Right Place, Right Time, and Excellent Opportunities
“My university experience has been completely changed because of Grebel,” shared Maya Valdez, a third-year Honours Science and Fine Arts student who has been involved in Conrad Grebel University College’s community since her first year. Currently, she lives in the Grebel apartments, is enrolled in courses at the University of Waterloo, and spends most of her time outside of class fully immersed in Grebel’s various activities and events.
As Maya knows from firsthand experience, the College offers many possibilities for leadership development. “Grebel is a special place for that,” she began. “I was really involved in high school, so it’s fitting that Grebel has all these extracurricular opportunities for me to try and be more engaged in my community.”
For three terms, Maya served as an athletic representative on Grebel’s Student Council, where she organized the College’s intramural teams, captained the soccer team, and participated in volleyball and water polo. She displayed her artistic talents by taking the stage as the Minstrel in Grebel’s entirely student-led production of Something Rotten: The Musical, which ran two years ago. Maya is thrilled to step back into the musical spotlight as Constance in the upcoming production of The Clockmaker’s Daughter premiering in March of this year.
She emphasized her appreciation for the continuous opportunities at Grebel. “The chance to be creative and grow alongside fellow Grebelites of different years has been an unforgettable experience that has helped me explore myself and expand my abilities while making long-lasting bonds,” she said.
Beyond her athletic and musical involvement, Maya has served as a student ambassador. In this role, she guided open house tours, eager to share Grebel’s core values with prospective students and their families. “Being engaged, open-minded, and accepting are important qualities for our community, where people want to have fun, connect with one another, and share their lives,” Maya explained.
“Ambassador open houses are always a highlight for me, as I really enjoy talking to so many people and sharing what Grebel and our residence is like.” Maya said that one of her most noteworthy experiences as a student ambassador was connecting with potential future students and later seeing them live at the College. “It’s really neat to see the progression of introducing someone to Grebel, knowing they fully stepped into that idea, and now they’re actually here!”
“There is a lot of beauty in the fact everyone is working together to make this place even better. I am happy to have such a high involvement at Grebel because it allows me to have a presence in clubs and committees that give back to the greater community,” said Maya. She encouraged incoming and current students who “want to expand their reach to other people to make the most of their time at Grebel by being involved in as many events and activities as possible.”
Maya’s three years at Grebel have been everything she wished for in an exciting university experience because of the benefits of living among an active and supportive network of individuals. “I always have good things to share about Grebel: meaningful interactions, talented people, and memorable moments with not just my friends, but anyone in this residence,” she said, reflecting on her sense of belonging within the community.
By Zoey Pearce