Announcing Suzanne McBride as Columbia's New Interim Provost

PhotoPhoto of Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Suzanne McBride
Columbia College Chicago is pleased to announce Dean of Faculty Affairs Suzanne McBride as Interim Senior Vice President and Provost, effective June 3, 2025, while conducting a nationwide provost search. 

A longtime member of the Columbia community, Interim Provost McBride has served in various academic and leadership roles since joining the college in 2005. A professor of journalism, she previously served as chair of the former Communication Department and dean of the former School of Graduate Studies. 

"I’m excited and humbled to be stepping into this role," Interim Provost McBride said. "Columbia has been such an important part of my life these last 20 years. What an honor it is to be helping lead the institution in this moment.

 "There's so much each of us in the Columbia community has to offer. I invite everyone - students, full- and part-time faculty, staff and alums  – to join me in the important work we're doing for a place that we love."

Like many Columbia faculty members, she remains active in the field in which she teaches, bringing real-world expertise and networking opportunities to our students as they start their creative careers on campus. She’s worked as an editor at the Chicago Sun-Times since 2016. 

A nationally recognized expert in community news and investigative reporting, she was a Fulbright Scholar in Ireland, where she conducted research about online journalism and taught at the Dublin Institute of Technology. She has lectured around the world and worked with the U.S. Department of State on international media initiatives in Thailand and Fiji. She’s launched two local news sites, incluing "ChicagoTalks" with a grant from J-Lab, that have showcased the work of hundreds of Columbia students. 

Interim Provost McBride began her career in public service as a legislative aide in Washington, D.C. Before joining Columbia, she was a top editor at "The Indianapolis Star" and served in a number of roles at other news outlets, including WTHR-13, the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis; "The Terre Haute Tribune-Star;" and "The Journal Gazette" in Fort Wayne.

A Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude graduate of the University of Iowa, McBride holds a BA in Journalism and Psychology. She earned a MSJ in journalism with honors from Northwestern University.

Interim Provost McBride’s appointment will continue until a permanent provost is named; a national search is being conducted.

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