Jordan Smith

Jordan Smith is the Edward Everett Hale Jr. Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Minor at Union College. He holds a B.A. from Empire State College, an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and an M.F.A. from the University of Iowa. His expertise spans Creative Writing, Contemporary American Poetry, and American Literature. Smith’s research often explores intersections of music, memory, and cultural history.

His recent publications include poems in Live Encounters, The Paris Review, and Salmagundi, as well as essays on topics like old-time music and John Clare. Notable works include the poetry collection Little Black Train (2020), winner of the Three Mile Harbor Press Prize, and Clare’s Empire (2014), a poetic fantasia on John Clare’s life.

Smith has received prestigious fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, Ingram Merrill Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. He collaborates with artist Walter Hatke on multimedia projects like Common Spirits and What Came Home.

His articles often blend personal narrative with historical and cultural critique, reflecting themes of memory, identity, and ecological responsibility. Smith’s creative and critical work has been featured in journals like Air/Light and Nine Mile, alongside podcasts and media interviews.