• Journalism educators! Join IJEA today! Annual memberships for 2025-26 and lifetime memberships are available. Use our online form or fillable PDF to join!
  • Yearbook advisers! We are now accepting entries for the 2025 IJEA Yearbook Contest! The postmark deadline is Oct. 15, 2025, for books that cover 2024-25 school year.
  • Congratulations to IJEA member schools Huntley H.S. and Prospect H.S. on co-winning the IHSA journalism state title! The schools tied for 1st place at the IHSA finals April 25 in Normal.
  • Congratulations to IJEA Executive Director Linda Jones on receiving the national JEA's Lifetime Achievement Award! She was honored at the 2025 Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.
  • Congratulations to IJEA member Leslie Fireman, journalism adviser at West Chicago High School, on winning the national JEA's Rising Star Award! She was honored at the 2024 Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Philadelphia.
  • Congratulations to IJEA Hall of Fame member Stan Zoller, MJE, on being the inaugural winner of the National JEA's Candace and John Bowen Adviser First Amendment Leadership Award! He was honored at the 2024 Fall JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Philadelphia.
Illinois Journalism Education Association, Medill School, Northwestern University, 1845 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-2101

Illinois JEA
Illinois Journalism Education Association, Medill School, Northwestern University, 1845 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-2101

Illinois JEA
Illinois Journalism Education Association, Medill School, Northwestern University, 1845 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-2101

Illinois JEA

About the IJEA

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Promoting and Supporting Excellence
in Scholastic Journalism Since 1988

Illinois Journalism Education Association
Medill School
Northwestern University
1845 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208-2101
[email protected]

The Illinois Journalism Education Association, founded in 1988, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering excellence in the teaching and practice of high school journalism. We are based in Evanston, where we are headquartered in Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

Until June 1, 2019, we had been located for more than 30 years in the Journalism Department at Eastern Illinois University. From June 2019 to June 2025, we were hosted by the Illinois Press Association/Illinois Press Foundation in Springfield.

Our executive director is Katie Fernandez, CJE, senior program coordinator for Medill’s Teach Chicago Journalism and ex officio member of the IJEA Board of Directors. A complete list of our board members can be found here. We invite you to learn more about our organization by visiting the sections listed below.

Our Purpose: What is IJEA?

Our Background: IJEA History

Our Structure and Rules: IJEA Bylaws

Our Leadership: IJEA Officers and Directors

 

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