>> Now we're waiting to be joined by Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch.

But first, Columbia College, Chicago has a new president Bolton is the first woman of color to lead the institution and the first woman to do so in nearly a century.

She comes in at a difficult moment.

A shrinking student body, a series of faculty, layoffs and a 40 million dollar budget deficit.

But Bolton remains optimistic about the future of the liberal arts school.

And she joins us now to share her vision.

Welcome Shante.

Bolton, president of Columbia College Chicago.

Congrats on the new position.

Thank you.

It's exciting moment for the institution and for us in the city of Chicago.

I'm sure is.

Why did you want this role?

What wasn't that interested?

You?

Well, really is the mission that spoke to my heart for staff or access institution.

And so we focus on.

>> Providing opportunity for students who would not otherwise have access to higher education, but even more.

So the creative economy, which is a multitrillion-dollar global business and to have more representation and diversity in this space was very important to me.

I am a person who really appreciates the arts and have been inspired by it.

But also it has been a healing place for me.

And many others find that in the arts as well.

And so the mission resonated and I wanted to be a part of doing something special.

And in no greater city, then the city of Chicago.

>> You're the first woman of color, the whole to hold this Do you think that a significant, of course, considering that Colombia's a minority serving institutions?

Absolutely.

That is a part of why I wanted to be in this role is because of who I was serving.

>> I think leadership it's important to know who the primary focus is.

And as a student-centered president, it is very important.

I support our students.

Many of our students, hail from the south and west side of Chicago and many come from communities in which the very proud of.

But they have an opportunity Columbia to explore their passions in the creative arts and to turn that into successful and sustainable careers and they get to do all of that right here in the city in which they love and can not only get their education but can start there lives and careers and thrive successfully.

So last September, the U.S.

Department of Education decided that it would no longer a war discretion discretionary grants to emphasize as well as Hispanic serving institutions.

Columbia is classified as both.

But even, you know, outside of this current presidential administration.

>> A Columbia College has been dealing with financial issues its own for over a decade.

How do you plan to reverse this trend to stabilize the school?

periods of uncertainty oftentimes offer equally opportunities for those institutions who are willing to innovate and to lean into the moment.

It allows Columbia College, Chicago, an opportunity for us to Imagine who we want to be.

We've been in existence 135 years anchored right here in the heart of the city of Chicago and were part of a very important economic development component with the creative economy here.

And so I it really presents us with an opportunity to think about how we best serve our students regardless of what happens in Washington.

Our mission remains the same.

We are committed to providing access and opportunity to students of color.

And regardless of that, we're interested in the creative arts, education and creative careers.

And so we're very committed to doubling down on that.

We're looking at everything for how to respond to parents desire to have recent and relevant education that leads to successful careers.

But ultimately what are students care about is the the opportunities that are available to them and how that leads to outcomes for a sustainable life and sustainable careers.

And that's what we're doubling down focus.

And what will that look like?

You know, we're talking about the numbers, you know, like if we're looking the declining enrollment, which has gone from what used to be around 12,000 you know, couple decades ago now to closer to 4,000 on series of faculty, layoffs have had to happen over the last 18 months or so.

What does that mean when you're talking about your fund raising in in tuition?

absolutely we've been focused over the last year on 4 things.

What first and foremost, a blast moment we had to do and we've been very intentional.

We're rebuilding our relationship with Chicago, public schools.

That is a very critical relationship for us and working with guidance counselors, meeting parents and students where they are providing everything from financial education in terms of the affordability of college and to make sure that they're where scholarships and other opportunities in addition to what the federal funds may provide.

We've also been focused on elevating our brand.

So we're pushing more visibility of the work that's produced through the creative storytellers and artists at Columbia.

We recently held are manifest, which is the largest art festival that happens.

I'm calling it the unofficial kickoff to Chicago competition.

Morial Day.

Yeah.

Cause also we're looking at the financial sustainability.

Certainly the challenges are not is significant, but we're taking those on with honest approach.

We're being very transparent about it.

And we're working in collaboration.

We're tapping into the thing that our mission serves and that's being creative with the problem solving.

We welcome and our faculty, our alumni staff and other community leaders to help us as we think about how to best serve the students, how ensure that education maintains being affordable and then how do we stabilize the institution so that we can ensure being a part of the Chicago community for another 135 years?

You know, speaking of what he want, the future Columbia College campus to look like, I envision us being the premier Creative Arts Education Center in the heart of Chicago being able to bring together both education, workforce, development and industry partnerships in a way that creates sustainable and fluid careers for creative professionals.

And get a little bit of time left.

You know, you mentioned are being sort of healing for for you yourself.

What can you tell us about why art speaks to you?

I am the mother of a micro preemie for Michael from the 16 now.

So you think perfect for Yankees is big now.

But art was a form through music of how he went through his healing process.

It also gave a form of expression to emotion and helped through the work with March of Dimes.

really love that organization.

They were very pivotal to my experience.

But it was both a creation of art in helping him to learn how to do everything from physical mobility to music and how to express emotion.

And so art has always sort of been a part of my story and I find it to be such honor to be in this moment.

Italy, Columbia, College Chicago, doing this very pivotal time, right?

That is a good place to leave it New Columbia College President chant able to.

And congrats, thanks again for joining Thank you.

Up next, one on one with Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch.

>> He joins us right after this.