Congratulations, Graduates! You did it. Several dedicated years of learning and honing your craft at Columbia College Chicago have transformed you into the career-ready, creative professionals you are today. You are an unstoppable force, ready to take on a world that is waiting for you. Enjoy this special moment and know that we are here cheering you on. We can’t wait to see what you shape next!
Commencement 2023 - Saturday
Commencement 2023 - Sunday
By: Charles Heiter
“I was heavily inspired by the urban decay around my hometown and used it to push my early interest in short films and photography. After moving to Chicago for college, the city’s unique and varied architecture caught my eye at every turn. It’s structurally beautiful and I spent many hours during the pandemic photographing the city. Within my work, I strive to use unique and odd angles to create new ways to view the environment around me, creating new perspectives to take in the world from. I’ve furthered this idea by abstracting the architecture even more within Photoshop. I flip, copy, paste, and color all parts of the image in order to find the results I desire. These works are often described as alien, otherworldly, or reality bending, but to me it's still Chicago’s architecture just shown in a new way for people to enjoy.”
By: Sarah Peecher
feels like
riding a bike
down the gravel road
between fields
full of coneflower
periwinkle, goldenrod
grass, asters. Easy –
though pedaling is hard
teeth chattering
rocks clanking against
the metal bike frame
and it’s four miles
to return home.
Laying under a locust tree
surprised by a sudden
dangling inchworm
a sticky memory
sliding down on a brain-string
making shoulders shiver
shake.
Night noises
whispers and creaks
still perceptible under
cellos and piano
buzzing from a boombox.
Standing on hot
asphalt during a
summer storm
refreshed by rain
tingling before lightning
streaks the clouds
and running inside to
wrap up in a beach towel
fresh from the dryer.
Fog
the next morning,
or the things
hidden by it
giants made of mud
entirely imagined
yet almost visible.
Each graduating student has a story to tell about their journey. Here are just a few of those stories told to inspire others along their educational path.
Read moreThis modified program is intended as a tribute to our students’ accomplishments in completing their programs of study. Hopefully it will also serve as a memento of your shared experiences as members of the graduating class of 2023.
Read moreExplore photos from one on of the most memorable commencement ceremonies in our college’s history.
See Ceremony photos