Created by a team that includes Associate Professor Bill Guschwan and past and present Columbia students, the STIGMA app makes Google Play’s "Best of 2022" list.

Columbia College Chicago is thrilled to announce that Google Play has named the STIGMA app, which was developed by Columbia faculty and students, this year’s “Best App for Good” and one of the Best Apps of 2022. 

The STIGMA app was created by a team that included Bill Guschwan, an associate professor in Interactive Arts and Media; recent alums David Nichol ‘22, Owen Ravelo ‘22, and Aidan McChristie ’22; and current student Duncan McDonald. S

STIGMA was started by Ariana Vargas, founder and CEO. Guschwan joined in 2021 when she needed a CTO, and he recruited Columbia students as interns who eventually became employees. Together, they developed the mental health app, which aims to reduce loneliness and break down the stigma surrounding mental health. The app connects people who are struggling to strangers who share their lived experience. 

“I’ve had my own struggles with mental health over the years, so I have a deep motivation to do work in this area,” Guschwan says. “The whole point of the company in some ways is to normalize conversations around it.” 

Congratulations to the STIGMA app team for this incredible recognition and for using creativity and technology to help those dealing with mental health issues.  

• Interactive Arts and Media
• Media Arts
• Awards

Recent News

• Fashion Studies Students Partner With Apparel Company to Create Adaptive Clothing
• Columbia Students Named Finalists in NRF Foundation’s Student Challenge
• Columbia’s Rankings and Awards in 2022
• DeAndre James Allen-Toole '15, MFA '17 Receives ASCAP Foundation Michelle and Dean Kay Award
• Columbia College Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology Join Forces to Offer Students Expanded Learning Opportunities