Follow the department on social media

Important Dates

Deadline to add a POT B course to schedule: Friday, Oct. 24
ESA Spooky Poetry Night: Wednesday, Oct. 29
Priority registration begins: Monday, Nov. 3
Advising Office Open House + ESA Bake Sale: Thursday, Nov. 6
Deadline to drop a POT B course without a ‘W’: Friday, Nov. 14
Advising Office Open House + ESA Bake Sale: Thursday, Nov. 20
Thanksgiving Break: November 22-November 30

Resource of the Week

Schedule Generator is a tool that will allow you to build the optimal class schedule based on course preferences and setting aside time for breaks during the week.  Create the optimal schedule and send it to Plan Ahead in Class Registration where you will be able to complete registration when your time ticket opens. 

ESA Presents: Spooky Poetry Night

What You Will Theatre Company Presents: The Tragedy of King Lear

Advising Open House + ESA Bake Sale!

ESA will be opening up their ESA room (attached to advising office) to sell some sweet treats during the remaining Advising Office Open Houses this semester. Stop by to learn more about ESA and buy a baked good or two! As always, the advising office will also provide coffee, tea, and literary-themed puzzles and games. Come spend a cozy morning or afternoon with us this fall!

Could AI Make a Zine? Interdisciplinary Roundtable and Zine Workshop

Wednesday, October 29, 1-2:30pm
Main Library, Room 220, and on Zoom

Zines, self-published booklets, have long been considered a subversive medium. Composed of image, text, and collage, zines challenge long held assumptions of expression, authorship, and communication. As zines enter the digital age, they offer us a vocabulary to examine another transgressive tool: Artificial Intelligence. The juncture of zines and AI asks us to reconsider how we define both mediums and it inspires us to further scrutinize our relationships to community, creativity, and the material world.

This hybrid event includes an interdisciplinary roundtable discussion featuring experts in information sciences, computer science, art, and media. Following the discussion, participants will have the opportunity to make zines using traditional and digital materials. 

Please register using this link: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/933293053. Those wishing to join online will be sent the zoom link the day of the event.

This event is hosted by the University Library and features Dr. Ryan Cordell, Dr. Karrie Karahalios, and Dr. Phillip Kalantzis Cope.

Urbana-Champaign Books to Prisoner’s BOOK SALE

The book sale offers great deals (paperbacks for $1 and hardbacks for $2) and raises critical funding to continue providing free books to incarcerated individuals in Illinois. It will take place at the Independent Media Center on November 1 from 9 am-5pm.

Student Internship Available

Survey Data Analysis and Report Writing
Part-time Internship (10-15 hours per week) $15 per hour

Review duties and qualifications and apply here. Do it as soon as possible if you’re interested; the application window will remain open until they hire but they will begin reviewing applications as early as next week.

Job Description:
We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Student Intern to assist with analyzing and crafting summaries from survey data. This position requires a student who can effectively distill and communicate insights derived from qualitative and quantitative data. The ideal candidate has strong written communication skills, has an ability to synthesize information for a quick and accurate understanding of survey topics, and is comfortable working in an office environment. This is a fully on-site position.

NB We were asked to promote this opportunity to students in our department so they are definitely interested in humanities types for this position!

Copy Writer Internship Opportunity with Nintendo

As a Nintendo of America Intern, you will actively contribute to meaningful projects, and gain valuable hands-on work experience with a leading company in the entertainment industry. During the program from June through August, your work experience will be enhanced with mentoring, networking opportunities and exposure to industry leaders from across the company! Whether you are in a technical or non-technical role, you will be a part of a team committed to putting smiles on faces of millions around the world. 

For more information about this internship opportunity and to apply, CLICK HERE.

Application Deadline: December 1, 2025 

Women’s Resources Center Book Club

Friday, October 31   |   4:00pm
Women’s resources Center 
616 E. Green St Suite 213

Join the staff of the Women’s Resources Center as we discuss Hungerstone by Kat Dunn. During our conversation, we will discuss select chapters and themes from the text that explore relationships, the legacy of the romantic horror genre, and homoeroticism. 

Can’t read the whole book before we meet? No problem! Join us anyway! Limited copies of the book are available on a first come, first serve basis by request. 

Register: go.illinois.edu/Hungerstone

How to Enroll in an English Honors Seminar

If you would like to sign up for an English honors course in the spring, please email Nancy at nrahn@illinois.edu (include your full name and UIN) and tell her which seminar you hope to take this spring, including the title/topic and the CRN.  You’ll find descriptions of the courses and the CRN in Course Explorer.  Please allow one week to get a response. Once Nancy has given you permission to take the course, you must still go into the registration system and add it to your schedule.  Nancy cannot actually enroll you in the class; she is simply giving you the override that will allow you to enroll yourself! 

For more details about the honors program check our English department website: https://english.illinois.edu/academics/undergraduate-studies/honors-research/honors-research. 

If you would like to take two seminars at the same time, then you may, but you must receive approval for the first before you can request a second.  If you are approaching graduation and need a particular seminar in order to complete the honors program, please get your request in right away!  Permission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Be an Exploratory Studies Ambassador!

Exploratory Studies is excited to announce that our Ambassador Program application is now open!

The EXP Ambassador Program is a volunteer opportunity for current and former Exploratory Studies students to get involved as student leaders on campus. Ambassadors assist with events, workshops, EXP 101 classes, and outreach efforts- using their own exploration experiences to help guide other students through the process of finding their path at Illinois.

Application Form: EXP Ambassador Application
Program Information: EXP Ambassador Program Website

Applications are open until November 17.

Apply for the 2026 LeaderShape® Institute™

The LeaderShape® Institute™ is a nationally recognized four-day, three-night leadership retreat for Illinois undergraduate students of all majors. This immersive experience will take place January 12-15, 2026, at Allerton Park & Retreat Center in Monticello, IL. Students selected to participate will attend for free thanks to the generous financial support of campus sponsors.

The Institute™ offers participants the opportunity to identify and explore their personal values as they work towards creating a more caring, just, and equitable society. Students will engage in activities of self-discovery, reflection, and feedback in a community of peers, with a focus on leading with integrity.

If you’re ready to challenge yourself, connect with peers, and grow as a leader, we encourage you to apply! The Participant Application opens on October 1 and is due by midnight on November 9.

Admissions Open for the TRIO McNair Scholars Program

The Jeffries Center is pleased to announce we are now accepting student applications for the TRIO McNair Scholars Program! This program supports first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students in preparing for graduate studies. For more information, please email triomcnair@illinois.edu. Apply now!

Crafting a Compelling Personal Statement

Tuesday, October 28, 5-6pm, held via Zoom
Students will learn how to compose effective personal statements for graduate school applications, become familiar with common statement prompts, and impactfully story tell in a customized way.  Register in advance at https://go.illinois.edu/GradSchoolPersonalStatement.

An Evening with Ayelet Tsabari

Ayelet Tsabari’s new novel, Songs for the Brokenhearted, has won a slew of awards including the National Jewish Book Award. The novel fills a huge gap in that it traces the story of the history of Yemeni Israelis through a fictional family. The text tackles questions of race, nation, and belonging (or not belonging) and could not be more timely. A 2019 interview with Tsabari was published in Ninth Letter; you can find out more about the novel (and hear a clip from the audio book) here and here.

Kevin T. Early Memorial Scholarship

Submissions are open for the 2025-2026 Kevin T. Early Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is made possible from an endowment by William and Donna Early in memory of their son, a poet, Kevin T. Early. It awards a $2000 scholarship (applied to the student account) to a student with freshman standing at UIUC for the 2025-2026 school year.  

For consideration, students must submit 5 poems via email to jdudek4@illinois.edu. The complete submission should not exceed 5 pages (so 1 poem to a page). Submissions should be attached to the email as .docx (Word) files.

The subject line of the email should read: “EARLY PRIZE SUBMISSION: Last name.”

The body of the email should include the student’s name, address, phone number, e-mail, UIN, and the titles of the poems. The name should not appear on the entry file itself.

The deadline for application is Thursday, October 30, 2025. If you have any questions, please email jdudek4@illinois.edu.

AWP Intro Journals Project – Collecting Submissions!

