Skip to main content

Andrew Schwenk

Profile picture for Andrew Schwenk

Contact Information

FLB 3112

Office Hours

We 2-3
PhD Candidate
Teaching Assistant

Biography

Andrew is currently a PhD student in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures. He earned his MA in German Literature from the University of Illinois in 2018. Between his MA and PhD studies he spent two years as a professional translator, translating subtitles for such shows as Tatort and Wilsberg and also transcribing and translating 19th century letters and documents for clients interested in genealogy. 

He is interested in Early Modern culture in Western Europe, particularly in the German-speaking world. Andrew has done work with this topic by helping prepare the "Emblems and Empire" conference at the Newberry Library in September 2018. For this conference, he provided a transcription and translation of the Early New High German in Emblemata Politica by Georg Rem and wrote a few object descriptions for the conference's website. 

Andrew previously received an MA from UIUC in European Union Studies with a certificate in Translation Studies. During his time as a MAEUS student, he focused on the EU's minority language policies. This research culminated in a MA thesis with the title "Promoting and monitoring Low German: education policies and ideologies of language in the northern German Bundesländer." He also graduated magna cum laude from UIUC with a BA in German and Anthropology. 

 

Research Interests

Late Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque German Literature, travel literature, Reformation studies, Emblem studies, translation studies, French and Italian Renaissance Literature

Awards and Honors

  • 2023 Departmental Summer Block Grant
  • 2022 Medieval Studies Program Travel and Research Grant
  • 2022-2023 Max Kade Fellowship
  • 2022 Ruth E. Lorbe Excellence in Teaching Award
  • 2018 Newberry Renaissance Consortium Grant
  • 2018 Graduate Fellowship for Summer Study from UIUC 
  • 2018 Graduate Fellowship from the Newberry Center for Renaissance Studies
  • 2016-2017 EU Center FLAS Recipient, Italian
  • 2015-2016 EU Center FLAS Recipient, Italian
  • 2015 Terry and Mary Claire Welch Award
  • 2015 Best Student in Italian Award
  • 2014 Delta Phi Alpha Member

 

Courses Taught

GER 101

GER 102

GER 103

GER 104

 

Additional Campus Affiliations

Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures