New Student Programs

Welcome, new students!

Congratulations on being admitted to Columbia College Chicago! You'll soon join a driven, creative collective of talented students who are ready to shape what's next. Welcome to Columbia! If you have already signed up for On-Campus Orientation you can view the schedule of the day below. Please note that On-Campus Orientation dates are currently full, however, there are available spots open for Virtual Orientation. Sign up here!

We are excited to welcome you to Columbia’s campus for Orientation! As you prepare to attend your in-person Orientation session, here is some information to review before you arrive:

Please watch the pre-Orientation videos in your Admissions Portal before your arrival! Take notes and plan to ask lots of questions of your presenters and Engage Leaders (E-Leaders). Check-in begins at 8 a.m. Orientation sessions begin at 9 a.m. and will end by 3:30 p.m. There are optional campus and Residence Life tours with limited availability starting at 3:30 p.m. Please sign up for one of these tours when you check in at Orientation.

CAMPUS ORIENTATION SCHEDULE 

All times are Central Daylight Time (CDT)

Students

8:00 AM
Check in

9:00 AM
Welcome and Schedule of the Day

9:30 AM
Break

9:45 AM
Academic Planning

10:15 AM
Handbook overview

10:45 AM
Dean of Students and Student Health & Support

11:15 AM
Break

11:30 PM
Campus Safety & Security

12:00 PM
Lunch (provided) and Activities

01:15 PM
Student Organizations and Leadership

01:45 PM
Break/Move

02:00 PM
Career Center

02:30 PM
Closing and New Student Voices

03:00 PM
Expo and Campus Card Pick-up

03:30 PM
Campus and Residence Life Tours (please sign up for a tour at check-in)

Parents & Guests

08:00 AM
Check in

09:00 AM
Welcome and Schedule of the Day

09:30 AM
Break

09:45 AM
Academic Planning Overview

10:15 AM
Dean of Students and Student Health & Support

10:45 AM
Campus Safety and Security

11:15 AM
Break

11:30 PM
Residence Life

12:00 PM
Lunch (provided) and Staff Meet & Greet

01:15 PM
Student Panel

01:45 PM
Break

02:00 PM
Career Center

02:30 PM
Closing and New Student Voices

03:00 PM
Expo and Campus Card Pick-Up

03:30 PM
Campus and Residence Life Tours 

• Orientation Dates

  On-Campus Orientation Dates (ALL Currently Full)

  • July 11, 12, 13, 14
  • August 1, 2, 3, 4

  Virtual Orientation Dates

  • July 18, 19, 20, 21
  • July 25, 26, 27, 28
• Parking & Public Transportation

  Orientation will be held in Columbia’s Student Center at 754 S. Wabash Avenue. There is ample parking in the area, but you may want to research parking rates and locations before your arrival.

  The parking meters in Chicago are owned and operated by a private company. Hourly rates will vary by location and typically, meters are in operation from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., including weekends and holidays. Parking in the area can range from $10 to $25+, and weekend rates may vary. We do not recommend parking on the street.

  There are several parking lots and garages around the South Loop, especially along South Wabash Avenue and State Street. Daily parking rates are seasonal and tend to spike during peak holiday and festival times.

  For those taking public transportation, the CTA website and/or Metra Train schedules can be helpful in planning your trip if you prefer not to drive.

  Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
  Metra
• Luggage Storage

  If you are traveling from out of state and need to store luggage, we are happy to provide you with storage for the day.

• Lodging

  There are several hotels in the South Loop that will provide easy access to campus for your Orientation visit. Please click HERE for suggestions.

• What to Bring

  A light breakfast and lunch will be provided during the day. There are also several restaurants and coffee shops in the area. We also recommend bringing a light sweater or jacket for your comfort in the buildings.

  You are welcome to bring a device or something to help you take notes during the day. WiFi Access will be available for students who have received their campus credentials. Guest WiFi access is available but is limited.

  If you plan to visit Columbia Central or College Advising while you are on campus, please make an appointment prior to your arrival, and remember to bring all necessary paperwork.

• The Engage Portal

  The Engage Portal is a convenient way to access Columbia’s resources and events. It is accessible by computer or by the Engage App which you can download in the Apple Store or Google Play Store. You can carry your calendar, access Canvas, your MyColumbia Portal, student organization pages, events, the community feed and much more. The portal is your “go-to-place” where you can interact with your Columbia Community and stay connected no matter where you are.

• Additional Orientation Sessions - Engage Portal

  These sessions are important components of your Orientation and offer you a chance to go deeper into your future Columbia experience. To participate in one of the Additional Orientation Sessions, please download the Engage App from the Apple Store or Google Play Store or access the Engage Portal on your computer. Once you log in, go to “Events” and find the session(s) you would like to attend and register. You can attend more than one session during the weeks of July 18 – 21 and July 25 – 28. Please find the schedule for these sessions in the Virtual Student Orientation Schedule.

• Campus ID Card

  Your Campus Card is an ID that identifies you as a Columbia student. To ensure a safe community for everyone, we wish to remind you that a Campus Card (ID) is required to enter any Columbia owned building. Therefore, it is very important that you have your Campus Card in your possession BEFORE your first scheduled class meeting.

  Instructions for New Students: Beginning in mid-June, you will receive an email at your Columbia email address with the subject line “About Your Campus Card.” Use the link in the email to upload your headshot photo for your Campus Card. If you receive an email with your Campus Card approval, at least 5 days prior to your Campus Orientation session, your campus card will be available for pick up at the end of your Orientation Day. For more information about your Campus Card, click HERE.

