Sheldon Arthur Patinkin (August 27, 1935 – September 21, 2014) was a chair of the Theater Department of Columbia College Chicago, artistic director of the Getz Theater of Columbia College, Artistic Consultant of The Second City and of Steppenwolf Theatre and co-director of the Steppenwolf Theatre Summer Ensemble Workshops.
While there, he joined Playwright's Theater Club, where he put up plays with a group of other students including Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Ed Asner.
[4] In July 2014, Columbia College Chicago announced the Sheldon Patinkin Endowed Award, a scholarship named in his honor that will provide a theater student with a cash stipend to aid them with their career.
Speakers at the event, that was put together by The Second City, Columbia College Chicago, and Steppenwolf Theater, included Scott Adsit, Second City executive producer Andrew Alexander, David Cromer, Columbia College faculty Tom Mula, Meg Thalken, and Caroline Latta, Gift Theater artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton, and Jeff Perry and with letters from Anna D. Shapiro, Joyce Piven, and Alan Arkin.
The event was attended by over five generations of colleagues and former students, including Fred Willard, Susan Messing, Mick Napier, John Mahoney, Laurie Metcalf, Rondi Reed, Jim Jacobs, and Isabella Hofmann.