50 Years of Making History with the Essay
Save the dates of October 22-25, 2026, and make plans to join us in Iowa City for our special anniversary weekend: 50 Years of Making History with the Essay!
Nonfiction Writing Program events
Faculty Reading: Melissa Febos and Sarah Minor
Writing at Iowa Fall Kick-Off Open House and Reading
Join us for our free Fall Kick Off Event, on Sept. 18 from 2-6pm. The event will feature special readings from Melissa Febos, Lan Samantha Chang and Kaveh Akbar, along with undergraduate literary mag readings, a book fair, free swag, food + more!
2 PM: Book Fair
4 PM: Undergraduate Lit Reading
5 PM: Faculty reading with Melissa Febos, Lan Samantha Chang and Kaveh Akbar
RSVP Deadline: AMA with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence
UI faculty, students, and staff are invited to attend ask-me-anything group discussions with Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1 at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies. Questions might address finding an editor, pitching a book, writing a book proposal, how the publishing process works, etc.
There will be two back-to-back discussions; you may attend one or both.
Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 30.
Free and open to all.
Bi...
Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence
University of Iowa junior faculty and graduate students at all stages are invited to join Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at the University of Pennsylvania Press—for a light breakfast and a conversation about turning an article, thesis, or dissertation into a book on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 9–10:30 a.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies library. Please bring any questions you have about that process or about scholarly publishing in general.
Register by Wednesday, September 30.
Biggins is...
AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 3–4 p.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, Walter Biggins, editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—will offer his perspective as both a longtime acquiring editor and as a writer on how the advent of AI affects the present and possible futures of scholarly publishing. In particular, he will discuss how the emerging technology creates concerns and unresolved tensions—ethical, legal, and otherwise—in publishing around intellectual property, peer...
2026 Fall semester calendar
2026 spring semester
Orientation Week August 17-23
August 19-21
Save the dates for Grad College, Center for Teaching and employment-related orientations
https://grad.uiowa.edu/fall-graduate-student-orientation
https://teaching.center.uiowa.edu/new-teaching-assistant-orientation
August 17-21
First-year welcome meetings with NWP Director Melissa Febos
Nonfiction Writing House, 530 N. Clinton St.
Friday, August 21
5:30 p.m First-Year Info Session, led by current NWP second-years Nonfiction Writing House, 530 N. Clinton St.
Week 1 August 24 – August 30
Monday, August 24
First Day of Classes
Friday, August 28
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. English Department’s “Survived the First Week” pizza party , 304 EPB
Friday, August 28
5:30 p.m. NWP program-wide orientation; Mandatory for all students, food and drinks provided, Nonfiction Writing House
Week 2 August 31 – September 6
Friday, September 4
Last day for graduate students to drop courses and receive tuition refund; last day to add courses without fees; last day to opt for S/U grading. (NOTE: Fellowship and teaching tuition waivers will not cover registration changes after this day. That means that if you drop a course, you will be responsible for paying the full tuition for that course!)
Week 3 September 7 – 13
Monday, September 7
Labor Day – No classes, Nonfiction Writing House closed
Wednesday, September 9
4:00 p.m. Welcome reception for Elena Passarello, NWP Lounge
Friday, September 11
3:00 p.m. Deadline for Herodotus Award
7:00 p.m. Faculty Reading: Melissa Febos and Sarah Minor, Nonfiction Writing House
Week 4 September 14 – 20
Week 5 September 21– 27
Wednesday, September 24
3:00 p.m. Deadline for Englert Nonfiction Fellowship applications
Stay tuned for an updated deadline
Week 6 September 28 – October 4
Monday, September 28
Spring 2027 classes available in MyUI/Schedule Builder
Week 7 October 5– 11
Friday, October 9
2 p.m. Craft Talk by Krause Visiting Writer Wayne Koestenbaum
7 p.m. Reading by Krause Visiting Writer Wayne Koestenbaum
Week 8 October 12 – 18
Week 9 October 19 – 25
50th Anniversary Celebration Week!
All week: Iowa City Book Festival events
Friday, October 23
Deadline to send Spring 2026 course registration preferences to Tara Atkinson
2:30 p.m. Q&A with Alumna Yiyun Li for NWP and WW students at the Writer's Workshop (Dey House)
7:30 p.m. Literary Legends: Alumna Yiyun Li w/Melissa Febos at the Levitt Center
Saturday, October 24
2:30 p.m. Faculty Panel at the Iowa City Book Festival
5:30 p.m. NWP 50th Anniversary Celebration (RSVP required)
Sunday, October 25
10 a.m. Anniversary Bagel Breakfast, Nonfiction Writing House
11 a.m. NWP In Memoriam Event, Nonfiction Writing House
Week 10 October 26 – November 1
October 25-31
Wednesday, October 28
Helen Betya Rubinstein (MFA ’15) in conversation with Bennett Sims at Prairie Lights. Feels Like Trouble: Provocations on Writing, Teaching & Power.
Week 11 November 2 – 8
Thursday, November 5
3:30 p.m. Alia Hanna Habib, literary agent, VP of The Gernet Company, presentation (tentative)
7:00 p.m. Alia Hanna Habib, reading from Take It From Me, at Prairie Lights
Friday, November 6
Alia Hanna Habib, meeting with students (tentative)
Saturday, November 7
1 p.m. NWP Bowling Tournament! Colonial Lanes
Week 12 November 9 – 15
Monday, November 9
Early registration opens: Time to register for Spring 2027 classes. NOTE: You should not need any codes or permissions for CNW courses. If you have any trouble, make sure your U-Bill is paid and contact Tara Atkinson right away.
Friday, November 13
3:00 p.m. Deadline for submissions for Magdalena Award
7:00 p.m. Tisa Bryant and Sarah Minor present for Book Matters at Prairie Lights
Saturday, November 14
8:00 p.m. Speakeasy
Week 13 November 16 – 22
Friday, November 20
Nonfiction Writing House will close at 6 p.m.
Week 14 November 23– November 29
Thanksgiving Week
No classes; Nonfiction Writing House closed
Week 15 November 30 - December 6
Wednesday, December 2
7 p.m. Alum Stephanie Krzywonos (MFA ‘25) in conversation with at 7 Melissa Febos at Prairie Lights for The Blue Hours.
Friday, December 4
NWP Nondenominational Holiday Party
Week 16 December 7 – 13
Friday, December 11
Department of English Winter Party
Close of classes
Week 17 December 14– 20
December 14 - 18
Final exam week for the University
Friday, December 18
4 p.m. Nonfiction Writing House will close for the duration of the Winter break