Application deadline Jan 19th
CHESS – Cancer Health Engagement Summer Scholars Program
The Cancer Health Engagement Summer Scholars (CHESS) program is an eight-week summer program that trains and mentors underrepresented high school students interested in careers focusing on cancer research and other health professions. CHESS is a collaboration between the University of Illinois Cancer Center and the UIC Urban Health Program.
Who can apply:
Residents of Cook County
High school students currently in 10th, 11th or 12th grades*
Interested in healthcare or biomedical fields
Able to commit to eight full weeks of programming, 35–40 hours/week
*Please note in order to participate in wet lab research, you must be at least 16 years old by the start of program on June 15, 2026. Students younger than 16 may work in a dry lab.
This program seeks a cohort of students with varied backgrounds and experiences. We therefore welcome applicants with a full range of backgrounds and experiences, including students whose parents or guardians did not go to college and students who come from under-resourced communities and households.
Apply by: 11:59 PM (CT) on Monday, January 19, 2026.
Program dates: June 15 – August 7, 2026 (35–40 hours/week)
The Cancer Health Engagement Summer Scholars (CHESS) program is an eight-week summer program that trains and mentors underrepresented high school students interested in careers focusing on cancer research and other health professions. CHESS is a collaboration between the University of Illinois Cancer Center and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Urban Health Program. Students will receive a $3,000 stipend for completing 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.
Apply Here: https://redcap.link/UICC_CHESS2026