How to repurpose and brand for the 21 century

Certain spaces are made for certain jobs. Columbia College has never had the opportunity to make a space of their own. They have slowly taken over the south loop and now have quiet a few building that have been repurposed by their clever branding.
What is most interesting to me is how the students follow the branding of the school. You would think that if you met a student from Columbia that they would say “Hi my name is and I am from Columbia College. I am part of the blank department.” That is not the case at Columbia. While doing this review, it has come to my attention that most students associate themselves with their department before the school. Is this what we want? This school has become so large it would be hard for one person to understand the pulse of the whole college. Is this the type of associating that the “branding” has encouraged? I would not be able to give you as accurate a review if I tried the college at large. In turn, I am a prime example of the ethnocentricities that run deep in each department, theater not being with held.
To really get a feel for what the Columbia Theater Department really is about you don’t even have to go into any of their three spaces at 72 E 11th street. The place that is the most representative of the Columbia branding style ends and the Theater departments stamp begins is three floors up from any theater. I went up stairs and it was not quiet by any means. From the second the elevator doors opened to reveal the Columbia fire red on the walls and carpet I knew I was not in the mellow confines of a general education building. This floor was special (and smelly thanks to the combat classes). As I walked around as I had done thousands on times before I really became aware of the madness that excites my every day life. I saw two girls practicing a dance with top hats and canes, from what looks like Chicago. Down the hall there was a girl dressed in her sleep wear, still, even though it was the late afternoon, all sweaty reading a play by Shakespeare aloud. In 20 steps you can see 500 years of theater.
What I like most about The Third Floor is that it is ground zero, central command if you will. On one floor you are able to find a job, see your friends, see people who are not so much your friends, gossip, see most of faculty if you sit there long enough, hear the melodic tunes of a sonnet and a piece by Gershwin alike. If you are not use to the pandemonium, at first it can be very jarring but you quickly join in or leave. This is the kitchen of Columbia’s theater…to hot? Get out.