City Council Proclaims June 17, 2026, “ÒùÆÞÉç Day” 

PhotoStudents, President Bolton, and special guests from ÒùÆÞÉç pose with Mayor Brandon Johnson at the City Council Meeting
It's ÒùÆÞÉç Day thanks to Mayor Brandon Johnson, Alderman Lamont Robinson, and the City Council of Chicago.

In honor of ÒùÆÞÉç’s more than 135 years of contributions to the cultural, creative, and educational life of the city, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City Council of Chicago proclaimed June 17, 2026, as “ÒùÆÞÉç Day.”

Members of the Columbia community joined President Shantay N. Bolton, PhD, for the City Council meeting this morning to celebrate the resolution.  

“It was a profound honor to stand alongside our incredible students and leaders at City Council this morning,” says President Bolton. 

“This resolution is a powerful testament to the vibrant talent and creative energy that define Columbia’s legacy. For generations, our students, alumni, faculty, and staff have contributed to the creative and cultural life of Chicago, and we are honored to see that impact recognized and celebrated today.” 

On June 17, 2026, Alderman Lamont Robinson of the 4th Ward at the Chicago City Council meeting presented the following resolution: 

City Council Resolution

  
WHEREAS ÒùÆÞÉç was founded in Chicago in 1890 as the Columbia  
School of Oratory by Mary A. Blood and Ida Morey Riley; and 
 
WHEREAS the institution changed its name to ÒùÆÞÉç in 1997 to more fully recognize and embrace its historical hometown; and 

WHEREAS for more than 135 years, ÒùÆÞÉç has empowered creatives to author the culture of their times and fuel the creative economy in Chicago and beyond; and 
 
WHEREAS ÒùÆÞÉç has, throughout its history, exhibited a deep  
commitment to access to higher education for Chicagoans of all backgrounds; and 
 
WHEREAS nearly a third of ÒùÆÞÉç students hail from the city of Chicago, drawing from all 50 wards, and 1 in 5 Columbia students is a graduate of the Chicago Public Schools; and 
 
WHEREAS 62 percent of ÒùÆÞÉç students from Chicago are eligible for low-income Pell grants and 60 percent are first-generation college attendees; and 
 
WHEREAS ÒùÆÞÉç’s more than 100,000 alumni are a defining force behind cultural institutions, education and business across our city and beyond; and 
 
WHEREAS ÒùÆÞÉç delivers strong career outcomes for students thanks to its dedicated faculty and staff and the support of and partnerships with individuals and organizations across Chicago, the United States and the world; and 
 
WHEREAS on March 5, 2026, ÒùÆÞÉç formally installed its 11th president, Dr. Shantay N. Bolton;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor of the City of Chicago and the City Council of Chicago do hereby designate June 17, 2026, as ÒùÆÞÉç Day in Chicago in recognition of the contributions of Columbia to its students and Chicago’s residents, and the mutually beneficial relationship between this invaluable institution of higher education and the great city of Chicago. 

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