S.C. native Terrance Hayes receives prestigious MacArthur Fellowship

Congratulations to Columbia native Terrance Hayes for being named MacArthur Foundation Fellow!

From The State:

COLUMBIA, SC — Poet Terrance Hayes, 42, a native of Columbia and graduate of Coker College, has won one of the most prestigious individual development grants from the MacArthur Foundation.

Hayes, whose work infuses hip-hop with the sensibility of his southern bringing that includes the legacy of Strom Thurmond, has published several volumes of poetry that addresses race, gender and family.

Hayes, 42, is a professor of writing in the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh.

The “genius grant” from the MacArthur Foundation recognizes exceptional individuals doing transformative, creative work with a track record of achievement in their field and the potential for even more significant contributions in the future. Fellows each receive a no-strings-attached grant of $625,000.

Hayes has a bachelor’s degree from Coker College and a master’s in fine arts from the University of Pittsburgh. He was affiliated with Xavier University of Louisiana and Carnegie Mellon University before joining the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh as a professor of writing in 2013. His additional publications include “Muscular Music” (1999), “Hip Logic” (2002), and the forthcoming “How to Be Drawn” (March 2015).

Image courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation