Strategic Plan

1014 S Michigan Music Building with person walking through park and green trees in bloom

Dear Columbia College Chicago Community,

I am honored to share that Columbia College Chicago has officially launched Renaissance Rising: Shaping Tomorrow Together, a comprehensive and collaborative strategic planning process that will define our direction for the next three years.

This is a moment of renewal and reinvention for our institution. Together, we will build upon Columbia’s proud legacy while shaping a bold and sustainable future that advances creativity, access, and innovation. Renaissance Rising will engage our entire community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and external stakeholders—in envisioning how Columbia can best prepare creative professionals for the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow.

The process is organized around four institutional priorities that will guide our work:

Each priority reflects the shared commitment of our community to ensuring that Columbia continues to thrive as a creative institution of excellence.

To bring this work to life, four workstreams have been established to examine our most critical areas of focus and opportunity. The Enrollment and Academic Portfolio Workstream will explore strategies to attract, retain, and support a talented student body while strengthening our academic offerings. The Brand, Reputation, and Philanthropy Workstream will elevate Columbia’s public identity and engage alumni, donors, and partners in expanding our reach and impact. The Financial and Operational Efficiency Workstream will focus on improving our institutional systems, structures, and processes to enhance fiscal sustainability and performance. The People and Culture Workstream will address our shared commitment to community, ensuring that Columbia remains an inspiring and inclusive place to learn and work.

This work will unfold across four phases: Launch and Mobilization, Discovery and Analysis, Design and Strategy Development, and Integration and Drafting. Through this process, we will listen, analyze, and collaborate to shape strategies that are data-informed, mission-driven, and focused on measurable impact.

I invite you to follow our progress and participate in the opportunities for engagement that will occur throughout the academic year. Your voice matters deeply in shaping the Columbia of the future.

With gratitude and anticipation,
President Bolton signature
Shantay N. Bolton, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Office of the President Columbia College Chicago



Overview of the Strategic Planning Process

Renaissance Rising: Shaping Tomorrow Together  is Columbia College Chicago’s institutional strategic planning process that will guide our direction from 2026 through 2029. The process is designed to strengthen the College’s foundation while advancing its mission of developing creative, entrepreneurial, and socially conscious graduates who shape culture through the arts, media, and business.

The planning process is anchored in four institutional priorities: Stabilizing enrollment, Elevating the Columbia brand, Strengthening philanthropy, and Improving operational efficiency.

Through this process, Columbia will clarify its strategic goals, sharpen its competitive identity, and design an implementation roadmap that supports institutional excellence.

Purpose of the Process

The purpose of   Renaissance Rising  is to develop a unified institutional strategy that aligns our academic programs, financial models, and operational systems with the needs of our students and the realities of the creative economy. Through this process, Columbia will clarify its strategic goals, sharpen its competitive identity, and design an implementation roadmap that supports institutional excellence.

Phases of the Process

The process unfolds in four distinct but interconnected phases:

Phase One: Launch and Mobilization (October 2025)

Formation of the Strategic Planning Task Force and four workstreams focused on the College’s institutional priorities.

Phase Two: Discovery and Analysis (November to December 2025)

Completion of environmental scans and stakeholder engagement using PESTLE, SWOT, and other analytical models.

Phase Three: Design and Strategy Development (December 2025 to January 2026)

Development of strategies, measurable goals, and performance indicators aligned with the College’s mission and vision.

Phase Four: Integration and Drafting (January to April 2026)

Synthesis of recommendations from all workstreams into a unified plan for review by the Board of Trustees and public launch in spring 2026.

  • Strategic Planning Task Force
    Co-Chairs

    Professor Beth Ryan, Professor of Instruction, School of Business and Entrepreneurship
    Adriel A. Hilton, Vice President of Institutional Strategy and Chief of Staff

    Administrative Support

    Charles Kimball, Special Assistant for Strategic Initiatives and Director of Board Relations

    Task Force Membership

    Jenna Davis, Student Government Association President
    Kevin Cooper, Associate Director of Semester in LA Program and Professor in the School of Film and Television
    Karla Rae Fuller, Faculty Senate President and Professor in the School of Film and Television
    Allison Geller, Staff Union President
    Mark Kelly, Art and Civic Community Member – ex officio
    Emmanuel Lalande, Senior Vice President of Enrollment Strategy and Student Success
    Mary Mazurek '11 MFA, National Alumni Board President
    Suzanne McBride, Interim Senior Vice President and Provost
    Jimmy Noriega, Professor and Allen and Lynn Turner Director of School of Theater and Dance
    Colbey E. Reid, Professor and Director of the School of Fashion
    Diana Vallera, CFAC President and Adjunct Professor of Instruction in School of Visual Arts
    Sharon Wilson-Taylor, Vice President of Student Affairs

WORKSTREAMS:

Supporting this work, four workstreams will align Columbia’s institutional priorities with culture and talent serving as a cross-cutting theme. Each group will synthesize input and develop strategies addressing the following workstreams:

  • Enrollment and Academic Portfolio

    Enrollment and Academic Portfolio Workstream Members

    • Stefanie Valle Aguilera — Leader of the Latino Alliance
    • Charles Borg — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Film and Television
    • Niena Drake — National Alumni Board Member
    • Jill Goldberg — Communications Manager
    • Ames Hawkins, PhD — Professor and Interim Director, School of Communication and Culture
    • Rachel Horton — Director of Student Persistence
    • Monika Jaiswal-Oliver — Academic Manager, Business and Entrepreneurship
    • Brian Marth — Associate Vice President for Student Success (Co-Chair)
    • Myles McClelland — Student, Film and TV
    • Tim McCain — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Theatre and Dance
    • Dardi McGinley-Gallivan — Professor of Instruction, School of Theatre and Dance
    • Ross Sawyers — Associate Professor, School of Visual Arts
    • Marcelo Sabatés, Ph.D. — Professor of Philosophy and Latin American/Latine Studies, School of Communication and Culture
    • Jeff Sanderson — Columbia Central Counselor
    • Skye Rust — Senior Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment
    • Lauren Targ — Assistant Director, College Advising Office
    • Wenhwa Tsao — Professor and Interim Co-Director, School of Film and Television (Co-Chair)

