Rate My Professor Ray McManus

A distinguished poet, McManus has published six books: The Last Saturday in America (Hub City Press, 2024), Found Anew: Writers Responding to Photographic Histories, co-edited with R. Mac Jones (University of South Carolina Press, 2015), Punch (Hub City Press, 2014), Red Dirt Jesus (Marick Press, 2011), Left Behind (Stepping Stones Press, 2008), and Driving through the country before you are born (University of South Carolina Press, 2007). His poems appear in prestigious journals including POETRY, Crazyhorse, Prairie Schooner, Pinch, Yemassee, and South Carolina Review, and anthologies such as Hard Lines: Rough South Poetry, Open-Eyed and Full Throated: Irish American Poetry, and Archive: South Carolina Poetry Since 2005. McManus's poetry engages themes of Southern working-class life, loss, faith, rebellion, and Irish immigrant memory. His accolades include the Governor’s Award for the Arts (2023), Jasper Artist of the Year for Literary Arts (2020), Independent Publisher Book Award for Best Book of Poetry in North America (2015), South Carolina First Book Prize in Poetry (2006), Marick Press Prize in Poetry (2011), John J. Duffy Award for Teaching Excellence (2019), Chris Plyler Award for Outstanding Faculty Service (2018), Hugh T. Stoddard Sr. Award for Outstanding Faculty (2017), and USC Sumter Professor of the Year (2011-2013, 2015).