tickets for convocation

This is a reminder that those of you who are participating in the English & Creative Writing Convocation ceremony can pick up your tickets in EB 200 next week if you haven’t already. We will have shorter hours on Monday, May 8 (between 10 am and 2 pm only), but regular hours Tuesday through Thursday (9 am-noon and 1-4 pm). Please be sure to fill out the English Department’s Exit Survey first, and please also do the Illini Success Survey at some point. Thank you!

Immediate Opening—High School Teaching Position (Theatre/English)

Streamwood High School (Streamwood, Illinois) is looking for a Theatre/English teacher. This full-time position in Kane County is comprised of drama courses (9-12) and freshmen-level English classes in Streamwood’s new Academy program. There are also opportunities to direct extracurricular theatre productions for stipends. Applications must be submitted ASAP. Click the following link to apply:
http://www.generalasp.net/u46/OnlineApp/default.aspx?Category=High+School+Teacher&subcategory=English&AppliTrackJobId=30486&AppliTrackLayoutMode=detail&AppliTrackViewPosting=1

LAS marketing internship

An important message from LAS Student Academic Affairs:

Spring 2023 grades will be available to students on Saturday May 20.  All students will be able to access their posted grades online and will see an academic status of “status under review.”  Final academic standing can be viewed on Friday May 26 at 5 pm.

*Students who are confirmed or placed on academic drop status by the College during its review will be informed by e-mail only, on Friday May 26. It will be delivered via Secure Message Delivery (SMD) and will be from a noreply address, so it is important you check your spam digest/junk if you don’t see a message in your inbox.

What follows is relevant only for those students who are at risk of being dropped if their term GPA is below a 2.0 (you would know this because you would have had a meeting with a college advisor and would have signed an advising agreement that lays out the terms of a “last chance” semester):

• The drop status for some students is “Not Petitionable” (drop 18)
• The drop status for other students is “Petitionable” (drop 17): we expect most such students to provide documentation of extenuating circumstances and/or evidence they are receiving appropriate medical treatment or have a viable plan for moving forward
• Eligible students must submit their petitions by 5 pm on Wednesday June 7, so students anticipating a drop status decision may wish to gather petition materials now, as the period is short between drop status notification and the petition deadline.
• Students who submit a petition should not plan on returning for the next semester until they hear the outcome of the petition review which will be available by the first week of July.
• Students should be reminded that the purpose of the drop is to give them time and space to take care of whatever issue is getting in the way of their academic progress.  We don’t want students using precious financial resources and limited semesters to get themselves into a dire academic situation for which there is no solution.
• Students on drop status are permitted to continue with Summer 2023 enrollments, but Summer term academic outcomes will NOT change the drop status.
• Academic Standing decisions are made on the basis of a student’s entire academic record.  As such, grade changes should only be pursued in rare cases where an instructor has miscalculated a final grade: it is inappropriate to ask instructors for additional points or to accept redone assignments.  Please also understand most grade changes do not result in a corresponding change of academic standing.
• Grade changes submitted after Monday, August 21, will not result in changes to academic standing.   

Don’t Forget These!

exit questionnaire for graduating seniors

We invite all undergraduates who expect to complete their degree requirements by May or August of this year to complete this short Exit Survey about your experience in the English department at your earliest convenience (if you are registered for the ceremony please complete this survey BEFORE you pick up your tickets).  Everyone who completes the survey before May 11 will be entered into a random prize drawing, and five lucky winners will be chosen to receive a gift card!  

Only the aggregate results will be distributed to the department for assessment purposes; individual participants will not be identified.  Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will be used to improve our programs and services. 

help a professor!

Please consider responding to this call for survey participants from Professor John Gallagher:

Dear students,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request your participation in a survey that I am conducting as part of my research project on perceptions of academic dishonesty and artificial intelligence writing programs, such as ChatGPT (IRB approved #23989). I am reaching out to you as I believe that your valuable input and insights, as students, would contribute to the success of my study.

Your participation is entirely voluntary and confidential, and you have the right to withdraw at any time. The survey will take approximately 7-10 minutes to complete, and your responses will be strictly anonymous and confidential.

Your participation in this survey will enable me to gather valuable information, which will help me to better understand perceptions of academic dishonesty and make meaningful conclusions about AI writing technologies.

To participate, please click on the following link: https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8IGCw8YKsxiEZDw

Seniors: Please share your next steps after graduation!

Every year the University of Illinois surveys graduating seniors to find out where they are going next. The information you provide helps future students find their path at Illinois, and it helps departments and colleges support students more effectively. For example, in the English department we really rely on the results of this campus-wide survey to help us make the argument to prospective students that English and creative writing majors really do go on to find interesting jobs!

Whether you are still figuring out your next steps, plan to volunteer or travel, or have already accepted a job or graduate school offer, your data matters! Completing the Illini Success survey qualifies you for a drawing for Amazon gift cards. It also provides us with critical information necessary for career and academic advising, student recruitment, and institutional reporting needs.

You can receive your unique survey link here: go.illinois.edu/MyIlliniSuccess

Education Advancement Office intern posting

The Office of Advancement within the College of Education is looking for an undergraduate student who can help the office with advancement initiatives for the fall semester If it works well, the intern can continue as long as they are a student at Illinois. See the flyer below for more information:

Academic Strategies and Independent Living Skills

 If you identify with neurodivergent conditions and are struggling with academics and/or the responsibilities of “adulting,” the following classes might be of interest to you:

Academic Strategies and Independent Living Skills

 If you identify with neurodivergent conditions and are struggling with academics and/or the responsibilities of “adulting,” the following classes might be of interest to you:

Need to Meet an Advisor?

