Last week’s Media Transformation Challenge (MTC) @ Medill info session made a compelling case for a leadership development program, one that stands apart from the others by centering on performance, not theory, and measurable outcomes, not coursework. 

Hosted by MTC @ Medill Program Lead and Coach Fran Scarlett (’19) and Engagement Director and Coach Benjamin Wagner (’14), and featuring Vandana Kumar (’25), Darya Ushakova, and Mackenzie Warren, the throughline was unmistakable: this is not a program you do on the side, and it doesn’t end in a paper, plan, or prototype. It centers on a single, high-stakes challenge inside your organization, with the expectation that you will move it forward in real time. The model makes that possible by breaking complex problems into manageable pieces, testing quickly, discarding what doesn’t work, and building steady momentum toward outcomes that matter.

That distinction of performance over process came into focus through the stories of two alumni.

India Currents Founder & Executive Director Vandana Kumar arrived carrying a familiar tension: how to preserve the trust of a 39-year-old community newsroom while making it relevant to a younger audience that simply wasn’t showing up. Instead of trying to control change, she began to trust it. Applying MTC’s Design/Do approach, she and her team launched a new social-first brand, Rooted, on Instagram and TikTok—without additional staff or budget.

They used AI to better understand audience behavior, narrowed their focus to a small number of high-potential personas, and invited younger contributors to create the kind of content they themselves wanted to see. The results were not incremental: more than 250,000 new readers, over 16,000 engagements, and a dramatic expansion of their 18–44 audience from roughly 3,900 to nearly 60,000. For Kumar, the deeper shift was in how she led.

“MTC doesn’t give you a playbook,” Kumar said. “It gives you a framework for transformation… it changes how you lead, the risks you take, and the future you believe is possible.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer CMO Darya Usakova was tackling a parallel but distinct challenge inside a much larger institution: how to convert millennials into loyal readers of a 197-year-old brand while also advancing into executive leadership.

What began as a growth challenge became both organizational and personal. Using MTC tools to clarify her value proposition, align initiatives to a clear North Star, and map influence inside the organization, she drove measurable gains: an 8% increase in millennial readership, a 76% lift in conversion per million visits, more than 170,000 digital subscribers, and performance that exceeded budget by over $2 million.

At the same time, she achieved her own stated goal, stepping into the Chief Marketing Officer role.

“You may come for one thing,” Ushakova reflected, “but you come out with something entirely different—and in the best possible way.”

Medill Local News Initiative Interim Executive Director Mackenzie Warren widened the lens, pointing to the power of the ecosystem itself.

“When you join MTC, you’re not just joining a program—you’re joining a community,” he said, describing a network that now approaches 500 alumni and extends into Northwestern’s broader academic and professional base. That combination, he argued, is what allows leaders not just to learn, but to “crush your goals” with the backing of both peers and institution.

Tuition is $32,500 and includes coaching, sessions, and full access to MTC @ Medill tools, faculty, and alumni. Travel and lodging are separate. About two-thirds of Fellows receive some support. We encourage you to begin sourcing funding early; MTC also works to connect Fellows with aligned funders, though most aid requires applicants to secure a portion themselves.

Q: What is the real-time commitment?
A: The formal requirements include several multi-day convenings and regular coaching sessions, but the core work is your existing job—approached more strategically and with greater focus on outcomes.

Q: How do participants justify the cost?
A: By tying the program directly to a high-stakes organizational challenge and measurable results; many fellows also secure external funding support.

Q: What kind of challenge is appropriate?
A: The most “vexing” problem facing the organization—the one unlikely to be solved through current approaches.

Q: Is this only for traditional newsroom leaders?
A: No. The program is open to nonprofit and adjacent roles; what matters is agency and the ability to influence meaningful change.

Q: What level of internal support is needed?
A: Strong alignment from leadership, with the understanding that this is mission-critical work, not a side project.

What ultimately sets MTC @ Medill apart is the combination of doing the work in real time, with real stakes and the support of industry-leading coaches, alongside a cohort that sharpens thinking, accelerates progress, and sustains momentum long after the program ends.

Apply now to join the MTC @ Medill Class of 2027 at mediatransformationchallenge.org.