Senior Spotlights
Caley Oltman
Year: Senior
Major: Elementary Education/Special Education
What is the best thing about Lewis?
The best thing about Lewis is the connectivity and sense of community that flows throughout campus. Being able to walk around campus and connect with staff members, professors, and classmates create an incredible sense of belonging and community within the people who make up the Lewis family. The people are really what make Lewis feel like your home away from home and there is a place for everyone in the Lewis community.
Why did you choose Lewis?
I chose Lewis because of the smaller class sizes which allowed me to connect and build relationships with my professors and classmates in combination with the "larger campus" experiences of joining clubs, attending highly competitive sporting events, and growing in my faith through service opportunities. Lewis gave me the opportunity to travel to the Philippines three times for service trips, build friendships through the Best Buddies chapter, and present research at Lewis' Celebration of Scholarship. I stepped onto the Lewis campus and envisioned myself spending the next 4 years of my life growing and experiencing all that Lewis had to offer and I could not be more thankful that I chose Lewis.
What inspired you to study your major?
Becoming a teacher has been my dream since elementary school so attending Lewis as an education major was a fulfilment of that dream. Having teachers who have shown me great care, taught skills and lifelong knowledge beyond the prescribed curriculum, and taken an interest in seeing me grow as an individual, has inspired me to want to do the same for my own future students. I want to support each of my students in reaching his/her fullest potential and I am confident that everything I have learned in my own academic career will guide me in that endeavor.
What do you do for fun at Lewis?
My friends and I enjoyed attending the various events on campus such as sporting events, the plays, and other student organized events. We spent many nights at the Courtyard or at the Student Center laughing and hanging out for hours or completing homework together, but still made sure to coordinate our schedules for movie nights with all the snacks from the c-store!
What would you like to say to everyone who supported you along your journey at Lewis?
Thank you to each and every one of you who have been a part of making the Lewis experience incredible over the last 4 years. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunities Lewis has provided me, the faculty and staff who supported me every step of the way, and all the friends I've gained. Each of you made my time at Lewis that much sweeter and positive; your smiles and care propelled me to continue pushing and reaching for success. I have learned so much from you all that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Share a fun fact about you!
I'm officially a junior high special education teacher!
Are YOU a senior at Lewis? Contact us at alumni@lewisu.edu to share your story!