Celestino Limas joined Kenyon as vice president for student affairs in August 2021 after serving in a similar role at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He’s spent much of his career at small liberal arts colleges, often leading campus-wide diversity and inclusion efforts. Limas holds a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in special education, and a doctorate in educational leadership, and has taught American Sign Language and other courses at several institutions. 

What’s your favorite place?  

It’s a close race for me between Middle Path and Kona, Hawaii.

How would you describe yourself in a sentence? 

A proud papa and devoted husband who loves riding his Harley chopper and is stoked to be a senior servant at Kenyon.

What drew you to Kenyon? 

The level of investment students, faculty and educators have in making the community a lived reflection of our articulated values.

What books changed your life? 

“Pedagogy of the Oppressed” by Paulo Freire, “Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza” by Gloria Anzaldúa and “Lies My Teacher Told Me” by James Loewen.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? 

Anything my mother ever told me — she had wisdom, grace and an ability to prioritize what matters that shaped me into the person I am for my family.

What else would you like people to know? 

The Kenyon of today has been making great strides to revive our community after the past three semesters — watch as all of us on campus work to breathe life into all of your favorite traditions!