Evanston Township High School offers countless resources for students who want to get ahead, catch up, or explore subjects in greater depth. One of the most valuable of these resources is its partnership with Northwestern University, ETHS’s neighboring university.

The Northwestern–ETHS partnership focuses on enhancing students’ educational experiences by drawing on resources from both schools. Through this collaboration, the program organizes events, supports clubs, and creates opportunities that expand student learning.

Room H107 serves as the office of Hailey Cox-Montijo, the primary coordinator of the Northwestern–ETHS partnership. A Northwestern graduate, Cox-Montijo has been working at ETHS for six months. As someone relatively new to the role, she discussed the challenge of supporting a large number of students while maintaining fairness and clarity.

“In an attempt to support many students at once while also providing information that actually makes sense and is helpful, I am working on creating office documents with frequently asked questions to clear up misconceptions about the office and help students better understand what I do here,” Cox-Montijo said.

She added that staffing changes have also affected the office’s workflow.

“In the past, there were always two people in our office; now there is just me. Because of this, it can be tricky to manage students, especially during admission season, but I am working around that.”

ETHS hosts numerous clubs and organizations, including WiSTEM, SHPE, and Emerge, many of which frequently partner with Northwestern. In addition to club collaborations, the partnership office helps coordinate events such as the Kits, Cats, and Kids block party, brings university guest speakers to campus, and organizes career panels.

“In my experience, the biggest interactions are college and career fairs, student summits, and guest speakers,” Cox-Montijo said.

Many students wonder how they can stand out or get involved with Northwestern, especially during early admission season. Cox-Montijo clarified that while the partnership office is not affiliated with admissions, participation can demonstrate genuine interest.

“Even though our program doesn’t have anything to do with admissions, involvement with the office in general shows that you are particularly interested in Northwestern.”

She also noted that many ETHS students ultimately attend Northwestern, not only because of its proximity, but also because ETHS applicants are statistically more likely to be accepted than applicants from outside Evanston. However, she cautioned students against assuming admission is guaranteed.

Cox-Montijo hopes students recognize the advantage they already have and take full advantage of available opportunities by communicating with the partnership office.

Adding to Cox-Montijo’s perspective, Ms. Lin, an English student teacher at ETHS completing a two-month placement while attending Northwestern, shared why she believes the Evanston community is unique.

“This is the kind of community I did not experience at my high school, a very welcoming community. Without support from people who have done this before, I can’t imagine where I would truly be.”

Lin emphasized the importance of mentorship in her experience.

“The adults I work with, like Dr. Bucio and Ms. Flores, are an incredibly supportive community to be a part of. I can’t imagine being at a different school as a student teacher.”

She also values the independence that comes with student teaching.

“I do a lot of observing mentor teachers and watching how they adapt in their classrooms. Usually, student teaching lasts a few months. For me, it starts in January and ends in March.”

In addition to observing, Lin designs and teaches her own lessons.

“I plan my own activities and create my own slides and lessons. My favorite part is being able to plan interactive activities rather than just giving a lecture.”

Balancing college coursework with teaching responsibilities can still be challenging.

“It can be tough balancing college and student teaching. There are times when I work until 4 p.m., then have a 5 p.m. class at Northwestern. It’s a tight schedule, but it keeps me on my toes.”

For ETHS students, Northwestern remains an accessible and appealing opportunity, one strengthened by the partnership and the surrounding community.

Satthapi Miller, one of the current leaders of WiSTEM, has extensive experience working with Northwestern through the club’s ongoing collaboration. Miller explained how and why WiSTEM began partnering with the university.

“Before I came to ETHS, they had already been doing it for a while. Once the first leaders of the club realized how much working with Northwestern would help, they decided to make it a benefit of being in the club.”

Miller added that the partnership helps WiSTEM access valuable resources.

“We meet once a week with someone from Northwestern for support and ideas for the program. We work with Northwestern to make sure we have the resources and time we need.”

She also emphasized that WiSTEM challenges common stereotypes.

“Our club attracts a certain audience, and it’s not just math and science, which is what many people think. We like to do activities and panels.”

Miller believes that WiSTEM’s strong reputation and collaboration with Northwestern make the club especially appealing to students.

“I think the fact that we have had such a good reputation and collaboration with Northwestern interests students. It’s exciting and different.”

Sophie Hurd, an ETHS graduate and current Northwestern student who also serves as an intern at Northwestern, reflected on how her experience as both a student and intern has helped her grow and access opportunities she may not have otherwise had.

“Northwestern for me didn’t feel exactly like a natural choice because I wasn’t confident my test scores were high enough to get in and because my parents worked there, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted that dynamic.”

She added that applying to Northwestern was common among ETHS seniors.

“I remember a few people senior year talking about applying to NU. I think there was a general feeling of ‘might as well apply’ in a few of my social circles, but whether or not one attended was definitely an economic decision. I think it’s seen as out of reach for many ETHS students.”

Hurd also addressed broader community concerns, including Northwestern’s tax-exempt status.

“I think some Northwestern students are aware of the tax situation. It bothers me a bit, but from what I’ve heard, many Northwestern students see NU as the main attraction in Evanston.”

As an intern connected to the partnership office, Hurd described her involvement in community programming.

“I helped out with the AVID senior experiences relating to the NU/ETHS Partnership Office events. I liked volunteering in that office as an ETHS and NU grad and someone who finds community work interesting.”

She later took on a more formal role.

“They asked me to help run events in a more official capacity, and I agreed since I really like what that office does. It’s a great office doing interesting work. I think there’s definitely a lot of disconnect between ETHS and NU, so that office really matters in continuing to improve that relationship.”

Hurd believes there is still room for growth in strengthening community connections.

“I think NU does a good job of creating the infrastructure to connect NU and ETHS, and I think the people running those offices and programs do great work under often difficult financial circumstances.”

She pointed to the Kits, Cats, and Kids event as an example of successful outreach.

“That event does a great job bringing the community together. It would be great to see more of that from Northwestern’s side, especially in terms of getting NU undergraduates and graduates out of the bubble and into ETHS and West Evanston in general.”

Hurd also noted that many Northwestern students are unfamiliar with areas west of campus.

“There’s a lot of diversity, racial, cultural, and economic, in Evanston, and I think that’s something a lot of NU students don’t realize.”

Overall, Hurd described her experience as welcoming and growth-oriented.

The Northwestern, ETHS partnership remains highly accessible for students, offering resources through leaders like Hailey Cox-Montijo, clubs like WiSTEM, internship opportunities, and meaningful community engagement. While admission is never guaranteed, the proximity and connection between the two institutions provide Evanston students with a unique advantage. Taking initiative and utilizing these opportunities can open doors that shape students’ futures for years to come.