Connor is a first year master’s student in the European Studies interdisciplinary program at UVA, where he also received his B.A. in Art History and German Studies in 2024. His graduate work continues his interests in the histories of visual art and literature in Germany and the West at-large since the 18th century. Currently, Connor’s primary research focus is on the paintings and sculptures of German artist Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) which invoke the German-language poetry of Romanian-Jewish Holocaust survivor Paul Celan (1920–1970). He is especially grateful for the opportunity to join the Jewish Studies program as a Manin Fellow in order to broaden his engagement with the rich history of Jewish religion and culture of which Celan is a part.