An international relations major with a physical education minor, Calel Olicia-Aramboles ’25 is interested in both studying and having an internship abroad. In June he went to the three-day International Internship Conference in Indianapolis, where he networked, meeting CEOs and company directors. He also appeared on a student panel, sharing with the audience his experiences as a deaf college student.
"People were so awesome and welcoming," Olicia-Aramboles said through an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. "Many of them have deaf relatives and could sign very fluently, which was a surprise. I was able to actually talk with a lot more people than I thought. I am a very outgoing person, so it was nice to meet all these different people. It was so worth it."
Olicia-Aramboles may have caught the travel bug as a child. Because of his father's Army career, the family moved to several different states, and "I always tried to escape from the house, which confused my mom," Olicia-Aramboles said. "I was an exploratory person who wanted to see all these places. I was curious."
A natural athlete, Olicia-Aramboles grew up playing eight sports, and would often travel with his teams for games and tournaments. While attending the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, where he was a standout football player, Olicia-Aramboles applied for an international studies program during his junior year and traveled to England and France.
"I learned a lot about their cultures and was so fascinated," Olicia-Aramboles said.
Throughout his life, football has helped Olicia-Aramboles make friends, improve his communication skills, and boost his confidence. He is a running back for the University of Redlands team, and this scholar-athlete is just as comfortable on the field as he is off.
"This feels like the right place for me, especially since classes are smaller," Olicia-Aramboles said. "I don't really like to set limits for myself. I'm a very open person who likes to try new things and meet new people, and those situations come up every day."
Through the Office for Inclusion and Community, Calel is offering free ASL lessons. Anyone interested should send an email to calel_olicia-arambol@redlands.edu.
