Follow the department on social media!

Important Dates and Deadlines

• September 20: Deadline to DROP a FIRST 8-WEEK (aka Part of Term A) course
• October 18: Deadline to DROP a FULL SEMESTER (aka Part of Term 1) course

Questions? As always, see our advising website for contact information and instructions for scheduling appointments.

Career Services Event–TODAY!

Quiet Book Club-Inaugural Event, Sept 13, 1:00-3:00 pm in 105 Greg Hall. Explore the new LAS Career Services library: biographies, self-help books, and guides to career paths. Select a book from our collection, and read it in quiet company with others. There will be time at the beginning and end to connect with your fellow readers (no agenda, but many snacks & tea).

Poetry Reading–TODAY!

Help Us Reward Excellent Teaching–FINAL CALL

If you took an English department course last year with an instructor you found to be especially skilled, knowledgeable, inspiring, and/or responsive to your needs as a student, please nominate them for an English department teaching award.

Nominate any professor, lecturer, or instructor who has taught any English department course (BTW, CW, ENGL, RHET) on any topic using the form here by Sep. 15.

Upcoming ESA Events

Become an I-Connect Facilitator

Diversity & Social Justice Education is Hiring I-Connect Peer Educators to facilitate group discussions around inclusion & belonging. Gain leadership skills! Make a positive impact in your campus community!

$15/hour, up to 9 hrs/week, must be a 2nd, 3rd or 4th year student, must be an undergraduate student and must be passionate about social justice. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Submit an application here, starting September 4, 2024.

Submit to Montage

Montage publishes work by undergraduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is now accepting submissions through (tentative date) February 14, 2025.

See this page for more details or email montagejournal@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

Need Help With Research?

Literary Conversations

On 20 September, the Trowbridge Initiative will host Sunny Xiang in conversation with Joe Ponce, and Lucy Alford in conversation with Rachel Galvin to discuss their recent studies in American literary history in the Illini Union (Illini Room C). Admission is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Kimberly Mack at the Krannert

As part of the Pygmalion Festival our own Professor Mack will be in conversation with the poet Allison Joseph at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, September 20 at 6pm. She will read from, and talk about, her 33 1/3 contribution, Living Colour’s Time’s Up.

Peer Mentors are in the Hub!

With the return of the Peer Mentors in the Hub, here are a few reasons to head to the Hub in Lincoln Hall (Tues, Weds, Thurs from 10- 3):

• building a resume from scratch or a quick look before a career fair
• connecting to research around campus
• learning how to gain some other experience to gain insights about your skills and preferences for future jobs
• finding that RSO or other group that are around to join
• Career Services has special drop-in times on Tues, Weds (10-noon)

Confidential Advising Resources

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). That means when we talk with students, staff, and faculty who have experienced harm, we make sure you get what you need and on your terms! There are several Confidential Advisors at the WRC who can provide you – or someone looking to support you – with support and advocacy services.

Call for Submissions

Hello! My name is Miao Wang, and I am the Editor-in-Chief of Rainy Day, Cornell University’s longest-running undergraduate literary magazine, which has published outstanding works of poetry and fiction since 1969. We accept submissions from undergraduate students throughout the nation, including those at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We are pleased to share the opportunity for English and Creative Writing students to submit their poetry, short fiction, short plays, and any other literary works to Rainy Day this semester. The deadline for this round of submissions is November 10.

For more information or to view past issues of the magazine, please visit our website at https://www.rainydaymagazine.org/. In addition, please do not hesitate to contact us at rainydaycornell@gmail.com if you have further questions.

Don’t Forget These!

Paid Internships–DEADLINE COMING UP SOON!

MUSE Workshop for Prospective ENGL Grad Students–DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 20!

Paid Internship Opportunity

Illinois Club Scholarships

Through endowments housed with the University of Illinois Foundation, the Illinois Club provides financial support to worthy UI undergraduate students. This year, we will be awarding scholarships to students in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Global Studies, Education, STEM fields, and the Fine Arts. Applicants must have earned at least 60 credit hours by the beginning of the Spring 2025 semester and may graduate no earlier than December 2025. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required at the time of application and at the time of winning the award. Applications will open on September 3, 2024 and close on October 12, 2024 at 5 PM. Find more details about each scholarship and about the application process here.

New Course! FAA 448: Crip* Collective Advanced Study

LAS Career Services Upcoming Events!

