Senior dance majors Grace Butt and Erica Jones presented choreographed pieces in the show “In a World of Becoming.” For both of them, it was their first time showing their choreography on The Dance Center’s stage.

Columbia’s Dance Center has organized several other Saturday events aligning with Admitted Students Day. Their past events have included Love of Music and Atmosphere, Spring Forward: Student Performance Night and the Break/Through Faculty & Alumni Concert. The events highlight student projects and creativity. 

Meredith Sutton, artistic director of the Dance Presenting Series at the Dance Center, organized the events. 

“It’s kind of like behind the scenes. And they get to see the beautiful creative work the students do, they get to intersect with admissions toward the building and see the artistry that’s brought forth by our students, so they get a taste of what it’s like to truly be a Columbia student, which is really cool,” Sutton said. 

This was the third Admitted Students Day that Columbia has hosted this spring, part of an ongoing series aimed at giving prospective students a fuller look at campus life, academic programs and creative opportunities. The last Admitted Students Day is next Saturday. 

Across all event dates, the college expects between 1,300 and 1,400 guests to attend.

While the performance this weekend gave prospective students a look at the program, it also gave current dance majors another venue to present original work, Sutton said.

“This is an option for students to be able to show their creative work in an alternate format outside of a traditional concert,” she said. 

Both Jones and Butt had two separate pieces that highlighted different themes of what they learned in college.

In her piece,  “In a World of Lust,” Jones explored her experience with her relationships through her college experience. She began creating the idea of her piece by writing it in her diary and has been working on it since February. 

“My message is kind of to show the audience the differentiation between love and lust, because sometimes, often in the world, we combine the two, rather than separating the two, because they’re two separate things,” she said. 

Jones’ dream is to be a choreographer. She said she was anxious for the Admitted Students Day performance, with it being her first time having her choreographed work performed on the stage.

“I would like for them to gain inspiration, not only from the piece itself, but from just the creativity of it. Know that you can go as far as you can reach,” she said. “Being an artist is very important in the world we live in today. Actually, the world needs more artists. I think that they should take this and give themselves a pat on the back as a jumpstart on their artistic careers.”

Butt’s piece in the show was entitled “Anxieties of Becoming.” She has been working on the piece since the end of her junior year and drew inspiration from the anxieties she carried when first starting her journey at Columbia.

“My piece more specifically is about college and the anxieties of what happens when you come here, and what were those first emotions when you came here, navigating all of that and having to leave from those,” she said. “That beautiful thing that you were comfortable in and having to go into this new experience that you’re still scared of and bringing those scared emotions, but have to flourish eventually.”

Butt said that getting to experience being on the producing end has been a great experience for her, and has reminded her of when she was here for Admitted Students Day four years ago allowing her to examine the message she wants to put out through her work.

“For us to put this out and be the main producers, put out flyers, do everything, it’s kind of like, whoa, we’re really becoming what we really wanted to do,” she said. “Even with the scariness that you’re feeling right now walking into this big school, I know you’re probably having a lot of thoughts. It’s gonna be okay.” 

Copy edited by Katie Peters

Gallery
3 Photos

Eleanor Lusciatti

Guests look around the For Women, By Women exhibition at the Arcade Gallery in the 618 S. Michigan Ave. building on Friday, April 24, 2026.

The Arcade Gallery on the second floor of 618 S. Michigan Ave. transformed into a striking and powerful display of over 300 artistic pieces made from various mediums created by women and non-binary students as part of the college’s annual For Women, By Women gallery.

At the opening reception held on Friday, April 24, the exhibit celebrated five years of highlighting student’s creativity and resilience.

Co-founder and part-time instructor Diana Vallera expressed the necessity of holding an exhibit like this in the current day.

“Now more than ever with what’s happening in this country, we always knew it was needed, but now we’re so proud to have this be an important part of the campus community,” Vallera said.

The For Women, By Women exhibit was founded by Vallera and Columbia alum Corinne Pompéy in April 2022 as a way for students to showcase their work when they otherwise would not be able to. Vallera said that the creation of this exhibit has made her reflect on her journey in the art world.

“I’ve had some important mentors in my life that were there for me, that made such a difference,” she said. “So to me, it allows me to be able to do some of the things that they were able to do for me, to empower and believe that you can create change, and there’s no better way to create change than through the arts.”

