Dr. Christopher Kempf

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Christopher Kempf is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois, where he teaches in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program. He is the author of two poetry collections, 'Field Lost' (2021) and 'Late Empire Men' (2017), as well as the scholarly book 'Craft Class: Writing Workshop American Culture' published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2022. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Pushcart Prize and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Kempf's research interests encompass creative writing, poetry, creative nonfiction, American literature, modernism, labor studies, and writing studies. His scholarly work investigates the intersection of writing and labor, especially in the context of the creative writing workshop as a form of literary production. Kempf holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Chicago and an MFA from Cornell University. He continues to explore themes of national identity and memory in his writing, examining how aesthetics and curation play roles in the construction of public remembrance and cultural narratives.

Research Interests

Awards

#2023

Illinois Arts Council, Individual Artists Award

#2018

Pushcart Prize

#2015

National Endowment Arts Fellowship

#

Wallace Stegner Fellowship Poetry

Courses

Introduction to Creative Writing Poetry Writing Poetry Writing III Creative Nonfiction Writing Creative Cartographies: Place Poetry Creative Nonfiction Problems Poetry Graduate Poetry Workshop

Requirements for University of Illinois

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:17
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:103
GRE General
Prerequisites
Mathematical background Linear Algebra Calculus
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE is optional for admission to all graduate programs in Statistics. Full status admission requires higher language scores than limited status.