LAS: Career Fair LAB, Sept 17, 12:30- 2:30 pm in 105 Greg Hall. Are you planning on joining us? Please complete this form or register in Handshake. Get help with whatever concerns you about career fairs; deciding if they’re worth your while, getting feedback on your resume (bring a laptop), researching employers, practicing conversations with recruiters, and choosing what to wear. Learn how to make fairs work for you while connecting with others with the same questions. No agenda, so come and go as you need. Please register, we are providing lunch.

City Year Fair Preparation Workshop, Sept 24, 3-5 pm in the LAS Lisnek Hub (Lincoln Hall). Join us in an interactive session to help you prepare for the career fair and an overview of City Year. You can work on crafting your pitch, reviewing your resume, and learning to chat with recruiters effectively. Plus, enjoy pizza while you prepare!

Feldco Coffee Chat, Sept 26, 1-3:00 pm in Hub (Lincoln Hall). Feldco is excited to invite students to our upcoming Coffee Chat, where you’ll have the chance to learn about our company’s journey and the exciting internship opportunities we offer (digital marketing, financial planning, human resources, or analysis). Join us to explore how you can contribute to a company that has been a cornerstone of Midwestern home improvement for over 40 years.

Speak with a Diplomat – Sept 27, 10-11:30 am in the LAS Lisnek Hub (Lincoln Hall). Hear Susan Falatko, Diplomat in Residence, as she returns to us for the 3rd time. Come with all your questions about the application process, recruiting, and the various opportunities available. She will be at the ACES + LAS career fair as well.

Interested in volunteering in the local community?

Participate in iHelp 2024 on October 5th from 10am – 4pm!
 
Presented by Student Alumni Ambassadors, iHelp is the signature campus-wide day of service in the fall that brings together students, their surrounding community, and university alumni in an organized effort to create a culture of giving at the University of Illinois. Each year, over a thousand students come together to assist dozens of agencies across the Champaign-Urbana area in a display of gratitude to the community we call home. The Student Alumni Ambassadors (SAA) handle the logistics of the event, advertise the availability of volunteers to service agencies, and recruit students to participate. We strive to encourage students to realize the effect they have on the community via service in order to better not just the city, but also themselves.

Register now! Whether you want to get your RSO involved or just yourself, we would love to have you! All registration forms and other event info can be found at https://www.illinisaa.com/ihelp . Please reach out to us with any questions at illinivpoutreach@gmail.com.

Join the Skeuomorphics!

The Skeuomorph Press and Book Lab is housed in the FabLab, where they have a variety of resources relating to the history and art of the book (think letterpress printing, book binding, zine making, risograph, typewriters, word processing, and early home computing). The associated student organization, Skeuomorphics, is headed by one of our own English majors, Aaron Mukhopadhyay! For more info or to get involved, email skeuomorph-press@illinois.edu.

Join GLOBE in FA24 & Make Friends!

GLOBE, sponsored by International Education (Student Affairs) stands for Global Leaders Orange and Blue Engagement. The goal of GLOBE is to provide opportunities for all students to enhance intercultural communication skills, leadership experience, and build lifelong friendships. This program is open to all current students and can be repeated multiple times. 

You will want to participate if you:

• Are a student at U of I (domestic or international) 
• Have a sincere interest in sharing your culture and building relationships 
• Have an interest in getting involved in campus life 
• Want to develop intercultural communication and leadership skills 

More information found here: https://go.illinois.edu/GLOBE 
Submit your interest via this link:  https://go.illinois.edu/GLOBEInterestForm

Undergraduate Research Workshops

Check out workshops offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research. You’ll find a list here with schedules and registration links (space is limited)!

Business Opportunities Open to All

New Mentoring Program

The Mentoring Academy exists to create a community of Mexican-American/Latino students where they feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential. The program seeks to inspire future generations of Latino leaders who are prepared to make significant contributions to the community and to provide additional professional support for Mexican and Mexican–American/Latino students.

The program is scheduled to run from September 4th to November 20th, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Sessions will be held in person at the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, located at 614 E Daniel St., Third Floor, Champaign, IL 61820, and will also be available remotely via Zoom for University of Illinois Springfield students. Click the link above to find out more.

Study Abroad Opportunity for First-Gen Students

Follow the department on social media!

Important Dates and Deadlines

• ICT/Curriculum Changes: August 19 to September 6
• Labor Day Holiday: Monday, September 2
• ESA Welcome Event: Wednesday, September 4
• Deadline to Add a Full-Semester Course: Monday, September 9

Students in certain cohorts (new students, students on academic probation, re-entering students) are required to touch base with an advisor before Monday, September 9. Look out for individual emails regarding this requirement, and be sure to follow the instructions in that email to avoid having an advising hold placed on your account later on.

