Mary Blood and Ida Riley met at State Agricultural College in Ames, Iowa. Both women saw a great demand for public speaking education. In 1890, they founded the Columbia School of Oratory, taking the name from the upcoming World’s Columbian Exposition, which would be the largest public attraction the world had ever seen.

On August 25, 1890, a small and unassuming ad appeared in the pages of the Chicago Tribune. At just five lines, the description of the Columbia School of Oratory was brief and to the point: “Elocution, Voice Culture, Physical Culture, Visible Speech, Literature and English.”

The Columbia School of Oratory becomes Columbia College of Expression, a not-for-profit institution. The classroom motto became part of the first college seal – “Learn to Do by Doing.”

The college moved from 64 E. Van Buren St. to 3358 S. Michigan Ave. A second building held the Columbia Normal School of Physical Education, and two residence halls for female students are located across the street.

Guided by the board of trustees, Columbia College of Expression joined forces with the nearby Pestalozzi Froebel Teachers College (PFTC). The two schools operated as separate entities, but share faculty, staff, and resources through 1944.

Columbia established a radio department, the first media program at the college, under the direction of Norman Alexandroff. Local radio stations hosted Columbia’s students for on-the-air practice.

The U.S. Government designated Columbia as one of 15 Veterans Administration Guidance Centers in the U.S., providing free counseling and educational services to thousands of returning World War II vets.

At the invitation of the Mexican and Latin American Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, Columbia College organized and directed a training program for broadcast professionals in Mexico City called Columbia College Pan-Americano.

Renowned composer and instrumentalist William Russo became Columbia’s first full-time faculty member and helped found the Music Department. In 1969, After offering photography courses for several years, Columbia established an independent Photography Department. (DD p. 34, College Archive bio)

Now known as The Chronicle, the first known issue of the CC Writer was printed on November 1 and printed tri-weekly. In 1978, the CC Writer was renamed The Columbia Chronicle, the first issue of which was printed on October 31, 1978. The paper soon began printing weekly until the 2020 pandemic. Currently, the Chronicle produces three print editions per academic year.

Columbia launched its student-run radio station, WCRX.

Fashion programs were first offered at the college, and in 2008, the Fashion Studies department was established.

In 2002, Mayfest began as a month-long celebration and in 2004, it became an all-day urban arts festival, now called Manifest.

The Media Production Center was the first newly constructed building in Columbia’s history. The college occupies 2.5 million square feet of classroom, office, exhibit, performance and residence spaces, making it the largest single presence in the South Loop.

Artist Shepard Fairey and other internationally acclaimed street artists installed murals on Columbia buildings, bringing attention to the burgeoning Wabash Arts Corridor.

In 2018, the Getz Theater’s 2-year renovation project was completed. The building’s Art Deco façade was diligently preserved and the main auditorium was transformed into what we now recognize as the Courtyard Theater. With three other performance spaces, the theater brought all theatre facilities under one roof.

Columbia College Chicago officially opened its first-ever $50 million Student Center, a new hub for collaboration, creativity, and innovation at the heart of the college for creatives in Chicago’s South Loop.

The five-story, 114,000 square-foot building, located at 754 South Wabash Avenue, was conceptualized through “Dream Out Loud” student input sessions to better deliver the kind of space most beneficial to student success.

The facility was designed by Gensler and built by Pepper Construction.

On campus learning shifts to an online asynchronous model throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. A partial campus re-opening began on June 26, and students return officially in the Fall 2020.

Columbia highlighted the artistry of its alums in a marketing campaign that featured commissioned illustration work by Illustration and Civic Media alumn Dean Strauss’ MA ’20, and a public art installation by Photography alum Deanna J. Smith ’21.

Through the Annual Fundraising Gala, Columbia raised more than $750k in scholarships.

The Dance Center celebrated its 50th season with a culmination of performances throughout the year by faculty, students, and special guests.

Nearly one-third of Columbia's undergraduates have self-identified as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Columbia participated in the Chicago Pride Parade by providing a cooling station bus and other essentials to attendees.

Columbia students partner with NASCAR for a second time to create race-themed games.

Columbia College Chicago announced a new strategic partnership with Behr Paint, The Home Depot, and One Summer Chicago. This collaboration provided paid summer job opportunities for students while enhancing the renowned Wabash Arts Corridor with two new murals by Columbia faculty: “Alligators” by Cecilia Beaven and “Curious Bunny” by Cheri Charlton.

As we approach 2025, we remain committed to guiding the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders toward success. Creative careers start here.