HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State student Aljon Celis has enjoyed a memorable April.
Celis was recently recognized as a national 2020 Sigma Kappa Delta award winner for his short fiction story “Brown,” a story about an immigrant of color who is struggling to overcome his identity crisis in modern day America.
Sigma Kappa Delta, the English Honor Society for two-year colleges, presents writing awards each year in essay writing, short fiction, literary analysis, poetry and photography, in addition to awarding scholarships.
As a winner, Celis will receive a small monetary award as well as the privilege of being published in “Hedera helix,” the national literary journal.
Celis was also recently named one of 50 recipients of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s prestigious Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship provides Celis with up to $40,000 a year to complete his bachelor’s degree. He is the second Wallace State student to receive this award, which represents a pinnacle achievement for a community college student in America.
Celis, a non-traditional student and general studies major, has maintained a 4.0 GPA during his tenure at Wallace State and serves a tutor in the college’s Tutoring Lab, where he assists students with coursework in English, American Literature and Business Calculus. He is Wallace State’s Sigma Kappa Delta President and Vice President of Wallace State’s Writing Club.
Wallace State English instructor Michael Salerno taught Celis in American Literature.
“As a student, Aljon stood out as both a responsible and smart student, and as excellent listener. Aljon was a crucial part of each class, offering gentle, thoughtful advice, when commenting on the writing of others, and smart comments when analyzing works of literature,” Salerno said. “Even more, Aljon’s writing always showed care, clarity and a sophisticated attention to detail.”
Wallace State’s Sigma Kappa Delta Chapter is Theta Delta. The organization provides exceptional students like Celis with a variety of opportunities for advancing the study of language and literature, for developing skills in creative and analytical writing, for meeting outstanding scholars and professionals in the discipline of English, and for obtaining scholarships.
Below is an excerpt from “Brown,” Celis’ short fiction story.
“Hablas Espanol?” asked the white woman.
I sat outside the café at one of those mesh tables under the sun. Anyone with a basic understanding of Spanish could understand what she was saying. She stood at my table, her eyes on me. I returned a blank look, my thoughts frozen. I looked behind me in case she was acknowledging someone else. No. Just me.
“Not really,” I responded to the lady. Her blonde hair shimmered under the light of the sun. The corners of her eyes wrinkled as she smiled. If I had to guess her age, she was probably around her early thirties. “I only understand un poco.”
“Ah,” she said. “It’s my first time here in Alabama, and let me tell you, this is the whitest town I’ve ever been to.”
She didn’t need to tell me. A brown kid like me stuck out like a smudge of dirt on a white t-shirt in this rural Alabama town.
I glanced around, rubbing the back of my neck. I didn’t understand how there were people who could strike up a conversation with anyone. I tend to keep to myself, but I felt as if I needed to at least get rid of the awkwardness settling in, even though it wasn’t my fault.
“Where are you from?” I asked.
“New York City,” she responded.
My head jerks back a little. “Can I ask what brings you here?”
“Family. I have a cousin getting married. Ever been there? New York, I mean?”
“No, but I’d like to visit one day.”
“I have a lot of diverse friends up there. Puerto Ricans, Jamaicans, Afghani, you name it.” She set her hands on her hips. “You know, the United States could do a lot diversity. It can make a white person think outside the norm, and you’ll be exposed to a ton of cultures.”
“Ain’t that right,” I said.
“Too bad the government is trying to force everyone who don’t look like me to go home.
They’re even trying to make the process harder for others to immigrate here legally. Racist, I tell you. It’s racist.” She clicked her tongue.
For a complete list of 2020 Sigma Kappa Delta winners, visit https://www.english2.org/copy-of-anniversaries-years-of-serv
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