As always, see our advising website for contact information and instructions for scheduling appointments.

If you are expecting to graduate at the end of this semester, remember to add yourself to the degree list. You can do this online in Self Service, and must do so no later than September 9 (but preferably as soon as possible, to give the records office time to do an official degree audit and let you know if you’re missing anything in your spring schedule).

Welcome Event!

The Welcome Event on September 4th is a great opportunity for continuing students to welcome our new English and creative writing majors and we hope to see many of you there!

Paid Internship

Illinois Club Scholarships

Through endowments housed with the University of Illinois Foundation, the Illinois Club provides financial support to worthy UI undergraduate students. This year, we will be awarding scholarships to students in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Global Studies, Education, STEM fields, and the Fine Arts. Applicants must have earned at least 60 credit hours by the beginning of the Spring 2025 semester and may graduate no earlier than December 2025. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required at the time of application and at the time of winning the award. Applications will open on September 3, 2024 and close on October 12, 2024 at 5 PM. Find more details about each scholarship and about the application process here.

Help Us Reward Excellent Teaching

If you took an English department course last year with an instructor you found to be especially skilled, knowledgeable, inspiring, and/or responsive to your needs as a student, please nominate them for an English department teaching award.

You can nominate any professor, lecturer, or instructor who has taught any English department course (BTW, CW, ENGL, RHET) on any topic.  You can nominate more than one person.  All you have to do is fill out the online form available here.

We rely heavily on student nominations in selecting candidates for these awards, so thanks in advance for taking the time to help us out.

Ninth Letter Web Edition

Ninth Letter is pleased to announce the publication of our summer 2024 web edition: Caretaking. The entire issue is now live (and free) on our website. Give it a read!

The Ninth Letter web editions are collaboratively produced each semester by the undergraduate students enrolled in CW460: Intro to Literary Publishing. Our fearless web editor last semester was the incomparable Zachariah McVicker. A huge thank you to the young editors and Zachariah for their work choosing the contents of this issue.

Dinner & (Professional) Development

Join the Women’s Resources Center for Dinner and Development Wednesday, September 4 at 6:00pm to hear from Assistant Director of Gender Equity, Amie Baumeister. Amie will lead a workshop on Combatting Imposter Syndrome. This event is open to all students. 

The Dinner & Development series was created to offer intersectional professional development for students to explore the unique challenges that women and gender minorities experience in their careers. This series will provide students with the necessary skills and strategies to enter their careers confidently!

Wednesday, September 4, 2024  6:00 – 7:30 pm 
Women’s Resources Center 
616 E Green St., Suite 213

Student Assistantship in the Library

The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections (IHLC), a unit of the Special Collections Division in the Main Library, is hiring for an undergraduate assistant position to start in fall 2024. The IHLC is a small unit in the library, and undergraduate assistants play a vital role in supporting unit operations and making collection materials available for research. Those conducting research with the library and archives materials include students looking for primary sources, genealogists investigating family history, scholars in various fields, and community members and professionals researching people, the land, architecture, and more.

Click here to find out more about the position and how to apply. Even though the description says that geography majors will be given preference, the IHLC reached out to us specifically because they have hired English department students in the past and are eager to do so in the future, so it’s definitely worth checking out this opportunity!

Volunteer Opportunity

The Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI) is looking for students to mentor and learn from their neurodivergent peers. Undergraduate students from all majors will connect INI students with organizations/clubs and build social networks on campus and train to be inclusive peers. Mentors must be available 6:30-7:30pm on Wednesday evenings during the Fall ’24 semester as well as have time for an additional 1-hour meeting per week. Applications can be found at: https://go.illinois.edu/INIFall2024MentorApp or by using the QR code below.

Join the Skeuomorphics!

The Skeuomorph Press and Book Lab is housed in the FabLab, where they have a variety of resources relating to the history and art of the book (think letterpress printing, book binding, zine making, risograph, typewriters, word processing, and early home computing). The associated student organization, Skeuomorphics, is headed by one of our own English majors, Aaron Mukhopadhyay! For more info or to get involved, email skeuomorph-press@illinois.edu.

Join GLOBE in FA24 & Make Friends!