     

  • Brand, Reputation and Philanthropy

    Brand, Reputation and Philanthropy Workstream Members

    • Zeline Bates — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Communication & Culture
    • Gabriela Diaz de Sabatés — Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
    • Marcus Hamlin — Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
    • Abby Hernandez — Student, AMA President
    • Sandra Kumorowski — Associate Professor of Instruction, School of Business and Entrepreneurship
    • Deana Lewis ’05 — Senior Director of Marketing, The Mather Group LLC
    • Allen Lucas — Coordinator of Student Organizations
    • Duncan MacKenzie — Associate Professor and Interim Director of the School of Visual Arts
    • Braxton Mastre — Student Representative to the National Alumni Board
    • Peg Murphy — Associate Professor, School of Business and Entrepreneurship
    • Anna Ogier-Bloomer — Associate Dean for Career Development and Industry Relations Partners
    • Jim Rohn — Associate Professor, School of Design
    • Rajah Varnado — Assistant Director of New Student Programs
    • Lauren Viera — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Communication and Culture
    • Jourdan Arnaud Thompson — Senior Director of Campus Communications (Co-Chair)
    • Kubi Uner — Chair of the Graduate Council; Associate Professor and Graduate Director, School of Audio and Music (Co-Chair)
    • Michelle West — Assistant Director, Semester in LA
  • Financial and Operational Efficiency

     Financial and Operational Efficiency Workstream Members

    • Rojhat Avsar — Associate Professor, School of Communication and Culture
    • Nate Bakkum — Senior Associate Provost
    • Laura Bauknecht — Director of Academic Operations
    • Jerry Brindisi — Professor and Interim Director of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship (Co-Chair)
    • Natasha Egan — Executive Director of the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Co-Chair)
    • Marvery Griffin — Assistant Provost of Finance
    • Shawnta Jackson ’03 — National Alumni Board Member
    • Matthew Jaehrling — Associate Vice President, Controller and Treasurer
    • Ginny Johnson — Assistant Vice President for Student Financial Services
    • Jasmyn Leapheart — Assistant Director of Admissions and New Student Scholarships
    • John Losacco — Assistant Professor of Instruction, School of Design
    • Bernie Mack — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Audio and Music
    • Devon Polderman — Academic Manager, School of Communication and Culture
    • Jesse Seay — Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Academic Programming
    • Trinity Sutton — Student Representative to the Board of Trustees
    • Susan Van Veen — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Business and Entrepreneurship
    • Rebecca Urzua — Student, School of Audio and Music
  • People and Culture

    People and Culture Workstream Members

    • Matthew Eiler-Rillie — Coordinator of Education and Community Development
    • Raymia Jones Fowler — President of the Black Student Union (BSU)
    • Spencer Hellert — Assistant Professor, School of Design
    • Taylor Hokanson — Associate Professor, School of Visual Arts
    • Lambrini Lukidis — Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications and External Relations
    • Nick McCormick — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Communication and Culture
    • Jesus Monroy — Admissions Officer – Transfer Specialist
    • Charee D. Mosby-Holloway — Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion (Co-Chair)
    • Patricia Olalde — Associate Vice President, Human Resources (Co-Chair)
    • Marcos Palacios ’06 — Honorary Degree Recipient 2025
    • Pegeen Quinn — Associate Provost for Academic Personnel
    • Amber Samuelson — Assistant General Counsel
    • Ron Sodini — Associate Vice President for Safety and Security
    • Laura Sturm — Adjunct Professor of Instruction, School of Theatre and Dance
    • Regina Telinski — Photography student and Henry Nias Business in Arts Fellow, MoCP
    • Krista Wortendyke — Assistant Professor of Instruction, School of Design

Engagement opportunities will extend beyond the task force and workstreams. A series of listening sessions will invite input from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners. Community conversations across Chicago will unite residents, business leaders, and cultural partners in meaningful collaboration. An online forum and feedback portal will offer continuous dialogue and allow stakeholders to submit questions in advance. Structured sessions using the 4R Recovery Framework will ensure that input reflects facts, risks, opportunities, and creative solutions. These dialogues will remind us that Renaissance Rising is not simply a plan, but a movement shaped by collective imagination and shared purpose.

TIMELINE

Download the Process and Timeline PDF

October 9, 2025: Official launch at State of the College

October–December 2025: Transformation Taskforce and workstreams are appointed; listening sessions and online forum begin; 4R sessions launched

December 2025–January 2026: Workstreams draft strategies; Transformation Taskforce integrates work

February 1, 2026: Draft strategic plan delivered to President Bolton

February 2026: Campus-wide review and feedback; Transformation Taskforce revises plan; draft submitted to Board Executive Committee

May 2026: Final plan presented to the full Board of Trustees for approval

OUTCOMES

The outcome of Renaissance Rising will be a three-year strategic plan for 2026 through 2029 that establishes clear goals, detailed strategies, and measurable outcomes. Annual progress dashboards will ensure accountability by providing transparent updates on Columbia’s progress toward institutional goals.