Award-winning Poet

Although BRCC student Mark D. Chevalier has been a writer and poet for as long as he can remember, it was “a wonderful surprise” to have his poem, “The Lie,” win the Ewing Citation Award for the Phi Theta Kappa literary anthology, Nota Bene.

“I’m very thankful that my poems were chosen for publication,” Mark says. “It is very validating to have other people say, ‘yes, your work is very good.’” Another poem, “Who Knew” was also published.

The poem, written “about the stresses and weights of the world that press down on everyone,” was judged most outstanding among all 600 entries for the 22nd edition of the journal, and garnered Mark a $1,000 scholarship.

“For me, poems are a snapshot in time,” he says. “They capture an emotion or a feeling and make a statement about that. They are a burst in time.” Mark has also published two novels, Azriel, The Angel Chronicles and Mausoleum, and enjoys writing short stories as well. His website is www.crypticfiction.com.

Mark is pursuing an accounting degree at BRCC, where he has taken classes since the fall of 2014. Eventually, he’d like to get master’s in English to become a teacher.

Since he has worked full-time as a supply chain manager for the past 10 years at Cerro Fabricated Products in Weyers Cave, most of his courses have been in the evening or online. English classes with Dr. Tim Arnold made a big impression.

“I appreciate when we have the opportunity to really examine literature,” Mark notes. “Why do we need poetry? Why do humans like stories? The classes that really made me think were the best.”

Nota Bene recognizes excellence in writing among two-year college students.