Columbia values an open, affirming, and welcoming environment for all our students.

We are proud that nearly one-third of our undergraduates who’ve chosen Columbia in the last four years have self-identified as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. These students come to us from all over the world. Some come from communities where they’ve been able to live openly in acceptance, while some arrive at Columbia and find their first opportunity to live as their authentic selves.

Our alumni shape what’s next in creative industries and use their voices and talents to share the LGBTQ+ experience and perspective.

To those who support and/or identify with the LGBTQIA+ community: We see you, we stand beside you, you are valid, you are valued, and we embrace you in all your humanness.

To see our diverse creative community and their accomplishments, check out a clip from Manifest, and watch last year's video from the Chicago Pride Parade. This summer, Columbia is holding a Summer Social Justice Institute course for students to explore and analyze how science, gender and art shape societal narratives. The class is lead by Dr. Derick D. Jones, Jr. (They/Them), who will take students to PRIDE 2024 as part of the course’s LGBTQIA+ community exploration.