Help spread holiday cheer with University Housing’s longest-standing tradition, Dial-A-Carol. Starting on December 7 at 12:01 a.m. and going until December 13 at 11:59 p.m. people from around the world will call and you will sing. As Buddy the Elf once said, “the best way to spread holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” The best part? You can sign up with friends! 

Departments, faculty, and staff can enjoy an early Black Friday deal, and take advantage of special pricing on all 13", 14", and 16" MacBook Pros with M2 Chip from the Illini Union Tech Zone. You will receive 20% OFF retail pricing - giving you a savings of $250-$650, depending on the MacBook. This is only good for in-stock devices and only while supplies last.

Are you part of an organization or campus unit that is passionate about the intersections between art and technology? We are looking for demonstrations and child friendly activities that combine technology and engineering with music, dance, drama, film production, visual arts, and more. Share your passion with children and families at the December 2 Lego League Robotics Competition, where this year's theme is "Masterpiece." Register for a STEAM Fair Table at https://givepul.se/wa2iui or contact us at wyse@illinois.edu

Friday, December 8 at 5 p.m. is the last day to complete a master's thesis deposit for December 2023 graduation. All corrections and required deposit materials must be received by the Graduate College no later than 5 p.m. on the day of the deposit deadline, the Thesis Office strongly encourages students to submit the thesis for review several days before the deadline. For further information about the deposit process, visit the Thesis Office website. Please note, the Thesis Office will be closed on November 23 and 24, but we will be reviewing theses during the early part of the week!

Friday, December 1 at 5 p.m. is the last day to complete a dissertation deposit for December 2023 graduation. Because all corrections and all required deposit materials must be received by the Graduate College no later than 5 p.m. on the day of the deposit deadline, the Thesis Office strongly encourages students to submit the thesis for review several days before the deadline. For further information about the deposit process, visit the Thesis Office website. Please note, the Thesis Office will be closed on November 23 and 24, but we will be reviewing theses during the early part of the week!

With the end of the semester and the thesis deposit deadlines rapidly approaching, it is important to remember to set aside time to take care of yourself. Take a walk, set up a coffee date with friends, or think of some other ways that you can take a break from working and relax. Taking some time away from work allows your mind to rest, and when you revisit your projects, you can do so with added strength. You can learn about one graduate student’s tips for incorporating wellness into her routine in our blog.

Well-designed presentations are about balance. The problem? Balance is a hard thing to find. How much text is too much? How do I decide on a color palette? How do I craft a coherent visual narrative? Join the Speaking Center for this workshop to learn practical skills for creating a standout slide deck and more. Pre-registration is required using the link above.

How do students feel about the writing tasks we give? How can we use that info to support their growth as writers? A workshop led by Siebel Center for Design and the Program in Professional Writing responds to these questions, showing how empathic teaching, emotion and learning connect. Practice taking the perspective of students and proactively design learning experiences. Open to all.

Dance at Illinois presents the culminating concert of the BFA Class of 2024, featuring works by five Senior choreographers; Drina Canjura-Kaufmann, Genesis Medious, Haley Krause, Juliann Craft, and Natalie Kunsemiller. Admission is free, but tickets are required. 

Raise a toast to the season of spirits and sweets with this perfect cocktail of mid-century holiday classics, delightful original tunes, and the inimitable comedy of Ana Gasteyer as she performs selections from her holiday album, Sugar and Booze. Arguably best known for her work on Saturday Night Live and other television shows like The Goldbergs and American Auto, Gasteyer is also an accomplished singer and songwriter and has performed on Broadway in Wicked, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the Tony-nominated shows The Royal Family and Threepenny Opera. 

Join us for this informal series of invigorating presentations. Benjamin Hooberman (physics) will speak on "Searching for the Next Paradigm Shift in Physics at the Large Hadron Collider" at 11:00 a.m. Followed by, Kristin Hoganson (history), who will present "Engineering Empire: U.S. Infrastructure Building in the Circum Caribbean at the Dawn of the Big Carbon Era" at noon. All are welcome.

Join Dylan Rodríguez (teacher, scholar, organizer and collaborator, University of California, Riverside) for “Against the Counterinsurgency Machine." Dylan studies and teaches the historical, collective genius of rebellion, survival, and insurgent futurity that radically challenge dominant forms of authority and power. This event is part of the Interseminars series for "Improvise and Intervene," supported by the Mellon Foundation.

How have Sino-US tensions affected collaboration/engagement in higher education? What are the potential long-term implications of such tensions and consequent policies for Asian American in the US, higher education, and racial social justice? Scholars and administrators from universities will share their views on the role of international collaborations with China and global education in their own work or/and in their specialty field. Chair: Miranda Brown; Panelists: Yong Chen, Charlotte Ku, Robert Markley, Robert Shandley, and Yu Xie

The New to CU Mixer will be held December 7, 5-7 pm at Krannert Art Museum for networking, food, and drinks. Meet ambassadors from the Chambana Welcome Crew and learn about the community from Experience Champaign-Urbana. The event is co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost, Illinois Human Resources, and Strategic Marketing and Communications. RSVP for New to CU Mixer by November 30.  

To meet all our complex consumer needs, the variety of financial tools available has exploded! Explore which services may be best to achieve your goals, keep your money safe, and costs low. Uncover the value of a thoughtfully curated financial tool chest with this free webinar on December 6, 2023, at 12 PM CT. Register here

The Sky Happiness Retreat is an internationally acclaimed life-skills program that helps participants develop relaxed, stress-free mind and energetic, healthy body through evidence-based meditation, yoga, breathwork in a fun and an experiential format. Join us on campus for a detox-weekend! The retreat is fully funded for all UIUC students, partial scholarships available for staff and faculty. Sign up link: tiny.cc/skyretreatdec2023

If you or a student you know may need support with their basic needs or financial stressors, please reach out.

McKinley Health Center serves on-campus students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

The University of Illinois Counseling Center provides mental health counseling and well-being education for students.