Senior photography majors Katia Jackson and Kennedy Hardy were both in charge of social media communications and outreach. Jackson expressed the importance of coming together, even in the face of hardship.

“Despite challenges that we face as women, as non-binary folks, as people of color and women of color, we are all coming together to really celebrate ourselves and the work that we do,” Jackson said.

Some of the event’s organizers told the Chronicle they were worried about attendance after the Conversation with Mayor Brandon Johnson was rescheduled to take place on the day of the For Women, By Women reception and just one floor above the gallery in The Hive.

However, soon after the exhibit opened at 5 p.m., guests began to pile in, roaming through the halls that were decorated salon style with paintings, poetry, photographs and videos, including its first ever immersive artistic experience.

There was also a photo booth, raffle for prizes, catered food and speeches presented by President and CEO Shantay Bolton, Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Suzanne McBride, Director of the School of Fashion Colbey Reid and guest speaker Xiomara.

Xiomara went over her journey fighting against adversity throughout her life and emphasizing the importance of building your own space as Black, Indigenous and other women of color.

“This beautiful gallery is a testament to the brilliance that’s possible in spaces where we challenge misogynists, gender binary, heteronormative, white supremacy and cultural norms,” she said, “and instead, create in those spaces the conditions for us to safely show up as our complex, intersectional, fierce, vulnerable, bold selves.”

Throughout the exhibit, that resilience was reflected in the work displayed.

One piece that was featured in the exhibit, created by sophomore illustration major Lily Henry, depicts a woman with her hair covering her face and bleeding from her underwear. The piece entitled “No Words” represents the violence women face just for being women.

“To be in an exhibit with specifically women, especially when many of my pieces are based in politics or activism, it’s a really amazing feeling to be surrounded by all these incredible artists,” Henry said.

Another piece, entitled “Knowing,” depicts two nude figures on a beach looking at each other as the border surrounding them shows green vine-like designs on the bottom with the sun and moon at the top. The artist, senior illustration major Eleanor Vega, said it reflects her feelings as the seasons change.

“This is the first time I’ve gotten to be a part of the show, unfortunately, because I’m a senior,” Vega said. “I should have done it a little bit sooner.”

Two pieces featured were created by senior film and television major Adeline Dorsey. One depicts a portrait of a woman bruised and bloodied with bandages on. The other depicts a woman on the floor getting ready while watching something on her phone, which is propped up by a pair of headphones.

“One of them is about my mental health and just trying to visually show it. The other one I took inspiration from the ‘Fancy Nancy’ books,” Dorsey said. “I wanted to try to emulate that.”

One of the pieces included in the exhibit was an interactive piece titled “Mirror of Fragmented Femininity” where a mirror was propped up with a pink mosaic border where guests were encouraged to write self-affirmations. The piece was created by first-year film and television major Annaleise Bergene.

Bergene, who described herself as a “raging feminist,” said that she was “almost in tears” due to being surrounded by other like-minded artists, who were all supporting each other through her art.

“It’s such a wonderful thing to see,” Bergene said.

Some of the student work from the exhibit will also be available for purchase through ShopColumbia.

Copy edited by Katie Peters

President and CEO Shantay Bolton moderated the discussion, held at The Hive as part of her investiture programming.

The event, a lakeside chat originally scheduled for last month, brought together students, faculty and administrators for a conversation that largely centered on arts funding, public programs and economic development.

In an interview with the Chronicle, Johnson addressed concerns about affordable living in downtown Chicago, sharing his plans to convert vacant office spaces into housing.

“In fact, we should be cutting the ribbon on one of our first investments of an office space being converted into housing, of which again, 30% is going to be affordable,” he said. “That’s something that I’m really, really focused on, and we’re going to work to do more of that at scale.”

Much of the conversation between Bolton and Johnson centered on incorporating art into the city, which has been a large focus of the president’s “Renaissance Rising” strategic plan. Johnson says he is willing to look into an “institutionalized operation” that allows artists to tag buildings. 

