Background

Cynthia Therese Hahn was born on October 3, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. She is the daughter of Richard E. Blaha and Audrey M. (Sikorski) Blaha.

Education

Hahn received her education at three universities. She became Bachelor of Arts at the Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1983. Two years later she earned Master of Arts degree from the Purdue University. Finally, she obtained Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1990.

Career

Hahn began her career at the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle at the position of an assistant professor of French, staying there from 1989 till 1990. That same year she moved to the Lake Forest College and became a professor of French there. She still holds this position. Hahn has taught French language and francophone literature and culture courses, including creative writing and translation. She has published several collections of poems, as well as a number of original poems in French and English in The Christian Science Monitor, in some literary journals including East on Central, on several sites and in literary collections such as La Cendre des mots. Hahn has also engaged in translating novels, poems and a short story by other francophone authors. Hahn was one of the founders of the Lake Forest College program in Beijing. In addition, she is an avid West African drummer and bass guitar player.

Achievements

• Hahn has made a great contribution to the educational process of the Lake Forest College, serving there for almost thirty years.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Baghdad: Deaths Untold
  • Introduction to Laboratory Chemistry

Views

Quotations: "The topics I have chosen to write on—translation, the women’s movement in Tunisia, and French-Canadian literature—are linked to my teaching and travel interests. In particular, translating a work of fiction is especially rewarding because it is such a personal and creative act.”

Membership

Hahn is a member of the American Association of Teachers of French, the Women in French, the ACQS (Quebec studies organization), the Chicago Area Translators and the Interpreters Association.

Interests

• writing poetry, photography, playing bass guitar and jazz, vintage motorcycles

Connections

Cynthia married James N. Hahn on July 23, 1983, but they divorced eight years later.

Father:

Richard E. Blaha

Mother:

Audrey M. (Sikorski) Blaha

Spouse:

James N. Hahn