouldn’t be who we are without the people who make up our community. A community that isn’t afraid to talk about power, privilege, and oppression as a way of bettering ourselves, and more deeply understanding each other. A community working to be actively anti-racist and embracing the challenges and learning moments along the way. A community of creative practitioners from a variety of disciplines who are planting seeds to regrow a world-class city that’s bouncing back stronger than ever. And you should come be a part of it with us. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Just flip through the rest of these pages and you’ll see lots of Columbia faces — these are the people who are here, right now, shaping what’s next. We’ll let them tell you in their own words just how special this place is. We hope you’ll want to make it yours, too.
MONIQUE HARVEY she/her/hers
TELEVISION Columbia has awakened a part of my soul that I didn’t know I abandoned. They have shown me what improvements I need to make as a creator, person, entrepreneur, woman, and team player. They have helped me see the world as one. We literally have representation of the whole world on our campus.
DANIEL LEVIN he/him/his
CREATIVE WRITING Columbia College Chicago was my light at the end of the tunnel. Once I finally got to Chicago, I went from having a 2.0 GPA to being on the dean’s list both semesters of my first year. If you’re creative, maybe a little different, and march to the beat of your own drum, Columbia will be the perfect place for you, too.
JESSICA INGRAM she/her/hers
CREATIVE WRITING I see myself diving into doing spoken word events. It’s so fascinating the way you can apply words with visual art. I’m launching a business soon focused on nutrition and inner healing. I love eating healthy. I never thought this would be me, but I love the holistic lifestyle. My goal is to publish my books, turn them into plays, then movies, and tell my story of growing up in foster care and how I overcame so much.
INDIANA CELERIER DIT LORMONT she/her/hers
FILM AND TELEVISION Columbia has always been here to help me grow as an artist and a functioning adult. I want to make a change, and Columbia helps me do that every day I am here. It is truly the college experience I wanted to have: surrounded by creativity and diversity.
JIAYUE XIONG she/her/hers
ARTS MANAGEMENT I’m grateful for the incredible campus resources the college brings to the students, which are crucial for academic studies, career development, and interpersonal communication. I also appreciate how caring and knowledgeable our professors are. They are always willing to go the extra mile to help and support us.
NATALIE BRANDY she/her/hers
ARTS MANAGEMENT I have loved living in the city and exploring. I have also loved getting to know my professors and classmates — it’s truly inspiring to be surrounded by individuals who love the arts as much as I do. These past few months have been interesting. Since theaters are closed for an indefinite amount of time, a lot of performing arts organizations have had to be creative to keep theatre alive, with things like concerts via social media and streaming shows.
DANIELA MAULEON she/her/hers
COMEDY WRITING AND PERFORMANCE Being able to focus my studies on what I love the most— comedy—is amazing. I work with a theatre company with a mission to use theatre for social justice. I like creating theatre and comedy with purpose and what better way to do it than giving a voice to those who may not have one? I am working on a storytelling program for DACA and undocumented students to tell their stories and explore the trauma of what being undocumented means.
MICHAEL LARIMER he/him/his
ASL-ENGLISH INTERPRETATION The advisors at Columbia are extremely helpful and got back to me promptly every time no matter how big or small my questions were. The thing I most enjoy right now is my teachers and their honesty and transparency as we work through this uncharted ground together. I have to keep pinching myself thinking that I will be fluent in a new language by the time I graduate.
GERARDO FRANCO he/him/his
FILM AND TELEVISION Chicago is a city full of potential for the younger generation of content creators. A city with the potential to not only be the center of the United States, but the center of diversity, arts, and media. There are always new things to inspire a film, documentary, or video. I believe that filmmakers and writers have a chance to document human history and progress.
JEWEL BAKER she/her/hers
FILM AND TELEVISION Going to Columbia is unlike any other school. Here, you engage with the world around you while also gaining knowledge in whatever industry you choose. Even pursuing my minor has allowed me to connect with other creatives and enhance our photography skills. Everyone at Columbia can grow so much within just one semester, and here, you’re able to make friends while doing it.