“I’m gonna sound like the real OG — I don’t want y’all tagging my whole city everywhere. However, I do believe that there’s a role for public art to demonstrate who we are as a city. I think there’s a lot of beauty in that. The way even tagging exists and the messaging and the motivation behind it, there’s real history connected there.”

During the conversation, Johnson pointed to how art could be incorporated into public school programs and already has through his mental health programs.

“So, we actually have artists that are part of our mental and behavioral health care outreach, where they are providing support services for individuals who are coming out of domestic violence, individuals who have lived through trauma. Art as an economic driver for the city of Chicago. That’s the ultimate goal.”

SGA Vice President and junior film and television student Amelia Lutz said the conversation went “pretty good,” and was glad the topic of art and mental health was discussed.

“I feel like there was a lot of focus on how art is beneficial for mental health, which I think is a detrimental conversation to be having right now with the politics that are happening in the world,” she said. “I feel like hearing how our art can create a positive impact on the world is so important right now, so that students can feel like they’re doing something.” 

However, Lutz said more attention should have been given to Columbia’s housing challenges after the college ended leases with two apartment buildings, The Arc and Dwight Lofts. Though administrators have said all students on the waitlist will be accommodated, as the Chronicle previously reported, rising rents in the South Loop — where the average apartment costs about $2,700 per month — have made it increasingly difficult for students to find affordable off-campus housing. 

“With students feeling a lot of housing insecurity as a whole, with the state of the world and with housing at Columbia, I do wish that they had touched a little bit more on that and more on the ways in which students can access those resources,” Lutz said. “I was hoping to ask about that.”

The discussion was initially set to be moderated by Black Student Union President Raymia Jones Fowler, a junior film and television major, but she said she was notified before the event that she would no longer serve in that role.

“I was just glad to be here, honestly privileged just to do what I did anyway, to be able to facilitate our Q&As,” she said.

Bolton asked the majority of the questions during the conversation. About 20 minutes were dedicated to three student questions, which were collected through a digital form and read aloud during the event.

Fowler said she appreciated the opportunity but wished more student voices had been included.

“Honestly, I wish there was a lot more time for that because it is for us,” Fowler said. “I definitely advocate for us being heard, so I wish we got a chance to hear more student questions.”

Johnson said his primary goal as mayor is to make Chicago an “equitable city” that is “safe and affordable for everybody.” 

He plans to do this by raising wages, pushing residents to use public transportation by reducing the requirement for parking spaces that businesses have to build, “revolving loans” for building affordable housing where the revenue from the development goes back into the loan and, for students, creating more job opportunities in public school programs. 

“Look, I believe artists should be paid for their work. I mean, they are workers, right? And so that’s why investing in our public education system to expand our arts programs,” said Johnson.

Senior creative writing major Kennedy Person said she was happy that much of the conversation focused on public school programs and offering opportunities for teens, something she worried about when she was younger.

She said “teen takeovers” of downtown spaces are a sign that “the kids are looking for something to be involved in and to do, and especially wanting to be around each other.” 

Caitlyn Brunner, a part-time instructor for the School of Design, said she looks forward to the potential public art programs students can be a part of, giving students a chance to create substantial portfolio pieces without having to find work within corporations. 

“I think it will be really helpful for students who maybe aren’t going to go the corporate route,” she said.

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Resumen en español

El alcalde de Chicago, Brandon Johnson, se centró en ampliar los programas artísticos y aumentar la oferta de vivienda asequible durante una conversación de 40 minutos en Columbia el viernes 24 de abril, aunque algunos estudiantes señalaron que el formato limitó la interacción directa.

La presidenta y directora ejecutiva, Shantay Bolton, moderó la discusión que tuvo lugar en “The Hive” como parte de la programación de su ceremonia de investidura

En una entrevista con el Chronicle, Johnson abordó las inquietudes sobre el costo de vida en el centro de Chicago, compartiendo sus planes para convertir espacios de oficinas vacíos en viviendas.

“De hecho, pronto estaremos cortando la cinta inaugural de una de nuestras primeras inversiones: un espacio de oficinas transformado en viviendas, de las cuales insistió el 30% será asequible”, dijo. “Es un objetivo en el que estoy sumamente concentrado, y trabajaremos para replicar este modelo a gran escala”.