Creative Writing Courses Added to the “Cheat Sheet”

Attention creative writing majors! You can now find courses offered each semester that satisfy your Writing & Literature and Difference & Diaspora requirements on the Major Requirements Cheat Sheet we update each semester. We hope that this will prove to be helpful when finding courses to complete these major requirements! The updated cheat sheet for Spring 2026 and live and ready for you to consult.

Don’t Forget These!

Media Ecology PhD Cohort at the University of Colorado Boulder

CU Boulder English is embarking on a new kind of PhD that is collaborative, experimental, and that affords students a chance to work closely with each other and with faculty. They are introducing a “Media Ecology” lab and team-taught courses where PhD students work with faculty and one another to map, theorize, and develop dissertation specialties via intensive mentoring, reading, and co-writing and -publishing in the lab. They offer competitive funding packages, along with excellent teaching and networking opportunities. Students will work with established academics and professionals in the fields of their interest.

What are “media ecologies”? If “ecology” refers to the relationships between humans and the more-than-human, mediaecology takes its cue from manuscripts, archives, as well as printed and digital environments to consider how text technologies and material infrastructures shape readers and their worlds. Conversely, readers perceive the material world through the lens of media. In addition to asking traditional questions in literary scholarship like “What does the text mean?” we theorize texts as occupying an ecological niche, suggesting that both medial form and its content occupy a symbiotic and competitive relationship with other texts. Like capital itself, text is always in motion and always innovating. The field of cultural production shifts, morphs, combines, and mutates. The university is seeking students interested in both environmental and media studies. They encourage those working in any literary period, with interests anywhere from medieval manuscripts to AI.

If you are interested in this topic and in pursuing a PhD in English, you are encouraged to apply! You can find information about applying here.

Library Research Consultations

Fall 2025 First Gen Series

Scholarship Opportunity

The LAS Get Experience Scholarship is designed to support students with financial need in hands-on learning experiences that enhance and complement their academic coursework (such as unpaid and underpaid internships). Click the link above to find out more.

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. 

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

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!

Boost Your Speaking Skills

We offer a friendly, low-stakes space for students from any major or discipline to practice and work on oral communication with a peer-consultant, including using visual aids such as powerpoint and research posters. Our main location is in the Armory, with satellite hours in the Main Library, Grainger Library, ACES/Funk Library, and the LAS Hub. We also offer synchronous online appointments. 

Free Little Library

WRC Fall Hours

Follow the department on social media

Important Dates

Express Advising from 10-11:30am: Tuesday, Oct. 14
Express Advising from 1:30-3pm: Wednesday, Oct. 15
Deadline to drop a full-semester course without a “W”: Friday, Oct. 17
Registration Time Tickets are available to view: Monday, Oct. 20
POT B (second 8 weeks) courses begin: Monday, Oct. 20
Advising Office Open House with LAS Career Services: Wed., Oct. 22
Deadline to add a POT B course to schedule: Friday, Oct. 24
Priority registration begins: Monday, Nov. 3

Resource of the Week

Course Explorer is the online tool for browsing course offerings at Illinois. It also includes a browsable catalog of courses that satisfy general education (GenEd) requirements. Spring 2026 courses are now viewable on Course Explorer, so make sure to check it out as you begin planning next semester’s schedule!

Creative Writing Courses Added to the “Cheat Sheet”

Attention creative writing majors! You can now find courses offered each semester that satisfy your Writing & Literature and Difference & Diaspora requirements on the Major Requirements Cheat Sheet we update each semester. We hope that this will prove to be helpful when finding courses to complete these major requirements! The updated cheat sheet for Spring 2026 and live and ready for you to consult.

Meet Your Imposter Monster: Understanding & Managing Imposter Syndrome

Study Abroad in Prague!

HIST 354: European History in Prague
Interested in a short-term study abroad program for Summer 2026? Study European history in Prague! Tour one of Europe’s most beautiful cities and visit locations where history was made: Wenceslas Square, the Jewish Quarter, Prague Castle, the Theresienstadt Ghetto, and the National Opera. Immerse yourself in Czech culture while exploring the region’s complex history of ethnic and confessional pluralism, medieval legacies, the rise and fall of empires, and the transformation of European identity.

The program does not have any prerequisites and is appropriate for students at any year or major, as long as they have an interest in the topic.  Last year, the billable cost was approximately $2400+ airfare and expenses, which compares favorably with most other summer short-term faculty programs. 

