Shantay N. Bolton, PhD, Formally Installed as 11th President of Columbia College Chicago
With its own distinctive flair, Columbia College Chicago formally installed Shantay N. Bolton, PhD, as its 11th president on Thursday, March 5, during an investiture ceremony titled “Renaissance Rising: 135 Years Bold.”
Held during Women’s History Month, the investiture marked a historic milestone for the 135-year-old arts institution. Dr. Bolton is the first woman of color — and the first woman in nearly 90 years — to lead Columbia College Chicago.
Other Columbia events during Investiture Week included a screening and conversation with MacArthur Fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson ’03; a discussion with filmmaker Vincent “Whiskey” Tolliver; a reception at the Museum of Contemporary Photography; and concerts featuring GRAMMY award-winning trumpeter Philip Lassiter and Columbia students.
Dr. Bolton’s investiture formalized more than a presidency; it signaled long-term stewardship for Columbia College Chicago’s next chapter.
“This is our moment of renewal; this is our renaissance,” Dr. Bolton said during her speech. “A renaissance is not nostalgia. It is not restoration for restoration’s sake. A renaissance is a disciplined rebirth. It is a return to purpose with greater clarity, courage, and conviction.”
Academic Tradition Meets Columbia Creativity
That spirit of hope and new beginnings infused the ceremony’s proceedings, energizing and inspiring those in attendance.
Held at Columbia’s Student Center, the investiture welcomed more than 400 guests comprising faculty, staff, and students; delegates from colleges and universities across the U.S.; members of Columbia’s Board of Trustees; and family, friends, and colleagues.
While the gathering crowd mingled, Columbia’s Fusion Ensemble from the School of Audio and Music performed on stage, entertaining the crowd with their unique blend of contemporary jazz, R&B, and rock.
The ceremony itself beautifully blended elements of academic tradition with Columbia’s signature creativity. This was highlighted by the procession of faculty and delegates wearing their academic regalia and Dr. Bolton’s entrance at the end of the procession — a joyful dance down the aisle with Columbia students to the grooves of Michael Jackson.
Following a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by student Briyanna Manzanares ’27, Craig T. Robinson, Jr., senior pastor at St. James AME Church in Chicago, gave an invocation that reflected on the power of creativity.
“Let the art that is created here redirect our consciousness and remind us that there is beauty in this world and that there is hope in this world,” he said.
John M. Holmes, chair of the Board of Trustees, followed with his recollections of first meeting Dr. Bolton and knowing immediately that they had found the right person to lead Columbia.
“What stood out was her conviction about student success and institutional renewal. Two things that are critical to the success of Columbia,” he said.
Holmes noted that those same qualities continue to define her leadership today.
“The qualities that impressed the search committee have since been evident in her engagement with faculty and staff, her partnership with the business and civic community of Chicago, and her clear articulation of a forward-looking vision for Columbia College Chicago.”
Charges to the President
Suzanne McBride, interim senior vice president and provost and professor of Journalism, introduced a tradition that is customary at presidential investitures: charges to the president. In this portion of the ceremony, representatives from different community stakeholder groups at Columbia — faculty, adjunct faculty, staff, alumni, and students — expressed their hopes and aspirations for Dr. Bolton in her role as president.
Below are some highlights of those remarks:
“At Columbia College Chicago, difference is not an afterthought. It is our foundation. This is a college built on voices that refuse to blend into the background … may our leadership continue to foster an environment where difference is not merely tolerated, but recognized as the source of innovation, empathy, and transformation.”
-Karla Rae Fuller, PhD, professor and president of faculty senate
“Resilience is now our foundation — and it is reflected in our new leader. President Bolton comes to us with a proven history of resilience, and with the experience and visible commitment this moment requires … Our strength has never come from silence or separation — it has always come from standing together. May this renaissance continue to grow from that foundation — and may we build, together, the future our students deserve.”
-Diana Vallera, adjunct professor of instruction and president of the Columbia College Chicago faculty union
“President Bolton, we are emboldened by your presence, by the energy you bring, by the resilience and strategy that can only come from community. We will keep cleaning and planning; keep teaching and advising; keep creating. We will walk alongside these students, we will stand with you and your vision. Because our students deserve our best … we have been waiting for you; we are here with you; and we are ready.
-Rachel Horton MFA ’08, EdD, director of Student Persistence
“Columbia is at its best when it dares to be different. When it disrupts rather than conforms. In a sea of academic sameness, uniqueness is our superpower, creativity our currency, and risk-taking our tradition. Let’s own that … President Bolton, I offer one recommendation: trust this community. Ask us to be brave with you. Because everyone in this room — and in this city — is rooting for Columbia’s renaissance.”
-Michael Wojcik ’96, former president of the National Alumni Board
“President Bolton chose this institution and continues to choose to work for her students, and it is clear in her actions … She has a lot on her agenda constantly, but all of it is because she chose to commit to this institution. On behalf of the Student Body, we are rooting for her and trust she will continue to be a student-focused president for the better of this college.”
-Jenna Davis ’26, president of the Student Government Association
Special Guests
Following a lively performance of selections from the musical “Grease” by representatives from the School of Theatre and Dance, guest speaker Brian L. Johnson, PhD, former president of Warner Pacific University and Tuskegee University, shared his memories of working with Dr. Bolton at Tuskegee as well as advice to faculty, students, and Dr. Bolton.
“Lead with courage. Serve with humility,” he said to Dr. Bolton. “Think and thank deeply. And listen generously. And, above all, love this community not simply for what it is, but for what it must become.”
Making It Official
Returning to tradition, Holmes presented Dr. Bolton with the Presidential Medallion, which he placed around her neck. Fuller then passed to Dr. Bolton the college mace, which represents the collective authority of the college. Both the medallion and the mace were designed and created by sculptor and adjunct professor of instruction Miklos P. Simon.
This portion of the ceremony represented the formal investiture of Shantay N. Bolton, PhD as Columbia’s 11th president.
The ceremony then took a very personal turn when Dr. Bolton’s teenage son Brandon G. Phillips introduced his mother and a video about her life with a moving speech honoring his mother.
“She works very hard; she focuses; she listens; and she takes care of people,” Phillips said. “I am proud of my mom because she works hard for other people. She discovers new places; she builds new teams; she leads with kindness; and she never gives up.”
A video, narrated by award-winning filmmaker Robert Townsend, about Dr. Bolton’s life followed. It traced a life marked by resilience through the eyes of former mentors, friends, and colleagues.
To conclude the event, Dr. Bolton took center stage to express her gratitude, share her vision of a renaissance at Columbia, and call for Columbia to seize the day and make brave, bold choices.
“History does not remember institutions that played it safe. It remembers those who chose courage. So let this be the era when Columbia chose courage. Let this be the era when discipline met imagination, when stability gave birth to innovation, when creativity was not merely defended — it was unleashed,” she said.
“This is our moment.”
See video and photo highlights from Investiture Week at Columbia and learn more about President Bolton.
Student Work Showcased at Reception
A reception immediately following the ceremony invited Dr. Bolton and guests to explore and experience student work throughout the Student Center. Each of the eight schools that comprise Columbia College Chicago hosted activations highlighting what can be accomplished through creativity.
These activations, many of which were interactive, included:
- A “Marty Supreme”-inspired film set, complete with ping pong tables
- An invitation to collaboratively write poetry and stories
- Art exhibitions
- Video games made by students
- A moving fashion show, in which designers accompanied their models throughout the Student Center spaces
- Music rooms dedicated to the past, present, and future of AEMMP records, Columbia’s student-run record label
- Demonstrations of stage combat and dance performances
- Music performances
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