When check-in wraps up and Jones Hall quiets down for the night, community and academic associate Taariq Ahmed of Chicago heads to the second floor for informal \u201ccouncil\u201d meetings. There, he is greeted by about 10 boys in the program, waiting patiently for his edits, feedback and advice.
\u201cThere’s a lot of good rapport, and there’s always something to talk about, so I enjoy being there,\u201d Ahmed said. \u201cEven if I’m just working in the background, it’s really nice to be around the guys and get to know them.\u201d
A highlight of his position: reading cherubs\u2019 personal narratives, written during Sunday clubs. \u201cI think it\u2019s important for everyone to hear the really personal stories of their classmates,\u201d Ahmed said.<\/p>\r\n
Other than participating in \u201ccouncil,\u201d Ahmed is the bridge between The Daily Northwestern and cherubs\u2019 stories. As a print managing editor, he allows students to submit work to him for edits and possible publication.
\u201cI feel like Riq makes the cherubs experience for me,\u201d Kaelan Patel of Princeton, New Jersey, said.
\u201cHe\u2019s really been a role model for me,\u201d Charlie Tobin of Menlo Park, California, said.
Ahmed is one out of four CAAs, responsible for keeping tabs on cherubs\u2019 whereabouts and planning activities. The role extends to mentoring and being constantly available.
CAA Jordan Balousek of Mercer Island, Washington, lives on Jones’ fourth floor.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cThey know if they need anything, I am always there,\u201d Balousek said.
Phoebe Measer of Los Angeles, who lives on the fourth floor, plays card games with Balousek.
\u201cI feel like we always bond over the most random things,\u201d Measer said. \u201cWe always run into each other in the bathroom when we’re both washing our faces and brushing our teeth, and we start a little conversation, and it’s so sweet, and it’s so fun.\u201d
Balousek was copy chief for The Daily in the last quarter of Northwestern University\u2019s school year. This summer, she edited assignments, such as the feature story by Ignas Petrus.
\u201cShe gave me a bunch of helpful edits,\u201d Petrus said.
Balousek said she applied to be a CAA to give back to a community that has given her so much. As a 2024 cherub, Balousek remembers getting acquainted with new forms of journalism she had never tried before but ended up loving.
\u201cIt is really special to see, and I\u2019m glad that I could have even a small behind-the-scenes part in it,\u201d Balousek said.
Sami McKenney, of Edwardsville, Illinois, is the CAA for the third floor. A former camp counselor, McKenney said she wanted to use her skills \u201cin creating fun and being a mentor, but also do it in a journalism-focused way.\u201d
McKenney, an online cherub in 2024, did not quite know what to expect. At the four-week in-person program, McKenney said, \u201cbeing in the presence of so much journalistic knowledge at all times\u201d and forming close bonds with cherubs and faculty was a \u201cwild experience to have.\u201d
Jean Lee from Los Angeles lives on the third floor and looks up to McKenney.
\u201cSami acts as a mother, sister and mentor where she wants the best experience for us but also gives us advice and talks to us not just as little kids she’s taking care of,\u201d Lee said. \u201cShe really wants to bond with us but also draws her own boundaries.\u201d (No hugging!)
Madelyn Cass of Boulder, Colorado, said McKenney played a very important role in her experience as a cherub.
\u201cI was having a really hard time one night,\u201d Cass said. \u201cAnd she just sat and talked to me, which made it way easier to feel like we had someone in our corner who understood us.\u201d
As the creative director for The Daily, McKenney also helped cherubs work on their design skills through Sunday clubs and in one-on-one meetings.
She loved the moment during Cherubs Got Talent when Jayen Shah of Princeton, New Jersey, played his guitar.
\u201cWhen the whole program was singing along, I was just crying in the corner because, wow, that\u2019s so beautiful and special,\u201d McKenney said. \u201cWhat are the odds that life brought these people together?\u201d
Liam Barrett of Bethesda, Maryland, who lives on the first floor, said he signed up to be a CAA to give back to a community that was \u201cextremely formative, socially, academically and professionally.\u201d
Barrett made a reputation for himself as the \u201cLinkedIn warrior,\u201d always offering help on creating a LinkedIn profile, editing resumes and leaving comments on cover letters.
Claire Lin of Reno, Nevada, said Barrett helped her tailor her resume to better represent her work and persona.
\u201cLiam inspires me because he walks with his head held high and an air of confidence around him,\u201d May Lin of Belmont, California, said. \u201cHe is a really good example of always looking forward to life.\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Sophia Thomas of Kansas City, Kansas, worked closely with Barrett in editing photos. “I pester him with so many questions, and he’s been so kind and so receptive,” Thomas said.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
\u201cDespite all the exhaustion, it\u2019s been a lot of fun,\u201d Barrett said. \u201cIt felt like we just started maybe two days ago. This has been a whirlwind of journalistic joy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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