Hitting the Books with Andrew Lorenzen

Marshall Scholarship Recipient

Throughout his academic career, Gables native Andrew Lorenzen has found ways to bring together his two passions: politics and storytelling. During his undergraduate studies at Cornell University, he double majored in government and performing & media arts, accompanied by a minor in English. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in fine arts, studying fiction through New York University’s creative writing program. His coursework includes drafting his first historical fiction novel, with the goal of presenting it to publishers down the line. 

At Cornell, Lorenzen was named a Merrill Presidential Scholar, Cornell Humanities Scholar, and Cornell Institute of Politics and Global Affairs Undergraduate Scholar. His original play “Old Man and Boy” was awarded the 2022 Heermans-McCalmon Award in Playwriting, as part of Cornell’s undergraduate dramatic writing competition. His short stories and op-ed pieces have been featured in Cleaver Magazine, The Miami Herald, The Nation, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Latest Accomplishment

Lorenzen was recently named a 2024 Marshall Scholar. This scholarship is granted to up to 50 young American scholars each year, allowing them to pursue a degree in any field of study in the United Kingdom. Next fall, Lorenzen will attend the London School of Economics and Political Science. In his second year, he will attend the University of Edinburgh, enrolling in the Narrative Futures: Art, Data, Society course. This relatively new program uses an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how narratives shape our society and political culture.

What He Says

“So many people have stories about how their families arrived. Growing up [in Coral Gables], hearing those narratives just in casual conversations, it really shaped how I view stories and their impact. In the project I’m working on right now, the historical fiction novel, it’s very much trying to emulate the ways in which family history can become the main prism through which we understand our larger history….”

“One of the most important things is to continue to put yourself out there with applications… As you’re doing that, you need to have the understanding that you’re always going to get more rejections than acceptances. The goal is to eventually find the place that is right for you.” 

Read about other notable Gableites in our People section.