CHESS
The Cancer Health Engagement Summer Scholars (CHESS) program trains and mentors high school students interested in careers focusing on cancer research and other health professions. The program seeks a cohort of students with varied backgrounds and experiences, including students whose parents or guardians did not attend college and students from under-resourced communities and households. CHESS is a collaboration between the University of Illinois Cancer Center and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Urban Health Program.
At a Glance
- 2026 Program Dates: June 15 – August 7
- Program Length: 8 weeks, 40 hours per week
- Daily Schedule: Boot camp week + mentored research (See a sample summer schedule)
- Stipend: $3,000 (Two payments issued during the summer term)
- 2027 Application: Opens in November; closes in mid-January
Eligibility
- Resident of Cook County
- High school student currently in 10th, 11th or 12th grades*
- Interests in healthcare or biomedical fields
- Able to commit to 8 full weeks of programming, 40 hours per week on campus
In the program, students gain hands-on research experience working in a UIC faculty lab on an independent project. At the end of the summer, students present their work during the Cancer Center’s student research symposium. Students will also attend workshops, lectures, and other activities focused on building research, professional and academic skills.
CHESS students are matched to labs based on research interests. This means that students can work on any field of cancer research – from molecular biology to computation and biostatistics.
* In order to participate in wet lab research, you must be at least 16 years old by the start of the program. Students younger than 16 may work in a dry lab.
Questions?
Please email crtec@uic.edu.
