Full details of the 2026 event are available in the Undergraduate Writing Symposium web-based program.
The Writing Studio鈥檚 Undergraduate Writing Symposium provides an annual opportunity for Vanderbilt to celebrate the achievements of its undergraduate students as writers, thinkers, scholars, and artists.
Modeled after an academic conference, this event gives student authors selected for participation the opportunity to present and reflect on their written work alongside their fellow students.
Welcome to the hub page for symposium information. Follow the links below to jump straight to sections within this page:
2026 Undergraduate Writing Symposium
In Spring 2026, the Undergraduate Writing Symposium will feature a wide variety of student authors presenting on their writing and writing experiences.
Save the Date: 18th Annual Undergraduate Writing Symposium
- When:听Friday, March 27, 2026 | 3:00鈥6:30 PM
- Where:听Commons Center MPR
- Theme:听鈥淲hy Write?鈥
- Web-based program:听2026 Undergraduate Writing Symposium Program听[COMING SOON!]
- Nomination and Submission Process鈥擪ey Dates:
- Friday, January 9, 2026 鈥 Deadline for听Faculty Symposium Nominations
- NEW DEADLINE:听Monday, January 19, 2026听鈥 Deadline for听Student Submissions and Self-Nominations
We gratefully acknowledge the Undergraduate Writing Symposium鈥檚 sponsors, the听Vanderbilt 溏心vlog免费B站 Libraries,听A&S Core Office, and the听Martha Rivers Ingram Commons.
2026 Symposium Theme: 鈥淲hy Write?鈥
The Undergraduate Writing Symposium celebrates the transformative power of undergraduates immersing themselves in the often-challenging processes of writing, critical inquiry, research, and creative expression.
For this year鈥檚 UWS theme, however, we pose the question, 鈥淲hy Write?鈥
At a time when it鈥檚 easier than ever to outsource our work with words to AI, we want to hear from students in their own voices on why they write: What makes the often-arduous writing process worthwhile? How has wrestling with the blank page, difficult prompts, challenging feedback, and need to revise and rethink led to meaningful learning, growth, and more? In your experience, how does the productive struggle of writing foster human intelligence, human connections, and human flourishing?
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2025 Undergraduate Writing Symposium Web-based programs
We gratefully acknowledge the 2025 Undergraduate Writing Symposium鈥檚 co-sponsors, the听Martha Rivers Ingram Commons听and the听Vanderbilt 溏心vlog免费B站 Libraries.
17th Annual Undergraduate Writing Symposium (follow link for web-based program)
The Writing Studio invites you to join us for the 17th Annual听Undergraduate Writing Symposium. Under the 2025 symposium theme of 鈥淲riting Transitions, Writing Milestones,鈥 the event will feature first-year authors as well as authors of advanced undergraduate research projects presenting and discussing their work. The UWS is generously co-sponsored by the Martha Rivers Ingram Commons and the Vanderbilt Libraries.
- When:听Friday, March 28, 2025, 3:00-6:15 PM
- Where:听Commons Center 237 MPR
- View the full听2025 UWS web-based program听[Coming soon]
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Call for Submissions: Undergraduate Writing Symposium
In Spring 2026, the听Undergraduate Writing Symposium听(UWS) will once again feature the exceptional work of first-year authors as well as the research writing of more advanced undergraduate authors.听This event will take place听Friday, March 27.
First-year students:听To be considered for inclusion, please submit essays composed during the Fall 2025 semester.
- First-Year Essays:听Call for Submissions, Submissions Guidelines, and Submission Form Link
Submission deadline:听Friday, January 16, 2025 at 12:00pm- Deadline Extended:听Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 at 11:59pm
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors:听To be considered for inclusion, submit a project abstract of an advanced research project (honors, independent study, Immersion, and more), which may still be in progress in spring 2026 or have been completed during the 2025 calendar year.
- Advanced Research Writing:听Call for Submissions, Submissions Guidelines, and Submission Form Link
Submission deadline:听Friday, January 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM- Deadline Extended:听Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 at 11:59pm
About Our Annual Symposium Event
Learn More: Symposia Past
What to Know: Nomination, Review, and Publication
Praise for the Symposium
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Presenting at the Undergraduate Writing Symposium was an invaluable experience. It was one of my first opportunities to present my writing in an academic environment, and it was rewarding to both hear my peers鈥 insightful work and to receive thoughtful feedback and questions on my own presentation. It was particularly interesting to see how writing pieces from different subjects complemented each other in the context of the panel, exemplifying the idea of a liberal arts education.
Although anyone in the Vanderbilt community can attend the symposium as an audience member, becoming a symposium presenter involves a highly competitive process. That process begins each January with the Writing Studio鈥檚 call for nominations. We invite faculty to nominate the strongest pieces of writing they鈥檝e seen in their classes, while also allowing students to self-nominate papers they are proud of.
When writing within the context of a course, it is easy to lose sight of the greater purpose and听possibilities of academic and creative writing beyond the instructor and the grade. The Undergraduate Writing Symposium served as a reminder of why we write in the first place, allowing for the sharing of student works in a format conducive to meaningful discussion and analysis.
I was impressed by the quality and the variety of papers presented at the Undergraduate Writing Symposium. One panel I chaired included an informal first person reflection on participating in an improvisational music event, an argumentative analysis of a philosophical treatise, and a descriptive discussion of the scenic elements of a theatrical production. Best of all, for me, was seeing the students selected for the symposium present their work in a forum that took their writing seriously and honored their considerable achievements.