NIU students, faculty and staff are being offered the chance to express themselves this month in a poetry contest already underway.

Sponsored by the Student Association Minority Relations office, the contest is open to anyone on campus.

The theme of the contest is “Write Your Word, It’ll Only Take A Minute.” SA Minority Relations Adviser Nolen Hendreson said the theme was chosen to show that anyone is welcome, and encouraged, to enter.

“All styles are supported under the title and theme,” Hendreson said. “It’s an opportunity for any and all groups of people to express themselves. It only takes a minute to say what you feel and it’s not on a limited topic. Anything is acceptable.”

There is also a chance to win prizes if the entry should win. Prizes include SA recognition and awards from local merchants.

“The prizes are outstanding,” Hendreson said.

“The community is starving from an outlet to express its creativity, and this is just the contest for it,” he said.

Joe Gastiger, an NIU English instructor who teaches poetry classes, said he hopes people are encouraged to enter the contest.

“I feel it will demonstrate that writing is not just something that people do in the classroom,” he said. “We hope we can publicize some of the better work we see.”

Entries should be typed, double-spaced and must be no longer than twenty-one lines. They should be submitted to the SA office, on the 2nd floor of the Holmes Student Center, no later than 4:30 p.m. on March 5 with a 3″ by 5″ card attached including the name and telephone number of the entrant.