Here you'll find answers to common questions related to commencement. For more information please contact 312.369.7459 or commencement@colum.edu.
All students who completed a graduation application and are participating in their Commencement ceremony should monitor their colum.edu email accounts regularly for announcements and updates about Commencement procedures. For more information please contact (312) 369-7459 or email commencement@colum.edu.
Yes, the non-refundable Graduation fee covers the cost of degree audit processing, your cap and gown, diploma cover, diploma, and the Commencement Ceremony; whether you attend or not. The fee is applied to your account.
Update your graduation application on the MyAcademics tab of your MyColumbia portal.
Your graduation application must state your date of graduation as being either Fall 2019, Spring 2020, or Summer 2020. Please note, we cannot guarantee your name will appear in the program if we receive your graduation application after April 17, 2020.
For more information on Graduate Commencement please visit Graduate Student Support at students.colum.edu/graduate.
Columbia College Chicago undergraduates who graduate with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 are recognized as having graduated with academic honors. Graduates with a 3.75 – 3.79 GPA graduate cum laude (“with honors”); students with a 3.80 – 3.89 GPA graduate magna cum laude (“with high honors”); and students with a 3.90 – 4.00 GPA graduate summa cum laude (“with highest honors”). These students wear a gold tassel on their mortarboards at Commencement, and their names are listed with an asterisk in the program. If you are graduating with honors, you will receive a gold tassel at the Cap and Gown Gown Distribution event on May 12th & 13th at The Student Center - 754 S. Wabash - 5th floor.
Columbia College Chicago’s Honor’s Program offers an enhanced core curriculum, which provides a solid foundation in Liberal Arts and Sciences. In order to graduate from the Honors Program, you must complete 15 credit hours of Honors courses, which are designated with an “H” in the course catalog. You must also maintain a GPA of 3.5 or greater. Honors Program graduates wear a gold stole with the Columbia Honors Program seal at Commencement.
By listing your height and weight on your graduation application, you ordered your cap and gown. Graduation caps are one size fits all.
Cap and gown distribution will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 12th and 13th, 2020 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. at 754 S. Wabash. Also, don't forget to fill out your Alumni card at giving.colum.edu.
Yes. Each graduate will receive six (6) guest tickets during the ticket distribution period. Every attending guest, regardless of age, will need a ticket. There are no extra tickets available. As a graduate, you do not need a ticket for yourself.
Our Commencement ticket portal will open early March via colum.edu/commencement. You will be able to reserve up to 6 guest tickets and pick them up in April during Ticket Distribution. Be sure to reserve your tickets before trying to pick them up!
Ticket Distribution will take place on April 13th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and April 14th from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. The location for both days is 754 S. Wabash, 1st floor.
Additional dates and times are listed under Important Dates on page 11. You may send a representative to pick up your tickets at Ticket Distribution. Please refer to the Proxy Pick-Up Form on our website and have your representative bring the form to Ticket Distribution.
You will need to bring your student I.D. and sign for your tickets in order to claim them. Tickets cannot be mailed, and there is no will call.
Graduates should arrive at the Auditorium Theatre (Roosevelt University entrance) at 430 S. Michigan Avenue no later than one hour before their ceremony and follow the signs to the processional staging area on the 2nd floor. Once there, you will be assembled by major in preparation for the procession. Guests can enter the theatre at 50 E. Ida B. Wells, up to 45 minutes before the ceremony, where they can enjoy a concert featuring Columbia’s student music ensembles.
Each ceremony will last approximately two hours.
If you require assistance during the Commencement ceremony, we are happy to accommodate you. Please contact (312) 369-7459 or email commencement@colum.edu.
There will be opportunities for you to sit for formal portraits or head shots at the Grad Expo(s) and Cap and Gown Distribution with Gradimages, our Commencement photographers. GradImages will also be at the Auditorium Theatre taking your photo as you cross the stage. After the ceremony, you may visit their website www.gradimages.com and purchase your photo package. You may also order personalized printed announcements, class rings, or other items through Herff Jones - www.herffjones.com. Links for the above can also be found by visiting colum.edu/commencement in the Memorabilia section.
You will receive your diploma cover when you cross the stage at Commencement. Your diploma will be mailed separately once all degree requirements are met. Only students who attend Commencement will receive a diploma cover. A limited supply of diploma covers will be available at Columbia Central one week before and after Commencement on a first come, first served basis. If you did not attend the ceremony, and you would like to pick up a cover, please visit Columbia Central at 600 S. Michigan, third floor during regular business hours.
Diplomas for undergraduates will be mailed to the address you provided approximately 2 weeks after the posting of your degree. If you did not provide a specific mailing address, your diploma will be mailed to your permanent address on file. You will receive an email to your official colum.edu account when your diploma has been shipped. Feel free to call us at (312) 369-7140 with any questions. All outstanding charges must be paid and you must complete your exit counseling before your diploma will be mailed. Please check your MyColumbia account to see if you have any financial restrictions. If so, please call (312) 369-7140 to settle your account.
Listed below are several hotels in the downtown area. We recommend you make your reservations as soon as possible. Traditional Columbia discounted rates may not apply; however, feel free to ask when you make your reservations, in case circumstances allow for discounts.
HOTEL BLAKE - Columbia Rate
500 S. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60605
Reservations: (312) 986-1234
CLUB QUARTERS - Columbia Rate
111 West Adams St.
Chicago, IL 60603
BLACKSTONE HOTEL
636 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Reservations: 866-508-0261
To take advantage of the group rate please make your reservations by April 16th.
Use booking link for Columbia rates
BEST WESTERN GRANT PARK
1100 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Reservations: (312) 922-2900
Use booking link on colum.edu/commencement
HAMPTON INN AND SUITES CHICAGO DOWNTOWN
33 Illinois St.
Chicago, IL 60654
(800) 429-1152
PALMER HOUSE HILTON
17 East Monroe
Chicago, IL 60605
Reservations: (877) 865-5321
RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT
201 E. Walton Place
Chicago, IL 60605
Reservations: (312) 943-9800
HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON
40 E. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Reservations: (312) 644-2222
Use booking link on colum.edu/commencement
HOTEL SAX CHICAGO
333 N. Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60610
Reservations: (312) 245-0333
HILTON GARDEN INN
Chicago Downtown South Loop
55 E. 11th Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Use booking link on colum.edu/commencement
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
640 N. Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Reservations: (888)
HOLIDAY INTERCONTINENTAL CHICAGO
505 N Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
Reservations: (312) 944-4100
HOLIDAY INN & SUITES
506 W Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60607
Reservations: (312) 957-9100
Students indicate whether or not they will participate in the Commencement ceremony when they apply for graduation. If you choose not to participate, there is no formal procedure to withdraw, simply do not attend.
Visit the Manifest website; colum.edu/manifest in the spring semester for information on how to participate.
Stay Connected
Join the alumni community at giving.colum.edu to connect with other alums, access career resources, register for events, and so much more. Want to get more involved? Sign up to be an alumni ambassador!
Tell Us Your Story: Submit a Class Note
Share your recent news, career update, or exciting accolades at giving.colum.edu/classnotes.
Leave Your Mark
There is power in participation! Every dollar adds up to create a significant impact for scholarships, the Columbia Internship Award, or a program that made a positive impact on your Columbia experience. Leave your mark today at giving.colum.edu.
