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Important Dates
ICT/Curriculum Changes: August 18 – September 5
Labor Day Holiday: Monday, September 1
ESA Welcome Event: Thursday, September 4
Advising Office Open House: Thursday, September 4
Deadline to Add a Full-Semester Course: Monday, September 8
Express Advising Begins: Tuesday, September 9
ESA Info Session: Wednesday, September 10
Advising Office Open House
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our first Advising Office Open House this past Wednesday! It was great to chat and check-in with everyone at the beginning of the school year!
We are hosting another open house on Thursday, September 4th between 8:30 and 10am. Come visit us in the advising office for breakfast treats, beverages (hot and cold), and friendly chat (we also have games and puzzles on hand if you like that kind of thing). This is a great way to get comfortable in the space, meet new students and/or connect with old friends, and chat to advisors Maggie and Anna about how things are going (for new students, if you don’t have any major issues to resolve, this would be a fine way to complete your new student check-in).
Beginning of the Semester Check-Ins
If you have received an email from us asking you to check-in during your first two weeks, please call or stop by the office at your earliest convenience to schedule that appointment (remember that we do not schedule by email during spring and fall).
First year and new students, if everything is going well, you are more than welcome to check-in at the next Advising Office Open House or via email by sending an update about how everything is going to englishadvising@illinois.edu. If you need to make any schedule changes or have any concerns, please schedule an appointment.
Note: We encourage you to check-in no later than September 8th, as that is the last day you will be able to add a semester-long course to your Fall 2025 schedule.
As always, visit our advising webpage for contact information and instructions for scheduling advising appointments.
Express Advising – Coming Soon!
In addition to scheduled appointments, we will be offering express advising twice a week starting September 9. Express/drop-in sessions will be Tuesdays from 10:00-11:30 and Wednesdays from 1:30-3:00. These are for quick questions, routine check-ins, signatures on forms, and anything else that requires 15 minutes or less. For lengthier discussions please continue to schedule regular half-hour appointments.
Welcome Event for New and Continuing Students
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!
English Student Association (ESA) Info Night
Discover what ESA has to offer on September 10th! The English Student Association was created to promote camaraderie and inclusiveness among students in the Department of English. ESA hosts a variety of events throughout the year, ranging from academic events to social activities designed for students to get to know others in the department. Come see what they have to offer on September 10th!
Help Reward Excellent Instructors!
Is there an English department instructor you have found to be especially skilled, knowledgeable, inspiring, and/or responsive to your needs as a student? If so, please nominate them for a teaching award.
You can nominate any professor, lecturer, or instructor (that includes graduate TAs) 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 at https://english.illinois.edu/resources/student-resources/resources-undergrads/nominate-outstanding-teacher. The deadline to submit nominations in this award cycle is Tuesday, September 2.
It only takes a few minutes but it’s enormously helpful to us. Thanks in advance!
Pathways to Success – A New Mentorship Program
Pathways to Success is a new mentorship program designed to connect first-generation students with faculty and staff who can provide guidance, support, and valuable insights as they navigate their career paths. Their application form is now open and will close on Sunday, Sept. 7th or once they have a critical number of applications. Seats are limited and participants will be selected on a first-come, first-serve basis.
First-Gen Resource Fair Fall 2025
Join the 2025-2026 Student Success Undergraduate Advisory Board!
The Student Success Undergraduate Advisory Board (SSUAB) is a student-led group of undergraduates seeking to make positive change at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, working to ensure that every student feels a sense of belonging and inclusivity during their undergraduate experience. SSUAB is students creating solutions for fellow students and serving as a voice for these ideas to campus administration.
The application is now live! Applications are due Friday, September 12.
For more information and to apply, please visit https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1362392957?referrer=https://webtools.illinois.edu/
Information About Penguin Random House Internships
Interested in a career in publishing? Penguin Random House is going live on Instagram to break down their internship process. Learn how to apply, what makes a candidate stand out, and how this opportunity could launch your career at Penguin Random House.
Save the Date for the Humanities Open House!
If you’d like to participate in the video challenge associated with this event you must be an actively enrolled University of Illinois undergraduate in FA25 with a declared LAS humanities major or minor. First Prize will receive $500; Second Prize, $250; and Third Prize, $125, deposited to the winner’s student account. The deadline for the competition is September 15. Click here to learn more.
Upcoming LAS Career Services Events
- Part-Time Job Fair – August 30 (11am-3pm): Looking for a part-time job? Come visit the Part-Time Job Fair on August 30 at the Illini Union!
