Every spring the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures holds an awards ceremony to honor undergraduate and graduate students who have distinguished themselves over the course of the academic year. Descriptions of the awards may be found below. 

Award Descriptions

Edward Fichtner and Paula Sutter Fichtner Award: As of 2019-2020, the Department offers a competitive scholarship to up to two students per year to participate in Illinois in Vienna. Fichtner Award winners must be majors or double majors in German. For information on how to apply, contact the Department Head or the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Goethe Institute Certificates and Book Prizes
Awarded by the Goethe Institute of Chicago to an outstanding student of German in each of the five undergraduate classes: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and Business German.

Werner Marx Award.
Awarded to an undergraduate who has demonstrated excellence and creativity in the study of German language and literature.

Elizabeth Rusk Graduate Award. Awarded to facilitate research.

Anna Jensen Memorial Scandinavian Award.
Awarded to facilitate study or research in Sweden for an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in Scandinavian courses in the department.

Pauline Steiner Schwalbe Award
Awarded to an undergraduate student enrolled in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures and studying abroad in a program recognized by the department.

Terry and Mary Claire Welch Award. 
Awarded to recognize Academic Achievement in German of an undergraduate student.

Robert and Eleanor Flinn Award
Awarded to recognize undergraduate research.

Ruth E. Lorbe Excellence in Teaching Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Instruction
Awarded to a graduate teaching assistant in the department for outstanding service in undergraduate instruction.

Ernst A. Philippson Graduate Research Travel Award.
Awarded to a graduate student in the department for dissertation research travel abroad.

John A. Howard and James Marchand Award.
Awarded to support graduate students studying Middle High German or for graduate student abroad

William W. and Imelde D.V. Langebartel Study Abroad Award
Awarded to an undergraduate and/or graduate student enrolled in the Department of Germanic Langauge and Literatures.