See Our Exciting Life by Video!

"See You at Medill, Northwestern!" This group of IMC students welcomes all prospective students by creating this video clip! They have covered some of our classes, interviews with professors, student event clips, and testimonials from several current students.

Check the video, and tell me that you are seriously considering becoming one of us!

5 Girls & A Guy- Live Video by IMC Students

What's going on at this moment in IMC? 5 Girls & A Guy will tell you LIVE!
Go and watch their video at http://www.justin.tv/ziggy22

5 Girls & A Guy

I'll be streaming my life as a grad student studying integrated marketing. Tune in to check out all aspects of my life.

Black Friday

Excited to Shop? We are!

It is currently Thanksgiving night and many of us are gearing up for what has traditionally been the best shopping day of the year - "Black Friday"- as many call it. Are you still not sure what the term "Black Friday" means? Well, it is an accounting term in which (supposedly) companies are "in the red" (or losing money) until the day after Thanksgiving, when they are "in the black" (or making a lot of $$$$$).

I have to a say, I am excited. I love shopping for other people at Christmas (actually, I would be kidding myself if I said I didn't like to shop for myself as well...after all, as a handbag fanatic, I can always add a new one to the collection). It is great that some stores will open tomorrow starting as early as 4am or 5am! I also learned yesterday that an area Starbucks will be opening at 4am (tomorrow only) to better serve all the early bird shoppers. Wow! Thanks Starbucks.

What a great way to spend a Friday...get up early, grab a caffeinated beverage of choice, and shop! With no school and no work for many, it is as if the retailers are just calling your name. Plus, you have to admit, there is a great feeling to getting your Christmas (or Hannukah, etc.) shopping done early.

Maybe we'll see you tomorrow. Just look for the Northwestern sweatshirts. :)

Nearby Evanston Shopping:

- Downtown Evanston (see the City of Evanston link, on the left)

- Old Orchard (www.westfield.com/oldorchard)

66 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr.

Skokie, IL

Dorm Life-Engelhart Hall

Where do a lot students live? For sure, some choose to live off-campus by themselves, with family or friends, while others choose to live in the graduate student dormitory- Engelhart Hall.

Engelhart is a 10-floor building with many twin studios, one bedroom singles and one/two bedroom apartments. For public facilities, we have study/discussion rooms, party rooms, laundry room, indoor and outdoor playground for family with kids, indoor and outdoor parking lots.

All dorm rooms are furnished with essential items, phone line, land-line Internet, and basic cable TV. Best of all, electricity, water, Internet and cable fees are included in the rent. Residents can also enjoy events hosted by the administration including

• Floor Party & Welcome BBQ- get to know your neighbors
  
• Weekend Shopping Trip- shop together with transportation provided
  
• Free Salsa Class- to learn the Latin dance together
• Halloween Party- to enjoy the holiday with funny costumes, candies and games!

Why not consider living in the dorm?

Whole Foods

Where do we buy groceries?
Whole Foods carries organic and natural products.
Whole Foods is not cheap supermarket, but if you concerned about quality and accessibility, I strongly recommend it.
The reason that many people shop here might be the location.
It's located 5 minutes from campus. It is easy to carry your heavy shopping bags home.
Map

"The Residency" a.k.a. Our 4th Quarter

During the 4th quarter of the IMC program, most students participate in what it called a residency, an 11-week period when students are able to apply what they learned inside the classroom to the workforce, by becoming a contributing member of a company. The IMC program stresses the importance of the residency experience; it allows the student to not only gain in-depth marketing experience but it also gives student the opportunity to work on real company projects!

Each year, there is a great variety of companies that offer a residencies to Northwestern IMC students...some of those companies are:
Google
The Coca-Cola Company
OgilvyOne, Ogilvy & Mather
Edelman
Hearst-Argyle Television
EuroRSCG
Discover Financial Services
Draftfcb
FedEx Services Solutions and Technology
T-Mobile USA
U.S.Cellular
Dow Chemical
Yum! Brands
Nimblefish Technologies
Y.S Interative
Western Union
Facebook

Students receive academic credit for their residencies and will have a faculty member assigned, to best monitor the student's success over the summer. The residency program definitely provides a win-win situation for both the company and the student.

***If your company is interested in becoming a residency sponsor, please contact Tom Collinger, IMC Department Chair at t-collinger@northwestern.edu ***

In the summer, students will also have the opportunity to participate in an international group residency in Asia.

Give thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Today, Tuesday, November 20, marks the official start of our Thanksgiving break. Some students will be traveling out of state (and therefore battling the heavy traffic at the airports), some will be staying in Chicago to spend time with family or friends, and some will be traveling to celebrate with a family via a home-stay program. Look out for posts about some of the international students' experiences with their home-stay families.

Last night, some of us had a little pre-thanksgiving dinner of our own. It was a great time and a great break from a busy couple of weeks. A few of brought the traditional dishes: turkey and gravy, stuffing, candied yams, pumpkin pie, and apple pie.

We all look forward to the next couple of days and look forward to hearing about our fellow students' Thanksgiving festivities. As we head to our respective destinations, we would all like you wish you a happy holiday!

(I know you were curious, so yes, we will continue to post while away from Northwestern. :) )

Saturday Night Lights

This past Saturday, many IMC students met downtown to see the Magnificent Mile's Festival of Lights, presented by Harris Bank. The events took place on Chicago's Michigan Avenue, between Oak St. and Illinois St.. Everyone was excited to start celebrating the holidays. There was a great turn-out by IMC students who were interested in seeing their first Chicago holiday festival.


The night started off with a performance by KT Tunstall and then moved on to a group holiday Christmas carol. Around 6pm, the parade started and the lights were on, showcasing the Magnificent Mile. The night ended with fireworks over the river, on the south end of north Michigan Avenue, a visit to the Hershey store, dinner with friends, and of course, some late-night shopping!

Koi-Chinese fusion restaurant

Koi - Chinese & Sushi

This restaurant is highly recommended if you want to have a great dinner with a group of your friends.

The portions are very generous, you can order two dishes to share among three people.

You can enjoy your dinner with your friends or family eating Chinese food or Sushi.
After 7 o’clock, you should make a reservation, or you might wait for more than an hour.

Here some of the chef's top recommendations: lemon chicken, seafood combination, crispy duck, filet mignon with black pepper sauce, black mushroom duck, szechwan style red snapper

Map

It's Party Time!

If you are in the mood to let loose, here is what Evanston has to offer. Great bars, dancing and drinks - you will have a blast!

Nevin's - This Irish pub is a great place to meet your classmates and students from other programs. It often hosts MBA students, PhD students and even some undergrads who can get through the bouncer. Beer is constantly flowing and you are guaranteed a good time!

http://www.tommynevinspubs.com/

The Keg - This is a college classic. If you are nostalgic of your college days, this is the place to go. Be ready to dance on the bar and mingle with undergrads! A few weeks ago, JIMC had a fundraiser there. It was great! The staff was bar tending and the proceeds went to the journal.
(located on Sherman and Davis)

Bar Louie - Great Burgers! This bar is perfect for pre-gaming and meeting friends for a drink. It is right next to The Keg, which is nice. Bring a group of friend and start your night right.

http://www.barlouieamerica.com/evanston.html

Pete Miller's - This is a fancy spot. The food is amazing and the Jazz band is a must. Come for a glass of wine or for a full-on meal. Either way, you are going to enjoy yourself and treat your palate!

http://www.petemillers.com/

To be continued...

H MART

We have many international full-time students in our program. So, don't worry that you won't be able to find your favorite foods. When shopping for Asian food, students go to H Mart.

H Mart, a huge Korean Supermarket, located in Niles, IL.
It takes about 30 minutes by a car from Northwestern University.
It opens 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. everyday.

Food, beauty shop, electric home appliances, stationary etc.

Tel : 847-581-1212
Location: 801 Civic Center Dr. Niles, IL 60714
Map

Shopping in Evanston

American Apparel
950 Church St. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 424-0063

Ann Taylor Loft
1614 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 424-9142

Barnes & Noble
1630 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 424-0848

Borders Books and Music
1700 Maple Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 733-8852

Cost Plus World Market
1725 Maple Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 424-1022

Crossroads Trading Co.
1730 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 492-9400

CVS Pharmacy
1711 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 328-3105

Davis Florist
1022 Davis St. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 475-8224

Gap
1706 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 328-9230

Restaurants in Evanston

Argo Tea
1596 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 864-6909

Bar Louie
1520 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 733-8300

Chili's
1765 Maple Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 328-9068

Chipotle
711 Church St. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 425-3959

Cold Stone Creamery
1611 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 424-9000

Davis St. Fish Market
501 Davis St. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 869-3474

Prairie Moon Restaurant
1502 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 864-8328

Stained Glass Winebar & Bistro
1735 Benson Ave. Evanston, IL 60201Ph. (847) 864-8600

NU Fitness Center

You think all IMC students are too busy to work out? Of course not!
Students here care a lot about their health! And we do love our fitness center(s). Henry Crown Sports Pavilion/ Norris Aquatic Center is a little bit far away (north campus), but luckily we have one closer to the graduate student dormitory- Blomquist Recreation Center (Foster/Sheridan). Good News! As a Northwestern University student, all facilities are FREE, just present your student ID for entrance.

Check out the slides on the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and you will understand why we love it so much!

Are you Hungry?

One great aspect of Evanston is the vast variety of restaurants. If you are looking for great food, this town has lots to offer. Let us take you through a journey of our top picks!

Tapas Barcelona - Great Spanish tapas! Make sure order Sangria and the "platano con helado," which is banana with caramel sauce and ice cream. Also, the dates with bacon are phenomenal!

http://www.tapasbarcelona.com/

Flat Top grill - When you are SUPER hungry, this is the place to go. Make sure you look at all the options before making your decision. Here you create your own stir-fry, or you can turn it into soup, just let them know what is your favorite!

http://www.flattopgrill.com/map_evanston.htm

Cozy Noodles - Bring your own bottle and you will certainly enjoy this Evanston favorite. Very affordable and delicious, this place will make you and your wallet happy. The curry dishes are dish!

http://www.cozynoodles.com/

Mt. Everest - Great Indian food. I went there last week with some students from IMC 07, and it was great. If you get the sampler, bring a friend. If not, the vegetarian dishes are excellent.

http://www.mteverestrestaurant.com/

Blu Sushi - Great sushi and ambiance. A chic location for a great date. It is definitely not cheap, but a great upgrade if you are in the mood for something nice.

To be continued...

Fall at Northwestern

How do we get around?

Always by foot.

Come on... Do you really believe that?

Maybe the first question we should answer is "Where exactly is Evanston?" It's a small town north of Chicago, and it takes you around 30 minutes to drive from downtown Chicago to Evanston. But for those who are not so lucky to have a car, public transportation will get you there!

• CTA- the eL

A widely used method of transportation, the CTA runs about every 10 minutes.

The line that runs through Evanston is the "Purple Line." During rush hour periods during the week, the "purple express," takes around 45 minutes to get downtown. When there's no purple express, you can take a nap on the train thanks to the 75 minute ride.

How much: $2 each ride, per trip.

• Metra

This train is also popular for students, but it mostly runs on an hourly schedule.

The line that runs through Evanston is the "Union Pacific North Line." Good News! It takes you downtown in around 35 minutes.

How much?

From the Davis St. station to downtown Chicago- $3.2o.
Good News again! After presenting your student ID, the fare is reduced to $1.50!

• Inter-campus Shuttle Bus

Thanks to Northwestern University, it's one of the many student privileges. The Inter-campus shuttle runs in a continuous loop from Chicago (Northwestern's Chicago Campus, near Water Tower area) to Evanston Monday-Friday, 8am -10pm. Around 45 minutes, and walla~ you're there!

How much: By presenting your student ID it's free!

Medill Alum's Mix It Up with Students at Aria Bar

On Friday, Nov. 2, 2007, current and former Medill students gathered together at Chicago's Aria Bar for a evening of great food and conversation. It was a chance for alum's to share their experiences with the students, as well as, a chance for full-time IMC students to connect with part-time students. The Aria Bar is a great place! Check it out... http://www.ariachicago.com/