Announcements

The Medill Solutions Journalism Hub hosts the 2026 Solutions Journalism Educators Academy

Educators

July 10, 2026

Pictured: Fellows at the 2026 Educators Academy. Photo: Sharon Bloyd-Peshkin

Seventeen educators from colleges and universities across the United States gathered in June 2026 at the downtown Chicago campus of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications to explore ways to teach solutions journalism and incorporate it into college media projects, particularly on topics relating to reporting on student mental health and covering crises and elections. The Academy was co-hosted by the Solutions Journalism Network and the Medill Solutions Journalism Hub.

Among the highlights:

Medill’s Deborah D. Douglas and SJN’s Sharon Bloyd-Peshkin led a session on solutions journalism and how to teach it. Sharon also shared the all-new Solutions Journalism Curriculum Builder toolkit that’s now available on the SJN website.
Gheni Platenburg of University of Houston and Deborah provided a session on Complicating the Narratives techniques.
Deborah and Sharon led concurrent workshops on how to teach students to apply a solutions lens to covering crises and covering elections.
Historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas led an Asset-Framing® tour of Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, highlighting the strengths and humanity of people who live in marginalized communities.
SJN’s Ja’Nel Johnson-Phillips led a “solutions pitch challenge,” during which fellows competed to come up with student projects for the coming school year. All received feedback from a panel of judges.
Clare Kirwan, one of the solutions desk editors at The Daily Northwestern, talked about her student newsroom’s experiences as part of SJN’s Student Media Challenge this past year.

Meet the 2026 Educators Academy Fellows

Educators Academies are held most summers. Be among the first to know about upcoming events and opportunities by subscribing to our newsletters, which include Above the Fold for journalists and Making the Grade for educators.