Combining tradition and innovation, the Cook Family Writing Program helps all Northwestern students learn to write clearly, thoughtfully, and effectively.

Founded in 1977 to ensure that Northwestern undergraduates have ample opportunities to learn to write clearly and persuasively, the Writing Program was renamed the Cook Family Writing Program after a generous gift endowed the program in 2015.

Directed by Northwestern Trustee Stanton R. Cook ’49, ’85 H, retired chairman of Tribune Company, and his daughter, Sarah Shumway ’87 MBA, the gift recognized the deep experience of writing program faculty and the program’s reach to all corners of the University.

“After spending so much of my life working at a great Chicago newspaper and running a national multimedia company,” Cook observed, “the idea of contributing meaningfully to such an outstanding writing program to help train the next generation of writers was very important to me.”

“We were fascinated by the fundamentals of the existing program and the possibility of promoting such strong teaching in the art of writing to a large and diverse student body,” said Shumway.

The program offers courses at every level—from introductory to advanced—and has worked with faculty across the University to help their students become more effective writers. Writing Program courses are small and personal, and faculty offer rigorous instruction in writing in a friendly, supportive setting.