Weekly Round-Up

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ESA welcome event REDUX

Come to the online Welcome Event for English and Creative Writing Majors on Sunday, February 13th!  This event will be hosted by English Student Association (ESA) and we will be watching the 2019 movie Little Women on Zoom. The festivities will start at 6:00 pm, so join us to hang out with ESA and get to know your fellow English department students!  All are welcome.

Robert J. Carr Visiting Author Reading

Authors: Gabriela Garcia & Brian Tierney

Reading: Thursday, Feb. 17, 4:30-6:00, Illini Union Room 210

Publication Talk: Friday, Feb. 18 10:00-11:30, Illini Union Room 210

UIUC English Scholarships: Informational meeting

Every year, we give out numerous scholarships that recognize and reward our English majors, including English, Creative Writing, and Teaching of English. (Several of our scholarships are specifically for future teachers of English). Scholarship amounts vary, but most of them range from $300 to $3000, with a few scholarships giving nearly full tuition for a semester or year. Come to the informational meeting to learn more!

In the meantime, if you wish, you can find some information on our website, in the form “Overview and Instructions,” under the tab “Applying for Merit Scholarships”  https://english.illinois.edu/academics/scholarships-prizes-awards/awards-scholarships

If you have any questions, email – cathgray@illinois.edu

WHAT: How to apply for English Undergraduate Scholarships  

WHEN: Wednesday, February 16^th, at 5:30pm 

WHERE: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/84416375402?pwd=R2dzcGozdUNlYjZZOUpmZTZnZzVBUT09

Meeting ID: 844 1637 5402

Password: 327926

Writers Workshop: Undergraduate Writing Group

One of the Writers Workshop’s peer tutors, Tamia Miller, has taken the lead on creating Undergraduate Writing Groups.

This group is open to students across campus and is intended to provide an informal space for students to collaborate with other writers on personal writing pieces. In these groups, students from any major can also find a small community to keep them accountable while working on any piece of writing, including a novel, collection of short stories, or a book of poetry. Group members can give each other support and offer feedback without the pressure of grades or working in a typical classroom setting. To join, please complete this form by February 15th: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jcPHjb_WaWClye-nxNIBOP8z3MmL_8YkW0w3WpJCwtQ/edit.

From english ba to media career event

Hot off the presses –HPRC is hosting an upcoming event with Ashish Valentine, English alumnus and production assistant at NPR. Come find out about how to go from an ENGL BA to a Media career.

Empower yourself in professional negotiations!

Our own Dr. Venetria Patton (Harry E. Preble Dean of the College of LAS and Professor in the Department of English) is partnering with the HPRC to present an exclusive workshop: Start Smart Salary Negotiation Workshop for College Students. Dean Patton is a certified trainer for the American Association of University Women and will be sharing important facts and strategies.  AAUW advocates for equity and fair pay for women. This is a 2-hour long event on Feb 22 (5 pm to 7 pm) in Lincoln Hall 1092.  Seating is limited, so pre-register at https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1440533902  to secure your spot!

Montage Submission Deadline Approaching

2022 UNDERGRADUATE CREATIVE WRITING AWARDS

The English Department is pleased to announce its annual undergraduate literary competitions in Short Fiction and Poetry. Depending on available funding, there will be 2-3 prizes in Fiction and 2-3 in Poetry this year. Past prizes have ranged from $100 to $1500.  The deadline for submission is 12:00 Noon on Monday, February 28.

Contest rules are as follows:
Short Fiction: Submit no more than one unpublished story (7500 words, maximum length)
Poetry: Submit up to 5 unpublished poems in a single document.

Only University of Illinois undergraduate students are eligible. To be considered for a prize, submissions must adhere to the following rules:

All submissions must be sent via email as an attachment to: jdudek4@illinois.edu.  The subject line of your email message must read as follows: “UNDERGRAD POETRY: Last name” or “UNDERGRAD FICTION: Last name”.  If you enter in both categories (poetry and fiction), you will need to send separate emails.

In the body of your email, please include:

• • Your name
  • address
  • phone number
  • e-mail address
  • status (undergraduate student)
  • UIN

Your entry is to be contained in one attached .docx file. The name of this file must be the contest category followed by your last name, such as “FICTION JONES.docx” or “POETRY JONES.docx” Your name should not appear within the document itself.

Please direct any questions to John Dudek, Associate Director of Creative Writing at Jdudek4@illinois.edu

Junior Quinn Submissions OPEN | Deadline March 1

The Junior Quinn Award recognizes achievement and potential in Creative Writing MAJORS AND MINORS with junior class standing by awarding one or more recipients with financial support to attend a writing workshop or conference. We hope the prize will be used to fund future conference attendance, contest submission fees, or other creative-writing related application costs—but because of the worldwide pandemic limiting travel and conference schedules, this year’s prize will be issued as a flat $1000.

We recognize that it is not always easy to determine eligibility. If you are not technically a Junior this academic year but plan to graduate no earlier than December 2022 and no later than December 2023, you may be eligible. If you have any questions about your eligibility, check with Anna Ivy or Keshia Atkins in Undergraduate Advising (englishadvising@illinois.edu). You may apply for the Junior Quinn only once. If you have eligibility questions, email John Dudek, Associate Director of Creative Writing, at jdudek4@illinois.edu.

check out this POTB (aka 2nd-8-week) course!

ENGL 199, Section X
Writing to Get That Job!
Part of Term B  /  1 credit hour
MW 12:00-12:50 (online)
Through conceptual development and context-sensitive lessons/assignments, students will develop/improve writing skills particularly germane to successfully applying for an internship, a post-baccalaureate job, or an advanced-degree program.  They will then apply those skills to create a polished set of recruiter-ready texts relevant to their career plans and a career-relevant, currently-advertised job/internship/program. Use Moodle website for access to meeting location (learn.illinois.edu)

Creative writing club

Do you know about Creative Writing Club?  Open to students in all majors, this group meets weekly on Tuesdays from 6:30pm-7:45pm in room 259 of the English Building.  If you would like to be kept apprised of upcoming meetings and other activities, send a message to creativewritingclubatuiuc@gmail.com  and ask to be added to the mailing list.  You can also follow CWC on Facebook/Instagram, both @creativewritingclubuiuc.

get help at the writers workshop

Check out the upcoming Writers Workshop events.   The Writers Workshop provides feedback on all kinds of writing including course papers, job application materials, and personal statements. We have appointments and drop-in hours, and we’re available in-person at the Undergraduate Library and online.

text anxiety workshops

Could you benefit from a workshop that provides strategies for managing anxiety around taking tests? The Counseling Center hosts drop-in workshops throughout the semester with tips on:

• Remaining calm during tests and exams
• Getting the most from your study time
• Preparing effectively for tests and exams

To find out more about individual workshops and to register, please visit counselingcenter.illinois.edu/TestAnxiety.

There are simple, effective ways that can help you perform well on tests and not let anxiety get the best of you! These workshops are free for students. If you have any questions about this group, please contact Dr. Kathy Wierzchowski at wierzch1@illinois.edu.

DGS hiring summer peer advisors!

See the position description for DGS summer peer advisors. DGS is looking to hire 10-12 students to assist us during New Student Registration this summer. If you will be in the CU area over the summer, please consider applying. It’s great if the student is former DGS, but not required.

Call for submissions

• REVIVAL at Cornell University is a student-run intersectional feminist zine that focuses on promoting our three pillars:

1.      VOICE: journalism, free speech, open discussion

2.      EQUITY: community service, feminism, social justice

3.      EMPOWERMENT: student support, writing education, minority elevation

We are calling for creative submissions to publish in our Spring 2022 “Secret Edition.” Submissions may include poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and any visual artwork that can be converted into a pdf (photography, drawings, etc.). Submissions should also align with our theme “Secret.”

You can find our submission form here.

Please review our submission guidelines here.

All submissions are due Sunday February 13th at 11:59 EST

• Collision Literary Magazine at the University of Pittsburgh. Collision is currently open for submissions of undergraduate fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art, and we welcome students to submit! By submitting to the annual magazine, students will be considered for our writing and cover art contests.Submissions for the annual magazine close Friday, February 25, but we read on a rolling basis. You can find more information about the magazine and our submission guidelines at https://www.collision.pitt.edu. If you have any questions, please contact collisionlitmag@gmail.com.

