Since 1931, the National High School Institute has brought outstanding students to Northwestern University’s Evanston campus for immersive educational experiences. Students are affectionately known as “Cherubs,” a name given to them in the 1930s by Northwestern Dean Ralph Dennis whose goal, “to bring together gifted young people and superior teachers in an atmosphere of affection, knowledge, and trust,” is still upheld today. The oldest and largest university-based program of its kind, NHSI offers studies in Theatre Arts, Film & Video, Debate, and Playwriting.
NHSI News & Updates
2024 Dates Announced
Dates for three of our Institutes have been announced for the 2024 Season! Admission deadlines…
Application open for Summer Playwriting Intensive
The application is now open for the NHSI Summer Playwriting Intensive! June 25 – July 15,…
Theatre Arts Information Session
Looking to learn more about our 2023 Theatre Arts Institute? Wish you could just talk…
Our Team
Jennifer Avery
Director
Jennifer Avery has been the Director of NHSI since September 2015. Jenny has worked as an arts administrator, teaching artist, and actor in Chicago for the past 20 years. As an arts administrator, Jenny has been the Artistic Director of Next Theatre and the Education Director for American Theatre Company, as well as holding positions at the Harris Music and Dance Theatre and Roadworks Productions. She has taught acting at DePaul University and new play development at Northwestern University. Jenny has been a teaching artist for Writers Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Gallery 37, and Urban Gateways, teaching high school and middle school students around the Chicagoland area. As an actor, she has worked at a number of theaters in Chicago, including Steppenwolf, Northlight, Writers Theatre, Victory Gardens, Next, Chicago Dramatists, American Theater Company, Timeline Theatre, About Face Theatre, The Gift, and Strawdog.
Corrine Glanville
Program Assistant
Corrie Glanville is thrilled to be part of the NHSI team as a Program Assistant. Originally from the northern suburbs, she spent several years in San Francisco working in publishing and received her M.A. in Theatre Education from Emerson College in Boston. She has been a teacher, residential counselor, actor, and playwright whose plays have been staged at NYU, Boston Children’s Theatre and Theater Wit in Chicago. In addition to the arts, Corrie spent years as a bookseller in amazing independent bookstores like Women & Children First and loves to read memoirs, historical fiction, and English murder mysteries.
Samantha Kingzette
Program Assistant
Sam Kingzette has been a Program Assistant for the Cherubs since 2021. Originally from Dowagiac, Michigan, Sam completed her B.A. with double majors in Theatre Studies and Musical Theatre at North Central College. Since then, she has worked as a theatre artist, customer service specialist, and admission professional in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio. As a director, she has worked with PrideArts, Random Acts Network, MadLab Theatre, Imagine Productions, and more. Some of her non-theatre interests include watching cooking & artistic competition shows, trying spicy foods, propagating house plants, and hanging out with her husband and their four pets.