Creative Writing
The Creative Writing Program at Davidson College provides an excellent environment for students with writerly ambitions to connect with prolifically publishing faculty and other successful writers of all kinds.
Accessible. The practice of creative writing at Davidson covers many genres with current class offerings in fiction writing, non-fiction writing, poetry writing, screenwriting, and YA writing. The program operates with the belief that creative writing should be accessible to anyone with interest. These courses are open to all majors, not just those who choose English. Furthermore, all introductory creative writing courses are reserved for first- and second-year students until the first week of the semester, when anyone can register.
Active. Creative writers edit and publish the on-campus literary magazines Hobart Park and Libertas, which are both winners of state-wide awards for undergraduate arts publications. In the past, students have also participated in public readings, spoken word poetry, and student journalism. Graduates have also gone on to success in editing, magazine writing, music, and even comedy. In 2026, the first North Carolina Folk Residency will be hosted at Davidson which will include alumna Madeline Dierauf alongside other musicians who call the state home. Davidson College also boasts a special partnership with the North Carolina Youth Poet Laureate program.
Alive. In 2025-2026, 8 students did Honors projects in creative writing. They wrote stories, essays, poems, and hybrid work over the course of full-year projects mentored by faculty. Four of these students also attended the AWP Conference in Baltimore for four days, fully funded by the Abbott Honors in English program. Davidson alumni and faculty writers are regulars in attendance among the 12,000 writers who gather there each year.
Astounding! Student writers have the privilege to spend added time with the many illustrious writers who visit campus. In 2023-2024, guests included two MacArthur "genius" grant recipients, John Keene and Karen Russell, and the winner of the 2021 National Book Award in fiction, Jason Mott. In 2024-2025, visitors included poet Yona Harvey, distinguished nonfiction writer and alumna Sarah Perry, and PEN/Faulkner Award winner Claire Jiménez. In 2025-2026, guests included National Book Award Winner Charles Yu, as well as graphic memoirist Kelcey Ervick. In 2026-2027, visitors will include poet Charif Shanahan, fiction writer Raul Palma, and cartoonist extraordinaire Lynda Barry. Almost 50 Davidson alumni have gone onto M.F.A. programs, and many alumni writers are well known, including Rebecca Hazelton Stafford, Clint Smith, and Lauren Yero - all of whom have returned to campus to share their knowledge and works.
For information about creative writing at Davidson, contact Professor Jack Jung at jajung1@davidson.edu.
Established in 1989 through a generous gift from Davidson alumnus John McGee, the McGee Visiting Professorship brings a nationally distinguished writer in residence to campus each academic year. McGee Professors teach advanced workshops, mentor student writers and host public readings for the college community.
Kazim Ali, Dorothy Allison, Susan Allport, Sherrie Flick, Josephine Humphreys, Karen Jones-Meadows, Peter Meinke, Robert Morgan, Sarah Perry, D.A. Powell, Victoria Redel, Sheri Reynolds, Rone Shavers, and Al Young are among those who have visited Davidson as McGee Professors.
Named in honor of best-selling author and Davidson alumna Patricia Cornwell '79, this prestigious award recognizes incoming first-year students who demonstrate exceptional literary talent and promise. Up to five students are named Cornwell Fellows each year, receiving merit scholarship support and special access to workshops, visiting authors, and publishing opportunities.
Davidson offers students multiple opportunities to write and edit for student publications, to win department awards, and to enter scholarly writing competitions. English majors traditionally have found Libertas, Hobart Park and Exit 30 to be good outlets for creative expression.