To contact a college-level advisor, use the online chat, online advising appointment calendar and queue, and online forms for program change requests. Find a list of unit and college advisors along with hours and contact information on the college website.

2023 Q Magazine writing contest

The Janelle Joseph Environmental Writing Award gives students a chance to have their work published in Q Magazine, a publication of the Certificate for Environmental Writing (CEW) at Illinois. The top awards also carry a cash prize.

The contest is open to all Illinois undergraduates of any major and is geared toward those with an interest in environmental writing.

Winners will have their work published in an upcoming issue of Q. The top prize is $1,000, and $500 prizes will be available in five categories this year: feature, memoir, op-ed, Q&A, and “At Illinois” (see the below link and attached flyer for descriptions and examples of each category).

The final deadline to submit an article is Sept. 30, 2023. You can find more information on the attached flyer and the “Janelle Joseph Environmental Writing Award” page on the Q Magazine website.

LAS Current Student Scholarships

The scholarship application can be found on the LAS Scholarships webpage under the “Current Students” tab. Filling out this application is quick and easy, and with this one step you are considered for a wide variety of scholarships. Applications accepted through Friday, May 12.

Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Now Hiring

Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is looking for recent college graduates who are passionate about public service and giving back to the community to join the Illinois Student Assistance Corps (ISACorps). For more information, see the flyer below:

new courses!

We’re pleased to announce a never-before-taught course in the English department’s fall line-up.  Lori Newcomb will be teaching an advanced methods course called “The Art of Research” (see ENGL 461), and it’s open to all juniors and seniors who have completed ENGL 301 and 350.  This is perfect for any Topics concentrator graduating in December (this will count as your capstone), anybody thinking about graduate school in English or a related field, or anyone who just wants to beef up their research skills. Check it out!

some other recently added courses . . .

CW 463 (meets with GSD 409): Advanced Topics in Creative Writing (TOPIC: Design & Programming of Narrative Games & Simulations)

ENGL 461: (meets with CWL 481) Topics in Arabic Lit & Culture (TOPIC: Arabs and the Americas)

National Name Exchange

The Graduate College invites University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign undergraduate and master’s students to enroll in the National Name Exchange. The National Name Exchange was established to help match graduate schools with students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups interested in graduate education. The National Name Exchange seeks to:

• Increase the number of qualified students from underrepresented groups accepted into graduate school.
• Improve student access to information on graduate school opportunities.
• Work towards personalizing the recruitment effort by designating a National Name Exchange institutional representative to facilitate information exchange between the institution and prospective students.
• Assist graduate schools in identifying qualified candidates from underrepresented groups for consideration for graduate study.

The NNE enrollment portal is now open for the 2023 year. Students can now enroll in the National Name Exchange database. The password to access the student portal is NNE2023.  

Qualifying students must be enrolled at a participating Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) member institution (Illinois is a member institution), maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above, and be from a group historically underrepresented in higher education (qualifying groups can be found here). Students who decide to participate will be asked for their consent to share their information with other participating CGS institutions.

Teacher licensure: Golden Apple Scholars Program Recruitment

Get up to $23,000 in total financial assistance and stipends and become a teacher in Illinois! For more information about the benefits, eligibility requirements, and application, visit https://www.goldenapple.org/scholars.

Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI)

If you need accommodations to be successful in college, INI could be a good resource. See the flyer below:

Sourcebooks summer internships

Some summer internships are available at Sourcebooks. For more information, visit https://read.sourcebooks.com/careers.html

Confidential Advisors @ BNAACC, La Casa, & WRC

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 they talk with students, staff, and faculty who have experienced harm, they 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. They also have two Confidential Advisors embedded at BNAACC and La Casa two days/week.

Embedded Advocate Hours: 
Tuesday and Wednesday 10am – 4pm @ BNAACC
Wednesday 1pm – 5pm and Thursday 10am – 4pm @ 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.

Office of Conferences and Special Events

The Office of Conferences & Special Events will be hiring several students to join the 2023 Summer Conference Team. There are a variety of full-time and part-time positions available ranging from Conference Clerk to Conference Coordinator. Summer housing, hourly pay, and discounted meals are included.

For more information, go to: go.illinois.edu/csejobs2023  

Summer Institute for the Languages of the Muslim World (SILMW)

Summer Institute for Languages of the Muslim World will be held from June 12-August 5, 2023.

Session includes
• Arabic, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, and Wolof courses
• Small class sizes and dedicated faculty and staff
• Immersive experience, complete with instruction
• Cultural activities, opportunities for language practice, conversation tables,
cooking classes, movie nights, and more!

Program registration deadline May 7, 2023

Apply and earn up to 10 credits! To apply, visit https://linguistics.illinois.edu/academics/less-commonly-taught-languages/arabic/application-and-registration. For more information contact silmw@illinois.edu

Find peer mentoring at the Lisnek LAS Hub

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays, First Floor of Lincoln Hall, Behind the marble staircase
Peer mentors help LAS students access opportunities to gain hands-on experience. Drop-in for a casual conversation about exploring student organizations, undergraduate research, volunteer opportunities, study abroad, internships, and more. Learn how to access resources and apply to opportunities. 

Our old friends at the Humanities Professional Resource Center (now LAS Career Services) are still in Greg Hall 105 and available to meet with students to talk about professional development opportunities, career planning, and general life stuff of the “what am I doing here?” variety. See their website for contact info and event announcements.