Nicole Markus, Cole Reynolds and Juliet Allan spent four busy weeks in Zoom classes when they were in the Medill cherubs program. Even though their experience was fully online because of COVID-19, they found the program so life-changing that they returned to mentor the next generation of cherubs.
As community and academic associates, or CAAs, for the 2023 students, Markus, Reynolds and Allan now get to see how things run in person and are passing on the valuable lessons they learned to current cherubs.
Nicole Markus, summer editor-in-chief of The Daily Northwestern, said she learned the fundamentals of journalism from her amazing cherubs instructors in 2020. Despite the disappointment of going virtual at the last minute, Markus, from Miami, said she found the program especially worthwhile.
“We didn’t get the in-person experience, so I used that as a motivator to plan many events and be very visible in the dorm,” Markus said. “I offered several office hours and floor parties.”
Cole Reynolds, a print managing editor of The Daily Northwestern, said he learned how to better weave quotes and ideas together in a story during his time as a virtual cherub in 2021.
“I became more comfortable writing stories quickly,” Reynolds of Oakland, California, said. “I began writing more complicated stories.”
As the CAA responsible for the second floor of East Fairchild, Reynolds said he worked hard to create a safe and fun environment.
“I don’t want them to see me as a big, scary CAA,” Reynolds said. “It was important for me to break that initial wall.”
Juliet Allan of Dallas, Texas, said cherubs 2021 taught her everything about journalism. She also serves as vice president of her dorm, Willard Residential College, during the school year.
“I had little journalism experience prior to cherubs,” Allan said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today in Medill without cherubs.”
Allan said she hopes she taught the 2023 Cherubs the values of being a kind human being.
“I hope people leave this program knowing that, although we studied journalism, we also learned how to love each other,” Allan said.
