The Institute, also known as “Medill cherubs,” is a summer journalism program for up to 90 rising high school seniors conducted on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston, Illinois. It is sponsored by Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Students learn from accomplished journalists and university professors while gaining practical experience in the field. By the end of the program, students create a body of work, build connections and meet aspiring journalists from around the world. And they know a lot more about life on a college campus.
In the summer of 2025, students came from 20 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia as well as from Canada, China, Georgia and South Korea.
It is a nickname, meaning a celestial being (angel). The program was established in 1934 under the name “National Institute for High School Journalists.” Students have been called “cherubs” almost from the beginning.
The program has been directed by Medill Prof. Roger Boye since 1985. He was associate director before that. The instructional team is made up of accomplished professional journalists, Medill faculty and other educators, some of whom are cherub alumni. Students are assigned a specific instructor who will be their mentor throughout the four weeks. The instructors critique assignments and meet with students individually for conferences. Dorm life is supervised by community and academic associates (CAAs), who are Medill undergraduates. The CAAs also help lead some classes.
Applications
Instructor Dr. Ava Thompson Greenwell discusses the ethics of visual journalism. Photo by Irene Park.
Check the “apply” link on the home page to find the 2026 application. Students will need to submit an essay, transcript, test scores (if available) and samples of their writing in addition to the application form and the $50 application fee. Enrollment is limited to rising high school seniors and is based on ability and merit. Among other things, applicants will need to meet a high standard of character, dependability and academic excellence, and give specific evidence of background and/or special interest in journalism.
Applications and financial-aid requests for the 2026 program are due by 4 p.m. (USA Central Time Zone) on Monday, March 2, 2026. Students are notified by March 25, 2026. The four-week 2026 program will run from June 28 to July 24, 2026.
In picking students, the program looks for both a strong academic record and a strong background in journalism; decisions are based on merit, not on the date the application is received (assuming it arrives by the deadline). No more than 90 students will be enrolled in 2026. Last year the program received nearly 300 applications for the 90 openings, including 70 applications from abroad.
No. The admission process for the undergraduate program is totally separate. But on average, more than 25 percent of the students return to Northwestern University the following year. In 2025-26, roughly 150 former Medill cherubs are enrolled as Northwestern undergraduates (first year through senior year). They comprise nearly 2 percent of the university’s entire undergraduate student body.
$5,000 for the four weeks, which includes tuition, room and board, field trips and group events. Transportation to and from campus and personal expenses are not included.
Definitely. The program has $100,000 in financial aid and scholarships available for 2026. Financial aid is need-based, but there is no set income level necessary to qualify. The program has six named scholarships. Students applying for financial aid are automatically considered for a named scholarship, most of which are given on the basis of need. Here are the named scholarships:
- Joan Beck Journalism Scholarship
- Norma Kinsel-Linda Foley Cherub Scholarship
- Mary Lou Song Cherub Alumni Scholarship
- Diane Granat Yalowitz Memorial Fund Scholarship
- Jeffrey Zucker Medill Cherub Scholarship
- Scholarship by an anonymous donor
The program welcomes journalism students from around the world. The 2025 program had nine students from abroad.
Any student with experience in journalism and journalistic writing should consider applying. Cherubs have backgrounds in digital journalism, newspaper, television, audio and/or yearbook.
Academics
Tyler Pager, White House correspondent for The New York Times, poses with program director Roger Boye after speaking to the cherubs about his experiences covering politics and government. Photo by Desiree Luo.
Students will focus on reporting, writing and editing for print, broadcast and online media. In addition, students will study video, audio and photojournalism as well as digital storytelling. The training they will receive in writing clearly, concisely and accurately will serve them for years to come, no matter what their college major or chosen career. Much of what they will learn they can apply to their school newspapers and websites, but the program is far broader than a workshop for high school editors. Students do not earn college credit, but they will receive extensive and thorough evaluation of their work.
Students will write a wide range of articles from news stories to opinion pieces to features. The length of assignments varies.
Over the four weeks, students will take at least 50 classes ranging from lectures by Northwestern faculty and journalists from around the country to labs, workshops, discussion groups and film showings, as well as field trips to Chicago. The ratio of students to faculty who teach full time in the program is 10:1.
Daily Life
Cherubs on a Chicago field trip stand at the exact site where gangster John Dillinger was shot to death by the FBI in 1934.
Classes usually begin at 9 a.m. and run through the evening. Throughout the day, students attend lectures, labs and workshops on a wide variety of journalistic subjects. There also are some classes on the weekends. Field trips include a boat ride on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan as well as visits to one or more Chicago news media.
Students live in a University residence hall less than a block from the journalism buildings. Meals at a dining hall on campus are included in tuition. Vegan and gluten-free options are available.
As long as students manage their assignments, they have free time to explore Evanston or relax on campus. On weekdays, classes are held in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. Students meet with their assigned instructors on Saturday mornings and there is often a social activity on Saturday evenings. The program offers classes on Sunday afternoons and evenings.
Spending money is at the discretion of students and their families. While tuition covers field trips and all meals in a university dining hall, most students spend money to eat out on occasion as well as to buy such things as clothing, snacks and toiletries.
Students can walk to downtown Evanston to shop and go to restaurants. There also are organized field trips to Chicago.
The Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, an athletic facility on campus, is available for a fee. Students can also run or exercise on their own around campus. Basketball and tennis courts are at various locations on campus and there is a beautiful jogging path along Lake Michigan, just a few hundred feet from the residence hall.
There are many religious centers on campus for multiple denominations. Upon arrival, students may request contact information for these centers. Time is available on the weekends so that students may attend services.
Other Information
Cherubs with program director Roger Boye on the Chicago architecture boat tour. Photo by Rachel Yuan.
This website was created by the Class of 2025 students during the last week of the program.
Send an email to the program director, Prof. Roger Boye, at r-boye@northwestern.edu. (Much better to email than to make a phone call.
