One thing all Montreat College alumni love about their experience is the community. The tight-knit environment helps students quickly grow close with peers and professors, and Jesus Ramos (’21) is no exception. A standout soccer player from Charlotte, NC, Ramos had many offers to continue his career, but the small community, faith emphasis, and deep relationships with the coaches drew him to Montreat.
Ramos’s recruiting story is not the average story. Jesus and his family immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the summer of 2010. They settled in Charlotte, and Ramos joined One7Ministries, which serves refugee and immigrant communities, helping them find Christ and gain an education through the sport. A few players within the academy had already committed to Montreat, and Ramos was given the opportunity to attend a Montreat ID camp. Ramos loved the campus, as well as the opportunity to grow as a player and as a believer.
Arriving on campus for the Fall 2017 semester, Ramos quickly realized that though he was raised in a Christian home, he had to search for Christ on his own. He felt isolated and lost, but the community around him shifted his perspective. Ramos’s professors, teammates, and classmates encouraged him through hard times, pushing him to continue to mature in his faith.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to grow during those years and be at a place where I walked out with a stronger faith” Ramos said.
Among the many impactful figures at Montreat College, two stood out to him most. Coach Michael Bruce not only gave him the opportunity to play for Montreat, but he also invested in his personal growth, often giving him valuable advice. Similarly, Jose Larios had a special ability to slow himself down and show up for Ramos in his highs and lows.
Soccer played a major part in Ramos’s time at Montreat, and many of his former teammates remain his closest friends. When asked what his favorite college memories were, he quickly recounted an epic, penalty-kick victory his senior year against Milligan, an unforgettable rivalry win shared with teammates. Another favorite memory was a round of paintball that the men’s and women’s soccer teams played together. The match was followed by a bonfire, where he had the pleasure of hearing stories about peers he hadn’t heard before.
When Ramos graduated, his path to professional soccer seemed clear. While he was excited about the opportunity, Ramos was sad to step away from the program that he loved and had given him so much. However, when he was offered the chance to stay on as a graduate assistant and later as a goalkeeping coach, he knew he couldn’t pass it up. Although he knew he was giving up a special opportunity to play professionally, he found immense fulfillment in the privilege of investing in young men the way his coaches had done for him.
Ramos has since left Montreat College, following his wife, Sydney (’23), as she pursues her Master of Physician Assistant Sciences at Milligan University. He now works as a salesman for ES Foods, a company that focuses on providing more nutritious food options to schools. His recruiting experience serves him well in this new role, where he introduces a lesser-known company and its mission to potential clients. His time at Montreat also strengthened his networking and people skills, which he uses in his career today.
For those considering Montreat or currently attending, Ramos encourages them to overlook the small size of the student body and give it an honest chance.
“At Montreat, you do not find friends, you find family,” he shared. “You get an opportunity to experience so much diversity as people from all over the nation and world come to school here. Most importantly, you are not a number, but truly an individual. At Montreat College, you are part of something truly special.”