An information session about the study abroad program is being hosted next week on Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 5-6pm for interested students. If you have any questions about the program, you are also welcome to reach out to Stefan Djordjevic at djordje1@illinois.edu

Embracing Trans Regret Under Authoritarianism – CWS Brownbag Event

AWP Intro Journals Project – Collecting Submissions!

Media Ecology PhD Cohort at the University of Colorado Boulder

CU Boulder English is embarking on a new kind of PhD that is collaborative, experimental, and that affords students a chance to work closely with each other and with faculty. They are introducing a “Media Ecology” lab and team-taught courses where PhD students work with faculty and one another to map, theorize, and develop dissertation specialties via intensive mentoring, reading, and co-writing and -publishing in the lab. They offer competitive funding packages, along with excellent teaching and networking opportunities. Students will work with established academics and professionals in the fields of their interest.

What are “media ecologies”? If “ecology” refers to the relationships between humans and the more-than-human, mediaecology takes its cue from manuscripts, archives, as well as printed and digital environments to consider how text technologies and material infrastructures shape readers and their worlds. Conversely, readers perceive the material world through the lens of media. In addition to asking traditional questions in literary scholarship like “What does the text mean?” we theorize texts as occupying an ecological niche, suggesting that both medial form and its content occupy a symbiotic and competitive relationship with other texts. Like capital itself, text is always in motion and always innovating. The field of cultural production shifts, morphs, combines, and mutates. The university is seeking students interested in both environmental and media studies. They encourage those working in any literary period, with interests anywhere from medieval manuscripts to AI.

If you are interested in this topic and in pursuing a PhD in English, you are encouraged to apply! You can find information about applying here.

Coping with Communication Apprehension

Registration Form: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1408633323
Thursday, October 23, 3:30-4:30pm (Main Lib #106)

Roughly three out of every four people face some degree of anxiety when speaking in front of others. Tremors, butterflies in the stomach, and “blacking out” are common, but that does not make them any less uncomfortable. In this workshop, learn strategies and mindsets to help cope with these experiences and more related to speech and presentation apprehension. Pre-registration required using the link above.

Kevin T. Early Memorial Scholarship

Submissions are open for the 2025-2026 Kevin T. Early Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is made possible from an endowment by William and Donna Early in memory of their son, a poet, Kevin T. Early. It awards a $2000 scholarship (applied to the student account) to a student with freshman standing at UIUC for the 2025-2026 school year.  

For consideration, students must submit 5 poems via email to jdudek4@illinois.edu. The complete submission should not exceed 5 pages (so 1 poem to a page). Submissions should be attached to the email as .docx (Word) files.

The subject line of the email should read: “EARLY PRIZE SUBMISSION: Last name.”

The body of the email should include the student’s name, address, phone number, e-mail, UIN, and the titles of the poems. The name should not appear on the entry file itself.

The deadline for application is Thursday, October 30, 2025. If you have any questions, please email jdudek4@illinois.edu.

Critical Language Scholarship

Are you interested in learning a less-commonly taught language? Do you want to participate in a fully-funded intensive language program abroad? If so, apply for a Critical Language Scholarship!

Eligibility:
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, at least 18 years of age, and enrolled in a degree-granting program at the undergraduate or graduate level. The Critical Language Scholarship, provided by the U.S. Department of State, is a fully-funded, intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for undergraduate and graduate students.  A list of eligible languages is available here. CLS institutes are 8 to 10 weeks in length, are held over the summer, and cover one academic year of university-level language coursework. CLS Institutes include cultural programming, local language partners, and in-country excursions. Participants receive academic credit at their U.S. institutions.  

Deadline:
The national deadline will be in mid-November – exact date TBD in the upcoming weeks.

Application Preparation:
If you are interested in applying, please attend our informational session:   

IN-PERSON Critical Language Scholarship Information Session
Thursday, October 16th, 2025, 3:30- 4:30 pm
514 Illini Union Bookstore Building, Floor 5

ONLINE Critical Language Scholarship Information Session
Friday, October 17, 2025, 9:00-10:00 am
Register in advance for this Zoom session

For more information, contact the scholarships office at topscholars@illinois.edu or visit our website at www.topscholars.illinois.edu 

Open House

Our next open house is coming up on Monday, October 22, 8:30-10am. We will also be hosting folks from LAS Career Services, so stop by to meet them and find out more about how they can help you with your internship and career goals! As always, we will have snacks, coffee and tea, and assorted games and puzzles.

