Student Spotlight: Christelle Reglas '16

Christelle Reglas '16 is the recipient of the Dr. Carroll F.S. Hardy Legacy Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of an undergraduate student who has demonstrated transformative leadership, academic excellence, community service and a commitment to continuing the legacy of our [Black] ancestors. 

Becoming Christelle

There is something about Christelle Reglas that is profoundly impressive. It’s not that she is a behavioral neuroscience major on the threshold of graduating with honors or that her physical speed and power have earned her first-place finishes in track and field events at the Landmark Conference Championships over the past three years or that she has served Moravian University and her peers in so many important ways: as a two-year Orientation Leader, mentor to her fellow students, collaborator in establishing the Moravian University Black Student Union (BSU), and founder and currently co-captain of the BSU Step Team.

And it’s not her lean, toned figure that moves with grace and confidence, or the beauty in her face that lights up when she smiles.

No, it’s not the way she looks or what she’s accomplished that make such an impression when you meet Reglas. it’s something deep yet clear. It is, quite simply, the woman herself who stands before you—whole, open, and centered. Someone who is discovering and becoming the woman she’s meant to be.

Living in Bangor

Reglas grew up in Queens, New York. Ten years ago, her family moved to Bangor, Pennsylvania. “It was a drastic change,” says Reglas. “I needed to make a signifcant adjustment to the culture and environment.”

The biggest challenge Reglas faced was the lack of diversity. She was one of only two Black students in her class. “It was difficult. I felt that I had to suppress myself to fit in,” says Reglas. “You’re always being told that looking and acting a certain way will get you farther, so I did a lot of conforming and blending in—in a place where I could never actually blend in.”

Over time Reglas learned to surround herself with people who bring out the best in her and who helped her learn what her strengths and weaknesses are, as well as those who encouraged her not to conform but to be true to herself.

Learning in Bethlehem

If Reglas is being honest, which she always is, Lafayette College was her first and only choice. “I was determined that I would go there and run track,” she says. She was accepted and awarded a scholarship, but the money was not enough. When she came to Moravian University, she loved it right away—loved the overall vibe. And it is here that Reglas has continued to open up to the woman within.

The emphasis on liberal arts has fed her hunger to explore diverse subjects while honing her focus on behavioral neuroscience with an eye toward becoming a sports psychologist. A track and field athlete, she competes in the long jump, 60 meters, 100, 200, 4 X 100, 4 X 200 and, “occasionally the 400, if the coach decides to torture me,” she says with a laugh. “This year we are adding the triple jump,” she adds excitedly. As an Orientation Leader she has been a mentor to fellow students, particularly first-year students.

Her most valuable experience came, however, when she attended the African American Student Leadership Experience (AASLE) in 2014 with fellow students from Moravian University. “It was transformational,” says Reglas. “Students come from all over. Powerful speakers share how to network andhow to reach your potential, and there are discussions about activism and pride.

“I didn't realize how much I was missing out on in terms of who I am now until I went to AASLE where I met students who flourished as leaders on their campuses and were able to make a lasting impact on others like them,” says Reglas. “That was the beginning of me saying, ‘hey, maybe I can do that too.’” And she did.

Reglas returned to campus with a new fire in her belly. That’s when she collaborated with other students to establish the Moravian University BSU, through which she has advocated for the needs of Black students and fought to make Black voices heard and represented.

Her work to raise up the Moravian University experience for Black students led her to accept the role as the primary leader in challenging the University to reflect on their search and hiring practices and put forth a stronger effort to hire Black faculty. She wrote an impassioned letter to the president and provost, and it had an impact. “With tact and grace, yet conviction and strength, Christelle has led her classmates in advocating for a more diverse faculty,” says G. Christopher Hunt, associate dean of students and director of intercultural advancement and global inclusion, who has been a powerful mentor to Reglas. says G. Christopher Hunt, associate dean of students and director of intercultural advancement and global inclusion, who has been a powerful mentor to Reglas. “Dean Hunt taught me that representation matters,” says Reglas, “That if we don’t see people like ourselves in important positions, then we won’t be able to see ourselves in those roles.”

“Reglas’s growth over the past few years has been remarkable,” shares Hunt. “We are very proud of what she has and will accomplish.”

With humility but the honesty and confidence of someone who knows herself and what she stands for, Reglas will tell you that she is proud, and she credits Moravian University for helping her become who she is today. “Moravian University encourages you to be different and to be proud of who you are, and I’ve been able to do that,” says Reglas. “This school teaches you that you can make a difference, and I feel that I’ve made a difference. I wouldn’t be the person I am if it weren’t for Moravian University.”

Preparing to Move On

Reglas is currently doing an internship at Mind of the Athlete, which is a sports psychology center offering emotional support to students. She wants to stay in the Bethlehem area and work for a little while to save money for graduate school. Her hope is to go to the South eventually where there are a lot of historically black colleges and universities. And there, she will continue to define herself as an individual and a proud Black woman living in America.

“If you are a person of color, race is always on your mind because it's the first thing others will see about you," says Reglas. “That means that, whether consciously or subconsciously, others will judge who I am based on my appearance. I feel I need to push myself hard in all ways and in positive ways, so that my actions and accomplishments will reflect well on my race and perhaps even break stereotypes.”

Grab a coffee and a conversation with Reglas someday and you, like all who know her, will quickly come to see that she will fulfill that promise to herself and to Black women and men everywhere.