The Women’s Studies Program at NIU invites students to submit designs, photography or artwork for a poster that would be used to celebrate Women’s History Month, which occurs every March.

According to the National Women’s History Project, the purpose of Women’s History Month is to recognize and celebrate women’s historic accomplishments.

Valerie Hall, program coordinator of the Women’s Studies Program, explained the expectations for the NIU poster competition.

“We want to include a calendar of the month’s events in the poster,” she said. “We’re looking for art that can stand alone and be merged with typography or for an entire design that includes the typography.”

Entries are due today and both male and female NIU students are eligible to submit work. Hall said the design or artwork should relate to the month’s theme, which is women’s volunteerism, or other topics involving women.

“We’re pretty flexible,” she said.

The submissions will be reviewed and assessed by judges chosen by the Women’s Studies Program. The creator of the winning work will receive a $200 payment provided by the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women.

Amy Levin, director of the Women’s Studies Program, said the number of entries varies each year from two or three to 10 or 15.

She said the poster is an important part of celebrating the month, eliciting public response and providing a visual focus.

“We get lots of feedback,” she said. “We get notes and phone calls and requests for additional copies.”

About 700 to 800 copies are printed each year and distributed around campus and in DeKalb.

“This is a great opportunity for someone to get recognized,” Hall said.

Levin agreed, adding that she’s very excited to see the work this year.

Examples of previous years’ work are displayed in Reavis Hall, Room 103.

For information, call 753-1044.