The Illinois Club Scholarships

The Illinois Club Scholarships online application closes at 5PM on Saturday, October 11, 2025. The 2026-2027 scholarships will support junior and senior students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, financial need, and participation in activities that enhance academic and professional development. Additional information can be found on the club’s website and the attached flyer. Interested students can apply here.

There are a number of awards but the ones most relevant to English department majors and minors are listed below. It’s well worth applying!

Global Focus Scholarship
Open to students with any major. This scholarship honors Peri Ceperley, a dear friend who left us too soon. Peri loved traveling, studying foreign languages, and exploring internships and volunteering opportunities abroad. Applicants must have international experience or an internationally focused program of study. Applicants should demonstrate how their internationally focused work and/or volunteer plans will make a difference in the world.

Humanities and Social Sciences Scholarship
Open to students majoring or minoring in the Humanities or Social Sciences. Applicants should demonstrate the benefits that studying the Humanities or Social Sciences provides to themselves and their community.

Isabelle Purnell Education Scholarship
Open to students earning a Secondary Education Certificate or College of Education majors. Applicants should indicate how they hope to make a difference in the classroom and in students’ lives.

Judith Life Ikenberry Scholarship
Open to students majoring in the creative arts including all majors within the College of Fine & Applied Arts and Creative Writing. Applicants should demonstrate how their art impacts their lives and the world and what they hope to accomplish with their art. This scholarship is generally given to a student who plans to make a living as a working artist, performer, or writer (e.g., painter, sculptor, musician, composer, dancer, actor, novelist, playwright, poet, screenwriter, essayist, or other creative profession). 

Library Research Consultations

Illinois Consulting Academy

Illinois Consulting Academy (ICA) is looking for driven, collaborative sophomores and juniors from all majors who are interested in exploring consulting and preparing for careers in the industry.

Info Night
Date: Tuesday, October 14
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Business Instructional Facility, Deloitte Auditorium

At Info Night, students will learn more about ICA, what consulting is, and hear directly from current and former ICA students about their experiences.

Students who are interested in learning more or applying should complete this form: ICA Interest Form

Don’t Forget These!

Fall 2025 First Gen Series

Scholarship Opportunity

The LAS Get Experience Scholarship is designed to support students with financial need in hands-on learning experiences that enhance and complement their academic coursework (such as unpaid and underpaid internships). Click the link above to find out more.

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. 

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

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!

Boost Your Speaking Skills

We offer a friendly, low-stakes space for students from any major or discipline to practice and work on oral communication with a peer-consultant, including using visual aids such as powerpoint and research posters. Our main location is in the Armory, with satellite hours in the Main Library, Grainger Library, ACES/Funk Library, and the LAS Hub. We also offer synchronous online appointments. 

Free Little Library

WRC Fall Hours

Follow the department on social media

Important Dates

Majors & Minors Fair: Monday, September 29
Express Advising: Tuesday, September 30 from 10-11:30am
Express Advising: Wednesday, October 1 from 1:30-3pm
Spring 2026 courses viewable on Course Explorer: Monday, October 6
Deadline to drop a full-semester course without a “W”: Friday, Oct. 17

Resource of the Week

The McKinley Self-Care Stations provide over-the-counter self-care supplies. All supplies are included as part of your health service fee, and are provided at no extra cost to you. You will need to present your student i-card before you can receive any items. Click the link above to find Self-Care Station locations on campus!

Read & Resist Fest

Banned books week is the first week of October, and here at Illinois we’re celebrating with Read & Resist fest from October 8-14^th!  The attached flyer has more information about the activities throughout the week, but the first event is on Wednesday, October 8, 12-2!  In partnership with all of the cultural centers (AACC, BNAACC, La Casa, NAH, and Salaam MENA Center), GSRC, WRC, Skeuomorph Press, and the University Library, the AACC will be hosting a pop-up library to promote student awareness and action surrounding intellectual freedom.

