Skip to main content
Skip to main content

First Look Fair

The Department of English welcomes you to the First Look Fair.

Wednesday, September 29 - Thursday, September 30

Due to the weather forecast, the Fair has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Sept. 29, 10AM – 3PM on McKeldin Mall.

Browse UMD English's majors and minors, meet our advisors, and get involved with one of our several student organizations. 

English Undergraduate Programs

English (B.A.)

Our major offers core training in English studies and also opportunities to build knowledge across diverse fields, pursue internships and explore learning opportunities beyond the classroom.

English-Education Double Major

Working with the University of Maryland College of Education, the Department of English offers the English-Education double major and a five-year integrated Master of Education degree to students who are interested in teaching English.

English Minors

An English minor complements a variety of degrees and solidifies practical skills including creative thinking, written and verbal communication and logical argumentation.

Advisors

Kerishma Panigrahi
"#1 Piece of Advice for Students"

Take care of yourself with the same dedication and rigor that you attend to your academic and professional pursuits. College can often feel, to quote John Mulaney, like “a four year game show called, ‘Do My Friends Hate Me, or Do I Just Need to Go to Sleep?’” Your physical and mental health are your top priorities, and when you attend to those needs, other things tend to fall into place just a little bit easier. It’s OK to take a step back from the demands of schoolwork to do whatever makes you feel emotionally fulfilled, whether it's hanging out with friends, playing a video game you enjoy, learning a new craft just for yourself, or yes, taking a good ol’ nap. And always ask for help!

Shalom Rosenberg
"Ask me about"

Anything related to the English program, requirements, or the overall student experience at UMD; if I don't know the answer I will tell you honestly and will do my best to help you get to the right person or department(s). I am also happy to support you and help you figure out what to ask if you are unsure since sometimes even figuring out where to begin can be a challenge. I am familiar with other departments that often overlap with English as well (Film Studies, Jewish Studies, Israel Studies, LGBT Studies, Women's Studies, and Comparative Literature, to name a few). I can also serve as your resource for LGBTQ+, Jewish, and other intersectional communities on campus, related to diversity and inclusion, which are core personal values of mine. You can also feel free to chat with me about literature, cinema, television, or anything else you are passionate about as we embark on this journey together.

Blake Wilder
"What I Wish I Knew as an Undergrad"

It’s okay not to know. Nobody knows everything. Everyone feels anxious when their ignorance is the topic of conversation. The brave thing is to embrace not knowing and ask someone else. Ask a friend. As a classmate. Ask a professor. Ask an advisor. No one will judge you for not knowing what you don’t know. This applies to topics in the classroom, assignment details, scheduling courses, internship choices, and career planning. Resources abound, but they won’t fall into your lap unless you invite them in by asking questions.

Kris Reed
"If I could do it all over again"

I wish that as an undergraduate I had been more forthright with my teachers about what really interested me and then looked for ways to shape my studies accordingly.  It’s important to learn from others, allow ourselves to change, try new things, and be challenged by uncomfortable experiences. But looking for what really animates and excites us is key to what the university experience is all about, and it’s essential to building the lives we want to live.

English Student Organizations

African Diaspora Reading Group (ADRG)

Reading group

ADRG exists to explore and contribute to African diaspora writing, creative and critical, and to educate others about this important body of work. ADRG has weekly meetings where members discuss various poems, books and other topics related to the African diaspora, to English majors and to the campus at large. 

Join the ADRG mailing list by emailing adrgumd@gmail.com.

Follow ADRG on Facebook

English Undergraduate Association (EUA)

EUA Student organization members

The EUA works to enliven literature and make it more accessible to students of all departments fostering social relationships between English majors and other literature lovers through events and sub-clubs. 

EUA has hosted fundraisers, coffee houses, poetry readings, murder mystery parties, and more! 

Join the EUA listserv and follow us on Twitter and Instagram

Graduate English Organization (GEO)

Attend events throughout the semester including conferences, luncheons, and lectures. See our calendar for upcoming GEO events.

Paper Shell Review

Founded in 2010, the Paper Shell Review is UMD’s annual undergraduate journal of critical essays on literary and media topics. Each issue, published online and in print, comprises five essays by undergraduate students, selected from a pool of submissions from colleges and universities around the world. Membership on the editorial board of Paper Shell is open to all UMD students, though members must attend meetings and events regularly to participate.

Learn more about the journal and browse past issues.

If you are interested in being an editor for The Paper Shell Review, please send an email expressing your interest to papershellreview@gmail.com.

Sigma Tau Delta

Sigma Tau Delta English

Sigma Tau Delta is the international English Honor Society. It was established in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University to confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature studies and to promote interest in literature and the English language on local campuses and in their surrounding communities. Our chapter has sponsored events with poetry readings, tutoring excursions, fundraisers and writing workshops.

Sigma Tau Delta is open by application only.

For more information about SFS and how to get involved contact Sigma Tau Delta at SigmaTauDeltaUMD@gmail.com.

Zine Club

Terp Magazine Booklab

Do you like to collage, draw, paint, write, cut, fold and play with the book as a form? Is there something you want to say/express but you haven't found the right creative outlet? Try making a zine at ZineClub! A zine is a handmade magaZINE that can be about anything you want it to be.

ZineClub aims to provide a relaxed, creative atmosphere where undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, faculty and even those not directly linked to the UMD community are all welcome to experiment with the medium of the DIY zine. No experience necessary. ZineClub is hosted by UMD's BookLab. Follow on IG @umd_booklab for upcoming meetings.