A busy bee might be the only way to describe this week’s campus celebrity, but no matter what she’s doing, Celeste Raya always has a smile on her face. As an elementary education major, Celeste spends a lot of her time in Ambrose Hall, or out in the schools completing her practicum hours. The junior from East Moline, Ill., also manages to find time in her schedule to tutor Spanish at the Student Success Center. And that’s just during a normal school day.
After hours, Raya can be found on the sidelines of a sporting event as a Student Athletic Trainer, presiding over Student Alumni Association meetings, helping out with Campus Ministry, or working as Habitat Collegiate Challenge/Events co-chair. With everything going on Raya is looking forward to a busy school year.
“I’m looking forward to all things expected and not. It makes for greater memories that way!”
Making memories and reminiscing on old ones was one of the highlights for Raya’s summer. “I loved getting the chance to be reunited with a lot of my family members that came in from out of town.”
That sort of closeness and creating meaningful relationships is one of the aspects that Raya loves about St. Ambrose. “I feel I can have more personal relationships with others here.” Add that to the atmosphere and the size of campus and Raya was hooked on attending.
As for the future, Raya dreams of being an elementary school teacher. “I want to not only see what I can teach them but what sort of things they can teach me in return.” Raya is earning endorsements in reading and English as a Second Language (ESL) and hopes to teach ESL after graduation, because she says she can connect to them the most because she is an ESL student herself.
No matter how busy Raya finds herself, she keeps one mindset. “I just try to go about living life as positive as can be, doing my best in all I can, putting others before myself, and smiling often.”
Three things you didn’t know about Celeste Raya? She does not have a middle name, she is fluent in Spanish and has a major sweet tooth.