Alumni and faculty of the Columbia College Chicago Theatre Program were highlighted at the Columbia College Chicago commencement ceremony for graduating students majoring in American Sign Language, audio arts, dance, design, fine arts, illustration, interactive arts and media, music, photography, and theatre. The commencement event took place Sunday, May 18, at 4:30 PM at Credit Union 1 Arena in downtown Chicago.

Columbia College alumnus Joseph Sikora ’98, a graduate of the Theatre Program’s BA Program in Acting, received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts and delivered the commencement speech. Sikora was introduced by Theatre faculty member Susan Padveen.

As previously reported in this blog, Sikora is a successful actor and producer in the television industry, best known for his breakout role as Tommy Egan in the hit Starz crime drama Power and its spinoff Power Book IV: Force. In addition to the Power franchise, his TV credits include standout roles in Ozark, Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order: SVU, Chicago P.D., The Good Wife, Grey’s Anatomy, and Monk. His feature-film credits include roles in Rudy, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Charlie Wilson’s War, Shutter Island, Jack Reacher, and Jacob’s Ladder.

As previously reported in this blog, Sikora’s acting career began when he was a child in Chicago and played the title role in Touchstone Theatre’s production of The Little Prince. As an adult, he has appeared on Chicago stages in productions at Goodman, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, and Shattered Globe theatres. He was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award (Chicago’s top theatre award) for Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in Shattered Globe’s 1999 production Frozen Assets. He also costarred with fellow Chicago actor David Schwimmer in a 2006 Broadway production of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

 

In his commencement speech, posted above, Sikora discussed his lifelong career path and the importance of being able to “pivot” in response to professional and emotional challenges and setbacks.

In addition to Sikora, the commencement event featured a speech by student speaker Abby Rankin, a 2025 graduate of the Theatre Program’s BA Program in Comedy Writing and Performance with a Minor in Education.

Rankin, who was also the recipient of a 2024-2025 Sarah Siddons Society Scholarship, plans to remain in Chicago to pursue her comedic endeavors through her sketch comedy/improv troupe and clowning nonprofit.

Also speaking at the commencement ceremony was Columbia College Theatre alum Karen L. Jones ’86, outgoing president of the college’s National Alumni Board and executive director of Global and Graduate Programs at the University of Houston Law Center.

Also honored at the 2025 commencement event were retiring Columbia College Chicago School of Theatre and Dance faculty members: Associate Professor Emerita Jacqueline Penrod, a faculty member in the Theatre Program’s Theatre Design program since 1999, and Associate Professor of Instruction Emeritus and Columbia College alum Albert Williams ’73, whose lifelong association with Columbia College began with his enrollment in 1970 as a transfer student from Indiana University and continued when he joined the faculty in 1985, teaching principally in the Theatre Program’s Musical Theatre and Theatre Studies programs.

The commencement’s master of ceremonies was Richard Walker, an Assistant Professor of Theatre in the Comedy Writing and Performance and Comedy Studies programs.

Here’s a video of the entire commencement ceremony for Columbia College Chicago’s Schools of Audio and Music, Design, Theatre and Dance, and Visual Arts. And here’s the commencement event program listing all the speakers, musical performances, and graduating students.