GLOBE, sponsored by International Education (Student Affairs) stands for Global Leaders Orange and Blue Engagement. The goal of GLOBE is to provide opportunities for all students to enhance intercultural communication skills, leadership experience, and build lifelong friendships. This program is open to all current students and can be repeated multiple times. 

You will want to participate if you:

• Are a student at U of I (domestic or international) 
• Have a sincere interest in sharing your culture and building relationships 
• Have an interest in getting involved in campus life 
• Want to develop intercultural communication and leadership skills 

More information found here: https://go.illinois.edu/GLOBE 
Submit your interest via this link:  https://go.illinois.edu/GLOBEInterestForm

Undergraduate Research Workshops

Check these workshops (including one specifically for new incoming students). Click here to find out more and to register (space is limited)!

Planning Your Research Journey
Designed specifically for incoming freshman students (and first-year transfer students), this session introduces students to the research enterprise at the University of Illinois. We aim to: address any concerns students may have about getting involved in research; explore potential research interests and how those interests align with research happening on campus; and help develop a timeline and actionable steps for both short-term and long-term goals to advance their research journey.

Getting Started in Research Workshop
This workshop will introduce students to the various forms of undergraduate research available on our campus. It will guide them in developing a plan of action to locate research opportunities and provide strategies for contacting faculty research mentors. Students will leave with a clearer understanding of undergraduate research, increased confidence in reaching out to faculty, and a list of potential mentors.

A Message from the Provost’s Office

Dear Students,

Are you looking for opportunities to get involved and work together with peers and campus leadership to strengthen our community? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

The Office of the Provost is now accepting applications for appointment to the 2024-2025 Student Success Undergraduate Advisory Board.

The board is a group of diverse undergraduate students who volunteer to serve as advisors to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Provost and Student Success @ Illinois. They aim to accurately portray the current realities of the undergraduate experience by articulating the highlights and challenges of being a student at the university. As representatives of the undergraduate population at Illinois, their objective is to convey what could make a successful undergraduate student experience.

The application can be accessed here: https://publish.illinois.edu/studentsuccessboard/apply/.

If you’re selected to participate as a Board member, appointments will be for one full academic year. All applications are due Friday, September 6, 2024, at 11:59 PM CDT.

We hope you will consider applying because your voice is a critical part of the work that we do to ensure your success while at Illinois and beyond graduation!

For Pre-Health Students

Yes, pre-med (and pre-nursing, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, etc.) students can major in English or creative writing! If this describes you, it pays to connect with the folks in Health Professions Advising!

Business Opportunities Open to All

New Mentoring Program

The Mentoring Academy exists to create a community of Mexican-American/Latino students where they feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential. The program seeks to inspire future generations of Latino leaders who are prepared to make significant contributions to the community and to provide additional professional support for Mexican and Mexican–American/Latino students.

The program is scheduled to run from September 4th to November 20th, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Sessions will be held in person at the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, located at 614 E Daniel St., Third Floor, Champaign, IL 61820, and will also be available remotely via Zoom for University of Illinois Springfield students. Click the link above to find out more.

Study Abroad Opportunity for First-Gen Students

MUSE Workshop for Prospective ENGL Grad Students

Follow the department on social media!

Important Dates and Deadlines
May 3-10: Finals
May 11: English Department Convocation
May 18: Final Grades Visible in Self-Service

Good luck with finals! If you think you’re at risk of failing courses (or expect an overall term GPA of below a 2.0) please get in touch with us. There may still be time to petition for late drops or elect the CR/NC option if you act quickly (you would need to contact a college advisor to discuss this).

If you have yet to register for fall and need help, please let us know. You can call the office at 217-333-4346 to schedule an appointment. Make sure you’re using the Course Planning Page (for resources to help you navigate major requirements, including the FA24 Cheat Sheet.)

Still Looking for a Great Summer Course? Take Shakespeare on Film!

“Some of the driving questions of the course include our interrogation of the ‘rules’ for adaptation – how far can a film-maker depart from the source material and still have his or her film ‘count’ as a Shakespeare adaptation? Why was there such a boom for Shakespeare marketed to teens and mass audiences in the late 90s/early aughts? What happens when film-makers recast Shakespeare’s love stories as stories of same-sex desire? How do casting practices shape our perception of a film, and who gets excluded from being able to embody, and tell, Shakespearean narratives in the first place? Above all, we will ask ourselves why Shakespeare continues to exert such an influence on our popular culture—for good or for ill.” –Prof. Stevens 

Build Research Skills in Your Major!

