The Newberry Library Undergraduate Seminar (NLUS), sponsored by DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago, Roosevelt University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, offers Chicago-area undergraduates a semester-long humanities seminar each year from January to May. The seminar carries the credit of two courses and involves common reading assignments, research in the Newberry’s core collections, and a major research paper. Seminars are team-taught and topics vary from year to year. Each class is limited to twenty participants, who are assigned individual study areas and are encouraged to work closely with Newberry staff.

The Spring 2021 Newberry Library Undergraduate Seminar is Chicago: City of Industry, Art, & Labor, 1890-1960. It will be taught by Dr. Melissa Bradshaw from the English Department of Loyola University and Dr. Elizabeth Tandy Shermer from the History Department of Loyola University. Please check back soon for more information on this exciting interdisciplinary course.

How to Apply

If you are a student at one of the participating institutions and would like more information on applying to the seminar, contact the NLUS Advisor on your home campus:

• DePaul University
  Professor Valentina Tikoff, Department of History
  (773) 325-1570
  vtikoff@depaul.edu
• Loyola University Chicago
  Professor Elizabeth Shermer, Department of History
  (773) 508-2064
  eshermer@luc.edu
• Roosevelt University
  Professor Priscilla Archibald, Department of Literature and Languages
  (312) 341-6453
  parchibald@roosevelt.edu
• University of Illinois, Chicago
  Professor Ellen McClure, School of Literatures, Cutlural Studies and Linguistics
  (312) 996-5076
  ellenmc@uic.edu

For more general questions about the seminar and the Newberry, contact Mary Hale at scholarlyseminars@newberry.org.

Student Testimonials

“This opportunity gave me technical, hands-on skills marketable in higher learning, such as how to handle archival materials, how to navigate an archive, and how to locate and contextualize primary resources. Plus, how many undergraduate English majors get to read Ernest Hemingway’s original letters?” – Liv Oeff ’19, Loyola University Chicago

“Anyone who is naturally curious, loves to learn and wants to test themselves in a new academic setting would benefit from the Newberry Library Undergraduate Seminar.”– Kinga Dziura ‘20, University of Illinois at Chicago

“Take this course if you want to conduct research and hone your researching skills in a professional setting and be treated like you are a professional.” – Amber Barkes ’19, Roosevelt University

“It was a completely unique opportunity to work on independent research at an incredible research institution. It was also an amazing way to create connections with fellow scholars and academics.”– Aidan Falk ’19, DePaul University

“I learned so much about how to construct a long-term project using an archive. This seminar has such dedicated and passionate professors and students who are all so invested in the subject. This was the best part of my undergraduate experience so far!” – Nina Molin ’21, Loyola University Chicago