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Important Dates
Final Exams: Friday, Dec. 12 – Thursday, Dec. 18
LAS Winter Convocation: Saturday, Dec. 20
First day of instruction for spring semester: Tuesday, Jan. 20
Deadline to add a POT A course for spring: Monday, Jan. 26
Deadline to add a full-semester course for spring – Monday, Feb. 2
Resource of the Week: Course Affordability Guide
The University Library has a new Course Affordability Guide designed to support student success by helping reduce the cost barriers associated with course materials. The guide is primarily student-focused and walks students through how to check whether the Library provides access to required course materials (such as textbooks). It also includes helpful resources like a step-by-step flowchart, information about loanable technology, and additional ways to find needed materials.
Important End-of-Term Info
Fall 2025 grades will be visible to students on December 23. All students will be able to access their posted grades online and will see a preliminary academic standing of 1S (Status Under Review). That 1S status will not be updated with the official academic standing until 5 pm on Thursday January 8.
Some of you may be anxious about your academic standing going into the spring semester. Remember that nothing will be finalized until Jan 8 at the earliest, so if you can find a way to bracket that anxiety in the meantime, to give yourself a break and take comfort in non-school-related things, please do (we realize how hard this can be). If you think there’s a risk that you may be placed on academic drop status please see the recent email from the advising office (subject: General Info About Academic Status Notification and Appeals Process) for more details and a reminder that the timeline for appeals between the fall and spring semesters is very tight, so if you think you’re at risk it would be sensible to plan ahead.
Paid Internship Opportunity
LAS Career Services seeks to hire a Communication Intern for the Spring 2026 semester, with the potential for continued employment into Summer 2026 and the 2026-2027 academic year based on mutual interest.
This is a great opportunity for students who would like to explore their interests and skills in writing, creativity, communication, social media, and customer service in a professional setting. Communication Interns create student-friendly messaging for digital displays, weekly e-newsletters, blogs, flyers, and Instagram posts. Opportunities also exist to draft messaging for campus and external audiences (e.g., faculty, university administrators, employers, and alumni).
Communication Interns receive training and mentoring opportunities. For example, within this role, interns learn about campus brand guidelines and resources for communicators. Access is to software trainings are also provided, as needed.
Position responsibilities include:
Assist with weekly e-newsletter content gathering and writing
Promote materials in the career resource center to encourage student engagement
Design flyers for special events throughout the semester
Develop creative thematic posts for Instagram
Format and assist with visual layout of blogs and digital display content
Edit and publish video interviews with alumni, employers, and visiting speakers
Assist with front desk coverage 3 – 4 hours per week in order to build relationships with office staff, develop familiarity with topics and programs addressed by the office, and enhance overall strength of messaging.
Preferred qualifications include:
Undergraduate student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Strong writing skills, particularly with experience writing for social media, blogs, or web
Strong interpersonal skills and customer service orientation
Effective online research skills
Sense of curiosity / enthusiasm for continuous learning
Average hours per week: 10
Position Wage: $16.00/hour
To apply for the position, please submit the following:
–Current resume (1 page)
–Cover letter, stating your interest in the position and how it fits with your academic, professional, and personal goals (1 page). Why do you want to do this, and what does it have to do with who you are and what you hope to do in the future?
–At least one sample of a marketing or communication effort you created for social media (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, X), a flyer, OR related media. This example could come from a personal venture, a class, or a previous work experience. No more than six items. PDF preferred but not required.
Application Close Date: Jan 5, 2026 Midnight CT
Newly Added Course!
The bad news is that ENGL 261 has been cancelled for Spring 2026; the good news is that we’ve added a new course:
ENGL 251: Twentieth-Century American Novel
This course studies the development of the novel in the US through its various phases: realism, naturalism, modernism, and postmodernism. We will be covering many of the classics of the genre, including novels by Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Willa Cather, William Faulkner, and Richard Wright, as well as writers closer to our own time, like Toni Morrison and Philip Roth. Throughout, our aim will be to survey how their novels respond to various political, economic, and cultural crises during the period that was called the American Century, the era that marks the emergence of the nation as the predominant English-speaking world power. To that end, we will especially examinine how these writers address some of the great contradictions—of identity and community— animating American society, in all its diversity and oppositionality.
Counts as a 20thC course in the English major and as a literature course in the CW major
Plus, we still have seats available in:
ENGL 221/AFRO 298: Speculative Futures – Black Speculative Futures
Counts as a Difference & Diaspora course and RIGS or Literature & Science topics course; counts as a literature course in the CW major
CW 208: Creative Nonfiction Workshop
Counts as a workshop course in the CW major or a department elective in the ENGL major or minor
CW 202: Topics in Creative Writing – Storymaking (NEW SECTION ADDED!)
Counts as a non-workshop course in the CW major (satisfies the “Writing & Literature” requirement) or a department elective in the ENGL major or minor
Plan to Present in 2026!
Important Reminders!
Sharing News
As a reminder, if you have an award, a publication, or some other triumph to report please send news to engl-news@illinois.edu so the social media interns can celebrate you and your accomplishment. Also, if you are a member of a student group affiliated with the English department and you would like an upcoming event posted on our undergraduate calendar (now available at the bottom of the advising page) please send that info to the same address. Thanks!