CURTIS LAWRENCE he/him/his
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR; JOURNALISM REPORTER; CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1997-2004 Columbia is a community of continuous learners and I especially admire Columbia’s willingness to take on tough and messy issues as we work to create an anti-racist society and to develop a microcosm of that society on our campus. A large part of my work is with the Columbia Chronicle (student-run newspaper), and we’ve been working hard in recent years to recruit a staff that is diverse and reflective of the campus community.
KEVIN VILCHEZ he/him/his
THEATRE I wanted to be surrounded by people who are driven by their passions. When I came to Open House and saw what students were working on at Columbia, and all the materials and tools they had access to, I felt my name being called to the school.
ALEXANDRIA TAYLOR she/her/hers
FICTION, MFA As a graduate assistant for Residence Life, I want students to know that Columbia takes your safety and comfort very seriously. Residence Life does their absolute best to build a sense of community and provide educational, emotional, and mental health resources. Being a graduate assistant has its challenges, but I always feel supported by my supervisors, coworkers, and staff.
ROSALIND CUMMINGS-YEATES she/her/hers
ADJUNCT FACULTY; COMMUNICATION Students should use every opportunity to connect with the industry professionals who speak to your classes, and take advantage of all the ways to gain experience that the college offers.
ERIC WORDLOW he/him/his
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, STUDENT EMPLOYMENT; CAREER CENTER My job in the Career Center allows me to engage with students outside of the classroom. It’s rewarding to watch a student grow into themselves from first year to last year, to see them learn and build up skills that will help them in their future career, and see them grow into their passion.
TERRELL JOHNSON ’14 he/him/his
VISUAL DESIGNER FOR JANET JACKSON’S RHYTHM NATION RECORD LABEL Don’t allow anyone to deter you or shame you out of being passionate about what you love. You’ll only prevent yourself from experiencing the career and life that you truly want.
SHEILA BALDWIN, Ed.D. she/her/hers
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR; ENGLISH AND CREATIVE WRITING I mix the new with the old. I constantly revamp — I rewrite to keep as much of it as current as possible, without losing the integrity of the original concept that may be from the past. I love giving homage to those who have paved the way for others to walk through the doors, stand on their shoulders.
KAT KAMARULZAMAN she/her/hers
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY As a queer, biracial woman, it is a relief to see other students that look just like me. It boosts the quality of my college experience, and I’m not shying away from participating in the classroom. My experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ community are valued and respected by my professors. I don’t have to censor myself at Columbia. I’m allowed to be as expressive as I want, as artistic as I want, and as gay as I want.
YU CAO he/him/his
ARTS MANAGEMENT Chicago is a city full of surprises — you can eat famous deep-dish pizza with blues music. I love the Student Center. Professors at Columbia have excellent reputations in their fields. I can meet other talented students from all around the world.
BERTRAM RODGERS he/him/his
FILM AND TELEVISION I wanted to understand how I could best tell my stories of triumph over adversity through film. As an older, non-traditional student of color, I bring a different perspective to the classroom. Much of what was common during my formative years would never be tolerated today, but for me, I think Columbia is a place that understands we cannot stop to pat ourselves on the back when it comes to fighting racism.
Before you close this book, we want you to know how important it is to us that every Columbia student can access the support they need while they’re here. Whether it’s academic needs, mental health, professional preparation, or accommodations for a better learning environment, we offer a variety of resources to help students along their paths to success. Because for us, success goes far beyond the classroom.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT for when you need tutoring or guidance with course selection and schedule planning, or advice about your path to degree completion.
PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION to develop your portfolio, hone your interview skills, and connect you to internship opportunities.
HEALTH AND SAFETY for tending to your physical and mental well-being and protecting our campus’ learning and living spaces with security personnel and technology.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT for finding fellow creatives who like what you like, discovering new niches you’ve never heard of, and participating in Columbia’s culture of equity and inclusiveness as we do the work of dismantling systems of racism, oppression, and privilege. Explore more at colum.edu/students.
Confirm your place at Columbia by visiting colum.edu/connect, then share the good news. /columadmit @ColumAdmit Questions? We’re here to help. admissions@colum.edu 312-369-7130