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Remember that on Monday, November 7 Julie Higgs is in the house (the advising office, that is) for drop-in career counseling 1:30-4pm! Stop by to start (or continue) a conversation with Julie about your professional aspirations. No preparation required.
voice reading coming up soon!
call for volunteers!
We’ve sent out a bunch of different requests for volunteers lately, and we appreciate the responses we’ve gotten! We still need some more students for our focus groups, though; here’s the message we sent out earlier from Catharine Gray, Director of Undergraduate Studies:
I hope you are doing well! I’m writing because we would like to assess the English undergraduate program’s successes and areas for improvement, and we need your help to do that. We are looking for some volunteer English majors to participate in small focus groups of 6-12 students, who will be asked to talk about their general learning experience in the English program. The answers, which will remain anonymous, will help us gauge and strengthen the program’s goals and learning outcomes. We will aim to organize the focus groups around volunteers’ schedules. The groups will likely occur later in November. These meetings will include a meal!
If you are willing to help out with this, please do let us know. Just email englishadvising@illinois.edu by the end of the day on Monday, November 7th.
registration guidelines redux (with honors info)
Students are assigned a time on or after October 31 according to the schedule found here. When you are ready to schedule an advising appointment (required for new students and students on academic probation, recommended for all others) call 217-333-4346 during the hours 8:30-noon or 1:00-4:30. As always, you may request a particular advisor or ask for the first person available.
If you would like to sign up for an honors course, please email Nancy at nrahn@illinois.edu (include your full name and UIN) and tell her which seminar you hope to take this spring, including the title/topic and the CRN. See ENGL 396 entries in Course Explorer for the information you’ll need to include. Please allow one week to get a response. Once Nancy has given you permission to take the course, you must still go into the registration system and add it to your schedule. It’s first come, first served, so act now! If you want to take two seminars, then you may, but you must receive approval for the first before you can request a second.
Eligibility rests on the following: a GPA of at least 3.33 in the major and overall, and completion of at least three ENGL courses, of which one must be ENGL 200 and another must be ENGL 301 or 350. Most students begin honors coursework in their junior year, but eligible sophomores may sign up if they meet the basic requirements.
Here are some things you can do ahead of time to make your registration appointment more productive:
- Run your degree audit and see what you can make of it. Even if you find it a little confusing, try to get a sense of what requirements you have left to fulfill, and then when we do your registration appointment we can confirm (or correct) your interpretation of the audit and help explain anything that’s confusing.
- Think about what you want to accomplish in the spring. What major/minor/Gen Ed requirements would you like to complete, and what other areas would you like to explore?
- If you are thinking of adding a major or a minor, do you know what you need to do to get started? If you’ve already begun, can you figure out the next step? You can explore major and minor requirements listed here: http://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/
- Consult Course Explorer and be sure to read the course descriptions in full. Remember that if a course is called “Topics in X” then you must click through to see the individual sections and find out what topics are available. It’s also worth clicking through on any 199 (usually called Undergraduate Open Seminar) because there you may find some interesting and unusual topics being piloted, and they’re usually unrestricted.
- Consult the resources available on the Planning Coursework section of the advising site. You’ll find checklists of major requirements, plus the “cheat sheet” that tells you which variable topics courses satisfy which requirements this spring.
submit to montage
Montage Arts Journal, the undergraduate literary magazine of UIUC, still accepting submissions. All publishable forms of art—photography, paintings, sketches, digital art, collages, sculptures, poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, drama, and more—are welcome. This semester’s reading period closes December 15th, but submissions can be emailed to montagejournal@gmail.com any time before then. Please see https://montagejournal.wordpress.com for more information.
English student association meetings and more
You are invited to attend the weekly ESA meetings: Wednesdays from 6-7 in the Mary Kay Peer Lounge (basement of the English building), for example. If you want to know more email esaillinois1867@gmail.com.
Or, get involved with Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honors Society if you want to connect with fellow English students, writers, and lovers of literature. You will have opportunities to gain experience publishing, speaking as a panelist at conferences, and/or meeting English students from around the world. For more information, email sigmataudeltaillinois@gmail.com.
Art @ the Y
Do you ever go across the street from Lincoln Hall to the University YMCA? They have an exhibition space and it’s worth checking out!
