Ted Mathys ’01 is an acclaimed poet, educator, and arts leader whose work has had a profound impact on contemporary American poetry and literary community life. Mathys arrived at Carleton intending to become a diplomat and majored in political science and international relations. However, during his senior year, a poetry workshop and independent study with Professor Greg Hewett shifted his trajectory. After graduation, he earned an MALD from Tufts University and later an MFA from the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he also received the John C. Schupes Fellowship for Excellence in Poetry. Mathys’ professional achievements are marked by the publication of four highly praised books of poetry—Gold Cure, Null Set, The Spoils, and Forge—all with Coffee House Press. His work, which explores themes ranging from environmental concerns like hydraulic fracturing to the intersection of formal patterns and lyric expression, has appeared in prominent publications such as the American Poetry Review, BOMB, The Yale Review, and Harvard Review. Beyond his writing, Mathys serves as associate professor of English at Saint Louis University and has held leadership roles as the president of the Saint Louis Poetry Center and curator of the 100 Boots poetry series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, helping elevate St. Louis on the national literary map. His career has been distinguished by some of the highest honors in his field, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, finalist for the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship. Grounded in humility, generosity, and civic commitment, he exemplifies Carleton’s values through his artistic excellence, teaching, and sustained service to literature and the common good.