Additionally, any students who attend October 8 can participate in the Banned Books Crawl for an opportunity to win a swag pack and gift card to the Illini Union Bookstore!

Please come out to support intellectual freedom and reading banned books at Illinois!

Summer Remote Internships at Penguin Random House

Interested in gaining experience at a major publishing house over the summer? Intrigued by remote opportunities? Check out Penguin Random House’s summer remote internships! They are filling positions for the following departments: Bookmaking, Art & Design, Editorial, Publicity, Marketing, DEI, Sales, and Finance.

Deadline to apply is October 6, 2025.

New Minor!

Effective Fall 2025, the College of Fine and Applied Arts and Hip Hop Innovation Center are excited to announce the launch of a new interdisciplinary undergraduate minor in Hip Hop Culture & The Arts. Students completing this program will explore fundamental content in Hip Hop history, generate original creative work, engage with critical cultural considerations, develop introductory skills with relevant digital media, and participate in youth programming in the Champaign-Urbana community. For more information, please visit http://go.illinois.edu/hiphopminor.

If you have any questions about the Hip Hop Culture & Arts undergraduate minor, please contact Dr. Adam Kruse at faa-hiphop@illinois.edu.

I-Explore Week Events

I-Explore Week is next week (September 29-October 4) and there will be lots to do! This is a series of events for all students who are exploring majors, minors, career paths, etc. The week kicks off with the Majors & Minors Fair on the 29th, and then there will be a series of events taking place throughout the week. We have listed a few events below that you may be interested in, but don’t forget to check out the calendar!

Speak Cafe

When: October 2 from 6-7:30pm
Where: Krannert Art Museum
What: SPEAK stands for Song, Poetry, Art, and Knowledge. It is an open-mic public performance space at Krannert Art Museum curated by local artist, Shaya Robinson, featuring guest performers and welcoming all to the mic.

Scholarship Opportunities

• The LAS Get Experience Scholarship is designed to support students with financial need in hands-on learning experiences that enhance and complement their academic coursework (such as unpaid and underpaid internships). Click the link above to find out more.
• The Truman Scholarship awards $30,000 for use toward a graduate degree in public service fields. Public service includes government, uniformed services, public interest organizations, non-governmental research or educational organizations, public and private schools, and other non-profit organizations. Recipients of the scholarship are required to work in public service for three of the seven years following completion of a Foundation-funded graduate degree program; this is non-negotiable condition of receiving funding. 

Writer’s Workshop Welcome Week

Call for Submissions for Green Observer

Humanities in Action (HIA)

HIA is a semester-long community engagement program that helps students apply their humanities training in new ways while addressing a vital area of need in our Champaign-Urbana community. Selected students can expect to connect with like-minded peers, participate in workshops, and have access to mini grants that offset the costs associated with their service. Additionally, to help remove some of the financial barriers that prevent humanities students from taking advantage of community engagement opportunities selected students will receive $1000 to support their participation. Participants will also become acquainted with HRI and the opportunities available to students studying the humanities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the culmination of the program, participants will learn how to communicate this experience in resumes and job applications.

The application deadline is October 10, 2025. 

LAS Career Services

Upcoming Event:
When Plans Change: How to Make an LAS Major Work for You (9/29, 5pm, virtual event)

Connect with LAS Career Service Team:

• 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. 

Carr Visiting Author Series Event on October 9, 2025

Where: Illini Union Bookstore – Authors Corner
When: Oct 9, 2025 at 4:30 pm  
What: A fiction reading by Leland Cheuk made possible by the Robert J. and Katherin Carr visiting author series. 

Leland Cheuk is an award-winning author of three books of fiction, most recently the novel No Good Very Bad Asian (2019). Cheuk’s work has been covered in Buzzfeed, The Paris Review, VICE, San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere, and has appeared or is forthcoming in publications such as NPR, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, among other outlets. He is the founder of the indie press 7.13 Books. You can follow him on Twitter @lcheuk and at lelandcheuk.com.

English Advising Office Open Houses

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

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!

Library Research Consultations

Students at the University of Illinois have access to free, personalized research support through the Research Consultations at the Main Library. Research consultations offer individual consultations for any student at any stage in the research process, including brainstorming ideas or topics, forming search strategies, and more. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit go.library.illinois.edu/ResearchConsultations.