Coming up soon:
OLD SCHOOL: FRIENDS
Michael Sherfield & Bennie L. Drake, Junior (1949 – 2014)
On view November 10, 2022- January 13, 2023
Exhibition opening Nov 10, 5-7pm (remarks at 5:30pm)
Murphy Gallery, YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St.
Don’t Forget These!
udall scholarship:
The University of Illinois seeks to nominate sophomores and juniors for the Udall Scholarship. Udall awards $7,000 to sophomores or juniors in any field of study who are taking action to address environmental concerns and are committed to a career related to the environment. There are also special awards also for Native American students interested in Tribal policy or health care (no need for these interests to be related to the environment). Students must be US citizens, US nationals, or US permanent residents. A successful applicant will have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate leadership and a commitment to service. The campus deadline is January 30, 2023 to be considered.
If you are interested in applying, please plan to attend our Udall informational events:
Udall Scholarship Information Session (In-person)
Date: Nov 10, 2022 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building (the entrance nearest Coble Hall)
Udall Scholarship Information Session (Online)
Date: Nov 11, 2022 9:00 – 10:00 am
Zoom Registration link: https://illinois.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuf-qvrTIvGN0XlEDXeuNZSkahoTHeVKaP
Udall Scholarship Writing Workshop
Date: Nov 11, 2022 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Location: 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building (the entrance nearest Coble Hall)
For more information, contact the scholarships office at topscholars@illinois.edu or visit our website.
CHLH + Peer Educator Positions:
Want to create positive change on campus? Interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how to prevent sexual violence in our community? Looking for a paid job?
Consider enrolling in CHLH 126: CARE next semester to become a paid peer educator in the Fall! All students are invited and encouraged to enroll.
TR 3:30 – 4:50 PM | 3 credit hours | CRN 71651 Contact Associate Director Prevention, Nora Peterson (nepeters@illinois.edu) with any questions.
M.A. Research Assistantship in Cather Studies at UNL:
The Willa Cather Archive and Cather Project, both housed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, are offering a research assistantship to one incoming M.A. student each year. Interested students are invited to apply to the M.A. program at UNL, designating their interest in the assistantship.
The department of English at the UNL welcomes applications not only from students with a particular interest in Willa Cather, but also from students interested in closely related areas– such as early twentieth-century women’s writing, LGBTQ+ literature, or Western American literature– as well as from students who study, or would like to acquire skills in, the digital humanities.
Applications are due December 1st.
All Undergraduate Students Welcome to Apply to 2023 NYU Creative Writing Summer Intensives:
New York University’s College of Arts and Science invites visiting undergraduate students to participate in their short-term summer programs. The month-long creative writing retreats in Florence and Paris may be of particular interest to students. The Writers in Florence and Writers in Paris programs are only offered during the summer, and students are encouraged to immerse themselves in their host city through both reading and writing assignments. Participants focus on one of three genres—poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction—and attend daily writing workshops and craft seminars. 2023 faculty will include Catherine Barnett, Raven Leilani, Jonathan Safran Foer, Katie Kitamura, Ken Chen, Mark Bibbins, and Matthew Rohrer, among many other acclaimed writers. All coursework receives a NYU transcript, transferable to other institutions.
Interested students are encouraged to join a virtual information session to learn more:
- Wednesday, November 16, 2022 2-3pm – Register Now
Applications will open December 1, 2022 with a priority deadline of February 1, 2023. For more information, contact cas.summerabroad@nyu.edu
Apply for CLA’s Caroll Mills Young Study Abroad Scholarship:
The CLA Caroll Mills Young Study Abroad Scholarship is designed to support students at member institutions who want to participate in a study abroad program. The scholarship is open to any student who meets eligibility requirements and is presently attending a CLA college or university. A CLA college or university is one where a member of the College Language Association is presently employed or is a retiree.
Each application must be verified and signed by a faculty sponsor who is a current financial member of the College Language Association. Complete applications must be RECEIVED by 5 p.m. EST on Friday, February 10, 2023 for study abroad in summer or fall 2023.
For more information contact the English advising office and we will supply the full document (it’s not available online and it’s too long to reproduce here).
Exp”LER”ing HR Careers:
If you are interested in pursuing a Master’s degree and career in Human Resources / Industrial Relations, consider attending ExpLERing HR. See the flyer.
Embedded Confidential Advisors
The Women’s Resources Center (WRC) is the designated confidential campus resource related to sexual assault/rape, sexual harassment, stalking and abuse within a relationship (sometimes called dating or domestic violence). There are several Confidential Advisors at the WRC who can provide you – or someone looking to support you – with support and advocacy services.
Embedded Advocate Hours:
TU/WED: 10 am – 5 pm @ BNAACC
M/TH: 11 am – 5 pm @ La Casa
Advising available by appointment | Monday – Friday @ the WRC
Hours may vary. Walk-in appointments offered as available.
Learn more about Advocacy & Support Services, here.
Opening of the Speaking Center:
The University Library is excited to announce the opening of the Speaking Center this fall! Beginning October 18th, students will be able to receive free and personalized public speaking assistance for any presentation and at any stage in the preparation process.
Students can work one-on-one with a trained Speaking Consultant to improve presentations and speeches, attend workshops focused on building lasting speaking skills, or participate in language sessions to build foreign language skills. Students can sign up by visiting https://www.library.illinois.edu/tlas/speaking-center/. At this time, graduate and professional students may only register for Wednesday appointments. Undergraduate students may register for any available appointment.
Volunteer opportunity
The university YMCA is looking for tutors for K-12 students this semester. It’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone who likes working with children or wants to get more connected to the immigrant community in CU.
If interested, please contact nawctutoring@universityymca.org.
Call For Applications: Funded MA/PhD, Hudson Strode Program in Renaissance Studies:
The Hudson Strode Program in Renaissance Studies at the University of Alabama is currently accepting applications for MA and PhD admissions for Fall of 2023.
- The Strode MA program offers students the unique opportunity to specialize in Renaissance studies at the master’s level. Students admitted to the Strode MA program receive enhanced graduate stipends, and they are fully funded for two years (the current MA stipend is $19,500 per year)..
- The Strode PhD program offers advanced training in Renaissance studies for a select cohort of students who pursue their research interests through an individually tailored plan of study. Students admitted to the Strode PhD program receive enhanced graduate stipends, and they are fully funded for five years (the current PhD stipend is $21,500 per year).
- All MA and PhD students can also take full advantage of the resources of the Strode Program, including travel funding, summer support, and access to a range of programming, such as the Alabama Shakespeare Project, Shakespeare in performance workshops, and lectures by distinguished guest speakers. The University of Alabama is also a member of The Folger Institute. Students and faculty in early modern studies at The University of Alabama are eligible to participate in the Institute’s many cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary workshops and seminars, designed to enhance participants’ research interests.
- The Strode Program works closely with the Alabama Digital Humanities Center (ADHC) and co-sponsors of the University of Alabama’s international Digital Humanities conference, Digitorium (https://apps.lib.ua.edu/blogs/digitorium/). Strode students have access to the ADHC for support with digital techniques for their research and teaching,
Please note that the deadline for applying for admission to either the MA or the PhD program for the Fall term is December 1.
For more details about the program and the application process visit https://strode.english.ua.edu/
FLAS Fellowships for English Majors:
Do you study a less commonly taught language (any language except French, German, and Spanish)? Are you a U.S. citizen or permanent resident? If so, consider applying for a Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship for summer 2023 or academic year 2023-24. FLAS fellowships support both undergraduate and graduate study in modern foreign languages in combination with global or area studies. The purpose of the FLAS program is to train students to integrate global knowledge into a future career in areas of national need like cyber security and business, where knowledge of additional languages is crucial. Learn more about FLAS fellowship opportunities through the European Union Center here, and learn more about FLAS opportunities across campus here. Please look out for the FLAS information session in November. Applications will be due in late January.
More help with research:
DOUBLE YOUR ADVISING, DOUBLE YOUR FUN!
Ready to connect with our humanities professional development experts? Beginning 9/22 you can stop by Greg Hall 105 any TUESDAY MORNING between 9:30 and noon or THURSDAY AFTERNOON between 1:00 and 4:00 to meet with Julie Higgs (note that these times have changed since last spring). Starting September 24 Anna will be there Tuesday mornings as well so if you want some academic advising you can schedule an in-person appointment with her during that time and then talk to Julie before or afterwards. It’s one-stop shopping!
You can also connect with Julie in the English advising office during her drop-in hours: 1:30-4:00 every other Monday starting September 12.
fall workshops:
