International student, Jaque Valota, is captain of the Cleary University soccer team, she works as a marketing intern at the university, she single handedly organized and hosted the first ever “prom night” at the school, and she looks to her future with confidence and certainty for success.
She will graduate in December with her bachelor’s degree and plans to continue her studies and obtain a master’s degree at Cleary. After that she will land in California, Florida, Italy or “maybe not land at all,” she laughs. “I will go where life leads me, with confidence, excitement and a degree from Cleary, which gives me limitless opportunities in my career,” she finds.
During her three years at Cleary, Jaque has been impressed with its growth and expansion. “More international students are choosing Cleary, the school built a new soccer field, a marketing internship program was started, and the faculty listens to us and our ideas,” Jaque announces with excitement.
“I went to the associate dean of students and suggested we have a dance here on campus. He said ‘yes,’ and encouraged me to take charge of the event with his 100 percent support.”
The Cougar Dance took place in the spring and more than 130 people attended. “It was a great success, and everyone had a good time,” Jaque says proudly. “I learned so much from this experience. I never organized an event before, and I had to learn the discipline of organization and planning. Organization is a huge part of what I will need in my career, and Cleary gave me that opportunity. It showed me that I can be a leader and I am a leader. It has shown me self-worth … that I can do what I set out to do.”
Jaque is quick to add how much support students receive from faculty. “I have one on one connections with the professors, which is unusual in other schools,” she notes. “It is perfect.”
Jaque also points out that she likes the diversity of the university, the small class sizes, the commitment and accessibility of the professors, the ease of communication among faculty, the beauty of the campus, the close proximity from her home, the opportunity to play soccer and meet new friends, but most importantly, the immense opportunities Cleary offers for students in their career.
She finds the Career Development Center especially beneficial. “They found me my first job ever at a dress shop about two minutes from the school. And then they got me an internship with the Cleary president! Now I’m an intern in the Marketing department,” and Jaque can pursue one of her passions – photography. She serves as one of the university’s photographers.
“If you work hard, there will be a job waiting for you,” she says with confidence. “Cleary will make a difference in your life.”
And she loves playing soccer. “I love the sport, I love the friends I am making, and I love the energy of the game. The soccer team feels like my family. Cleary feels like home, like family,” she announces. “I’ve made a lot of lifelong friends here, and I want to keep welcoming new students to Cleary.”
And the students know Jaque well. She and three other Brazilian students at Cleary rent a home close to campus, and they welcome students to stop by for a barbecue or just to relax and unwind. The talk on campus is “let’s go to the Brazilians’ house,” she laughs. “It’s a great place to bring people together.”
When asked what the Cleary Mind means to her, Jaque is quick to say, “opportunities, positivity, confidence, not doubting yourself.” It’s how you apply those concepts to yourself, your career goals, and your aspirations in life, she finds.
“Cleary has helped me discover myself and what I want to do, what my potentials are. I am still discovering, and I am going to keep discovering every day. Cleary will be with me the whole way! I love it!”