Did you know that ENGL 461, Section IU, on The Art of Research, is open to all English department students with junior or senior standing? English Topics concentrators take it as their capstone, but any student who wants to develop their research skills (perhaps as preparation for the honors thesis, or to lay the groundwork for a presentation at next year’s Undergraduate Research Symposium) should consider it. Pre-law? Research experience can set you apart from other applicants. Sign up today!

Here’s the course description:

Research can seem intimidating, but learning the processes of research can make it accessible and even exciting for students and scholars alike. In a seminar-style course featuring guest speakers, class discussions, and process writing, we’ll demystify research and use it to illuminate texts and intervene in the most pressing issues of our time. Students will build on the knowledges and interests they’ve developed as English majors to craft a semester-long research inquiry that culminates in a form of their choosing (e.g., paper, interactive website, presentation, podcast series, etc.). Assignments will include readings, short reflections, research exercises, bibliographies, peer reviews, project drafts, revisions, and genre experiments. Juniors and Seniors only. Students should have completed English 301 and 350.

Great Courses, New Topics

We want to draw your attention to some other fall courses you may not have noticed (some have generic titles along the lines of “Topics in X” and you have to click through to learn more about the specific topics) or that have been updated in Course Explorer since priority registration started. 

CW 208: Creative Nonfiction Workshop

ENGL 122: The Middle Ages in Pop Culture

ENGL 253: Topics in Lit & New Media—New Media Franchises

ENGL 270: American Film Genres—The Western

ENGL 280: Women Writers—Scary Women: Women Writers and Horror

ENGL 373: Special Topics in Film Studies—Cinema of the Coen Brothers

ENGL 380: Disability Rhetorics

ENGL 455: Majors Authors—F. Scott Fitzgerald and Richard Wright

MFA Public Reading

ATLAS Seeks Interns!

ATLAS is looking for more student applicants for both Summer and Fall 2024 terms, particularly students who would be interested in communications. Here are the links for students interested in applying:

Apply for ATLAS Summer Internship 2024
Apply for ATLAS Fall Internship 2024
Information about the ATLAS Internship Program

Please note that although the application asks about technical skills, no technical experience/skill is required for a successful application.

Not all ATLAS internships are paid, but unpaid ATLAS interns are eligible to apply for the LAS Get Experience Scholarship.

The deadline for summer scholarships is April 26, so students interested in summer internships would probably not be able to make that deadline (one must have the internship offer in hand in order to apply for the scholarship). However, the applications for fall scholarships open June 28 and the deadline is August 9, so successful applicants for unpaid fall opportunities have plenty of time to apply for funding.

Upcoming LAS Career Services Event

Resume Sprint, May 3, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm, in 105 Greg Hall

Our annual quick resume review is back. Drop in anytime between 1:30 and 4:00 to get your resume ready or updated. Please bring a hard copy or your laptop so we can assist you. We will conduct 10–15-minute resume reviews (105 Greg Hall). If you need more help after this quick meeting, appointments are available during the last days of the spring semester or throughout the summer (virtual chats or in-person). ***We are not taking appointment times please know you might need to wait. We have snacks and tea or coffee for you. ****

Fulbright Scholarship Opportunities–WORKSHOP TOMORROW!

Interested in research, teaching, or graduate study abroad? The Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards 2,000 scholarships annually for students to conduct research, teach English, or pursue graduate study in 140 countries. For over ten years, the University of Illinois has been a top producers of Fulbright U.S. student awards. Apply to be a 2025 awardee! 

Eligibility
Current juniors, seniors, and recent alumni in all academic disciplines, who are U.S. citizens, are eligible to apply. 

The Fulbright Scholarship funds 1 year of research, teaching, or graduate study. The selection committee rates candidates based on their academic or professional qualifications, language skills, evidence of maturity, motivation, adaptability to a different cultural environment, knowledge of the host country, and the impression a candidate will make abroad as a citizen representing the U.S. 

Deadline 
The priority deadline for undergraduates and recent alumni is June 24, 2024.
The required campus deadline is August 26, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. (noon).

Fulbright Research & Graduate Study Workshops:
Online – Friday, May 3, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Register HERE

Don’t forget these!

Become a Peer Educator!

Janelle Joseph Prize for Environmental Writing

FALL COURSE: WRIT 300

Students must successfully complete this course to become a paid undergraduate consultant with the Writers Workshop.

Need Academic Support?

I-Connect Experience

Summer Course Sneak Peek