A Decade of Demo

ISSUE 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 DEMOThe Alumni Magazine of Columbia College Chicago 10th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE A DECADE OF DEMO Our A-to-Z Guide DEMO A to Z Can you match up our cover illustrations with the stories inside? ON THE Page through DEMO, then see how many story nods you can find COVER on the front. When you’re done, check out this handy key. 1 2 3 5 4 6 7 8 11 10 9 10th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 12 14 15 13 16 ILLUSTRATIONS BY KYLE LETENDRE (BA ’12) 17 Kyle Letendre is a designer, letterer and illustrator in Chicago. After a stint as a Columbia College Chicago designer, he now works with Delicious Design League making good work with good people. 1. JUSTIN HOWARD’S AIR GUITAR 7. BANANA PEEL FOR COMEDY STUDIES 13. MEDIA PRODUCTION CENTER P. 32 P. 14 P. 28 2. CHICAGO MUSIC PROS 8. BRIAN DETTMER’S BOOK CARVINGS 14. AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKERS P. 12 P. 16 P. 44 3. BEST SPOTS IN LA 9. OCULUS RIFT HELMET FOR GAMES 15. ANDY ROBOT’S NAMESAKE P. 27 P. 22 P. 43 4. JENNY BROWN’S ANIMAL SANCTUARY 10. COLUMBIA LOVE STORIES 16. AGNES HAMERLIK’S FASHION TOOLS P. 38 P. 46 P. 24 5. STREET ARTIST’S SPRAY CAN 11. PHOTOGRAPHER’S CAMERA 17. OLYMPIC SWIMMER ADOLPH KIEFER P. 40 P. 35 P. 33 6. PHILLIP COOLEY’S DETROIT RENEWAL 12. OUR CULINARY CHAMPS P. 17 P. 20 2 DEMO 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 ISSUE 23 The Alumni Magazine of DEMO FALL / WINTER 2015 Columbia College Chicago FEATURES DEMO A TO Z: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS 10–49 DEPARTMENTS VISION 6 Questions for President Kwang-Wu Kim WIRE 7 News from the Columbia community ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES 50 Featuring class news, notes and networking UPCOMING EVENTS 56 What’s happening on campus A IS FOR ANNIVERSARY 10 DEMO is 10 years old, and we’re celebrating with a very special issue. C IS FOR COMEDY 14 G IS FOR GAMES 22 M IS FOR MEDIA Laugh it up with Columbia’s funniest The Game Design program was created PRODUCTION CENTER 28 alumni. We spotlight 10 alumni currently eight years ago, and the first generation of This revolutionary facility has reshaped the killin’ it in the comedy business, including graduates is leveling up. Four alumni way filmmaking is taught at Columbia. Five Saturday Night Live darling Aidy Bryant discuss this booming industry and their years after its construction, we visit the (BA ’09) and Amy Schumer collaborator jobs at top studios. MPC to explore the curriculum, the building Jeremy Beiler (BA ’04). itself and the filmmakers it’s producing. DEMO 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 3 UPDATE YOUR STATUS, UPDATE YOUR SCHOOL j 65 10 R 5 Precious Davis (BA ’13) is engaged to be married to Myles Brady in Chicago, 2016. SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE. Visit colum.edu/classnotes to join the Columbia Alumni Association & Network and submit your class note. DEMO ISSUE 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 Magazine Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kristi Turnbaugh ASSOCIATE EDITOR Megan Kirby EDITORIAL ASSISTANT You make it. We sell it. Hannah Lorenz (’16) ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES MANAGER Cynthia Vargas (MFA ’13) RESEARCHER Amy Wilson SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Susannah Kim GRAPHIC DESIGNER Chris Reyes STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Philip Dembinski (BFA ’08) PHOTO INTERN Camila Cediel (’16) Columbia College Chicago Columbia College Chicago’s student Email [email protected] to CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES and alumni art boutique. Accepting schedule an appointment Richard P. Kiphart artist submissions year-round. to submit your work. PRESIDENT Kwang-Wu Kim, DMA VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Deb Maue VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Jonathan S. Stern EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ANNUAL GIVING Miriam Smith DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS, WEST COAST Sarah Schroeder (BA ’00) DEMO (volume 10, number 2) is published by Columbia College Chicago. DEMO is mailed free of charge to alumni and friends of the college two times per year. The ideas and opinions expressed are those of the writers alone and do not necessarily reflect those of Columbia College Chicago. ©Columbia College Chicago 2015. Contact us: For address changes or deletions, email your first and last name, mailing address, city, state, zip code and phone number to [email protected] and spec- ify if your request is an address update or a request to stop receiving DEMO. For other inquiries, email demo@ colum.edu, call 312.369.1000, or mail DEMO magazine, Columbia College Chicago, 600 S. Michigan Ave., Suite shop.colum.edu 527, Chicago, IL 60605. 