Kehinde Hopkins

Junior English major Keith Hillard’s eyes glint as he cracks open his sketchbook. He has largely dedicated his life to bringing characters to life; a process which brings him his own sense of vitality.

For Keith Hilliard, storytelling doesn’t stop at the written page. As an English major, co-editor-in-chief of  Aries Literary Magazine and vice president of Sigma Tau Delta, Hilliard blends words and images to bring characters and communities to life. 

“I feel like all I want to do with my art is tell stories,” Hilliard said. “When I know more about how to write, I can do that better.” 

Hilliard, a junior English major, has been drawing since childhood and making comics since middle school. By high school, his passion for developing characters convinced him to keep pursuing the craft. His inspirations range from novels by Bret Easton Ellis to Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series to the Japanese manga Oyasumi Punpun. 

“There’s not really a single moment,” Hilliard said. “I’ve been making comics for fun since I was a kid, but eventually I realized I really liked developing characters, so I just kept going with it.” 

On campus, Hilliard brings that same creative drive into leadership. As vice president of Sigma Tau Delta, he helps organize events that celebrate and promote the literary arts. He also works closely with President Deanna Brown to build an inclusive, welcoming space for English students and aspiring writers. 

“Keith has been extremely helpful in running Sigma Tau Delta,” Brown said. “Not only does he have brilliant ideas, but he acts on them. He contributes time, energy and ideas, and I’ve never worked with someone who has so much drive.” 

For Hilliard, graphic novels serve as a natural extension of his English studies, it’s a way to merge literature with visual art.

“I focus on queer adolescence and what it’s like to grow up kind of ostracized, but I also focus on having fun despite that,” he said. “My characters go through hard stuff, but they dress fun and do fun things despite everything else. And I like to draw creepy horror stuff, too.” 

His peers admire his ability to combine artistry with empathy. Brown described his work as “beyond impressive,” noting that Hilliard can “create comics that evoke emotions through his art in as little as two panels.” Sigma Tau Delta member Cheyenne Manuel agreed, saying Hilliard’s role as a graphic novelist adds a unique energy to the organization. 

“I’ve never met a graphic novelist before, so knowing someone that is, is really cool,” Manuel said. “I feel like it will bring so much creativity to the whole organization.” 

Like many student-artists, Hilliard faces the challenge of balancing coursework with creative pursuits. He said his biggest struggle is simply finding time. 

“Sometimes I don’t have time for bigger projects like my comics, and I’m still working on a comic I started before last semester, which is frustrating,” he said. Still, he finds ways to merge schoolwork with art, such as creating illustrations for class projects or contributing to  Aries. 

His leadership role has been readily endorsed. Recognized by professors and peers alike, Hilliard said the encouragement helps to keep him moving forward. 

“It’s validating,” he said. “I feel really grateful to have come here and be recognized like that. It’s really affirming.” 

Hilliard’s vision goes beyond his own work. With Aries, he is committed to curating diverse voices and ensuring students feel welcome to share their writing and art. 

“This edition, we’re really focusing on diverse voices and not censoring art,” Hilliard said. “We want it to be inclusive and cool.” 

Manuel echoed this sentiment, saying Hilliard’s skills in graphic design and formatting will help shape Aries into a more visually engaging publication.

“Because graphic novels are about formatting, I feel like he would format it in a really good way,” she said. “And I feel like he would encourage a lot more art, not just writing.” 

Looking ahead, Hilliard hopes to pursue an MFA in comics or creative writing and eventually run his own series. 

“I hope people can take away that you can foster your hobbies and still do well in school,” Hilliard said. “If you do what you love, people will recognize that.” 

For Brown, Hilliard’s impact is already clear. “Keith’s impact at Texas Wesleyan is innovative and pure,” she said. “He truly wants to educate the community and provide a safe, inclusive environment for students.”