Multicultural Profile

Columbia College was established during the World Columbian Exposition of 1890. Its original emphasis on communication arts expanded to include media arts, applied and fine art, theatrical and performing arts, and management and marketing arts. The foundations of a Columbia college education continue to include small class sizes that ensure close interaction with a faculty of working professionals who bring the working world into the classroom, abundant internship opportunities with major employers in the Chicago marketplace, and outstanding professional facilities to foster learning by doing. All students are encouraged to begin coursework in their chosen fields immediately, allowing them four full years in which to master their craft and build professional portfolios, audition tapes, resumes, and clip books. The College provides a sound liberal arts background for the developing artist or communicator and supports a student's employment goal through a full range of career services.

Columbia College's enrollment of 7,000 students is drawn from the U.S. and from 36 other countries. The student body is almost equally divided between men and women, and minority students represent about 36 percent of the student population (23 percent are African-American, nine percent Hispanic, and four percent Asian). Creative students who enjoy a supportive by challenging environment thrive at Columbia.

Outside the classroom, students participate in activities that include the College's student newspaper, radio station, cable television soap opera, three theaters, dance center, photography and art museums, and film and video festival. Many of the 28 student clubs on campus are linked to an academic discipline and offer students opportunities to expand their social and professional networking experiences. Individual services and programming that address the needs of minority students occur throughout the school year.

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