James Davis May

Dr. James Davis May is an Assistant Professor and Writer-in-Residence at Mercer University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, serving as Director of Creative Writing since 2019. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Young Harris College.

Dr. May holds a Ph.D. from Georgia State University, an M.F.A. from the University of Houston, and a B.A. from Allegheny College.

His research interests include creative writing pedagogy, Polish poetry, and 20th-century American poetry, particularly the works of Robert Frost. His poetry collection Unquiet Things (LSU Press, 2019) was a finalist for the Poets’ Prize, and his poems have appeared in leading journals like The New England Review, The New Republic, and The Southern Review.

Dr. May has been honored as a finalist for the Poets’ Prize. While no formal grants or advising records are detailed, his contributions to creative writing education and literary scholarship are central to his work.