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Important Dates
Deadline to drop a full-semester course: Friday, March 13
Spring Break: March 14-22
POT B courses begin: Monday, March 23
Deadline to add a POT B course: Friday, March 27
Registration time tickets viewable on Self-Service: Monday, March 30
Registration begins: Monday, April 6
Resource of the Week: Free & Discounted Software at the WebStore
The university’s WebStore offers free and open software for students such as Adobe, Microsoft 365, LinkedIn Learning, IBM, MathWorks, and more. Browse them here: https://webstore.illinois.edu/shop/category.aspx?zcid=129&shopby=1
You can also find other campus software, often at a discounted price: https://webstore.illinois.edu/shop/category.aspx?zcid=139&shopby=1
ESA Monthly Newsletter
Business Microcredentials
Undergraduate microcredentials help you strengthen specific business skills so you can stand out in internships, job applications, and leadership opportunities. They’re shorter than a minor, focused on practical outcomes, and awarded as a digital badge you can easily share with employers. Unlike a minor, a microcredential:
- Requires only 2-3 courses
- Can be completed in a shorter time frame (often as little as one academic year)
- Does not appear on your transcript
- Is awarded as a digital badge and certificate you can share instantly with employers, internship sites, and on your résumé or LinkedIn profile
- Is a focused, career-aligned set of courses that build specific business skills
You can find more information about Business Microcredentials here: https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/academics/majors-and-minors/undergraduate-microcredentials
The Jeffries Center Spring 2026 Workshop Series
Student Success Series: Food Budgeting and AI
When: March 24th from 12:00-1:00pm
Keeping meals both affordable and enjoyable can be tricky, but we don’t need to take on these responsibilities alone! This workshop is designed to cover the basics of how to incorporate AI into food budgeting practices, including meal planning, grocery lists, and more. It covers several tools designed specifically for the purpose of food budgeting and meal planning, as well as discussing how to design clear, specific prompts for general AI chatbots like ChatGPT to assist with these tasks.
Looking for a Second 8-Week (POT B) Course? Check These Out!
Why Scientists and Scholars Should Communicate Through the Media, Despite the Risks
Who: Laura Helmuth (Slate, Scientific American, Washington Post)
When: Tuesday, March 24th at 5:30pm
Where: Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum
Universities, public health organizations, federal science agencies, and publishers have become targets of political forces that are threatened by the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge. New restrictions on funding, collaborations, and inclusion are disrupting crucial research and limiting who is allowed to pursue it. The power imbalance is severe right now, and individuals and institutions are at risk of losing grants, students, jobs, and opportunities. Helmuth will argue for a way out through building support for academic freedom, long-term research, honest assessments of history, and life-saving public health policies. Experts who share their knowledge with journalists or communicate directly through mass media face risks but can make a difference. We’ll cover best practices, practical advice, and possible outcomes of doing so, and how people in different fields of expertise can support one another’s overlapping missions.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Laura Helmuth is a journalist, freelance editor, writer, and consultant who formerly served as editor in chief of Scientific American, where you can still read her many features. She previously worked as an editor for the Washington Post, National Geographic, Slate, Smithsonian and Science. A former president of the National Association of Science Writers, Helmuth is currently a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s standing committee on advancing science communication and an advisory board member for SciLine and The Transmitter. She has a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California, Berkeley, and recently won a Friend of Darwin Award from the National Center for Science Education. Her current writing can also be found at Slate and The Last Word on Nothing.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- Sawyer Seminar Website
- Sawyer Seminar Instagram
- Email sawyerseminar@illinois.edu
Fulbright For Artists
When: Wednesday, March 25th from 3-5pm
Where: Krannert Art Museum, Room 62 (500 E Peabody Drive)
Register: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/689459119
The National & International Scholarships Program and the Graduate College Office of External Fellowships will kick off the Fulbright application season with a workshop focused on Fulbright opportunities in:
- Architecture (building and landscape)
- Creative Writing (fiction, non-fiction, playwriting, poetry, and screenwriting)
- Music (composition, performance, and world music)
- Performing Arts (dance, performance art, and theater arts)
- Visual Arts (animation, photography, illustration, filmmaking, etc.)
The session will feature Melissa Terrall, pianist and former Fulbrighter, who studied Mexican piano repertoire at Mexico City’s National Conservatory; Dani Nutting, flutist and former Fulbrighter to Bulgaria and Assistant Director of the National and International Scholarships Program, who advises undergraduate and alumni applicants; and Dana N. Johnson, former Fulbrighter to Serbia and Director of External Fellowships in the Graduate College, who advises graduate student applicants.
Advanced undergraduates, graduate students (including MFA candidates), alumni, and other interested members of the campus community are invited to attend. Presenters will share insights into pursuing a Fulbright as an artist and preparing a strong application. Topics include identifying a strong affiliation, meeting language expectations, assembling a compelling portfolio, and crafting persuasive narrative statements.
Participants will also learn about the campus application process and how to make effective use of advising services offered by the National & International Scholarships Program and the Graduate College Office of External Fellowships.
Questions about the event may be directed to: topscholars@illinois.edu.
Scholarships Information Sessions
Applications Open for the 2026 Class of Carnegie Young Leaders
As a partner in the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness network, you are at the forefront of a critical mission: ensuring that today’s students graduate with the skills and agency to be effective participants in our democracy.
Our recent Gen Z Vibe Check study highlights both a significant challenge and a massive opportunity in our shared work to build the civic muscle of students across the U.S. 90%of young people say they care about making a change in their communities, however 37% say they don’t know how to get started. The opportunity? Nearly 55%are motivated by opportunities they can participate in with friends.
We have officially opened applications for the 2026 Class of Carnegie Young Leaders. This program uses a collaborative leadership model in which a team lead brings together four of their peers, forming a team that will design and implement a project that addresses a need in their communities over the course of the year-long fellowship.
The Carnegie Young Leaders experience:
- Project Funding: Up to $7,500 to cover stipends and project expenses
- Expert Mentorship: Coaching to help students take their ideas from concept to reality
- National Community: Access to a diverse community of peers and seasoned civic practitioners
The inaugural 2025 Class of Carnegie Young Leaders is already making waves. One hundred teams of five young people are implementing community projects across the U.S. tackling everything from voting accessibility and disaster preparedness to mental health awareness and food access.
Deadline: May 4, 2026
Priority Review: March 30, 2026
Apply HERE: https://cands.org/carnegie-young-leaders/
Applicants do not need a polished resume—only a drive to solve a local challenge and a team ready to build. By supporting Carnegie Young Leaders, we are helping your students move from “what if?” to “we did that,” proving that they are the experts our communities need right now.
Junior Quinn Award
The Junior Quinn Award recognizes achievement and potential in Creative Writing majors or minors with junior class standing by awarding one or more recipients with financial support to attend a writing workshop or conference. This year’s prize will be issued as a scholarship of $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 2026 and no later than December 2027, you may be eligible. If you have any questions about your eligibility, check with our wonderful Undergraduate Advisors at 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. If you are eligible, we want to see a sample of your unpublished prose OR poetry:
· Prose submissions can be either fiction or creative nonfiction. Limit your submission to 1-2 pieces, no more than 15 pages total.
· Poetry submissions should contain 3-5 poems, no more than 7 pages total.
The first page of your submission (not included in page count) should be a statement of purpose explaining how attending a writing conference or other professional development opportunity would impact your writing. This statement should be no more than 250 words. A few conferences you might consider are listed below. Though feel free to find other opportunities that interest you more!
· AWP Conference
· Juniper Summer Writing Institute
· Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop
· Port Townsend Writer’s Conference
Submit your statement of purpose and creative work in one file (.docx only) to John Dudek at jdudek4@illinois.edu by noon, March 27. To make sure your submission does not get lost, the subject line of the email should be ALL CAPS and either JUNIOR QUINN POETRY or JUNIOR QUINN PROSE. The body of this email should include: Your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and UIN.
EVENT PREVIEW:
Visit with a Literary Agent: Rayhané Sanders
March 27, 2026 4:30 pm
Gregory Hall room 223
Join us for a professional development presentation from a visiting literary agent! Rayhané Sanders will give a glimpse at the nuts and bolts of publishing, working in publishing, query letters, and other aspects of the literary trade. This will include some do’s and don’ts and plenty of time for questions and answers.
Rayhané Sanders is a literary agent and independent book editor with over 16-years experience in book publishing. She began her career at Newsweek Magazine, before moving to book publishing, holding positions at Dutton and Gotham Books (imprints of Penguin Group USA, now Penguin Random House) and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Moving from the publisher to the agency side of the business, she worked at William Morris Endeavor and boutique firm WSK Management, where she had the privilege of working with such bestselling and award-winning authors as Amor Towles, Jennifer Haigh, Daniel James Brown, Kate Jacobs, Kitty Kelley, Jane Pauley, Bob Dotson, and many more.
Career Fairs, Jobs, Internships, and More!
