The program provides a stipend of $3,000 which has been calculated to cover air travel, ground and local transportation including ride-share services to site visits, luggage fees, some meals not offered by the institute, and other incidental and personal expenses you may incur during your nine-day stay in Chicago. The program covers your lodging on the UIC campus and most of the meals. 

Payment of Stipend: Please note UIC only processes stipends at the end of the Institute with payment scheduled in late July. UIC does not provide advances.

When making your flight reservations, please keep in mind these dates: 

Arrival: Friday, June 20, 2025

Departure: Sunday, June 29, 2025

There are two airports serving Chicago:

O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Midway Airport (MDW)

Both are equally convenient and served by metro. If you are booking your own flight, get the best fare which will allow changes.

Option A: You make your own travel arrangements to Chicago arriving on Friday, June 20th.

Option B: We arrange your flight. If you want us to arrange your flights, we will deduct the cost from your stipend. We offer this option so that you do not incur additional credit card charges and fees. UIC requires us to book flights only for the official dates of the Institute — arrival June 20 departure on June29, 2025. If you are interested in this option, please let Olga Herrera know and she will forward the form you will need to complete with your flight preferences. Jessica Seno from the Office of Social Science Research will book your flight based on your preferred itinerary. Please note that this option is for domestic flights within the United States and Puerto Rico.  We do not make international flight arrangements should you happen to be abroad on the days before the institute.

Arrival Date: Friday, June 20, 2025 1:00-6:00 pm

Arriving in Chicago: You will fly into Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) or Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Both are served by public transportation such as CTA trains: MDW by the Orange Line and ORD by the Blue Line. 

Participants should arrive at UIC between 1:00 to 6:00 pm. If you have a later flight, just let us know. Once in Chicago, you should go to:

Academic and Residential Complex (East Campus)
940 West Harrison Street
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: 312 355-7800

Going to UIC Academic and Residential Complex from ORD:

CTA Train: If you are arriving at ORD and want to take the CTA Blue Line train, it will take about 35 minutes (depending on the time of day) to reach the UIC stop: UIC-Halsted. The station is 0.1 mile from the Academic and Residential Complex (see map)

Going to UIC Academic and Residential Complex from MDW:

CTA Train: If you are arriving at MDW and want to take the CTA Orange Line train, you will need to transfer to the Blue Line-Forest Park to the UIC stop: UIC-Halsted. The station is a 0.1 mile walk from the Academic and Residential Complex

*If you are arriving later than 6 pm, we recommend you take a taxi or rideshare.

CTA Metro: Cost of tickets vary but are most likely about $5 +. See: CTA Bus and Rail Map  

Taxis and Rideshare: About $38-$50+ for Taxis, Uber, or Lyft. Please use apps to check prices.

Check in date: June 20
Check out date: June 29

Academic and Residential Complex (UIC ARC East Campus Residence Hall)

940 West Harrison Street
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL 60607

Front desk phone: 312-355-7800.

During your nine-day stay at UIC, you will be at the UIC Academic and Residential Complex in a fully-furnished two-person private room semi-suite double with a shared bathroom. All suites come with linens (pillow, blanket, flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillowcase, bath towel, and washcloth), furniture, and high-speed internet connection. In addition, as an award-winner new building, it features a fitness center, multiple social and/or lounges and study lounges on each floor, laundry facilities, and a tenth-Floor sky lounge.   

Semi-suite accommodations: We strive to create a dynamic experience by placing participants with students from universities other than your own so that you can meet new colleagues and expand your emerging scholar network.

UIC Housing Code: Please familiarize yourself with the UIC Housing Code found here. All rules and regulations will be in effect during your stay.

Check out: June 29

All linens must be left in rooms upon final departure from the apartment for collection. Please drop keys/access cards at the front desk. You are responsible for lost keys/access cards.

Dress code
Casual and comfortable. Bring walking shoes as we walk across campus and visit museums in Pilsen and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. It is summer and we will be in air-conditioned rooms. We suggest you bring a sweater, jacket, hoodie, etc.

For our site visits
Chicago's sun in the summer can get very strong. We suggest you bring a baseball cap/hat, sunglasses, and a water bottle.

What to bring
Toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, soap/body wash, shampoo, etc.), seasonal clothing, cell phone, cell phone charger, laptops and accessories, medication, Government issued photo ID, masks (optional and yes, COVID-19 is still around us although we will have them available), hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, water bottle, and anything that will make your ten-day stay more comfortable. If you are interested in visiting one of Chicago's 24 beaches, bring your swimsuit.  Chicago's summer sun tends to be very strong, please bring a baseball cap/hat and again a water bottle.

