Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro attended the grand opening of a new state-of-the-art center to house the Northwestern Academy–a program to support Chicago Public School students in preparing for success at competitive colleges and universities. They were joined by students enrolled in the Northwestern Academy and their parents. The Academy will graduate its inaugural cohort of seniors this spring. Located on Northwestern’s Chicago campus in Streeterville, the new high-tech center makes the Academy’s programming and support services more easily accessible to CPS students. The center was previously located on Northwestern’s Evanston campus. Launched in 2013, the Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools is a multi-year college preparation and enrichment program for diverse, academically motivated students from Chicago Public Schools.

The newly rehabbed center provides classrooms designed to foster collaboration between students, Northwestern teachers and staff, as well as families. Each classroom is equipped with 21st century wireless and high-res technology capabilities to facilitate conference calls with prospective college and universities, as well as virtual tours of college campuses. Northwestern Academy is a program of Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy. To apply, students must be a freshman in high school, and submit an application, recommendation and writing samples. Northwestern Academy will invite finalists to interview and meet with advisors. For more information on the Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools, visit http://www.academy.northwestern.edu.