623 S. WABASH AVE. | CHICAGO, IL 60605 | 312.369.8616 colum.edu/demo DEMO 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 5 Vision Questions for President Kwang-Wu Kim DEMO: What most impresses you about DEMO: What’s exciting about alumni Columbia alumni? coming back to campus? PRESIDENT KIM: There’s a consistency to PRESIDENT KIM: It was a critical gesture our alumni across the generations, a grit- that we brought back five alumni as our tiness—in the best sense of the word—to honorary degree recipients at Commence- them. This college seems to know how to ment this past spring [see page 9]. That was produce people who go out into the world meaningful for the college, and it was trans- with a can-do attitude, a strong work ethic formative for our students. So many of them and a willingness to do whatever it takes to said to me, “I had no idea someone that get the job done. important graduated from Columbia.” They were beaming with pride because the person DEMO: You firmly believe that a Columbia giving their Commencement address went education prepares graduates to pursue a to Columbia. Our students don’t really un- variety of careers, and that professional derstand how many of our alumni are doing success can take many forms. How have you truly amazing things in the world. So that’s seen this exemplified by alumni? “We’d like to hear from PRESIDENT KIM: Let me give you one exam- more alumni.” ple. Recently I was talking with an alumnus whose career was unrelated to his program another focus of mine, to make sure this is of study at Columbia. And I was struck that communicated in a more robust way. And his tone was almost apologetic, as if he were we’ll create other opportunities for alumni embarrassed to admit this. So I said to him, to come back. “But that’s great! You found a way to be The key word for alumni is involvement. successful. That’s what Columbia is about.” Our new executive director of Alumni Re- And he became quite emotional when I lations and Annual Giving, Miriam Smith, said that. will focus on this [see pages 7 and 50]. We’d If you study film at Columbia and you like to hear from more alumni. To what win an Academy Award, that’s spectacular. elements of their Columbia experience do But if you study film and at some point you they attribute their success? What parts of decide you want to be in the social service their education made a difference to them? world, and you do something meaningful, Conversely, what did they not get from their that is no less so. Columbia values its gradu- education that they wish they had gotten ates’ success, whatever form it takes. This is when they were here? We’re thinking a lot a fundamental message to our alumni that more about how we can reimagine alumni I’m really proud of. engagement and involvement. 6 DEMO 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 Wire WIRE NEWS FROM THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY MIRIAM SMITH IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ANNUAL GIVING In August 2015, Miriam Smith joined Columbia College Chicago as executive director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. In this role, Smith will increase alumni engagement Stay Connected through the News & Events Site with the college, including managing Now you can keep up on all things Columbia from one convenient spot. The recently communications and working with launched News & Events site serves as a central hub for news and info from Columbia, offices across the college to increase student and parent connectivity. On top Chicago and beyond, including alumni in the news. From press releases to highlighted of that, she will spearhead the college’s events, it’s the perfect place to see all the latest Columbia stories. Visit colum.edu/ annual giving program. news-and-events to see what’s up on campus. Smith comes to Columbia from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), STAY ON TRACK WITH EVENTS APP where she implemented the first-ever Planning your social life just got a little bit FIT Class Gift Campaign. She also has easier. In addition to checking campus events alumni and giving campaign experi- at events.colum.edu, you can now download ence from Manhattanville College and the Columbia College Chicago Events iPhone Sarah Lawrence College. For more app to stay in touch with campus all the time. alumni news, see page 50. The app lets you see daily trending events, add events to your iOS calendar and even check which of your Facebook friends have RSVP’d. To download the app, search “Columbia College Chicago Events” in the app store or visit colum.edu/eventsapp. DEMO 23 FALL / WINTER 2015 7 Wire Professors Awarded Guggenheim Fellowships Two Columbia College Chicago professors received prestigious Guggenheim fellowships in 2015. Art & Art History professor Sabina Ott and Creative Writing professor David Lazar joined the list of 175 winners from a pool of more than 3,000 applicants.

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