The 2007 Academy
The Academy for Alternative Journalism is a hands-on program designed to introduce young writers to the alternative press. In just eight weeks, ten students from around the country receive a crash course in reporting and writing ast the Chicago campus of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Click here to download the
2008 Academy Application.
The 2007 Class of the Academy for Alternative Journalism (left to right): Ciara Sampaio, Suemedha Sood, Kelly Virella, Bradley Campbell, Gus Garcia-Roberts, Yasmin Khan, Emily Withrow, Caleb Hannan, Ashleigh Braggs, Natalie Collier.
The program was established in 2000 in an effort to recruit talented writers, especially young men and women of color, looking to contribute to the diversity of the industry. Funded by the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies, the Academy is a paid summer fellowship program that immerses students in sort of narrative writing and penetrating reporting that is the hallmark of the alternative press.
The Academy emphasizes the fundamentals of successful long-form journalism, including reporting, story structure and literary technique. With workshops conducted by Medill faculty and editors from a variety of alternative publications, the program is rigorous and fast-paced. Each student is expected to produce at least one piece suitable for publication by the summer's end. The workshops and lectures are conducted in Medill's Chicago newsroom in the heart of the city.
