Columbia College Chicago to Install Shantay N. Bolton, PhD, as 11th President

Shantay N. Bolton, PhD stands in Columbia College Chicago's Student Center.
Columbia College Chicago will formally install Dr. Shantay N. Bolton, PhD as its 11th president on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

CHICAGO (February 26, 2026) — Columbia College Chicago will formally install Dr. Shantay N. Bolton, PhD as its 11th president during an investiture ceremony titled “Renaissance Rising: 135 Years Bold” on Thursday, March 5, 2026. 

Held during Women’s History Month, the investiture marks a historic milestone for the 135-year-old arts institution. President Bolton is the first woman of color—and the first woman in nearly 90 years—to lead Columbia College Chicago. 

“Columbia College Chicago sits at the center of one of the most dynamic creative cities in the world,” President Bolton says. “Our responsibility is to prepare students not only to participate in that ecosystem, but to shape it — boldly and with purpose.” 

The ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter for the college as it builds on its 135-year legacy in Chicago’s creative and cultural economy. 

Appointed president and chief executive officer on July 1, 2025, President Bolton brings more than two decades of senior-level leadership experience across higher education and the private sector. Widely recognized for her strategic and operational expertise, she has held executive roles at Georgia Institute of Technology, Washington University in St. Louis, Tulane University, and Tuskegee University. 

Under her leadership, Columbia has launched “Renaissance Rising: Shaping Tomorrow Together,” a campus-wide initiative focused on revitalizing the college through innovation and student-centered investment. The initiative reflects President Bolton’s broader vision: ensuring Columbia remains a launchpad for creative careers that power Chicago’s economy and cultural influence. 

Located in Chicago’s South Loop, Columbia prepares students for careers in film, fashion, music, journalism, design, theatre, dance, and creative entrepreneurship. As creative industries continue to drive workforce growth in Chicago, Columbia plays a critical role in developing talent and expanding access for first-generation students. 

An investiture is among the most significant traditions in higher education, formally conferring the authority and responsibilities of presidential leadership. Rooted in centuries-old academic ceremony, the event includes a formal academic procession and remarks from campus and civic leaders. A full schedule of events is available online. 

Columbia’s investiture week will feature a series of public programs and performances celebrating the college’s creative community, including: 

  • A screening and conversation with MacArthur Fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson ’03 
    Striking the Match: Craft, Courage, and Creative Calling with Vincent “Whiskey” Tolliver 
  • MoCP at Fifty: Investiture Collaboration Reception 
  • Residency concerts featuring GRAMMY Award–winning trumpeter Philip Lassiter 
  • Student exhibitions, performances, and cultural events across campus 

Event Details 

Renaissance Rising: 135 Years Bold Investiture Ceremony 
Thursday, March 5, 2026 
Doors open at 9 a.m. CST 
Ceremony: 10 a.m. to Noon CST 
Columbia College Chicago Student Center, 754 S. Wabash Ave. 

Media Invitation 

Media members are invited to attend and cover the event. Visual elements include academic regalia, ceremonial procession, student participation, and remarks focused on leadership, representation, and Chicago’s creative economy. 

For media unable to attend, we encourage you to livestream the event. Post-event b-roll and photography will be available upon request.  

To RSVP or schedule an interview, contact Jourdan Thompson at jothompson@colum.edu. 

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About Columbia College Chicago: Creative Careers Start Here.   
A destination for innovators for more than 135 years and located in the heart of downtown Chicago’s Cultural Mile, Columbia College Chicago is a private, non-profit school for creatives that offers a distinctive curriculum that blends creative and media arts, liberal arts, and business in 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Columbia students graduate career-ready, with creative and critical thinking skills, real-world problem-solving abilities, standout bodies of work, and industry connections to fuel their professional journeys and the creative economy. Find Columbia College Chicago on social media at @ColumbiaChi on X and Instagram, on Facebook and on LinkedIn.  

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Jourdan Thompson
Senior Director of Communications
jothompson@colum.edu

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