Cherokee resident Darrin Bark will represent Southwestern Community College and the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts at the North Carolina Excellence in Community College Awards ceremony on April 19 in Raleigh.

Bark graduated in December with his associate in fine arts degree from OICA and will be honored as one of the state’s top community college students.

“OICA has given me the insight of how important the arts are to a culture,” Bark said. “I wanted to be a part of an exciting new school, which promotes Native American culture.”

Since he was a kid, Bark has been interested in art and used it as a form of escape for him. Most of his artistic ideas come from life experiences, focusing on inspiration from history, music, other artists and from emotions and the need to express them.

Bark will continue his education this fall at Western Carolina University.