Summer Faculty-led Study Abroad Opportunities

With the summer study abroad deadlines approaching, we wanted to share a list of faculty-led programs that are open to students in all majors across campus.

Each program page is linked below and can be found in the My Study Abroad system. Students are also eligible to apply for campus, college-wide, and national + international scholarships.

Application Deadline: February 15

• AUSTRIA: International Organizations and Regionalism in Vienna (PS 392)
• COSTA RICA: Natural Products in Costa Rica (CHEM 492)
• ECUADOR: Sustainable Agriculture & Eco-Tourism in the Galapagos Islands (ACE 499 & ACE 398)
• ITALY: Energy Systems & Italian Language and Culture (NPRE 201)
• PERU: Archaeology Field School in Peru (LAST 395)
• SOUTH AFRICA: Service Learning, Child, Family, Health and Agriculture in South Africa (HDFS 379)
• SWEDEN: Environment and Society in a Changing Arctic (NRES 285 + NRES 293)

Cornell Prelaw in Paris

Have you considered summer study abroad and are interested in studying law?  Join Cornell Law School faculty and the Office of Global Learning to learn more about the Cornell Prelaw Program in Paris,  a three-week academic program in international and comparative law open to students from all universities.  Study law in a uniquely international and culturally rich environment, combining the excellence of Cornell Law School faculty and the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.  Prepare for the law school admissions process and acquire the study skills for success in law school.  Attend the upcoming information session to learn more!

Info session: February 16^th, 5:30-6:30PM

Minor in Game Studies is here!

UIUC UX Day – March 25, 2022

This Office of Undergraduate Research is accepting submissions to present at the 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposium set for Thursday, April 28 at the Illini Union. For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, follow this link.  Application deadline: Tuesday, March 15

grants supporting research and travel

Research Support Grant (RSG)
Research Support Grant (RSG) This grant provides students from all disciplines with the funds necessary to conduct research or creative projects during the academic year both on and off campus (including summer terms). Awards will be up to $2,000 and are meant to cover research travel costs, living expenses incurred during academic breaks (i.e., winter break and summer terms, NOT regular semester living expenses), and materials or other ancillary costs. We hope that this competition will both broaden and deepen the types of research being conducted by undergraduate students on campus, and that the recipients are able to use this opportunity as a way of engaging with their fields. For details, eligibility requirements, and link to the application please visit: http://go.illinois.edu/OUR_RSG.
The deadline to apply is March 11, 2022 at 11:59pm.

Conference Travel Grant (CTG)
Conference Travel Grant (CTG) This grant provides undergraduate students with awards of up to $350 to subsidize costs associated with presenting their research posters, papers, or creative works at in-person and virtual professional conferences. Please note, the Office of Undergraduate Research does not provide funds for conference attendance only; grants are meant for students who will present their work. For details, eligibility requirements, and link to the application please visit: http://go.illinois.edu/OUR_CTG.
The deadline to apply is February 24, 2022 at 11:59pm.\

Don’t Forget about These!

LAS Success Academic Workshops

Check out the Spring LAS Success Academic Workshop Schedule here:

• All workshops are open to all students
• All are offered in-person in Lincoln Hall
• Our website lists events by month so you can’t access anything past February yet, but those events will become visible as the earlier events pass

Workshops – Tuesday @ 7 Starts

The Career Center – Spring 2022 Workshop Calendar

Math & Stat Student Support Center now open

The Math and Statistics Student Support Center (SSC) provides walk-in academic support and tutoring for students enrolled in a set of core introductory mathematics and statistics courses. The center is staffed by qualified teaching assistants and course assistants. The SSC is located in room  **304 English Building.** (Change from Fall 2022.)

Access to the Student Support Center is restricted to students enrolled in designated Math and Statistics courses. There is no charge for access to services in the Student Support Center. Courses covered in the SSC include the following: Math 112, Math 115, Math 220, Math 231, Math 234, Stat 212, Stat 400.

For more information including hours, please visit the SSC website at

https://publish.illinois.edu/mathstat-ssc/

DATES AND DEADLINES