- JCPenney Suit Up Event – September 6 (1-6pm): Don’t miss the regular JCPenney Suit Up Event, where you can score professional gear at a much reduced cost! The LAS Career Services office will have more info to come.
- Quiet Book Club: Come explore the new LAS Career Services library: biographies, self-help books, guides to career paths – lots of great material to help you move forward. Select a book from our collection, read in quiet company with others, and (if you wish) rate your book for the benefit of other users of our library. There will be time at the beginning and end to connect with your fellow readers. Upcoming Fridays from 1-3pm (Aug. 29, Sept. 12, Sept. 26, and Oct. 10)
Pre-Law Advising Updates
- 2025 Law School Fair – September 16: The annual Law School Fair is quickly approaching on September 16. All interested students and alumni are invited and encouraged to attend. You can learn more about the Law Fair on their website (Law School Fair – Pre-Law Advising Services).
- Freshman Advising – Available January 1: Due to increasing demand on advising resources, particularly during peak advising times (September – December), Freshman advising appointment will be available beginning January 1 each year. More details on this policy and resources for Freshman are available on their Appointments page. Freshman (students in their first academic year) are encouraged to engage with the pre-law advising office in the following ways, particularly thru Pre-Law 101:
- Become a Designated Pre-Law Student
- Complete Pre-Law 101
- Review the Freshman Pre-Law Checklist in Canvas
- Attend the Annual Pre-Law RSO Nite (September 3)
- Follow Us on Instagram
- Check Out our Calendar of Upcoming Events & Workshops
- Join the Pre-Law Advisory Council -(applications due September 8 for Class of 2029 representatives)
Montage – Call for Submissions!
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
Looking for a Language or Linguistics Course?
Fine Arts Courses Open to All
MUS 446: Songwriting
This course develops and refines music composition techniques and self-expression in popular, vernacular, and folk music genres. Students will:
- Write, record, and perform original songs
- Provide and receive constructive peer feedback
- Reflect personally through journaling
- Explore readings and recordings tied to class activities
Students should be comfortable singing and performing on an instrument (e.g., guitar, piano, or digital backing tracks).
MUS 428: Music Monetization
This hands-on course dives into the real-world logistics of live performance and the business of music. Students will learn how to:
- Work with artists, agents, venues, and PR teams
- Navigate compensation and contracts
- Coordinate sound, lighting, and event staff
- Organize and run a live performance event from start to finish
Restricted to upper-division undergraduates (freshmen and sophomores with instructor approval).
Academic Support and Independent Skills Development
The following courses offer academic support for students in all majors; the first is open and unrestricted, but the other two require advance permission (and may be restricted to students enrolled in the Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative).
EDUC 199, Section SAS: Strategies for Building Academic Success
This course is designed to help students develop and strengthen their academic skills, with a focus on active learning, communication, goal setting, time management, and personal growth.
HDFS 102: Academic Strategies
Stress, frustration, and difficulty surrounding academic work? Students will learn executive function strategies that can be applied directly to assignments for their current classes. These strategies will promote student success this semester and in their future academic and professional career. Discussion time will be used to complete course assignments, build social networks, and provide a quiet study space with structured accountability. This course is for students who have or suspect they have a neurodiverse brain. Email Professor Jeanne Kramer at jjkramer@illinois.edu for permission to enroll.
HDFS 204: Living on Your Own
Neurodivergent students will learn and apply essential skills for independent living. Topics include problem-solving strategies, effective communication, money management, navigating the community, home maintenance, interpersonal skills, and healthy relationships. Through interactive discussions, activities, and practical exercises, students will develop the necessary skills to thrive independently. Email Professor Jeanne Kramer at jjkramer@illinois.edu for permission to enroll.
Gilman Scholarship & Workshop
Are you a Pell grant recipient who wants to study abroad or do an international internship? If so, the Gilman Scholarship is for you!
Eligibility
Freshmen through Seniors who are U.S. citizens or nationals, Pell grant recipients, in good academic standing, and will be participating in a credit-bearing study abroad program or international internship are eligible to apply.
Get tips about applying from recent Illinois Gilman Scholars.
Deadline
The national deadline is October 3, 2025.
Application Preparation
If you are interested in applying, please attend our informational session:
IN-PERSON Gilman Scholarship Workshop
Friday, August 29, 2025, 3:00-4:00 pm
514 Illini Union Bookstore Building, Floor 5
For more information, contact the scholarships office at topscholars@illinois.edu or visit our website at www.topscholars.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!
WRC Fall Hours
Career Development Toolkit