Student Writer – Communications Paid Internship
As an intern, you will be expected to work approximately 15 – 20 hours per week and will be earning $15.00/hour as compensation. This position is remote with required online meetings via Microsoft Teams. If relevant, students are encouraged to apply for credit through CMN 304. If you are interested in applying, please send a resume, cover letter and 2-3 non-academic writing samples roughly between 500-1000 words each to Ruth Kwak at rschung2@illinois.edu by 6:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, April 20, 2026
Wolff Internship
The Charles P. Wolff Internship at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs is a paid public policy and communications internship. Wolff Interns will gain exposure to public policy research, public engagement, event management, and our network of scholars across the University of Illinois System. Interns will be assigned to work with the Senior Coordinators at IGPA to help with programming, event planning, newsletters, podcasting, website updates, scholar relations, legislative relations, and more. The Wolff Internship prepares undergraduates for careers in public service, policy, and government relations. Throughout the year, interns collaborate with the IGPA team, top UI System scholars, and government officials. Past interns have gone on to work in major law firms, serve in the State Department, become Rhodes Scholars, and work at the White House. Competitive candidates will have a strong interest in public policy, demonstrated engagement on campus, aptitude for research and communications, and a desire to contribute to ongoing policy conversations. To learn more about the Wolff Internship and to read about our current Wolffs: https://igpa.uillinois.edu/programs/the-charles-p-wolff-internship
Apply by Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 11:59pm. Applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews shortly after the due date. Email mcama6@illinois.edu and nyeager2@illinois.edu with any questions.
Apply for a Paid Internship with the Odyssey Project
Majors in the humanities, arts, social sciences are invited to apply for a paid internship with the Odyssey Project, a program through the Humanities Research Institute that offers free college courses to qualifying members of the C-U community. Through this work, the intern will help to translate the world of academia—and ease that transition—for those who are new to it. Deadline to apply is March 31 by 11:59PM. To apply, visit https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/174211678
Paid Summer Internship at Hasbro as a Board Game Narrative Design Intern
You will work alongside a talented cross-functional team of Graphic Designers, Game Designers, Engineers, Project Managers, and Product Managers to help bring innovative new games to market. This internship blends creative writing, storytelling, editorial accuracy, and cross-functional collaboration ideal for someone who loves games, worldbuilding, and creating engaging player-facing content. This is a unique opportunity to grow as a narrative designer while helping shape the stories, tone, and thematic identity of Hasbro’s future games. For more information, including how to apply, visit https://jobs.hasbro.com/job/Pawtucket-Intern%2C-Narrative-Design-Rhod-02861/1366304400/
Don’t Forget These!
2026 English & Creative Writing Convocation – Register Now
For those of you who are planning to graduate this spring or summer, you can now register to participate in the 2026 English & Creative Writing Convocation! In addition to our departmental celebration, there will also be a universitywide commencement ceremony; you are welcome to participate in either ceremony or both, but please remember that you must register for each one separately. You will need regalia (cap and gown) to participate in any ceremony, so don’t forget to rent your cap and gown by April 13th.
English & Creative Writing Convocation – REGISTER HERE
When: Saturday, May 16 at 5:00pm
Where: Smith Memorial Hall
Universitywide Commencement – REGISTER HERE
When: Saturday, May 16 at 9:30am
Where: Gies Memorial Stadium
For those of you who we believe to have plans to graduate either this spring or summer, we have invited you to participate in the English & Creative Writing Convocation via email. If you believe that you will be graduating this spring or summer and have not received such an invitation, please contact the advising office immediately at englishadvising@illinois.edu
East Anglia Study Abroad Info Sessions
The English Department has a study abroad exchange agreement with the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. They are offering online information sessions for students interested in finding out more about spending a semester or year abroad at UEA:
Monday, March 30 – 17:00 BST – Register here
Thursday April 9 – 8:00 BST – Register here
For more information about a study abroad opportunity at the University of East Anglia, such as how to apply, visit the Illinois My Study Abroad webpage
Senior 100 Honorary – Applications Now Open
The Senior 100 Honorary is one of the Alumni Association’s most prestigious distinctions, recognizing 100 outstanding seniors for their leadership, service, and lasting impact on the campus community. Recipients are selected through an anonymous review process by an impartial panel of judges and will be recognized at a luncheon in May.
Eligibility: Seniors who graduated in December 2025 or are graduating in May 2026
Application Overview:
Opens: January 24, 2026
Closes: March 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Format: Google Form with additional questions
Requirements: 4 short essays reflecting on personal experiences
How to Apply:
Scan the QR code or visit the application link
Download and complete the application
Upload it to the Google Form and submit additional responses
Application Link
Questions may be directed to uiucsenior100@gmail.com.
Google Slides
PowerPoint
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!
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!