Gran parte de la conversación entre Bolton y Johnson giró en torno a la incorporación del arte en la ciudad, un aspecto que ha sido un pilar fundamental del plan estratégico de la presidenta, titulado “Renaissance Rising”. Johnson manifestó su disposición a estudiar la implementación de un “mecanismo institucionalizado” que permita a los artistas realizar grafitis en los edificios.

“Voy a sonar como un auténtico veterano de la vieja escuela: no quiero que vayan por ahí pintarrajeando toda mi ciudad por donde quieran. Sin embargo, creo firmemente que el arte público desempeña un papel esencial para reflejar nuestra identidad como ciudad. Considero que hay mucha belleza en ello. Incluso en la propia existencia del grafiti en su mensaje y en la motivación que lo impulsa, existe una conexión con una historia real”.

Johnson dijo que su objetivo primordial como alcalde es transformar a Chicago en una “ciudad equitativa”, que sea “segura y asequible para todos”.

Caitlyn Brunner, instructora de tiempo parcial de la Escuela de Diseño, comentó que espera con interés los posibles programas de arte público en los que los estudiantes podrán participar brindándoles la oportunidad de crear piezas sustanciales para su portafolio sin tener que buscar trabajo en el ámbito corporativo.

“Creo que será de gran ayuda para aquellos estudiantes que, tal vez, no vayan a seguir la vía corporativa”, dijo.

Resumen por Anthony Hernandez

Editado por Brandon Anaya

Since 2022, Columbia’s Student Government Association has continued this tradition by hosting “Earth Day Clean Up” to encourage the Columbia community to beautify the streets of the South Loop. 

Over 40 students, staff and community members attended the event on Friday, April 24, equipped with gloves, trash bags and recycling bins.

“We’re all really active people, so we were excited to participate and go outside to clean up,” said Paola Escudero, a junior film and television major and a member of Mi Gente Renegades, Columbia’s Latin dance team.

Escudero said she’s been participating in school wide cleanups since elementary school. 

“We would help clean up the area so it was pretty, and I think that’s amazing,” said Escudero, who attended the event with fellow dancer Kameron Murray, a junior English major.

As a film and television major, Escudero said those early experiences shaped how she now thinks about environmental impact within her own discipline.

“I realized how much is used in sets and how much waste is produced from it,” Escudero said. “I also find that a lot of that waste is reused.” 

As an English major, Murray said generative AI has influenced how he thinks about sustainability.

“Lately, I’ve been more conscious of the effects that certain things have on the environment,” Murray said. “I think being conscious of what we put out in the world is really important and what we take from it.”

SGA President Jenna Davis has been a part of SGA for all four years the organization has hosted the event. 

“Columbia facilities and I kind of have it down to a science,” said Davis, a senior fine arts major. 

This year’s event has been in the works since last year. SGA and facilities partnered to arrange vendors to provide the necessary equipment for clean up. 

“I think this event is so successful because it brings together not only students, but staff and administration,” Davis said. 

Jade Flournoy, a sophomore illustration major, participated as a member of Columbia’s Renegades Volleyball team.

“I started to realize how much damage we’re doing to the earth,” Flournoy said. “In a few more years it’ll be irreversible.”

Staff members also joined the cleanup, including Jason Coleman, lead maintenance technician, and Jennifer Sauzer, head of access service and assessment at the Library.

“I came just to make the community a little cleaner, you know?” Coleman said. 

Sauzer said it’s important to back student organizations, especially when the group advocates for a better community. 

“Supporting SGA’s initiative is excellent,” Sauzer said. “How could you not support it?”

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Transcript:

0:07: Welcome back to Chronversations. 

 0:09: I’m your host, Levi Libson. 

 0:14: April 22nd marked Earth Day for all of us. 

 0:17: It puts focus on supporting and protecting our environment. 

 0:21: Oftentimes there’s a misconception that you must contribute fully or not contribute at all. 

 0:25: This is false. 

 0:26: The little things we do end up being the main contributor of big differences. 

 0:30: This can be taking public transport instead of driving for a day or making sure your lights are off when you are out of your place. 

 0:37: Or in the case of this week’s episode, participating in organized cleanup. 

 0:41: Today, I’m speaking with SGA president Jenna Davis about one of the many ways you can contribute to keeping your community clean. 