Boost Your Speaking Skills

We offer a friendly, low-stakes space for students from any major or discipline to practice and work on oral communication with a peer-consultant, including using visual aids such as powerpoint and research posters. Our main location is in the Armory, with satellite hours in the Main Library, Grainger Library, ACES/Funk Library, and the LAS Hub. We also offer synchronous online appointments. 

Free Little Library

WRC Fall Hours

Follow the department on social media

Important Dates

Advising Office Open House: Thursday, September 18
Deadline to drop a POT A (first 8-weeks) course: Friday, September 19
Homecoming Week: September 21 – September 27
Spring 2026 courses viewable on Course Explorer: Monday, October 6

Express Advising is Here!

In addition to scheduled appointments, we are now offering express advising twice a week. 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.

Resource of the Week

The Counseling Center is committed to enhancing the well-being of students at Illinois. If you need or are looking to meet with a mental health professional on campus, you can schedule an appointment three types of ways:

• Call the Counseling Center during their business hours at 217-333-3704 for a same-day appointment.
• Schedule an in-person appointment through their online portal.
• Email an embedded counselor that works within your college (LAS).

The Counseling Center does have clinicians available during business hours for same-day urgent meetings without an appointment.

Call for Submissions for Green Observer

LAS Leaders – Currently Accepting New Member Applications!

LAS Leaders consists of 30 undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences who strengthen the relationships among the college’s students, alumni, and friends. These students are selected for the organization based on their commitment to representing the college through programs and community service. They are the face of today’s LAS students to the public.

Applications to become an LAS Leader are now open! Apply at bit.ly/LASLeadersApply

For more information, visit the LAS Leaders webpage.

Illinois Law School Fair & Admissions Panel

The annual Illinois Law School Fair & Admissions Panel will be held next week on September 16 at the Illini Union.  This event is free and open to all – we highly encourage all pre-law students to participate, particularly Junior and Senior students who anticipate applying to law school in the current or next application cycle.  In addition to law school representatives, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with LSAT test prep providers, AccessLex (for questions related to financing law school), and the Pre-Law office.

LAS Career Lab – How to Talk to Strangers

Our first Career Lab of the semester, How to Talk to Strangers, will help prepare you for the many contexts that require talking to strangers, from casual networking to career fairs and job interviews. Get advice, structure, and opportunities to practice in this low-stakes and friendly social setting. 

Register in Handshake to help us estimate the amount of Jet’s pizza and staffing for this event. Handshake registration also means you’ll get an email reminder.

Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI) Peer Mentors Wanted

The Illinois Neurodiversity Initiative (INI) is looking for undergraduate peer mentors who are active on campus and interested in building connections with neurodivergent peers. Must be able to commit to Wednesday evening meetings 6:30-7:30pm plus an additional 1 hour meeting with their mentee. Email iniprogram@illinois.edu with questions.

Library Research Consultations

Students at the University of Illinois have access to free, personalized research support through the Research Consultations at the Main Library. Research consultations offer individual consultations for any student at any stage in the research process, including brainstorming ideas or topics, forming search strategies, and more. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit go.library.illinois.edu/ResearchConsultations.

ATLAS Internships for Spring 2026

This fall, over 70 LAS students are gaining valuable hands-on experience in technology and professional development through the ATLAS Internship Program. The application window for Spring 2026 internships will open in October. You can learn more by attending the upcoming info session on September 24, 4:00 p.m. – Room 15, English Building

You can also stop by the Lisnek Hub in Lincoln Hall for drop-in Q&A on Wednesdays from 12–1:00 p.m. through December 3.

English Advising Office Open Houses

Study Abroad Opportunities

LAS International Programs is pleased to remind everyone of our two new short-term, faculty-led programs this winter break: REL 360: Sacred Spaces of India and CHEM 199 Coffee, Chemistry, and the Community in Panama. These join our popular returning courses: GLBL 298 Benin Study Abroad: Economic Development in Africa,  GLBL 298 Global Studies in Jordan: From Ancient Ruins to Modern Voices, and IB 496: Tropical Forest Ecology in Panama. IB 496: Natural History of Coral Reefs in Roatán (previously in Belize) and ESE 496 Environment & Sustainability Field Expedition in Costa Rica return again for Spring Break opportunities.  

