His reputation was confirmed in 1996 when he won the state's Sam Ragan Fine Arts Award, which recognizes artistic excellence and a dedication to furthering the arts in North Carolina. Abbott will retire from the Davidson faculty in December, though he might continue to teach occasional courses. He plans to continue writing and reading poetry, and may teach in forums such as Elderhostel. He's aware of retirement as a major transition in life, and intends to go about it deliberately and well. Robert Frost used the image of a rock that you toss down the road ahead of you.
Writers reinterpret experience, and use their imagination to reshape it and give it meaning.
Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,600 students.