 0:48: my name is Jenna Davis. 

 0:49: My pronouns are she, her. 

 0:51: I’m a BFA in Fine Art minor arts and healthcare. 

 0:53: I’m a senior and I’m also the student government president. 

 0:56: On April 24th, SGA is hosting its 4th annual Earth Day Cleanup. 

 1:01: This is a great way for students to get involved and make a positive impact. 

 1:05: What specific goals do you have for this Earth Day cleanup? 

 1:08: is it mostly about awareness, measuring impact, student turnout, long term change? 

 1:13: The goal of Earth Day Cleanup is to build community around sustainability, by bringing people together and cleaning up our campus to help make it a greener place, and also inform them of what things. 

 1:25: Should be recycled versus shouldn’t. 

 1:27: Are there any like specific locations beyond just campus that you think students should focus on during this cleanup? 

 1:32: Would it be like dorm buildings or around like the student center areas like that? 

 1:36: We are planning to clean up from IWLs all the way down to Roosevelt, down Wabash, and some of the side streets. 

 1:43: we’ve had success in the past with a lot of people, so we’re planning. 

 1:47: Potentially for 10 groups, which would allow us to do larger areas like parking lots, things like that, but Ida B. 

 1:54: Wells to Roosevelt is our area. 

 1:56: What strategies are you using to get students, excited, about participating? 

 2:01: so our poster has been out for a while now, so we’re marketing the heck out of that and then my vice president of communications, Danielle Lang is working on some reels to get people excited on Instagram. 

 2:13: we sent out a bunch of emails within. 

 2:15: different newsletters of all the schools, yeah. 

 2:20: How can a one day event translate into long term sustainable habits on campus? 

 2:26: I think that for this event specifically, being a one day cleanup, it can encourage people to be more mindful of where they’re throwing things out, especially if you’re out in public and you don’t know where the trash can is, find the trash can because so much trash ends up on the streets, and you don’t realize it until you’re spending all morning picking it up. 

 2:45: Are there any policies or campus changes that you’re really pushing to be implemented beyond this event? 

 2:52: Not at the moment because I am graduating, but I did update all of the signage on all the recycling bins and garbage bins, my freshman year. 

 3:01: and that has been that has left a very positive impact because it increased our diversion rate, which was the initial goal of the entire collaboration with facilities. 

 3:11: I hope that my successors of SGA continue this event. 

 3:17: we have. 

 3:18: Week going on as well. 

 3:20: that’s been a kind of expansion of the Earth Day cleanup, encouraging other student groups to come together to promote sustainability. 

 3:30: so it may look different next year. 

 3:32: I don’t know, but I hope that the Earth Day cleanup stays. 

 3:35: What’s one misconception students have about environmental action that you’d want to change? 

 3:40: Hm, I think students think that they don’t have an impact, but something as small as putting your recyclables in the right bin does have an impact. 

 3:49: For example, with putting up the new signage, like it changed behavior, I actively see people making sure, oh, the plastic goes in this bin, oh, my wrappers go in this bin, so something as small as a behavioral change in your everyday activities can make a huge impact by leading to a higher diversion rate. 

 4:09: And my last question for you is, if a student wants to get more involved after this event, what should the next steps be? 

 4:15: First step, you can come to student government meetings, which are every Tuesday, 5 to 6. 

 4:20: we can talk about sustainability. 

 4:22: There is a sustainability, passion project team. 

 4:26: that works together on all of this, and we also have an upcoming, potential, actually don’t want to confirm that our donation drive, which we did, we’ve done in the past, but we don’t know if it’s gonna happen again this year. 

 4:37: But, outside of that, there are a bunch of sustainability activism resources outside of campus. 

 4:44: So if you want to get started over the summer, you can do that too. 

 4:47: So, this Friday, April 24th is our 4th annual Earth Day cleanup. 

 4:51: It’s from 10 to 12. 

 4:53: We’re meeting on the first floor of the student center. 

 4:56: and then we will disperse into groups. 

 4:57: It’s going to be a lot of fun. 

 4:59: There will be some faculty, administration, students, a lot of bonding, and there might be food afterwards. 

 5:09: Make sure to stay up to date with campus and Metro news at Columbia Chronicle.com. 