• Connections and New Student Convocation

  New students can look forward to an exciting introduction to their academic departments on Friday morning, September 2, 2022. Your academic department has created informative sessions to introduce you to your major and prepare you for a successful start to the academic year. Look out for individual communications from your departments about Connections locations and any special requirements.

  After Connections at noon, your E-Leaders will meet you and bring you to New Student Convocation in Grant Park. There is no better way to say hello to Columbia and the City of Chicago than Convocation! Look forward to greetings from your college administrators and student leaders. Then enjoy live music, the best student DJs, student organizations, games, food, and freebies by the bag!

• Engage Columbia Program

  The Engage Columbia program is geared towards extending the New Student Orientation experience into the fall semester. Campus partners work together to introduce new students to the campus, it’s resources and to the City of Chicago. These events will take place for the first 6 weeks of the semester and are a great way to meet people while you learn about Columbia. Attend at least 1 event in each of the 7 Engage Columbia categories to become eligible to win one of 6 Engage Grants ranging from $500 - $1,500!

  Engage 101

  Looking for a community of people to meet at Columbia? Everyone in Engage 101 is new to the College and eager to learn more about how to be successful at Columbia. We meet for the first 6 weeks of the Fall semester. We talk one-on-one with Columbia professionals, take field trips around the South Loop and lakefront. Engage socially with other new students and make connections and friendships that last throughout the Columbia experience. Oh, and we get free snacks as much as possible! Interested? Click HERE to sign up for Engage 101!

We are happy to have you attend Orientation virtually! In preparation, please review the pre-Orientation videos before joining us online. Take notes and be prepared to ask questions of your presenters and Engage Leaders. Virtual Orientation will use the Zoom platform, so make sure you have your link available when your day arrives.

You should have received your New Student Handbook in the mail before your Orientation date. Plan to have it with you when you join the session, as we will refer to it frequently during the day.

Make lunch beforehand so you can join your Engage Leaders at lunchtime to eat and talk. We know it can be weird eating on Zoom, but if everyone is doing it, no worries!

At the end of the day, there will be a variety of Additional Orientation Sessions you can join. They will be available each day during virtual Orientation and can be accessed even if the sessions do not occur on your specific day. You can even join more than once!

 

Daily Virtual Schedule for Students and Parents

STUDENTS 

8:45 – 9:15 AM
Orientation Warmup 

9:15 – 9:30 AM
Manifest video, Welcome and Schedule of the Day

9:30 – 10:00 AM
Academic Overview

10:00 – 10:30 AM
Handbook overview

10:30 – 11:00 AM
DOS Health and Support

11:00 – 11:30 AM
Security

11:30 – 12:45 PM
Bring Your Lunch Student Panel

12:45 – 1:30 PM
Student Organizations and Leadership Presentation

1:30 – 2:00 PM
Career

2:00 – 2:15 PM
Closing and New Student Voices

2:15 – 4:30 PM
Engage Portal: Special Interest Sessions 

• Semester in LA
• Shop Columbia
• Transfer Student Experience
• Student Diversity and Inclusion
• Columbia Traditions

PARENTS/GUESTS

12:00 – 1:00 PM
Bring Your Lunch and Campus Overview

 

Campus Card

Your Campus Card is an ID that identifies you as a Columbia student. To ensure a safe community for everyone, we wish to remind you that a Campus Card (ID) is required to enter any Columbia owned building. Therefore, it is very important that you have your Campus Card in your possession before your first scheduled class meeting.

 

Instructions for New Students: Beginning in mid-June, you will receive an email at your Columbia email address with the subject line “About Your Campus Card.” Use the link in the email to upload your headshot photo for your Campus Card. When you have successfully uploaded your photo and received the email that your photo has been approved, you may pick up your card on your Columbia Connect (admissions) portal.   For more information about your Campus Card, click HERE.

 

Connections and New Student Convocation

New students can look forward to an exciting introduction to their academic departments on Friday morning, September 2, 2022. Your academic department has created informative sessions to introduce you to your major and prepare you for a successful start to the academic year. Look out for individual communications from your departments about Connections locations and any special requirements.

After Connections at noon, your E-Leaders will meet you and bring you to New Student Convocation in Grant Park. There is no better way to say hello to Columbia and the City of Chicago than Convocation! Look forward to greetings from your college administrators and student leaders. Then enjoy live music, the best student DJ’s, student organizations, games, food and freebies by the bag!

 

Engage Columbia Program

The Engage Columbia program is geared towards extending the New Student Orientation experience into the fall semester. Campus partners work together to introduce new students to the campus, it’s resources and to the City of Chicago. These events will take place for the first 6 weeks of the semester and are a great way to meet people while you learn about Columbia. Attend at least 1 event in each of the 7 Engage Columbia categories to become eligible to win one of 6 Engage Grants ranging from $500 - $1,500!

 

Engage 101

Looking for a community of people to meet at Columbia? Everyone in Engage 101 is new to the College and eager to learn more about how to be successful at Columbia. We meet for the first 6 weeks of the Fall semester. We talk one-on-one with Columbia professionals, take field trips around the South Loop and lakefront. Engage socially with other new students and make connections and friendships that last throughout the Columbia experience. Oh, and we get free snacks as much as possible! Interested? Click HERE to sign up for Engage 101!