What is the seminar?

Fall semester seminar & topic in fall 2008

Winter/spring short-term seminars

Quotes from program alumni

The Library and its collection

Chicago -- a great city

Academic info: eligibility & credit

Costs, housing & how to apply

Contact: campus program advisors, ACM office

Opportunities for faculty

Chicago

Right: Along Lake Michigan, looking toward Chicago's Gold Coast.

For over 150 years, people from all over the world have come to where the plains meet the lake, making Chicago one of the world's great cities. It has large communities of Irish, African Americans, Mexicans and Latin Americans, and more Poles than any city other than Warsaw. This mix of cultures makes the city exciting and unique.

Chicago has a rich collection of theatres, museums, concerts, and clubs; on any night you can find a symphony concert, a Broadway musical, a punk band, experimental theatre, and classic Chicago blues. The city is a mecca for architecture fans, with a world-renowned skyline and fascinating details.

Chicago's neighborhoods are diverse and lively, with busy streets and lots of things to do. But the city can also be peaceful and beautiful, especially alongside Lake Michigan, with its beaches and running paths.

Newberry seminar participants live and work in the Gold Coast neighborhood, one of the city's wealthiest. Here you'll find quiet streets and classic rowhouses. But it's only steps to Rush Street -- a leading nightlife district -- and the Magnificent Mile, with the city's finest shopping. The program's apartments are close to a variety of restaurants and coffee bars; a full-service grocery store is close by. The Newberry Library, where the seminar meets and participants work, is a few blocks away. Also close by is a subway stop, which can take you to the rest of the city.

Chicago has lots to do. Here are a few of our favorites -- you'll probably find your own.

• Free jazz festival over Labor Day weekend
• Exploring diverse neighborhoods
• Live performance at a blues club
• Swimming in Lake Michigan
• The Impressionists collection at the Art Institute
• The dolphins at the Shedd Aquarium
• Architecture tour from the Chicago River
• Cubs and White Sox games
• Unusual movies at the Music Box Theatre
• A Polish sausage and fries at Gold Coast Dogs

Before you arrive we'll send you a student handbook listing things worth checking out.

Below, right: Downtown Chicago, viewed from the south.

Safety

If you're new to city living, you may be worried about safety. Yes, Chicago is a big city and, like any large city in the world, Chicago has some crime and random violence. You will be living and working in one of Chicago's safer neighborhoods. Nevertheless, living in the city requires a level of awareness and preparedness uncommon in most non-urban environments.

In Chicago, you will be walking, taking public transportation, and perhaps bike riding. You should plan your route ahead of time and be aware of your surroundings. We can't guarantee nothing bad will happen to you, but if you are smart, careful, and confident, you will have a great time in a great city.