 5:14: I’m Levi Libson. 

 5:15: Thanks for listening. 

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, “Michael” traces Michael Jackson’s rise from his early days with the Jackson 5 to the global success of his solo career, including albums like “Bad”.

At the center of the story is Jackson’s complicated and often painful relationship with his father, Joe Jackson, played with intensity by Colman Domingo. The film establishes this dynamic early, showing a young Michael, portrayed by Juliano Valdi, avoiding eye contact during rehearsals, a subtle but telling detail that underscores the fear shaping his childhood.

Valdi sets the scene with his amazing performance as young Michael in the days of the Jackson 5, balancing his disdain for his father with his love for music, appearing tense during rehearsals, yet entranced when performing.

Domingo, meanwhile, embodies Joe Jackson as both commanding and deeply unsettling, capturing the rigid control that defined the family’s rise.

As the narrative moves into the late 1960s and beyond, the signing of the Jackson 5 to Motown marks a turning point. Michael’s talent comes into sharper focus, even as the psychological toll of his upbringing becomes more apparent. The film depicts him retreating into childlike comforts such as stories, animals and imagination as a way to cope.

Casting Jaafar Jackson, Jackson’s real-life nephew, in the lead role of Michael, caused controversy around the Jackson family’s intentions with this biopic. 

The film, co-produced by John Branca and John McClain — co-executors of the Jackson estate — has faced criticism over its perspective and omissions. The film lays the foundation for Michael’s controversy with the Neverland Ranch, where he was acquited of charges of sexual abuse, through the depictions of the comfort he found in the children’s story “Peter Pan.” However, the film concludes before Michael has any affiliation with Neverland Ranch, focusing on his rise to stardom. 

In a film centered on the abuse Michael endured throughout his upbringing, the absence of the Neverland controversy feels unexpectedly refreshing rather than evasive. The narrative instead highlights his early refusal to rely on drugs, even while recovering from severe injuries sustained during the Pepsi-commercial accident, when his hair caught fire. In light of Michael Jackson’s death from acute propofol intoxication, this detail adds a more human layer to his story and draws a subtle contrast with how his life later unfolded. 

Reports suggest that a sequel to “Michael” is being strongly considered, which could explore the more controversial later years of his life. Similar to the two-part structure of “Wicked” and its follow-up, the film sets up the possibility of telling a longer story that follows a shift from innocence into something more complicated.

Noticeably, Janet Jackson, who was known to have the closest relationship with Michael, was missing from the film. Some members of the Jackson family, including Janet Jackson, reportedly distanced themselves from the project, though she has praised Jaafar Jackson’s performance.

Janet’s absence was incredibly noticeable as a viewer, especially since La Toya Jackson was highly featured throughout the story, adding to the dynamics in the difference of how the Jackson sons were treated in comparison to the daughters. 

Jaafar Jackson perfectly portrays the conflict Michael has with his father, Joe Jackson, while also channeling Michael as a person with his voice, appearance and dancing. 

Jaafar reportedly practiced for this role in the Jackson family home Hayvenhurst, in the room where Michael would previously practice, to truly channel his uncle.

The film devotes significant time to the creation of Jackson’s landmark albums, including “Off the Wall,” “Thriller” and “Bad,” offering glimpses into his creative process and inspirations, from horror films to the realities of life in Los Angeles. These sequences are among the film’s most engaging, blending music, movement and storytelling.

The production of “Beat It” on “Thriller” was especially impactful, reflecting Michael Jackson’s response to the gang violence he witnessed in Los Angeles, particularly between the Bloods and Crips. To reinforce the song’s message, he even hired real members of rival gangs to appear as dancers in the music video, underscoring the idea that music can serve as a powerful force for unity across deep divisions.

“Michael” does an incredible job at portraying the story of Michael Jackson and capturing his essence, without feeding into the negativity surrounding the popstar. The film succeeds in capturing the scale of the singer’s influence and the emotional weight of his journey. Anchored by strong performances and electrifying musical sequences, “Michael” offers an immersive and carefully curated portrait of one of pop music’s most enduring figures.

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The college formally marked the opening of the spaces with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, April 23.

