Northwest Undergraduate Conference on Literature

The Northwest Undergraduate Conference on Literature creates a professional atmosphere to promote student criticism and challenge student critics. NUCL gives undergraduate and advanced high school students an opportunity to present their own scholarly papers or creative works in organized panels of their peers. Students are able to share and discuss their knowledge through these presentations, and are encouraged to participate in the discussion of fellow NUCL papers. In addition to presenting their papers, and listening to papers written by their peers, students are invited to attend NUCL's keynote speakers, who are noted academics and writers in the field of literature.

NUCL is sponsored by the English Department, the Office of the Provost, the College of Arts & Sciences, Lemieux Library, and the Office of Admissions at Seattle University, and in partnership with conference founder University of Portland.

Come back to this website frequently for up-to-date information about NUCL, the conference speaker, deadlines, and registration.

Overview

• NUCL is open to college and university students and advanced high school students.
• Conference sessions include 3 to 4 papers, plus student respondents facilitating discussion.
• NUCL invites 15- to 18-minute papers embodying your own, fresh response to an English or foreign language literary text or texts (we will not accept papers longer than 10 pages in length and papers must be written in English). Consult "Submission Information" for more details.
• We welcome students to submit papers as part of pre-formed panels; email the program for more information on how to do this.
• While the primary emphasis of NUCL is on critical/scholarly writing, NUCL also invites student poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers to submit one essay, one short story, or five to seven poems. Those chosen will read their work in a few sessions reserved for creative writing. These submissions may not be longer than 10 pages.
• Prizes are awarded for best critical paper, best creative submission, best high school paper, and the "Brass NUCL Award" for the hardest-hitting paper.
• All whose work is chosen for NUCL will receive official record of their participation.