With commencement days away, graduating students picked up caps and gowns, collected tickets and prepared for the transition out of college life.
But beyond the logistics, Columbia’s annual Grad Expo at the Student Center also became a space for students to reflect on the experiences that defined their years at the college and the advice they would leave behind for younger students.
The Grad Expo is being held Tuesday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Student Center.
“I feel like there is some information that I would only get if I asked, and I do feel like some students get lost on that,” said Max Cichon, a senior audio arts major, who learned there was no assigned seating at commencement. “They have the information, you just have to ask for it.”
For many students, the event marked one of the final times seeing classmates before graduation.
Senior creative writing major Nadia Salahuddin, who is graduating a year early, said one of her favorite experiences at Columbia was studying abroad in Paris.
Mary-Mullis Keyse, a senior fashion studies major who studied abroad in Prague, shared a similar sentiment, saying the opportunity to travel became one of the highlights of her college experience.
“Yes, in the sense of getting the things I need like tickets, but it felt unorganized,” said Keyse about the expo.
Aaliyah Stottlemyer, a senior creative writing major, said the event itself was less helpful for answering commencement questions but still memorable because of the atmosphere.
“It was pretty fun getting the memorabilia shirt and seeing the cap decorations,” said Stottlemyer.
For the second year in a row, Columbia will hold two commencement ceremonies at the Credit Union 1 Arena on the University of Illinois Chicago campus. The Spring 2026 commencement ceremonies will take place on Sunday, May 17 at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Chicago’s Near West Side.
As graduation approaches, many students said they are also thinking about what they would tell younger students still navigating college life.
Salahuddin said learning how to manage her workload was one of the most important lessons she learned at Columbia.
“Figuring out what workload is right for you” helped her succeed academically while balancing other responsibilities, she said.
Stottlemyer encouraged students to think ahead early in their college careers.
“Have a solid plan because it is really hard to figure that out once you’re already away from the resources, connections and peers,” said Stottlemeyer.
Cichon said students should take initiative in building professional connections while they are still in school.
“You have to be the person to reach out,” said Cichon, adding that networking and asking questions helped him better prepare for work after graduation.
Keyse said perseverance was one of the biggest lessons she plans to carry beyond Columbia.
“Keep going, keep pushing,” said Keyse. “It is hard at the moment, but you’ll get there in the end and you will have accomplished so much. You should be proud of yourself.”
Copy edited by Venus Tapang