The Academic Center for Tutoring was previously located on the first floor of 33 Ida B. Wells, but that space is undergoing renovations to become the new Center for Student Success. The project is funded by an Illinois Board of Higher Education capital grant and supported through the Independent Colleges Capital Investment Grant Program, the Chronicle previously reported.

“I stress the coziness because people feel very comfortable with it and it seems to be the right size for the moment,” said Tanya Harasym, director of the Academic Center for Tutoring. “It fits our current time and tutors and students alike seem to be very much enjoying it.”

The Honors Lounge, previously located on the fourteenth floor of 624 S. Michigan Ave., now sits adjacent to the tutoring center. The new space features an open, multi-purpose space that includes a presentation area, kitchenette and private study rooms. The goal for the lounge is to create a space for honors students to have a strong sense of community and promote academic engagement. 

“This lounge has been very intentionally designed, and it is going to be a hub for connection. It is going to be a hub for creative inquiry that supports the honors experience,” President and CEO Shantay Bolton said at the ceremony. “I want this to be a space where they exchange ideas that carry them from their time at Columbia well into their careers and beyond.”

The redesign of the Honors Lounge was planned by a team of honors students, led by Robin Whatley, director of the Honors Program, and others. 

The idea for the new lounge came after the college began to relocate programs from the 624 S. Michigan Ave. building, which is being cleared completely out this summer in preparation for its sale. 

The student redesign team worked to keep the same artistic elements from the old lounge to bring into the new one, said Micheal Kowalkowski, junior fine arts and arts management double major.

A call for art was put out to honors students earlier in the semester, and every artist who submitted their work got it featured in the new lounge. 

“Since it’s a student lounge, having students involved really helped a lot in making sure it’s something they can use,” Kowalkowski said.

Sophomore illustration major Jade Flournoy was one of the students with artwork featured in the lounge. Her piece, titled “Bloom” and shows butterflies, was created specifically for the space as she said it represents growth. 

“My work centers around nature, and I know being in the honors program and being around so many people allows me to see my peers grow,” Flournoy said. 

Brian Marth, associate vice president for Student Success, thanked the team of students for redesigning the lounge, and said he hopes that the location for both the lounge and tutoring center sees longevity. 

“You make Columbia what it is in the terms of the home we want to be,” Marth said. “Students feel challenged by the work they’re doing, but supported while they’re doing it.”

Copy edited by Katie Peters

Lambrini Lukidis, associate vice president of strategic communications and external relations, was laid off on Wednesday, April 22, the latest senior official to lose their job as the college works to close its $40 million deficit. 

Lukidis joined the college in 2018 under former President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim. She acted as a spokesperson during major events at the college, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the historic part-time faculty strike in 2023. 

On Thursday, April 23, the Chronicle contacted Lukidis by text with a routine inquiry, and she responded that going forward, reporters should reach out to Adriel Hilton, vice president of institutional strategy and chief of staff. Lukidis later confirmed that her position was eliminated. Hilton did not respond to requests for comment. 

The move comes amid a series of cost-cutting measures tied to the college’s deficit. 

Since January 2025, the college has laid off 48 full-time faculty members, including 32 tenured faculty. The year before, 70 staff members were laid off across the college, as the Chronicle previously reported.

The college also laid off three senior administrators last month, including former Interim President and CEO Jerry Tarrer, former Chief of Staff Laurent Pernot and Jeffrey Reuter, associate vice president of budget, planning and analysis. 

The names of the laid-off administrators were removed from the website on March 31. That same day, President and CEO Shantay Bolton sent an email outlining steps to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the college, including reductions and realignment of the executive and management structure. She is expected to present her strategic plan to the Board of Trustees next month.

Lukidis was still listed in directory on the college’s website as of Thursday night.

With Lukidis’s departure, Vice President of Student Affairs Sharon Wilson-Taylor is the only member of Kim’s cabinet left at the college. Neither Lukidis nor Wilson-Taylor were appointed to Bolton’s cabinet.

“Columbia College Chicago is not one person,” said Emmanuel Lalande, senior vice president of enrollment strategy and student success. “We have amazing staff, faculty and, of course, students, who will continue to elevate this brand.”

