Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of the graduating classes of 2021 and 2020 at Columbia College Chicago's annual Commencement exercises and Manifest Urban Arts Festival, which will be offered in a virtual format.

Columbia College Chicago will celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating classes of 2021 and 2020 at its annual Commencement exercises, which this year will be offered in a virtual format. A total of five Commencement ceremonies will be made available for viewing beginning Saturday, May 15 at 10 a.m. CDT.

This year’s virtual Commencement exercises have been enhanced to reproduce, as closely as possible, the in-person celebratory experience for which Columbia is renowned. The ceremonies will be available at colum.edu/commencement for on-demand streaming throughout the month of June and there is no registration required for viewing.

During the Commencement ceremonies, the College will also confer honorary degrees on professor emeritus of history Dominic Pacyga; cinematographer Michael Goi ‘80; and the six-member team from the Chicago office of Gensler, the global architecture and design firm, that designed Columbia’s Student Center, which opened in September 2019.

The week prior to Commencement, from May 10-14, we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Manifest virtually at manifest.colum.edu. Join us in viewing the work of Columbia’s graduating students, including musical performances on the Mainstage, gallery exhibitions, dance and theatre performances, sketch comedy, and much more.

Columbia College Chicago’s Manifest Urban Arts Festival has been celebrating student creativity since its inception in 2001. Heralded as a student-powered festival because Columbia students drive its production each year, the annual tradition brings the campus community together in Chicago’s South Loop to celebrate Columbia’s creative spirit and creates long-lasting, memorable relationships, and connections. 

Want to get in on all the behind-the-scenes fun and be the first to know about the great things happening this year? Be sure to check out the Manifest Web Series on Thursdays at 7 p.m. CST and follow Manifest on all social media platforms @cccmanifest. 

Feeling nostalgic? This year you can also watch students, alumni, staff, and faculty share what Manifest means to them and their favorite memories of the festival. Relive Manifest's of the past here. 

For more information and the most up-to-date programming, visit manifest.colum.edu.

We hope that you will join us for Manifest and Commencement from wherever you are!

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