Medill Explores
Through Medill Explores, you can go on a variety of learning adventures during a week-long suspension of regularly scheduled Medill classes.
You choose among classes that are led by faculty and are designed to provide a deep dive into different subject areas and locations.Through Medill Explores experiences, you are immersed in journalism, media, innovation and more. You experience first-hand a new area and culture, meet new people and deepen your understanding of what it means to be a journalist.
Network with local experts and alumni
These classes provide important connections within subjects that are of interest to you. In addition to meeting with local experts in journalism and media, Medill alumni in most locations meet and network with you and provide important advice about jobs and professional development.
Recent classes
We're always seeking to provide new opportunities and experiences for our students, so Medill Explores trips change from year to year. Here is an overview of recent classes and locations.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Non-Fiction Video Storytelling in Argentina
In Argentina, students enhanced their skills in global journalism by creating visual stories on the culture, arts, issues, food and people of Buenos Aires. The course explored cinematic journalism, evocative writing, the finer points of video editing and the moving nature of people-centered stories.
Latvia
Russian Imperialism: The View from Latvia
Students learned how Russia’s aggressions in Ukraine impact its neighbors and all of NATO, including the United States. In Latvia, students interviewed experts, Russian exiles, and local Latvians, and visited a military base. Guided by two faculty members who are former foreign correspondents, students practiced foreign reporting, deepened their understanding of world history and current events, and gained experience in culturally sensitive reporting.
London, United Kingdom
Leadership and Management Strategies
This trip used London as a backdrop to explore leadership, innovation, and communication. Students examined what it takes to lead an organization, team, or group of peers, focusing on oral communication, nurturing teams, developing business plans, financial literacy, and negotiation skills. Through visits to iconic landmarks and meetings with industry leaders, students gained insights into their own capacity for growth and leadership.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Sports Reporting Seminar: Super Bowl Weekend
Students reported on the buildup to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, focusing on big-event coverage. They explored how to tell rich stories despite limited access to principal figures, highlighted the unsung heroes behind the scenes, and examined how cities manage the massive influx of visitors during such events. This hands-on experience sharpened their skills in storytelling and event reporting.
Phoenix, Arizona
Playing the Field: Covering Phoenix Sports
On this trip, students took an up-close look at the art of being a general assignment sports reporter. They covered the WM Open, a very popular stop on the PGA Tour. Some students also visited Sloane Park, the Chicago Cubs spring training site; attended a Phoenix Suns game; covered Arizona State University men's basketball, women's softball and men's hockey and two students traveled to Tucson to cover a University of Arizona men's basketball game. The trip examined how professional journalists become experts in a sport they have never covered and demonstrated how covering one sport can make them a more creative and effective writer and reporter in others.
Puerto Rico
Colonialism, Climate Change, Resistance and Resilience
In Puerto Rico, students reported on complex, sensitive topics such as disaster recovery, climate change, politics, inequity, food security, and public health. They explored the island’s history and its connection to Chicago’s Puerto Rican diaspora, building relationships with sources and reporting on traumatic situations, including natural disasters and contentious political debates. Students produced publication-worthy stories and gained experience in travel reporting and working with vulnerable communities.
Medill’s priority is always the health and safety of our students so we may make adjustments to planned travel based on guidance from Northwestern's Office of Global Safety and Security.