In January, Bolton brought in several new administrators, including Maryann Schaefer as assistant vice president for admissions, Aubrie J. Willaert as vice president for development and alumni engagement and Jeffrey Bethke as interim chief financial officer. The college also appointed Adam Weiss as vice president of legal affairs and general counsel in March.

The college has been expanding its promotional efforts to recruit new students after spring enrollment hit a 20-year low this year, as the Chronicle previously reported. Recent Admitted Student Days have since drawn record registrations and early deposits, underscoring the administration’s parallel focus on rebuilding enrollment.

New recruitment initiatives include a one-year $2,500 scholarship for students who submitted tuition deposits by March 15 and a partnership with the Bahamas Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training. The five-year agreement will support up to 20 students, with government funding ranging from approximately $7,500 to $16,000 per student. 

The college will have a clearer picture about new student enrollment after May 1, traditionally National College Decision Day in the U.S.

As head of strategic communications and external relations, Lukidis was one of the college’s primary public-facing administrators, overseeing media relations and institutional messaging. In that role, she functioned as a primary spokesperson for the college, representing the administration in communications with the press, issuing official statements and helping shape how institutional decisions were explained to the public.

Prior to coming to Columbia, Lukidis was the director of communications for the Forest Preserves of Cook County and a media relations representative for the Chicago Transit Authority. 

On April 16, Lukidis spoke to students in the “Columbia TV” capstone course, which produces “South Loop TV,” a weekly broadcast covering campus and local news. 

Lukidis previously worked as a broadcast reporter and anchor.

Senior journalism major Hunter Warner said that hearing Lukidis tell the class about her journalism background gave him a “broader perspective” on the experience she brought to her role at Columbia.

“She knew what it was like from the reporter side,” he said.

Warner communicated with Lukidis in the past while working on a story for an investigative reporting course. He said he is concerned about how Lukidis’s absence might affect journalism students as they seek information from the college administration.

“That’s going to be tougher for them to be able to develop the stories that they want to be able to tell and the stories that they need to tell about the college,” he said.

Jenna Davis, president of the Student Government Association, said she hopes that the college, “with all the press they have been doing,” continues to communicate with the community. 

“I think the college will continue to move forward and fill in these gaps there may be and adapt to make sure the college and student body thrive,” Davis said.

Additional reporting by Kate Julianne Larroder.

Copy edited by Katie Peters

Resumen en español 

Esta semana, Columbia eliminó su cargo de portavoz principal, Lambrini Lukidis, justo cuando busca reconfigurar la narrativa en torno a su actual crisis financiera. 

Lukidis se incorporó a la institución en 2018 bajo la dirección del expresidente y director ejecutivo Kwang-Wu Kim. Se desempeñó como portavoz durante eventos trascendentales en la universidad, incluida la pandemia de COVID-19 y la histórica huelga del profesorado a tiempo parcial en 2023. 

El jueves 23 de abril, el Chronicle contactó a Lukidis por mensaje de texto para realizar una consulta rutinaria; ella respondió que, de ahora en adelante los periodistas debían dirigirse a Adriel Hilton, vicepresidente de estrategia institucional y jefe de gabinete. Posteriormente, Lukidis confirmó que su cargo había sido eliminado. Hilton no respondió a las solicitudes de comentarios. 

Con la salida de Lukidis, la vicepresidenta de Asuntos Estudiantiles, Sharon Wilson-Taylor, es la única miembro del gabinete de Kim que permanece en la institución. Ni Lukidis ni Wilson-Taylor fueron designados para formar parte del gabinete de Bolton. 

Antes de llegar a Columbia, Lukidis fue directora de comunicaciones de las Reservas Forestales del Condado de Cook y representante de relaciones con los medios de la Autoridad de Tránsito de Chicago. 

Anteriormente, Lukidis trabajó como reportera de radiodifusión y presentadora de noticias. 

Jenna Davis, presidenta de la Asociación de Gobierno Estudiantil, expresó su esperanza de que la universidad “dada toda la labor de prensa que han estado realizando” continúe manteniendo la comunicación con la comunidad. 

“Creo que la universidad seguirá avanzando para subsanar las posibles brechas existentes y se adaptará para asegurar que tanto la institución como el cuerpo estudiantil prosperen”, afirmó Davis. 

Resumen por Anthony Hernandez

Editado por Brandon Anaya