How to make your stay more comfortable
This is up to you.Based on last year's group, some of the participants purchased an extra pillow, extra blanket, nicer sheets for the bed, a towel, etc. In calculating your stipend, we have already factored in these kind of expenses as personal incidentals. 

Where to buy
There are storeswithin walking distance: Marshalls, Target, Ulta, Marianos, Walgreens.

The Summer Institute program is intense, with a fantastic lineup of instructors and panelists.

We will start the day at 8:30 am with coffee/breakfast. Sessions start at 9:00 am. Some days, will go to until 4:00 pm/5:00 pm with a few scheduled after-hour activities. 

Be on time
We require you to be on time as in any professional development program/job.

Attendance
Attendance to all sessions and activities is required for you to be receive the Crossing Latinidades Mellon Fellowship.

Sessions meet at: 

Saturday, June 21 and 28: Student Center East, Cardinal Room

Monday-Friday, June 23-June 17: UIC Center for the Humanities

Summer Institute Meals: We will provide coffee/breakfast and catered boxed/buffet lunches when the Institute is in session: Saturday, Monday-Saturday. In addition, group dinners are planned for Saturday, July 6 (Lalo's), and Wednesday, July 10 (El Mezquite).  If you find you do not like the food, you can use the incidental money in your stipend to purchase your food preference.

Each instructor has assigned readings for her/his/their module. You will find the link to readings on the Summer Institute home page and under each instructor’s daily schedule. We will provide the password in the next weeks.

Please familiarize with the readings for discussion during sessions. These also provide additional sources as you think about your dissertation projects and future courses you want to design. You will have access to these via the website.

On the last two days, you will deliver a final 10-minute presentation of your dissertation project, engaging the theoretical positions and methodologies you've been exposed to during the Institute. 

Institute Staff

Olga Herrera                         
Email: oherre15@uic.edu
Mobile: 703 282-0219 (text/calls)

Frida Sanchez-Vega              
Email: fsanch7@uic.edu

Isabela Ortega                       
Email: iorte7@uic.edu 
          

Academic and Residential Complex
Main Desk Phone: 312 355-7800

UIC Campus Police 
Emergency: 312 355-555
General 312 996-2830    
Address: 943 West Maxwell Street, Chicago, IL 60608-1563 (map) 

Fire Department
Emergency: 312 996-3473 (6 F-I-R-E) or pull nearest alarm box.

Urgent Care at UI Health
Phone: 312 996-2000
Address: 1220 S. Wood St, Chicago, IL 60608 (map)

University of Illinois Hospital Emergency Room
Phone: 312 996-7297
Address: 1740 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612

Deliveries to Academic Residential Complex

[Your First and Last Name]
 Your Room Number (including letter)
940 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607

You will be asked to introduce yourself a few times. We would like you to prepare an elevator pitch short enough for a 30-second introduction - who you are, what you do, and your research interests/dissertation topic. Keep it short; focus on the essentials; be positive and upbeat; and practice!

The following links provide examples on how to create an elevator pitch:

Crafting an Elevator Pitch

Elevator Pitch Examples

Elevator Pitch Examples and Writing Tips

This is a great exercise you can fine-tune as your research and interests evolve and is helpful for networking.

This third-largest city in the U.S., Chicago features 77 community neighborhoods with many ethnicities; 600 parks; more than 24 beaches; and an incredible array of cultural attractions. Crossing Latinidades staff will be sharing their favorite places to visit in the city. See this website for more details.

COVID-19 and UIC Guidance 
COVID-19 is still among us as it is now endemic. UIC has developed its own website with information.

Masking
UIC has instituted the optional use of masks in classrooms, lecture centers, research labs, the libraries and learning/success centers, health care settings, and on UIC shuttles and buses. Masking is a personal decision based on a personal assessment of risk. We will have masks available for those of you who would like to use them.

UIC Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy
The University of Illinois Chicago has a long-standing commitment to supporting and maintaining a drug-free environment for its students and employees. In keeping with this history, we provide a link below to the current UIC Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy and the University Statement on a Drug-Free Workplace.

Campus Safety
As on any college campus, please exercise the utmost care when walking on the street at night. Do not walk alone.

Please download the UIC Safe App - Campus security tool

Download the UIC Safe App from the App Store (iOS)

Download the UIC Safe App from the Google Play Store (Android)

Guidelines

THINK! about personal safety

THINK! About safety during outdoor activity