Application deadlines are approaching:  

Winter Break ’26 (application deadline September 15):
CHEM 199: Coffee, Chemistry, and the Community in Panama* 
GLBL 298 Benin Study Abroad: Economic Development in Africa 
GLBL 298 Global Studies in Jordan: From Ancient Ruins to Modern Voices* 
IB 496: Tropical Forest Ecology in Panama 
REL 360: Sacred Spaces of India* 

Spring Break ’26 (application deadline October 15):
IB 496: Natural History of Coral Reefs in Roatán* 
ESE 496 Environment & Sustainability Field Expedition in Costa Rica 

LAS Global Engagement Scholarship (application deadlines follow program application deadlines): https://app.studyabroad.illinois.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=11564

Summer 2026 Programs will be announced later this month (application deadline February 15).

Visiting Writer Events

Considering Grad School in English?

The Department of English at Michigan State University is delighted to announce the 6th Annual MUSE Scholars Workshop, which will be held this fall in East Lansing, from October 21-24th.

The MUSE Scholars Program is intended for any prospective English graduate students interested in issues of access and equal opportunity in academia, and concerned about the challenges of first-generation students and low-income students in higher education. It aims to introduce students to a robust culture of mentoring essential for a rewarding graduate school experience, and a thriving life in academia. All prospective graduate students in English or related fields who are interested in these questions are welcome to apply! You can read more about our recent cohorts of MUSE scholars here.

The all-expenses paid workshop will allow students to learn more about the English department, visit graduate classes, meet faculty and graduate students, receive feedback on their application materials for graduate school, and present their research to faculty.

Students can learn more about the workshop, and submit an application, on our website, here. The deadline for applications is September 24. 

Global Illini Career Networking Event

Attention current international students! The campus-wide Career Services Council is hosting the Global Illini Career Networking Event in Chicago on Sunday, October 19 and you’re invited! 

This event is designed to support our current international undergraduate and graduate students at UIUC by connecting them with international alums. About 100 students will be joining us for networking, career preparation, lunch, and both small- and large-group conversations. 

The $50 non-refundable registration fee (+ taxes) covers all costs of the event including meal and transportation and gives you a chance to network with former international students from Illinois (alumni) working the Chicagoland area. 

Click this link to register and complete payment so you can confirm your participation. Registrations will not be confirmed complete unless payment portion is completed. 

The deadline to register and complete payment is Monday, September 15 at 11:59PM CT. 

In alignment with our mission to foster a supportive environment for all members of our university community, this event is open to all persons regardless of race, color or national origin. Please direct all questions or requests for accommodations to Susie Li, qiranl@illinois.edu 

David F. Prindable Internship in Communications & Outreach

If you are passionate about the humanities and interested in communication work, apply for the David F. Prindable Internship! This isa paid position in communications with projects that include social media, research, writing, and student outreach.

For more information and to apply, visit https://go.illinois.edu/prindable
Application Deadline: September 19, 2025

Humanities in Action (HIA)

HIA is a semester-long community engagement program that helps students apply their humanities training in new ways while addressing a vital area of need in our Champaign-Urbana community. Selected students can expect to connect with like-minded peers, participate in workshops, and have access to mini grants that offset the costs associated with their service. Additionally, to help remove some of the financial barriers that prevent humanities students from taking advantage of community engagement opportunities selected students will receive $1000 to support their participation. Participants will also become acquainted with HRI and the opportunities available to students studying the humanities at the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the culmination of the program, participants will learn how to communicate this experience in resumes and job applications.

An in person information session will be held in room 1000 of the Seibel Center for Design on Wednesday September 24th from 6:00-7:00pm. The application deadline is October 10, 2025. 

Boost Your Speaking Skills

We offer a friendly, low-stakes space for students from any major or discipline to practice and work on oral communication with a peer-consultant, including using visual aids such as powerpoint and research posters. Our main location is in the Armory, with satellite hours in the Main Library, Grainger Library, ACES/Funk Library, and the LAS Hub. We also offer synchronous online appointments. 

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.

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

Free Little Library

WRC Fall Hours