English Student Opportunities
We offer students a wide range of learning opportunities outside the classroom.
We also pride ourselves on our students’ achievements, many of which are recognized with our annual department awards, including awards for:
- outstanding first-year essays
- excellent research projects in upper-division courses
- outstanding graduation portfolio
Scholarships
In addition to the general scholarships at WSU, students in the English programs can apply for many scholarships from the WSU Foundation.
Apply for WSU Foundation ScholarshipsYou can also earn money for your original creative work through the Winona Prize in Creative Writing, an annual contest that awards a $1,500 prize to one student writer in each genre of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.
The 3 winners are also featured in that year’s edition of Satori.
Campus Clubs & Organizations
If you love to read and write, the student club Winona Wordsmiths is calling your name.
For any film enthusiasts, we recommend the WSU Film Club. This organization is just one more way you can take your passion for film outside of the classroom.
Internships
Internships provide hands-on professional experience in whatever your desired field is—whether that be publishing, education, business, film production, government, or non-profit organizations.
Past students have interned at a variety of organizations and companies like Vector Marketing, Winona Post, Habitat for Humanity, Green Mill, and more.
You could find yourself interning as a:
- Print and Web Copywriter
- Journalist
- Social Media Manager
- Content Editor
- Marketing Manager
We encourage English students to complete internships while studying at WSU to expand on their skills, stand out in the job market, and earn more credits towards their degree.
Work with your English Department adviser and other faculty members to help arrange your internship.
Winona is rich with arts and culture all year round.
In the summer, the Great River Shakespeare Festival performs plays by the Bard and other playwrights.
This festival also features conversations with professional actors and free concerts.
In the winter, be sure to attend the Frozen River Film Festival, which features an impressive lineup of documentaries by directors from across the world.
Some films are full-length while others are just a few minutes long—either way, all will make you see the world a little differently.
Writing & Literature
If you are interested in reading, writing, and other English-related topics, these opportunities might be for you.
Satori is the annual University literary arts magazine that features a wide range of artwork, stories, and poems created by our students.
Become a published author before you graduate by submitting your own original work for consideration.
You can also get valuable hands-on editing experience, earn credit, and help craft the final product by enrolling in a projects class offered every spring term.
Learn more how you can get involved with Satori.
The Common Book Program brings the community of WSU readers together to discuss a single work.
A new Common Book is chosen each academic year based on the issues it raises and how it connects to that year’s University-wide theme.
The Common Book is studied in WSU courses across campus and featured in campus events like author visits, film screenings, and discussion panels.
If you’re eager to meet successful writers, you won’t want to miss out on the John S. Lucas Great River Reading Series. This program brings nationally known authors to WSU each year.
Poets, fiction writers, and non-fiction writers visit certain creative writing and advanced literature classes and give public readings of their work.
Some previous visiting writers include Lee Young-Li, Katrina Vandenberg, Kent Meyer, Joyce Sutpin, and Tony Eprille.
Film
If you are interested in film, these are some great ways to get more involved and gain experience in the field.
The POVwinona blog features criticism, reviews, reportage, and creative work written and produced by WSU Film Studies students.
Each issue takes on a special topic or project, and occasional updates offer information about special events.
The Film Studies students partner with the Retiree Center on the Living History Project where students create documentary videos on members of the center.