NIU’s English department is hosting the 13th annual Midwestern conference on literature, language and media this weekend.

“It’s an opportunity for professional development and to see my peers present as well,” graduate student Andy Brick said. He will be attending the conference and presenting on several topics including rhetorical devices in the movie “Mulholland Drive.”

The conference isn’t geared toward English majors alone. It is run by graduate students and will offer papers on everything from Medieval Literature to an analysis of a work by Ayn Rand.

“It’s a combination of English and a lot of communication students,” said Christine Brovelli, co-chair of the conference.

Most of the people presenting at the conference will be graduate students, but there will also be keynote speakers who are published authors.

“I did a presentation [last year] about strong female characteristics in characters in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’” said Valerie Guyant, a Ph.D graduate student focusing on fantastic literature.

Guyant said any student interested in literature, film, television or hypertext issues can find something appealing at the MCLLM because it is more far-reaching than a lot of literature conferences are.

Contributors to the conference include the Graduate Colloquium, the Graduate School, Department of English, Women’s Studies Programs, Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Office of the Provost and the English Graduate Student Association.

Interested students can check the Web site (www.engl.niu.edu/ mcllm/) for a complete schedule of presentations and speakers. Registration begins at noon April 1 in Reavis 211.