A ., ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁and ▁Ph . D ., ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁from ▁Harvard ▁University . ▁ ▁Career ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Harvard ▁with ▁his ▁M . A . ▁degree , ▁Re es ▁became ▁an ▁English ▁instruct or ▁at ▁Duke ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁while ▁still ▁purs uing ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁from ▁Harvard . ▁He ▁remained ▁at ▁Duke ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁an ▁instruct or ▁at ▁Pr inc eton ▁University ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁He ▁then ▁began ▁a ▁long ▁career ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁eventually ▁becoming ▁a ▁full ▁professor ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁He ▁remained ▁a ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁university ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁Po et ▁la ure ates hip ▁Re es ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁be ▁South ▁Carolina ' s ▁third ▁poet ▁la ure ate ▁by ▁Governor ▁Dick ▁R iley ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁Origin ally ▁a ▁life - time ▁appointment , ▁R iley ▁changed ▁the ▁position ▁some ▁during ▁his ▁governor ship ▁and ▁appointed ▁Fre eman ▁to ▁only ▁a ▁one - year ▁term ▁of ▁office . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Re es ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁Mar ion ▁L ott . ▁They ▁had ▁three ▁children . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁hon ors ▁ ▁South ▁Carolina ▁Po et ▁La ure ate ▁– ▁ 1