Submit to Montage
Montage publishes art and literary work by undergraduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Submissions are now open! For more information and to submit your work, please visit: https://www.montageartsjournal.com/submit
Secondary Education Minor Application Open
If you are planning to apply to do a Secondary Education minor, and you are expecting to graduate in May 2028, then this is the time to apply! The application window opened December 1 and will remain open until February 1, 2026. All the information, and a link to the application, can be found on this page.
Please note that before you submit the application, you have to complete the “advisor verification form” and then have Maggie or Anna sign off on it.
If you have any questions, or if you aren’t sure whether now is the time for you to apply, email englishadvising@illinois.edu and we’ll be happy to help!
Graduating in May?
If you are expecting to graduate at the end of the spring semester, remember that you must add yourself to the May degree list. You can do this online in Self Service (click on “apply to graduate”) and once you submit your application the records office will do an official degree audit. If you are on track to have all requirements complete by May (taking into account your spring classes), then you will hear nothing from them (in other words, no news is good news), but if they find any shortages they will send you an email. To head off any problems, run your own degree audit and check to see if it says “all requirements complete using in-progress courses” at the top. If you have questions or concerns about your eligibility to graduate, email englishadvising@illinois.edu.
Don’t Forget About These Opportunities and Resources!
TV Writing Fellowship
The Anarchists United Writers Discovery Fellowship is a six-month program providing an immersive introductory experience to the world of the TV ecosystem. Each Fellow will be assigned a seasoned industry mentor who will guide them by way of script development and career advice, and by the end of the program, introduce them to television producers and executives who align with their creative voice. The mentors will support the cohort through each step of the creative and networking process.
The Fellowship also includes informational panels with TV professionals, and the Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in mock general meetings and pitch sessions in preparation for their final industry meetings. By the end, each Fellow will have developed a submission-ready television pilot, been afforded multiple opportunities for networking, and be generally equipped with the essential tools for their success as writers in long form story telling. Each Fellow also receives a $10,000 stipend.
By promoting voices that have been historically underserved, the Fellowship will enrich both the professional lives of the Fellows and the dynamic quality of the entertainment industry.
See website for rules and terms and application link. Deadline is Jan 5, 2026.
Norton Internships
W. W. Norton & Company’s 12-week internship program is designed to introduce motivated college students and recent graduates to publishing and to Norton. Internships provide valuable hands-on experience with the day-to-day business of bookmaking, as well as opportunities to network with employees at the company and with fellow interns who frequently go on to become colleagues in the field.
Interns at W. W. Norton are paid $16.50 per hour, subject to applicable law, and work a maximum of 20 hours weekly. Specific work hours are flexible, but interns are expected to work three or four days per week. All interns must be able to work during regular business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST). W. W. Norton does not complete any paperwork for colleges, universities, or other entities related to for-credit internships or eligibility to work in the US. W. W. Norton & Company is fully independent and employee-owned.
See website for more info.
Paid Summer Opportunity (in NY or Cleveland)
Check out the Arts Intern College Program, a paid summer internship opportunity for college juniors and seniors in the following cities: – Cleveland: $23/hr – NYC: $28/hr This 9-week summer internship runs from June 4 to August 7 and is open to students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in any art field, including Art History, Art Administration, Design, Creative Writing, Visual Arts, and more. To qualify, students must meet the following criteria: – Maintain a 3.0 GPA – Be a full-time college student – Submit a portfolio (Writing Samples or Digital Images) – Submit Resume & Cover Letter – Unofficial Transcript – Completed their FAFSA for the 2025-26 academic year with SAI ($0-$10K) – Be legally authorized to work in the U.S. – Reside in Cleveland or New York during the program Strong communication and writing skills, along with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, are essential. Students are encouraged to prepare their materials and submit applications by February 26, 2026, for a chance to gain invaluable experience in a museum or cultural arts organization.
Summer Fulbrights
The UK Fulbright Commission seeks mature, responsible, open-minded students who demonstrate an academic fit between their chosen institute and their own background. They select students who are involved on and off campus and have the desire to act as ambassadors between U.S. and the UK. Freshmen and sophomores who are U.S. citizens, have a minimum GPA of 3.6, and have had no or very little travel/study experience outside of North America are eligible to apply. The final deadline is February 2, 2026.
LAS Food Pantry
How to Connect with LAS Career Services
- Mondays- 1-3 pm 105 Greg Hall (short chats)
- Tuesdays- 10-3 pm LAS Hub (Lincoln Hall) with peer mentors
- Wednesdays- 10-3 pm LAS Hub (Lincoln Hall) with peer mentors
- Thursdays- 10-3 pm LAS Hub (Lincoln Hall) with peer mentors
- Thursdays- 1-3 pm 105 Greg Hall (short chats)
- Handshake Appointments (in-person or virtual) are 30 minutes during available staff times. We have an energetic team to help you. Reach out to connect. Having trouble? Reach out to us at las-careerservices@illinois.edu.
Free Little Library
Check out the ESA Free Little Library outside EB 200. We have a rotating stock of donated books (thanks to all our anonymous donors) and you’re always welcome to stop by and pick something up. If you want to leave a book as well of course you can, but it’s not expected. If you feel like it, you can sign the sheet on the top shelf and tell us what you picked and why!
