President's Welcome

Dear Supporter of the Arts,

I hope you will join us for Columbia College Chicago's 2011-12 season of Conversations in the Arts, a program series that offers in-depth dialogue with some of the world's most notable cultural figures in a select and intimate setting.

This year is the third of a three-year cycle in which we focus on disciplines related to the college's three schools: The School of Media Arts (2009-10), The School of Fine and Performing Arts (2010-11), and The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2011-12).

This year's Conversations in the Arts guests are major figures in the humanities and social sciences, representing political science, women's studies, and sociology. Gloria Steinem, pioneering feminist activist and writer, came to our campus on February 7, 2012. On October 25, 2011, we were joined by Donna Brazile, veteran Democratic political strategist and a frequent political commentator. Our final guest of the season will be Michael Beschloss, the celebrated presidential historian and author, on March 8.

The individuals who join us for Conversations in the Arts exemplify the humanistic qualities and values we bring to education at Columbia College Chicago. The past seven seasons have brought many legendary cultural figures — the list includes Lauren Bacall, Ben Vereen, Mary Tyler Moore, Julie Andrews, James Earl Jones, Debbie Reynolds, Joan Lunden, Richard Roundtree, Salman Rushdie, Jane Alexander, Edward James Olmos, Diahann Carroll, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Jonathan Kozol, Sir Ken Robinson, Anna Deavere Smith, Richard Florida, Biz Stone, Mauro Fiore, Arianna Huffington, Mira Nair, Patti Smith, David Cromer, and Christian Siriano. All have offered a depth of perspective and personal recollection that have created truly memorable experiences.

As a leading innovator in arts, media, and communications education and practice — and a major player in Chicago's vibrant cultural scene — Columbia College Chicago is the ideal presenter for this kind of encounter. We enrich lives by providing excellence and opportunity in higher education, training a highly diverse student body to author the culture of their times. These graduates in turn enhance the vitality of American life, bringing a multiplicity of voices and visions to their films, dance works, paintings, writings — all their creative endeavors.

Columbia College Chicago welcomes you to visit with some of the most influential cultural figures of our time. I hope to see you at the next conversation!

Warrick L. Carter, Ph.D.
President, Columbia College Chicago

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